A rchive Date
[ 07-04-2003 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ U.S ]
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[http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/editorial/1853016
Skirmish of words over war dissent
By CLAY ROBISON
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
April 5, 2003, 12:11AM
The Texas Legislature, to a person, supports American military forces at home and abroad and hopes that troops in harm's way in Iraq will soon return home safely.
Words on an official piece of paper aren't necessary to express those sentiments.
There is, however, no unanimity of support -- in the Legislature or the country at large -- for President Bush's policies, including his decision to use military force against the Iraqi dictatorship.
Support for the troops and opposition to White House policies are two distinct issues. But the president's avid supporters, who dominate sentiment in the Texas statehouse, sometimes try to paint them as one, suggesting that opposition to the war or concern about heavy-handed homeland security policies are akin to being unpatriotic.
Such suggestions are absurd, but the politics of war continue to rage on the homefront.
They reached the floor of the Texas House the other day in the form of HCR 75, a resolution that tries to wrap itself in the flag but is essentially a political recitation of support for Bush.
While of little value to troops overseas, this resolution is potentially valuable to its Republican sponsors, and they were rewarded. After some fiery debate, the House overwhelmingly approved the measure, 136-3, with six abstentions. Most Democrats, regardless of their view of the war in Iraq, dared not oppose it lest they unfairly be labeled as allergic to the red, white and blue.
One exception was veteran Rep. Paul Moreno, D-El Paso, who was serving in the Korean War before many of the flag-wavers in this Legislature were born. Joining him against the measure were Reps. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, and Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin.
The nine-paragraph resolution, which now goes to the Senate, urges Congress to "support President Bush's policies of war on terrorism, homeland security and disarmament action against Iraq."
"Legislators in Texas stand strongly behind the policies of their former governor with respect to these several issues," the resolution states, although the word "strongly" obviously characterizes some lawmakers more accurately than others.
The measure mentions "our troops," the men and women who actually are risking their lives overseas, a grand total of two times but makes no less than six references to their commander in chief, the one for whom legislators are boosting political support and the one who ultimately will answer to the voters for his foreign policies.
I am among those who believe the war in Iraq is wrong. But the die having been cast by the president, I also hope his policy against Saddam Hussein proves to be successful and that casualties, both American and Iraqi, will soon end.
Victory against tyrants overseas or against terrorism at home should never come at the expense of the constitutional right of Americans to peacefully dissent, and the most important part of the pro-Bush resolution, added almost as an afterthought, makes that point.
The resolution as initially proposed by Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, and co-sponsors didn't expressly acknowledge that right. But Eissler, to his credit, accepted an amendment during House debate that may have helped some war opponents ultimately vote for the measure.
The amendment by Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine, reaffirms the First Amendment right of freedom of speech and restates the obvious -- peaceful dissenters aren't traitors.
"There are many Americans who love this country and support our troops but do not support the administration's policy in Iraq, and this resolution does not question the patriotism of those who exercise their rights under the First Amendment to speak their consciences," it says.
Although the added language was an improvement, tolerance of political differences still isn't the resolution's dominant message.
It wasn't intended to be.
Robison is chief of the Chronicle's Austin Bureau. clay.robison@chron.com
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