City Of Berkley Clashes With Marines

[Memphis Slim]

http://images.lauraingraham.com/images/slideshow/pinkparking.jpg
Berkeley to Marines: You're 'not welcome in our city'

CNN) -- Berkeley, the famously liberal college town in California, has taken aim at Marine recruiters, saying they are "not welcome in our city."
http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2008/US/02/07/berkeley.protests/art.protesters.cnn.jpg
Berkeley passed a measure last week encouraging protesters to gather outside the Marine office.

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Republican lawmakers in Washington fired back this week, threatening to take back more than $2 million of federal funding to the city as well as money designated for the University of California-Berkeley, the campus that became a haven of protests during the Vietnam War. http://www.superherohype.com/forums/images/smilies/icon14.gif:hehe:
The battle erupted after the Berkeley City Council approved a measure last week urging the Marine recruiters to leave their downtown office.
"If recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders," the item says.
It goes on to say the council applauds residents and organizations that "volunteer to impede, passively or actively, by nonviolent means, the work of any military recruiting office located in the City of Berkeley."
Outside the Shattuck Avenue recruiting station earlier this week, a handful of [URL="http://topics.cnn.com/topics/anti_war_protests_and_activism"]protesters (http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/02/07/berkeley.protests/#) with the anti-war group Code Pink camped out, strumming a guitar as they sang anti-war songs and held signs against the Iraq war (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/iraq_war).
"Time to end the war, time to end the war, time to end the war right now," they sang to the beat of "I've Been Working on the Railroad." http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/.element/img/2.0/mosaic/tabs/video.gif Watch protesters sing "I Ain't Afraid" » (http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/02/07/berkeley.protests/#cnnSTCVideo)
One giant sign said, "No Military Predators in Our Town." Another message on a pink placard read, "Join the Marines. Travel to Exotic Lands. Meet Exciting and Unusual People -- And Kill Them."
Zanne Joi peered out from under her straw hat. "This Marine recruiting station is trying to recruit our youth to go to Iraq to kill and be killed. And we are against that," said Joi, a member of Code Pink Women for Peace.
"This is part of a multi-pronged effort to end this war."
Protester Sharon Adams added: "This recruiting station recruits people to go fight and then once they fight and they serve their country, our country doesn't take care of them. That's a shame."
But not everyone here supports the protesters.
Forrest Smith, who described himself as a veteran of U.S. Special Forces, said his son recently returned from a tour in Iraq and his daughter served in Afghanistan.


"My position on this is the Marines are the best thing we have," said Smith, decked out in Army fatigues.
He blasted the City Council for its action. "It's clearly an abuse of power."
A group of young students who strolled down the sidewalk shared that sentiment. They derided one of the protesters who argued the United States was involved in an illegal war in Iraq.
"Where's the logic in that whatsoever?" one of the young men said. "That's our national security, and you're here protesting the Marines."
Another said, "It makes me sick. It makes me sick."
Gunnery Sgt. Pauline Franklin, a spokeswoman for the Marine Corps Recruiting Command, told CNN there is "no plan for that office to move."
She said recruiters are there to "provide information to qualified men and women who are looking for opportunities that they may benefit from by serving in the military."
"The Marine Corps is here to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, which does guarantee the freedom of speech," Franklin said. "In terms of the situation in Berkeley, the City Council and the protesters are exercising their right to do so."
In Washington, a group of Republican lawmakers have introduced the Semper Fi Act of 2008 -- named after the Marine motto -- to rescind more than $2 million of funds for Berkeley and transfer it to the Marine Corps (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/u_s_marines_activities).
"Like most Americans, I really get disturbed when taxpayer money goes to institutions which proceed to take votes, make policy or make statements that really denigrate the military," said Sen. David Vitter, R-Louisiana, a co-sponsor of the bill.
He told CNN he believes the bill will pass. "I think it's going to have significant support."
The bill's co-sponsor, Sen. Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, said in a written statement, "Berkeley needs to learn that their actions have consequences."
Berkeley's declaration, which was introduced by the city's Peace and Justice Commission, accuses the United States of having a history of "launching illegal, immoral and unprovoked wars of aggression and the Bush administration launched the most recent of those wars in Iraq and is threatening the possibility of war in Iran."
__________________________________________________

I am so tired of these brain cell-depleted dope smoking hippies longing for the days of yester year! :whatever: If Berkely was invaded or if some major catastrophy (like an Earthquake) hit, they'd be the first ones crying for the Military to help them! They sleep under the very protection of these brave men and women. What fools!!! Pure idiots!

[SuBe]

I think that this is a Display of Digusting Disregard for what these Marines to Protect and Defend these AssH***es Rights. I'm glad that the City's Citizens decided to take back they city by telling the City Council that they better Apoligize or they are out of a Job.

I'm not saying that they have to agree with the War, but they should respect the People who defends their Rights to be able to disagree.

[Excel]

Ehhhhhh. Those boys in the marines dont go out and do it for fun; they are sent there. Hate the people sending them there, not the actual people. :down

[SuBe]

Ehhhhhh. Those boys in the marines dont go out and do it for fun; they are sent there. Hate the people sending them there, not the actual people. :down
That is true. Hate the Mission if you will. Respect the People that have the Testicular Fortitude to Defend us.

[MaskedManJRK]

Yeah, those cats are kinda giving the people who don't like the War and such a bad name.

Unless these guys were doing some scandalous ****, like going to elementary schools with a mascot named Marty the Murderin' Marine or something like that, they have the right to do what they're doing.

[StorminNorman]

Its Berkley, who expects more?

[Malice]

Damn dirt munching tree hugging druids...
they piss me off

[Addendum]

They have the right to protest, and the marines have the right to stay there.

I continue on with my day unchanged

[The Senator]

They have the right to protest, and the marines have the right to stay there.

I continue on with my day unchanged

I agree :up:

[kytrigger]

Yeah we talked about it in my class today. My instructor (who has been in the army for 16 years now) told us some of the best advice we will probably ever have. He said "for the most part, American citizens will hate you until they need you"
And while "hate is a rather strong word, I can see his point. Before 9/11 and we went to war with Iraq again (back when the war was popular) people didn't so much hate military, but they didn't really care that much. Once that war happened there was a huge outpouring of love and affection for all military, and it continues (abeit quite a bit less) to this day.

[LuiECuomo]

They have the right to protest, and the marines have the right to stay there.

I continue on with my day unchanged

Yes, they DO have the right to act like scumsucking ***holes and dishonor our troops. A right which they shouldn't have.

[Addendum]

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it - traditionally attributed to Voltaire

[The Senator]

I personally think Code Pink and every group which opposes this war has a right to protest however they want to as long as it doesn't interfere with the laws of this country. I don't think Berkley has the right to ban the Marines from their city, both from a legal and personal standpoint.

Now, I also agree they should be allowed to protest our troops, but to a tasteful extent. For example, I think if protesters were to protest the treatment of prisoners at Abu Garhab (sp) and other disgusting behavior, then they have the right to do so as long as its done in an orderly fashion. But I think it's deplorable for the Westboro Baptist Church to picket soldiers' funerals with signs that read GOD HATES ***S, simply because they're acting completely irrational and disrespectful over the issue. I agree with the Senate resolution which banned the WBO from protesting within a certain distance of a soldier's funeral. Some things are simply unacceptable.

[LuiECuomo]

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it - traditionally attributed to Voltaire

People should have the right to protest our government, as others have said--but NOT the men and women who are selflessly protecting our very freedom to live, including the freedom of those scumbags out their in sunny California.

[Addendum]

If they want to protest the military, that is their right to do so, even if baby doesn't agree with it

[LuiECuomo]

If they want to protest the military, that is their right to do so, even if baby doesn't agree with it

I strongly disagree. But I guess disagreements form the foundations of this forum.

[Arkady Rossovich]

I applaude the people for protesting and denying the Marines access. Hate the Government for starting the useless Iraq war,but hate the soliders for going there even more. Because they can refuse...but they do not.

[MaskedManJRK]

I applaude the people for protesting and denying the Marines access. Hate the Government for starting the useless Iraq war,but hate the soliders for going there even more. Because they can refuse...but they do not.

How can they refuse? I don't quite remember the amount, but getting caught going AWOL is a prison sentence.

[LuiECuomo]

I applaude the people for protesting and denying the Marines access. Hate the Government for starting the useless Iraq war,but hate the soliders for going there even more. Because they can refuse...but they do not.

Refuse? Wow...do you have ANY idea how military service works?

[hippie_hunter]

I applaude the people for protesting and denying the Marines access. Hate the Government for starting the useless Iraq war,but hate the soliders for going there even more. Because they can refuse...but they do not.

No they cannot refuse. The military is not a democracy. If you're ordered to go somewhere you have no choice to say yes or no, you go there.

If you refuse you can be sent to prison for a while. I have a friend who went AWOL during boot camp and he was sent to jail as a result.

These people just give the anti-war movement a bad name and should be ashamed of themselves.

[hippie_hunter]

Refuse? Wow...do you have ANY idea how military service works?

Dude, he makes statements before knowing the facts all the time :o

[The Senator]

I applaude the people for protesting and denying the Marines access. Hate the Government for starting the useless Iraq war,but hate the soliders for going there even more. Because they can refuse...but they do not.

I think its deplorable for any entity to ban military recruiters, whether its a high school, college or a city. Military recruiters don't coerce or force people to join. They don't kidnap innocent kids and threaten to kill their families unless they join the military. It's a choice left up to the individual, not the community. If a person doesn't want to join, they can refuse. I've done so many times, but I certainly don't think "geeze, those damn military recruiters! What evil scumbags :cmad:"

Once that individual decides to join the military, they enter a contract. A contract much like employment, so when they are deployed overseas, they have no choice but to go over there and fight. Most of them don't raise a fuss, because they signed up to defend our country, not so they can go on a four-year vacation to Haiti. It's just how the job works, and like it or not, they have no choice, and they deserve respect for what they are forced to do.

Like I said earlier, the only excuse for protesting the troops is if people protested a certain group's actions, such as raping or randomly targeting civilians... something which is very, very rare. I've protested this war several times, and not once have I held up a sign disgracing the men and women who fight for this country. I've held up signs which say "Bring Our Troops Home," but I don't think that's disrespectful in the least bit. Implying that all of our troops are evil, though... that's out of line, and I wouldn't protest with anyone who held up a sign which even implied this war was our the fault of our troops. It was the fault of three people, all three of which were in government.

Your statements are always oblivious of how America works. You know nothing of this country, and that strangely becomes more apparent with every post you make.

[Addendum]

Exactly. The draft was ceased in the mid 70s, after the Vietnam War. For a little over 30 years, the military is voluntary. When a person decides to join, it should be a matter of common sense to know "if my country goes to war, i'll have to serve". If the individual doesn't or didn't know that before going in, then that person failed to do their homework

[C. Lee]

I applaude the people for protesting and denying the Marines access. Hate the Government for starting the useless Iraq war,but hate the soliders for going there even more. Because they can refuse...but they do not.

What planet do you live on?

[Genesis 1.0]

I applaude the people for protesting and denying the Marines access. Hate the Government for starting the useless Iraq war,but hate the soliders for going there even more. Because they can refuse...but they do not.

Reading this actually gave me a f'n headache.

NO, just........no.:o

[The Master Planner]

The tree-hugging granola crunchers at Berkeley have every right to protest the Iraq war. But disagreeing with the war is far different than disrespecting Marines and other military personnel who fight and die to guarantee the right to protest. Free speech has consequences. Rights come with responsibilities. The best time for antiwar protests is before the war starts, because you can be sure our soldiers and are enemies are watching the news and listening.

In America, you have the right to spout off, but the spouter must be willing to accept the consequences and the disagreement of other people. The Dixie Chicks, for example, have every right to say they're ashamed to come from the same state as the president, even though going to a foreign ally to do it was disrespectful in the extreme. Those who disagree with them also had every right to stop buying their CDs and stop going to their concerts. Hippies at Berkeley have the right to say our fighting troops are reprehensible. Those who support our troops also have the right to speak with their money as well.

[ScottyBBadd]

Its Berkley, who expects more?

Excellent point. Berkley is the liberal capitol.

[Cosmic]

The Code Pink protest is just like a silly impersonation of the now universally hated "hippie" stereotype. At first, I thought it was a joke, or a some kind of sham. These people are nuts. I think they're probably hurting the anti-war effort, instead of helping. Instead of dissuading or preventing people in their community from being recruited by the USMC, they're just going to encourage more people to stand up against what they represent.

[Memphis Slim]

The Code Pink protest is just like a silly impersonation of the now universally hated "hippie" stereotype. At first, I thought it was a joke, or a some kind of sham. These people are nuts. I think they're probably hurting the anti-war effort, instead of helping. Instead of dissuading or preventing people in their community from being recruited by the USMC, they're just going to encourage more people to stand up against what they represent.


I love code Pink just because they do make the libs look stupid.

Nobody is "PRO-WAR". It's just that some of us realize that there will always be a time to fight for defense of your nation or protection of an ally.

Great power does indeed come with great responsiblity.

[Memphis Slim]

The Code Pink protest is just like a silly impersonation of the now universally hated "hippie" stereotype. At first, I thought it was a joke, or a some kind of sham. These people are nuts. I think they're probably hurting the anti-war effort, instead of helping. Instead of dissuading or preventing people in their community from being recruited by the USMC, they're just going to encourage more people to stand up against what they represent.


I love code Pink just because they do make the libs look stupid.

Nobody is "PRO-WAR". It's just that some of us realize that there will always be a time to fight for defense of your nation or protection of an ally.

Great power does indeed come with great responsiblity.

[Memphis Slim]

The Code Pink protest is just like a silly impersonation of the now universally hated "hippie" stereotype. At first, I thought it was a joke, or a some kind of sham. These people are nuts. I think they're probably hurting the anti-war effort, instead of helping. Instead of dissuading or preventing people in their community from being recruited by the USMC, they're just going to encourage more people to stand up against what they represent.


I love code Pink just because they do make the libs look stupid.

Nobody is "PRO-WAR". It's just that some of us realize that there will always be a time to fight for defense of your nation or protection of an ally.

Great power does indeed come with great responsiblity.

[Venom'sDad]

Nobody is "PRO-WAR". It's just that some of us realize that there will always be a time to fight for defense of your nation or protection of an ally.

Great power does indeed come with great responsiblity.

Totally agree.... and I like the way you tied Uncle Ben to it as well.... he would be proud. :)

[rdh007]

It's just that some of us realize that there will always be a time to fight for defense of your nation or protection of an ally.
Have we done that since 1945? Kennedy's Vietnam included.

[Symbiotic]

I applaude the people for protesting and denying the Marines access. Hate the Government for starting the useless Iraq war,but hate the soliders for going there even more. Because they can refuse...but they do not.:dry:

[Kelly]

They have the right to protest, and the marines have the right to stay there.

I continue on with my day unchanged

Theres difference between protesting, and the city council voting to keep the marines from recruiting in their city.

BUT, the city council has changed their minds.....$$$$$$ will do that to ya.:cwink:

[hippie_hunter]

Have we done that since 1945? Kennedy's Vietnam included.

The Korean, Vietnam, and Gulf Wars were fought in the defense of our allies (South Korea, South Vietnam, and Kuwait)

[kane9321]

I love it over there..great city ..matter of fact i was just there yesterday..had to pic up some comics

[bell110]

I love code Pink just because they do make the libs look stupid.

Nobody is "PRO-WAR". It's just that some of us realize that there will always be a time to fight for defense of your nation or protection of an ally.

Great power does indeed come with great responsiblity.


No, there are lots of people that are pro-war. The problem with them is that they don't know the DIFFERENCE between what is fighting in the name of defense and what isn't.

And I suspect that Arkady says the opposite of what he really thinks is right for comical purposes.

[Superman4ever]

That is true. Hate the Mission if you will. Respect the People that have the Testicular Fortitude to Defend us.

:dry:

Grammatical anomalies aside, I don't see why Berkley is protesting the Marines SO heavily. Are they tricking people to sign up or something? 10 free downloads just sign here...(small print). The Marines have their right to free speech. I get protesting the war, but this is too much negativity that doesn't help the situation and just further separates and drives wedges between Americans.

We've had recruiters for decades and when I was an undergraduate (3 years ago) I loved talking to them and getting their opinions about everything from the war in Iraq to politics to their lives in general. Most of them were VERY down to earth young kids, some of them were trapped in their situation, so it's VERY hard not to sympathize with them.

[Memphis Slim]

No, there are lots of people that are pro-war. The problem with them is that they don't know the DIFFERENCE between what is fighting in the name of defense and what isn't.

And I suspect that Arkady says the opposite of what he really thinks is right for comical purposes.


Dude...I was hopin' that you understood my point. I know there are some nut jobs who like war. Just like there are those who would let Hitler live.

I'm not talking about thextremes in either case.

The average Joe, GOP or Dem, is not "PRO-WAR".

[SuperMonkey]

Anyone heard the latest thig the city council's saying. "For military, against recruitment"










Saaaayyyy whaaaaaattt? :confused:

[BlackLantern]

I am all for the right to protest, but as with every right it has its consequences when exercised.

[BlackLantern]

I applaude the people for protesting and denying the Marines access. Hate the Government for starting the useless Iraq war,but hate the soliders for going there even more. Because they can refuse...but they do not.

....as a former member of the United States Navy we have something called Honor, Courage, Commitment....How dare you insult the brave men and women who serve their country....?? Honor...holding yourself to a higher standard....Courage to do the things others won't do....and Commitment to your fellow servicemen and women

[zanos]

The protestors are not protesting individual soldiers. They're protesting the war and the instrument in which they're getting soldiers to sign up so they can go die or get maimed for some weird Bush/Cheney agenda.