This is a developing story and will be updated.
MARFA — The Casner Room at City Hall was packed on Thursday night as 60-plus local citizens gathered to voice their support for a Gaza ceasefire resolution. Without enough seats to accommodate the crowd, supporters sat on the floor, wearing lime green “Marfa for ceasefire” stickers.
Organizers approached City Council officials with the ceasefire resolution in February, and had since gathered 505 signatures in support of the proclamation council members had on their council meeting agenda to discuss.
Kate Sterchi was the first of 10 citizens to address council members during public comment, stating the signatures — which organizers said were collected from a variety of individuals in town — were an expression of the impact a small town can have on a worldwide issue. She said passing the resolution would allow for “a record of our collective voice to be made.”
“Calling for a ceasefire from a small town within the Chihuahuan Desert is a local humanitarian gesture, but where else can we start but from where we are positioned within the world and with each other?” Sterchi said.
Other speakers, including local teacher Benjamin Pineda, said they took issue with their tax dollars being used to help fund the war, which was causing devastating, mass-scale death and destruction. Dr. Christie Alexander said she read a recent New York Times article that reported an estimated 30,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, likely an undercount.
The ceasefire resolution also acknowledged the deaths of 1,200 Israelis in the attack by Hamas and the ensuing war in Gaza in its call for a permanent ceasefire to “prevent further loss of life.”
“That is more than Alpine, Marfa, Van Horn, Presidio — wiped off the map. That’s not okay,” Alexander said. “This is not a resolution for foreign policy. It is a position statement saying we want ceasefire. That’s it. What side will you be on?”
Patrick Manian said his wife, who is from Lebanon, which is also being targeted by Israel, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder from bombings she experienced while living in the Middle East, and he didn’t understand why anyone would hesitate to support the ceasefire, arguing it was a meaningful action for local government.
“Imagine someone just randomly sending off a bomb 300 feet away and you didn’t know when the next one was coming,” Manian said. “This is what people are living through every day right now.”.
Several speakers said they were not asking City Council members to act as foreign policy experts but to simply consider what they argued — the widespread support for the ceasefire locally.
The resolution presented to council reads, in part, “Whereas, the City of Marfa recognizes the importance of small cities and towns having their voices heard, and that while international affairs may seem outside our purview, our tax dollars are wrapped up in this crisis and the powerful gesture of Marfans from different backgrounds, beliefs and political parties uniting for peace and declaring the preciousness of all life is something to stand behind.”
Petition organizer Fatima Anaza said there had been discussion about taking their petition to higher positions of government, but lobbying on that level may require money and influence everyday citizens don’t have access to, so it made sense to start on the local level. She asked council members to explain their positions if they were not in support of the ceasefire.
“I don’t believe that there is any good reason that we shouldn’t be able to, in our small town, to talk to our City Council and make a request such as this,” Anaza said. “As we get to that agenda item, if you don’t agree with it, I would really love for you to explain — in a loving, communal way — why.”
After citizen comments concluded, the City Council ran through their regular agenda items then Councilmember Mark Morrison, who sponsored the Gaza ceasefire resolution at the request of his constituents, addressed fellow council members.
“I am an elected, public servant and they are the constituents of this town … I am presenting it to the council and on behalf of the residents and constituents asking for a motion and a second to further the resolution,” Morrison said.
After a period of silence, Councilmember Eddie Pallarez said he would not support the resolution. “I have a heart, I have empathy, I hate what’s going on, but I won’t pursue — as a city council member — I won’t pursue it,” he said, giving no further explanation.
Mayor Manny Baeza asked if any other council members planned to make a motion to pass the resolution and all remained silent. With no further discussion, the agenda item died for lack of a motion to consider it for a vote.
The crowd of citizens had an immediate negative response and decided to stand up to protest council members’ actions. Audience members stated that they were disappointed by a lack of discussion and felt the resolution “flatlined.” Chinati artist in residence Morgan Bassichis led the crowd in singing “ceasefire now.”
Council adjourned for a 10-minute break. Several citizens, including Manian, confronted council members, stating they demanded an explanation as to why they didn’t want to pass the ceasefire resolution, and told council members their response was “disgraceful.” Tensions rose and there was a notable law enforcement presence in the room. (In addition to Chief Gilberto Carrillo, who attends most council meetings, Officer Ian Martinez was present.)
Council members gave no formal response and the regular meeting eventually continued. Councilmembers Morrison and Travis Acreman addressed the audience during the council member comments time at the end of the meeting. “I am disappointed that we didn’t get a motion or a second, but I respect fellow council with their decisions on that,” Morrison said.
Acreman thanked people for participating, stating he realized it wasn’t the outcome they wanted, but he hoped they were not discouraged and would visit City Council meetings more often.
Those in support of the Gaza ceasefire stated council members’ lack of response was “disheartening.” Calletana Vargas said the petition in support of the resolution has signatures from troopers, elders and teachers, and she felt like they should have been taken more seriously.
Organizer Eileen Myles echoed Vargas’ sentiments. “All you needed was the courage to have the conversation, you didn’t have to vote for it, you just had to have the respect for us to allow it to get to a point where you would discuss it in front of us like adults,” Myles said. “We got up there and we gave our hearts, we were very open and honest, and you wouldn’t show us anything. It seems very sad for city government.”
Organizers discussed the idea of holding a community forum in the future and said they will keep trying to pass the Gaza ceasefire resolution. Similar attempts have been made in San Antonio, Austin and Houston, but have also failed to make it past local city councils.