SuicideKing
02-13-2008, 03:23 PM
Well I can't seem to find or remember any threads on this popping up, so here's one.
As you may or may not be aware a few days ago this (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1058361420080210) happened:
Last week, the Berkeley City Council agreed to send a letter to the Marines stating their recruiters were not welcome in the city and that those who stayed would be considered "uninvited and unwelcome intruders."
The council also applauded people who "impede" the recruiters' work and awarded a free parking permit to Code Pink, an anti-war group that demonstrates daily outside the Marine recruiting office in the city.
Many people were outraged (as they should have been IMO). Among them Senator Jim Demint(R) had the following (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,327466,00.html) to say:
"This is a slap in the face to all brave service men and women and their families," DeMint said in a prepared statement. "The First Amendment gives the City of Berkeley the right to be idiotic, but from now on they should do it with their own money."
"If the city can’t show respect for the Marines that have fought, bled and died for their freedom, Berkeley should not be receiving special taxpayer-funded handouts," he added.
...
DeMint said he will draft legislation to rescind any earmarks dedicated for the City of Berkeley in the recently passed appropriations bill — which his office tallied to value about $2.1 million. He said that any money taken back would be transferred to the Marines.
DeMint's office provided a preliminary list of items that would be subject to his proposal:
— $975,000 for the University of California at Berkeley, for the Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service, which may include establishing an endowment, and for cataloguing the papers of Congressman Robert Matsui.
— $750,000 for the Berkeley/Albana ferry service.
— $243,000 for the Chez Panisse Foundation, for a school lunch initiative to integrate lessons about wellness, sustainability and nutrition into the academic curriculum.
— $94,000 for a Berkeley public safety interoperability program.
— $87,000 for the Berkeley Unified School District, nutrition education program.
Senator John Cornryn(R) joined in (http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ForPress.NewsReleases&ContentRecord_id=f0273640-802a-23ad-4b44-55f355726f91) in support of Demint.
“The Berkeley City Council insulted our troops and offended people across the country. If the U.S. Marines are not good enough for Berkeley, neither are taxpayer dollars Congress would have sent there this year. That city closed its doors on the same individuals taking bullets on the front lines while fighting for the safety and freedom of families in Berkeley and throughout America,” Sen. Cornyn said.
Once it hit the national stage, the ass-covering began (http://www.timesheraldonline.com/todaysnews/ci_8150358).
Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates offered Friday to help the U.S. Marines leave town by negotiating an end to the lease for their recruiting station, even as he backpedaled on a City Council resolution declaring the Corps "uninvited and unwelcome intruders" in the city.
In the face of an onslaught of pro-military criticism from around the country, Bates, a retired Army captain, also issued a statement that said the City Council's resolution Tuesday night "did not adequately differentiate our respect and support for those serving in the armed forces and our opposition to the Iraq war policy." He said he would ask the council to modify the resolution at its next meeting, scheduled for Feb. 12.
The Marines essentially told him to fuck off.
A Marines spokeswoman said Friday that the Corps has no intention of abandoning its space at 64 Shattuck Square that has been the subject of protests for month
DeMint drafted the legislation only to have it delayed (http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/reids-move-delayed-rap-on-berkeley-2008-02-11.html) by Senator Harry Reid (D) on Monday.
Instead of adjourning at the end of a day as usual, the Senate “recessed” twice, a move that, under Senate rules, slows the process of adding new bills to the calendar. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) did not adjourn until last Friday, effectively pushing back floor consideration on the GOP bill until Tuesday — the same day that the city council is likely to tone down its call for Marine Corps recruiters to leave town.
Then yesterday, the Democrats placed an anonymous hold on the bill (http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=144775f9-cc16-f140-9849-099be1b903ab).
Senator DeMint introduced the Semper Fi Act to rescind over $2 million in hidden earmarks for Berkeley, California in the Fiscal Year 2008 Omnibus Appropriations bill, and transfer the funds to the Marine Corps. Until yesterday, Senate Democrat leaders used parliamentary maneuvers to block consideration of the bill. Last night, Republicans asked to pass the Semper Fi Act by unanimous consent after no Republican member opposed its passage, but Democrats have placed an anonymous hold on the bill.
Meanwhile, back in California, Code Pink had the following inanity (http://www.dailycal.org/article/100158/code_pink_stages_mock_debate_at_marines_center) to contribute:
"We are the defenders of democracy, the upholders of the Constitution," said Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Code Pink. "If it weren't for people like the people in Berkeley, standing up for what they believe, we'd be living under Hitler."
Without an opposing voice present, members of Code Pink and other activist groups including The World Can't Wait, Middle East Children's Alliance and Veterans for Peace, turned the debate into an anti-war protest
There were also reports (http://patdollard.com/2008/02/berkeley-outrage-cops-hang-up-on-refuse-to-aid-assaulted-pro-troopers/) of anti-Marines protesters physically accosting pro-troop protesters and people attempting to enter the recruiting office.
Move America Forward, the nation’s largest pro-troop organization, received permits from the City of Berkeley to hold a daylong demonstration in MLK park against the City Council who passed three outrageous resolutions calling U.S. Marines “unwanted intruders.”
“It is mayhem on here,” MAF communications director Danny Gonzalez said from the park early Tuesday morning.
Code Pink was permitted for across the street. The two sides were to stay separated, according to rules laid down by the city. But the city has a history of giving Code Pink special preference. The City Council gave free parking permits and a free noise permit to the radical group, which has helped fund terrorist families in Iraq with a $600,000 gift.
MAF Exeutive Director Catherine Moy attempted to get help from the Berkeley police as the mayhem unfolded, but an officer hung up on Moy. Moy asked the California Highway Patrol to help in the emergency, but the CHP refused.
Today, the Berkeley city council offered it's non-apology apology (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/13/BAM9V1H00.DTL):
Council members conceded that they had erred in passing a resolution Jan. 29 that condemned the Marines - rather than the war in Iraq - and some council members added that they felt they owed U.S. troops an apology as well the many Berkeley residents who were ashamed and offended by their position.
“To err is human but to really screw up it takes the Berkeley City Council,” said council member Gordon Wozniak. “We failed our city. We embarrassed our city.”
In the end, however, the council voted against issuing a public apology for its January action.
The officials said, however, that they strongly believe the Bush administration has used lies and deceit to lead the country into a war in which nearly 4,000 American troops have been killed. They also criticized the government for what they said was hiding the horrors of the war behind a “support our troops” mantra.
Notice, they don't retract the letter, change their policy, or offer an official public apology.
Meanwhile here's video of some of the "Code Pink", "The World Can't Wait" (*EDIT* I had originally erroneously listed "Move America Forward" instead of "The World Can't Wait" sorry about that, brain/fingers disconnect) other random anti-Marines groups physically preventing people from entering the office, while the police stand by.
XsyvpUL1F3k
I can only wonder how those police would have reacted had the scene been an abortion clinic with the pro-lifers employing the same protest tactics.
So now it's time for you guys to weigh in? Do you agree with the Berkeley Council's actions, and the protest techniques of Code Pink et. al? Do you agree with their position but reject their methods? Do you disagree completely? I'm interested in hearing your thoughts.
As you may or may not be aware a few days ago this (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1058361420080210) happened:
Last week, the Berkeley City Council agreed to send a letter to the Marines stating their recruiters were not welcome in the city and that those who stayed would be considered "uninvited and unwelcome intruders."
The council also applauded people who "impede" the recruiters' work and awarded a free parking permit to Code Pink, an anti-war group that demonstrates daily outside the Marine recruiting office in the city.
Many people were outraged (as they should have been IMO). Among them Senator Jim Demint(R) had the following (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,327466,00.html) to say:
"This is a slap in the face to all brave service men and women and their families," DeMint said in a prepared statement. "The First Amendment gives the City of Berkeley the right to be idiotic, but from now on they should do it with their own money."
"If the city can’t show respect for the Marines that have fought, bled and died for their freedom, Berkeley should not be receiving special taxpayer-funded handouts," he added.
...
DeMint said he will draft legislation to rescind any earmarks dedicated for the City of Berkeley in the recently passed appropriations bill — which his office tallied to value about $2.1 million. He said that any money taken back would be transferred to the Marines.
DeMint's office provided a preliminary list of items that would be subject to his proposal:
— $975,000 for the University of California at Berkeley, for the Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service, which may include establishing an endowment, and for cataloguing the papers of Congressman Robert Matsui.
— $750,000 for the Berkeley/Albana ferry service.
— $243,000 for the Chez Panisse Foundation, for a school lunch initiative to integrate lessons about wellness, sustainability and nutrition into the academic curriculum.
— $94,000 for a Berkeley public safety interoperability program.
— $87,000 for the Berkeley Unified School District, nutrition education program.
Senator John Cornryn(R) joined in (http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ForPress.NewsReleases&ContentRecord_id=f0273640-802a-23ad-4b44-55f355726f91) in support of Demint.
“The Berkeley City Council insulted our troops and offended people across the country. If the U.S. Marines are not good enough for Berkeley, neither are taxpayer dollars Congress would have sent there this year. That city closed its doors on the same individuals taking bullets on the front lines while fighting for the safety and freedom of families in Berkeley and throughout America,” Sen. Cornyn said.
Once it hit the national stage, the ass-covering began (http://www.timesheraldonline.com/todaysnews/ci_8150358).
Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates offered Friday to help the U.S. Marines leave town by negotiating an end to the lease for their recruiting station, even as he backpedaled on a City Council resolution declaring the Corps "uninvited and unwelcome intruders" in the city.
In the face of an onslaught of pro-military criticism from around the country, Bates, a retired Army captain, also issued a statement that said the City Council's resolution Tuesday night "did not adequately differentiate our respect and support for those serving in the armed forces and our opposition to the Iraq war policy." He said he would ask the council to modify the resolution at its next meeting, scheduled for Feb. 12.
The Marines essentially told him to fuck off.
A Marines spokeswoman said Friday that the Corps has no intention of abandoning its space at 64 Shattuck Square that has been the subject of protests for month
DeMint drafted the legislation only to have it delayed (http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/reids-move-delayed-rap-on-berkeley-2008-02-11.html) by Senator Harry Reid (D) on Monday.
Instead of adjourning at the end of a day as usual, the Senate “recessed” twice, a move that, under Senate rules, slows the process of adding new bills to the calendar. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) did not adjourn until last Friday, effectively pushing back floor consideration on the GOP bill until Tuesday — the same day that the city council is likely to tone down its call for Marine Corps recruiters to leave town.
Then yesterday, the Democrats placed an anonymous hold on the bill (http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=144775f9-cc16-f140-9849-099be1b903ab).
Senator DeMint introduced the Semper Fi Act to rescind over $2 million in hidden earmarks for Berkeley, California in the Fiscal Year 2008 Omnibus Appropriations bill, and transfer the funds to the Marine Corps. Until yesterday, Senate Democrat leaders used parliamentary maneuvers to block consideration of the bill. Last night, Republicans asked to pass the Semper Fi Act by unanimous consent after no Republican member opposed its passage, but Democrats have placed an anonymous hold on the bill.
Meanwhile, back in California, Code Pink had the following inanity (http://www.dailycal.org/article/100158/code_pink_stages_mock_debate_at_marines_center) to contribute:
"We are the defenders of democracy, the upholders of the Constitution," said Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Code Pink. "If it weren't for people like the people in Berkeley, standing up for what they believe, we'd be living under Hitler."
Without an opposing voice present, members of Code Pink and other activist groups including The World Can't Wait, Middle East Children's Alliance and Veterans for Peace, turned the debate into an anti-war protest
There were also reports (http://patdollard.com/2008/02/berkeley-outrage-cops-hang-up-on-refuse-to-aid-assaulted-pro-troopers/) of anti-Marines protesters physically accosting pro-troop protesters and people attempting to enter the recruiting office.
Move America Forward, the nation’s largest pro-troop organization, received permits from the City of Berkeley to hold a daylong demonstration in MLK park against the City Council who passed three outrageous resolutions calling U.S. Marines “unwanted intruders.”
“It is mayhem on here,” MAF communications director Danny Gonzalez said from the park early Tuesday morning.
Code Pink was permitted for across the street. The two sides were to stay separated, according to rules laid down by the city. But the city has a history of giving Code Pink special preference. The City Council gave free parking permits and a free noise permit to the radical group, which has helped fund terrorist families in Iraq with a $600,000 gift.
MAF Exeutive Director Catherine Moy attempted to get help from the Berkeley police as the mayhem unfolded, but an officer hung up on Moy. Moy asked the California Highway Patrol to help in the emergency, but the CHP refused.
Today, the Berkeley city council offered it's non-apology apology (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/13/BAM9V1H00.DTL):
Council members conceded that they had erred in passing a resolution Jan. 29 that condemned the Marines - rather than the war in Iraq - and some council members added that they felt they owed U.S. troops an apology as well the many Berkeley residents who were ashamed and offended by their position.
“To err is human but to really screw up it takes the Berkeley City Council,” said council member Gordon Wozniak. “We failed our city. We embarrassed our city.”
In the end, however, the council voted against issuing a public apology for its January action.
The officials said, however, that they strongly believe the Bush administration has used lies and deceit to lead the country into a war in which nearly 4,000 American troops have been killed. They also criticized the government for what they said was hiding the horrors of the war behind a “support our troops” mantra.
Notice, they don't retract the letter, change their policy, or offer an official public apology.
Meanwhile here's video of some of the "Code Pink", "The World Can't Wait" (*EDIT* I had originally erroneously listed "Move America Forward" instead of "The World Can't Wait" sorry about that, brain/fingers disconnect) other random anti-Marines groups physically preventing people from entering the office, while the police stand by.
XsyvpUL1F3k
I can only wonder how those police would have reacted had the scene been an abortion clinic with the pro-lifers employing the same protest tactics.
So now it's time for you guys to weigh in? Do you agree with the Berkeley Council's actions, and the protest techniques of Code Pink et. al? Do you agree with their position but reject their methods? Do you disagree completely? I'm interested in hearing your thoughts.