Berkeley, CA Wants Marines Out

[Cerise]

of their city:

The council voted 6-3 Tuesday to tell the Marines that their recruiting station is not welcome in the city. In a separate vote, the council supported the women's peace group Code Pink by giving it a designated parking space in front of the recruiting station once a week for six months and a free sound permit for protesting once a week from noon to 4 p.m. The council also voted to explore enforcing its law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation against the Marines. http://www.contracostatimes.com/cir...hKey=News&pageQuery=marines&origQuery=marines

Filthy Hippies

I wonder if they want to give back the $35 mil that Homeland Security gave the Bay Area last year too.....

 

[Professur]

Re: Berkley, CA Wants Marines Out

I wonder how much it would cost to have Japan invade Calif. Oh, too late, Mexico beat them to it.

 

[Inkara1]

Re: Berkley, CA Wants Marines Out

The whole Berkeley/military thing isn't new at all.

 

[Cerise]

Re: Berkley, CA Wants Marines Out

Their hatred of the US Military and endorsement of code pinko aside, why do they think they can forbid a government agency from conducting its' mandated business?

 

[spike]

Re: Berkley, CA Wants Marines Out

Good for them.

 

[SouthernN'Proud]

Re: Berkley, CA Wants Marines Out

Their hatred of the US Military and endorsement of code pinko aside, why do they think they can forbid a government agency from conducting its' mandated business?

I'll take "Prominent Self Important Liberal Idiots" for $1600, Alex.

 

[Professur]

Re: Berkley, CA Wants Marines Out

Good for them.

King Charles eagerly awaits your return.

 

[spike]

Re: Berkley, CA Wants Marines Out

I'll take "Prominent Self Important Liberal Idiots" for $1600, Alex.

I would go with "Self Important Conservative Idiots Looking for Shit to Bitch About" for $2000.

 

[spike]

Re: Berkley, CA Wants Marines Out

King Charles eagerly awaits your return.

Tell him to fuck off.

 

[Professur]

Re: Berkley, CA Wants Marines Out

Tell him to fuck off.

The US will never mount the spirit to do that again, mark my words. You'll slit your own throats long before then.

 

[Inkara1]

Re: Berkley, CA Wants Marines Out

From reading this article, I have a few questions.

Is this designated parking space on the street, or in the parking lot? (Not being familiar with Berkeley's downtown, I don't know the layout of the area the recruiting station is in.) If it's in a parking lot, last I checked, a building's parking lot is part of the building owner's property, too, unless the city wants to take over liability for injuries, etc. that could occur in the lot. If it's on the street (or a city-owned lot), it's still only a matter of time until the city ends up in court after refusing a designated parking spot and free sound permit to a conservative and/or pro-war and/or pro-military group that wants to exercise its First Amendment rights in the same way as Code Pink. What's that? The Constitution is only important when it's convenient for the left? Sorry. How silly of me to have thought one standard was plenty.

The whole discrimination thing because of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy... I wonder if they remember exactly which president implemented that policy. Hint: It was a president Berkeley voted for, who served between George Bush and George W. Bush. I'd venture to guess that if the Iraq conflict had never happened, or if it were more popular, few in Berkeley would really care about the policy, particularly those in a position to have a city attempt to prosecute the Department of Defense for discrimination.

 

[2minkey]

Re: Berkley, CA Wants Marines Out

The US will never mount the spirit to do that again, mark my words. You'll slit your own throats long before then.

yar we'll just wait fer you real heroes in kanada to save us!

 

[spike]

Re: Berkley, CA Wants Marines Out

What's that? The Constitution is only important when it's convenient for the left?

The Constitution is only important when it's convenient for the right. But what does this parking spot have to do with the Constitution?

The whole discrimination thing because of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy...

Really? That's when the discrimination started? Come on now.

 

[jimpeel]

Re: Berzerkeley, CA Wants Marines Out

Once again demonstrating the courage of its convictions Berzerkely is now backpedaling like a crazed circus clown on a runaway unicycle. Funny what the threat of losing a couple of million dollars of taxpayer money will do to some politicians.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/04/BAHVUS06B.DTL

Berzerkeley to rethink its declaration against the Marines
Carolyn Jones, Chronicle Staff Writer
Monday, February 4, 2008

(02-04) 18:52 PST Berzerkeley -- A week after blasting the Marines as "unwelcome intruders" in Berzerkeley, two city council members want the city to back off the declaration that ignited the wrath of the nation's right wing and inspired a Republican senator to try to sever Berzerkeley's federal funding.

Council members Betty Olds and Laurie Capitelli proposed today that Berzerkeley rescind its letter to the U.S. Marine Corps that stated that the downtown Berzerkeley recruiting center "is not welcome in our city," and publicly declare that Berzerkeley is against the war but supports the troops.
The city council will vote on Olds' and Capitelli's two proposals at its Feb. 12 meeting.

"I think we shouldn't be seen across the country as hating the Marines," said Olds, who voted against last week's proposals. "If you make a mistake, like we did, you should admit it and correct it and move on."

The brouhaha started last week when the council passed two items condemning the Marine recruiting center on Shattuck Square, which opened about a year ago. The first called on the city clerk to send a letter to the Marines telling them they're unwelcome, and the second item grants Code Pink a parking space in front of the recruiting office every Wednesday afternoon and allows the group to operate a loudspeaker. After the items passed, the council was besieged with criticism from right-wing groups and military supporters. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) proposed that the federal government cut off funds for Berzerkeley, including lunch programs, ferry service and UC Berzerkeley.

Olds said she heard from hundreds of people angered by the city's action, including many in her Berzerkeley hills district.

"People are so mad about this. They have relatives in the service and now they think they're not welcome in Berzerkeley," she said. "My twin brother was a Marine in World War II. He'd be turning in his grave if he saw this."

The council appears split on the idea of backing down. Some council members said the original proposals inadvertently insulted veterans and those currently serving in the military. Others said Berzerkeley should stand by its convictions.

"People are used to Berzerkeley taking a stand for peace, but you have to do it intelligently," said Councilman Kriss Worthington, who voted against sending the letter calling the Marine Corps unwelcome. "You don't want to slap one group in the face and then, the next minute, slap the other group. I think we have an obligation to be thoughtful and sensitive and not be counterproductive to the cause of peace."

Councilwoman Dona Spring said the council should not be cowed by the volume of hate mail and threats.

"I still oppose the Marines recruiting in Berzerkeley because it's one way of protesting this wasteful war," she said. "Our military policy is a shambles. But we're not in opposition to the Marines, we oppose the policy that directs the Marines."

Meanwhile, the Code Pink protesters said they were disappointed that Berzerkeley might rescind its letter to the Marines.

"I hope they're not acting out of intimidation," said Code Pink spokeswoman Medea Benjamin. "Berzerkeley is a city of peace, and a recruiting station does not fit Berzerkeley's values."

Mayor Tom Bates, a former Army captain, said it probably wouldn't hurt if the council clarified its position.

"It's a symbol, but there are consequences to symbols," he said. "A lot of people think we're anti-Marine, but there's a difference between the warriors and the war. This an attempt to clarify that."

E-mail Carolyn Jones at [email protected].

<edited for clarity -- j>

 

[Gonz]

Re: Berkley, CA Wants Marines Out

publicly declare that Berzerkeley is against the war but supports the troops

Too late.

 

[spike]

Re: Berkley, CA Wants Marines Out

"People are so mad about this. They have relatives in the service and now they think they're not welcome in Berzerkeley,"

Yep, you can always count on some mass of idiots to twist things.

 

[Inkara1]

Re: Berkley, CA Wants Marines Out

The Constitution is only important when it's convenient for the right.

It's obvious that absolutely no thought at all went into that retort.

But what does this parking spot have to do with the Constitution?

If you'd read everything I wrote, you'd have known it has to do with the Constitution if the same courtesy is not extended to all groups for protest purposes.

 

[spike]

Re: Berkley, CA Wants Marines Out

It's obvious that absolutely no thought at all went into that retort.

Obviously at least as much as went into yours.

If you'd read everything I wrote, you'd have known it has to do with the Constitution if the same courtesy is not extended to all groups for protest purposes.

The Constitution regulates handing out parking spots? In that case I imagine there's quite a lot of inequality in the way parking spots are handed out around the country. This article doesn't say whether there is in this case however. For all we know the recruiting station might have had one for some time now.

 

[Inkara1]

Re: Berkley, CA Wants Marines Out

Obviously at least as much as went into yours.

Really, how much thought does it take to use my quote, but change one word and try to pass it off as original?

The Constitution regulates handing out parking spots? In that case I imagine there's quite a lot of inequality in the way parking spots are handed out around the country. This article doesn't say whether there is in this case however. For all we know the recruiting station might have had one for some time now.

The Constitution would regulate handing out a parking spot if it's used as an aid for a protest, as it is here. It's something the city, a government entity, is doing to help a group protest. I could organize a group to protest against the protestors and would be entitled to a designated parking space and a free sound permit as well. If I'm granted those, then all is good. If I'm not granted those, then it was unconstitutional to give them to Code Pink, because then the government is favoring one group's First Amendment rights to protest over another group's. As for the recruiting station... if the building has its own parking lot, then the station would be entitled to some of the spaces as part of its rent. If the parking is all street or public garage parking, then the recruiting station would have no specific spaces, just like the other businesses in the building. But whether the recruiting station has reserved spaces or not is a completely separate issue, because it's, in this case, a rent-paying business.

 

[spike]

Re: Berkley, CA Wants Marines Out

Really, how much thought does it take to use my quote, but change one word and try to pass it off as original?

Actually I've used a similar quote here a few times before when specific Republicans show their disdain for the Constitution. Don't act like it's all original.

What you've done that was original was take the actions of 6 people on a council which have not been demonstrated to be anti-Constitutional and use it to make a ridiculous generalization of the entire "left".

The fact is your entire Constitutional argument is based on heaps of speculation and assumptions. Even if it was valid the only statement that could be made was "these 6 people only care about the Constitution when it's convenient" but you would also have to show them caring conveniently.

So really, how much thought was put into this argument?