MIAMI (Reuters) - A newly elected councilman in a tiny Florida village has refused to take an oath of office pledging support for the U.S. government because he adamantly opposes the war in Iraq.
Councilman-elect Basil Dalack, 76, a Korean War veteran, won an uncontested election to fill a vacancy on the five-person council of the southeast Florida town of Tequesta.
But he is refusing to take the oath of office -- due to be administered on Thursday -- because the oath requires him to "support, protect and defend" the government. His decision comes at a time when polls show ebbing support for the war.
Dalack said he believes the U.S. war in Iraq is unjust and "an abomination." He said he could not sleep at night if he took a pledge implying blanket support for the U.S. government.
"Those dead kids in Iraq, American kids and Iraqi kids, would haunt me," Dalack said.
He sued the village and asked U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks for an emergency order that the oath be reworded. On Wednesday, the judge refused, saying Dalack's suit was unlikely to succeed, but he gave Dalack and the village 25 days to present written arguments in the case.
Village Manager Mike Cuozzo said the oath is contained in the city charter, which can only be changed through a voter referendum.
It is copied nearly verbatim from one widely used for state, county and local office holders, Mayor Jim Humpage said.
The mayor said the village of 5,800 is made up mostly of middle-aged conservatives, many of whom have told him they think Dalack picked the wrong forum for his anti-war campaign.
"He has a job to do with the village and we don't need the village to be a platform for national issues," Humpage quoted constituents as saying.
http://today.reuters.com/news/artic..._01_N4D277957_RTRUKOC_0_US-VILLAGE.xml&rpc=22
Councilman-elect Basil Dalack, 76, a Korean War veteran, won an uncontested election to fill a vacancy on the five-person council of the southeast Florida town of Tequesta.
But he is refusing to take the oath of office -- due to be administered on Thursday -- because the oath requires him to "support, protect and defend" the government. His decision comes at a time when polls show ebbing support for the war.
Dalack said he believes the U.S. war in Iraq is unjust and "an abomination." He said he could not sleep at night if he took a pledge implying blanket support for the U.S. government.
"Those dead kids in Iraq, American kids and Iraqi kids, would haunt me," Dalack said.
He sued the village and asked U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks for an emergency order that the oath be reworded. On Wednesday, the judge refused, saying Dalack's suit was unlikely to succeed, but he gave Dalack and the village 25 days to present written arguments in the case.
Village Manager Mike Cuozzo said the oath is contained in the city charter, which can only be changed through a voter referendum.
It is copied nearly verbatim from one widely used for state, county and local office holders, Mayor Jim Humpage said.
The mayor said the village of 5,800 is made up mostly of middle-aged conservatives, many of whom have told him they think Dalack picked the wrong forum for his anti-war campaign.
"He has a job to do with the village and we don't need the village to be a platform for national issues," Humpage quoted constituents as saying.
http://today.reuters.com/news/artic..._01_N4D277957_RTRUKOC_0_US-VILLAGE.xml&rpc=22
a Korean War veteran
