On Feb. 12 a number of Bangor citizens attended the Bangor Government Operations Committee meeting. They requested that the Bangor City Council adopt a resolution urging our government to work with the international community and be certain inspections have failed before declaring war on Iraq.

Chairman Gerry Palmer de-serves praise for placing the resolution on the agenda and ensuring that citizens were allowed to speak. The committee voted down the resolution, saying they felt uncomfortable voting on a national security issue.

It should be noted that Councilor David Nealley, not even a voting committee member, attempted to stop the discussion, criticizing those who supported the resolution when the country was in “Code Orange.” Mayor Nichi Farnham interrupted citizens and said the council should not even consider such a solution, stating that our comments did a disservice to Bangor’s military population. Both called it unpatriotic to argue that our soldiers not be sent to start a war that has been condemned by most countries.

Citizens of this country should have learned from the excesses of the McCarthy era that freedom to speak and disagree with the government is one of our most basic constitutional rights and vital to the maintenance of a strong democracy. We hope that Councilor Nealley and Mayor Farnham will realize that people who are willing to fight for peace are equally as patriotic as those who advocate war.

Joyce Schelling

Geoffrey Gratwick

Bangor