Chicago is latest U.S. city to approve such a non-binding resolution, following Atlanta, Detroit and San Francisco in recent months.
Chicago is latest U.S. city to approve such a non-binding resolution, following Atlanta, Detroit and San Francisco in recent months.
Why are city governments doing this?
Cities have very little role in international diplomacy. If a city wants to support something like Black Lives Matter, at least that’s something related to what they do. They employ police who might not treat black people fairly, for example. But, it seems wrong to get involved in international diplomacy.
For a different reason, schools also shouldn’t have a stance. Schools are supposed to be a “marketplace of ideas”. If a student council wants to take a stand, sure. If a Palestinian rights org on campus wants to hold a rally, that’s great. The school itself should stay out of it and simply provide a physically safe place for other people to express their ideas.
Why shouldn’t they? The city government represents the citizens of that city, who are calling for a ceasefire. They’re saying “we hear you and agree there should be a ceasefire”
Why shouldn’t they? They have no power to do anything, and it isn’t their business. Any time they spend on posturing about things they can’t have any impact on is time they can’t spend doing their actual jobs.
These city council meetings keep getting over run with citizens making statements about the situation and that is actually preventing them from doing other things. That’s why they passed this. So that the citizens will feel appeased and let them move on to their real business. It’s the citizens who are wasting the time in this case and if that’s their prerogative then so be it.