BOSTON CITY COUNCILOR “SAYS NO TO WAR!”
By Stevan Kirschbaum
Boston – Oct 19, 2001

The growing anti war movement, which has seen thousands in the streets, on college campuses and at community “teach ins”, found expression in the chambers of Boston City Hall at this week’s meeting of the Boston City Council. In response to its racist right wing pro war resolution, Councilor Chuck Turner eloquently articulated the anti-war feelings of many in Boston as he stood to oppose the resolution. He was immediately confronted with a torrent of vile ultra right venom by the likes of resolution sponsors Jim Kelly of South Boston and Paul Scapicchio of the North End.

The resolution reads in part, “ We express our support and commitment to the President, our Congressional leaders…and the policies which they now pursue in protecting our Nation from further acts of terrorism.” Billed as a “unity resolution against terrorism” this resolution was designed to provide a City Council rubber stamp for Washington’s racist war in Afghanistan, as well as the racist anti Arab and anti people war at home - whether by denial of civil liberties, an undeclared war on immigrants, or the massive layoffs and social service cutbacks. As of this writing, scores of Arab people are being held without charges and without council while many have been victims of racist attacks.

Resolution sponsor Kelly is a notorious reactionary racist whose record of decades is well known in this city. From the organized attacks on African American students during desegregation in the 1970’s, to leading the vigilante South Boston Marshals, to attacks on the LGBT community to exclude participation the St. Pats parade, to opposing affirmative action -Kelly has been the mouthpiece for racist injustice and war.

Chuck Turner is the City Councilor representing District 7 – Roxbury, Dorchester, Mission Hill, Fenway, etc, a largely African American, Latin, and poor distict. This is a district that has disproportionately born the burden of deaths in past US wars, as the district’s youth have been victims of the draft or later the “economic draft”. It is a district like many across the country that will be among the domestic economic casualties in this war, bearing the bulk of the burden of economic cutbacks and layoffs.

Speaking in opposition to the resolution, Councilor Turner stated, “While we were all shocked by the loss of lives on September 11, an event that touched everyone, we must not allow emotion to cloud our thinking. We should not be making war on another country regardless of the amount of food we drop or the number of people killed....We should join in an alliance with other nations to investigate the tragic events of September 11 to determine who was responsible. We should not make war on the people of Afghanistan”.

Turner has been a community activist for over 30 years and was an early endorser of the International ANSWER coalition. He has marched in support of Mumia Abu Jamal and Against the Death Penalty. (see photo at right of Councilor Turner leading the Oct. 3, 2000, "March Against the Death Debates", from Dudley Square to the Bush/Gore presidential debate at UMass Boston.) Just this past Sunday he was a featured speaker at an anti-war demonstration of over 2000. He will also be a featured speaker at the upcoming Oct 27 Boston March and Rally against War and Racism assembling at 12 noon at Government Center.

The pro-war resolution passed by a 12 to 1 margin. In the wake of Councilor Turner's courageous stand, he has received countless threats, including some from right wing elements in the city establishment. The Oct 27 demonstration has now added the demand to defend Councilor Turner from the attacks by the racist pro war forces. The anti-war movement that grows daily clearly demonstrates that Chuck Turner’s vote, while a voice of one, speaks in the interests of a broad constituency, while the other 12 votes merely parrot the interests of the privileged few. Like the stands for peace taken by Rep. Barbara Lee in California and Rep. Cynthia McKinney of Georgia, history will confirm the truth of their stand for justice.

Councilor Turner addressing Oct. 27, 2001, anti-war demonstration in front of Boston City Hall.
iacphoto: Liza Green