A Digression

Sorry for this somewhat personal post, but it has a link to Iowa politics (in that it is linked to me).

My grandfather (whom I never met, but for whom I was named) was a land developer in Florida from the 1950s until he died.  Among other things, he founded a town called Tequesta, which is where I grew up.  Anyway, this story was on the front page of the Drudge Report, which is why I caught it:

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.

I don’t really know much about Tequesta politics, nor do I know anyone currently involved in them (although I do kind of know the judge who ruled on the case), but I saw Dalack’s yard signs when I was home over break, and they didn’t look any different from the others.  What has the world come to, when we can’t even tell when a village council candidate is a far-left pinko communist operative?

2 comments April 14th, 2006