By Matthew Wolfe, Kings Courier
Residents lined up to ask questions of Representatives Nadler, Clarke, and Weiner at a Town Hall meeting held in Park Slope’s Old Church.
Brooklyn residents lashed out at local congressman over their inability to end the war in Iraq at a Park Slope meeting recently.
What was billed as a town hall discussion on why the US was still in Iraq and the best way of getting out quickly turned heated, Brooklyn Representatives Anthony Weiner, Yvette Clarke and Jerrold Nadler withstood over two hours of sometimes hostile questions about the ongoing war in an event sponsored by the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats at Old First Church.
All representatives spoke forcefully against the war and advocated a quick withdrawal from the country.
In opening remarks, Rep. Nadler called the U.S. presence in the country “stupid” and said that the threat of Al Queda in Iraq was greatly exaggerated.
“Al Queda is not a problem,” said Nadler. “If we left tomorrow, the Sunnis and the Shiites would fight each other to see who could eliminate Al Queda first,” comments which reflected recent analysis suggesting that the terrorist group enjoys little popular support in the country.
Rep. Clarke expressed frustration at the inability of the Democratic majority to withdraw, saying that a number of newly elected members of Congress were concerned about maintaining their seats.
“Sometimes you feel like you’ve been stabbed in the back by one of your own,” Rep. Clarke said. Rep. Clarke drew cheers when she suggested that impeachment proceedings were in order.
A woman held up a sign which read in red block letters “IMPEACH.”
Weiner sounded a similar note to the others saying that removing the U.S. from the country would “remove an irritant” from the country.
Rep. Weiner, however, came under withering criticism – perhaps unexpectedly for the strongly anti-war congressman – for his refusal to support the initiation of impeachment proceedings against President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.
While stating that the two leaders had done “impeachable things,” Weiner said that impeachment proceedings would occupy the congress and prevent them from doing anything else with their majority.
The position elicited a mix of applause and boos as subsequent questioners expressed strong disagreement.
“It blows my mind that you equate impeachment with looking backwards,” said one.
The moderator was forced several times to remind audience members to keep their questions to under a minute. Eventually, Rep. Nadler came to a haggard-looking Weiner’s defense, saying that he agreed with him.
New York Senators Clinton and Chuck Schumer were invited to the forum but declined to attend.
Both leaders were mentioned in passing by questioners, eliciting boos from the audience.
Rep. Nadler mounted a strong defense to a Green Party representative who said her party would under no circumstances vote and in 2002 voted to authorize military action in Iraq.
“If you think there’s no difference between the Republicans and Hillary Clinton,” said Nadler, enumerating topics on which they different. “you are not living in the real world.”
Former Congressional Representative Major Owens spoke briefly, drawing enthusiastic cheers from the audience.
“Oh, what fools we mortals ““ we Brooklynites be ““ if we don’t rise up against this,” Owens said.
After two hours, Rep. Weiner withdrew, citing another meeting. One of his impeachment interrogators, Laurie Arbeiter of Park Slope, followed Weiner into the hallway and confronted him. An argument ensued.
“How are you going to let these two criminals get away with this?” said Arbeiter, at the height of the disagreement.
“I disagree with you and I told you so,” said Weiner, vehemently.
“You said they were impeachable offenses,” said Arbeiter. “Impeachable offenses”¦”
Weiner turned to address a more gentle question from another attendee, and Arbeiter withdrew, unsatisfied.
In interviews prior to the meeting, attendees expressed frustration and exhaustion with the agonizingly long war.
“I’m absolutely weary, but I’ve come out of the rage and depression” said Laura Gillespie, a teacher and Park Slope resident. “Because they invited all these reps out her I decided to step out.
“I think it’s important to let [the representatives] know we haven’t gone to sleep,” said her husband, Michael Smith, a musician. “Our eyes may be droopy, but we’re still here.”
Throughout the evening, a computerized tally projected on the a screen kept track of the amount of money the war has cost Brooklyn. It currently stands at over $4 billion dollars.
At the end of the discussion, the total had increased by another $220,000 dollars.