[Rhodes22-list] Marines & Berkeley - More Political Scum

[Robert Skinner]

As my grandson said on his way to his third 
tour in Iraq as a LtCol USMC, "Just another 
day at the office."

I hope that the USMC takes no official notice 
of this foolishness.

/Robert
----------------------------------------------
Brad Haslett wrote:
> 
> Robert,
> 
> Here's an update on Berkeley-
> 
> http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/02/BALTUQKOE.DTL
> 
> I posted the link rather than the text so you can see the photos.
> Yesterday, protesters chained themselves to the door of the Marine
> recruiting office for 7 and 1/2 HOURS!  Since when is it legal to close down
> a business and where are the Berkeley police for 7 and 1/2 hours?
> Congresswoman Lee protested Sen. Demints proposal to de-fund Berkeley by
> saying it wasn't right to deprive children of lunches and citizens of first
> responders.  I'd say these people don't need to be having children and if it
> takes over 7 hours for the police to respond, they don't need them either.
> 
> Brad
> 
> On Jan 31, 2008 6:59 PM, Robert Skinner <robert at squirrelhaven.com> wrote:
> 
> > Sorry to hear about this stupidity - but it looks as
> > though the Leathernecks picked a poor beachhead.
> >
> > Any town that does not welcome the Marines does not
> > deserve them.  What kind of dweeb confuses the loyal
> > Marines with the leadership and policies that they are
> > sworn to follow?
> >
> > I, for one, am damned glad to have a fellow Marine
> > next to me under any circumstances, whether or not we
> > share political views.
> >
> > /Robert
> >
> > -------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Brad Haslett wrote:
> > >
> > > Boys and girls, here is a perfect opportunity to solve our energy
> > problem.
> > > I say we take spent nuclear fuel and dump it right smack in the center
> > of
> > > Berkeley.  That, or pull every last federal dollar out of that scum
> > infested
> > > city.  Brad
> > >
> > > ----------------------------
> > >
> > > Berkeley council tells Marines to leave
> > > By Doug Oakley
> > >
> > > STAFF WRITER
> > > Article Launched: 01/30/2008 01:48:16 PM PST
> > >
> > > Hey-hey, ho-ho, the Marines in Berkeley have got to go.
> > >
> > > That's the message from the Berkeley City Council, which voted 8-1
> > Tuesday
> > > night to tell the U.S. Marines that its Shattuck Avenue recruiting
> > station
> > > "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do
> > so as
> > > uninvited and unwelcome intruders."
> > >
> > > In addition, the council voted to explore enforcing its law prohibiting
> > > discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation against the Marines
> > > because of the military's don't ask, don't tell policy. And it
> > officially
> > > encouraged the women's peace group Code Pink to impede the work of the
> > > Marines in the city by protesting in front of the station.
> > >
> > > In a separate item, the council voted 8-1 to give Code Pink 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.
> > >
> > > Councilman Gordon Wozniak opposed both items.
> > >
> > > The Marines have been in Berkeley for a little more than a year, having
> > > moved from Alameda in December of 2006. For about the past four months,
> > Code
> > > Pink has been protesting in front of the station.
> > >
> > > "I believe in the Code Pink cause. The Marines don't belong here, they
> > > shouldn't have come here, and they should leave," said Berkeley Mayor
> > Tom
> > > Bates after votes were cast.
> > >
> > > A Marines representative did not respond to requests for comment.
> > >
> > > The resolution telling the Marines they are unwelcome and directing the
> > city
> > > attorney to explore
> > > ------------------------------
> > > ------------------------------
> > > issues of sexual orientation discrimination was brought to the council
> > by
> > > the city's Peace and Justice commission.
> > >
> > > The recommendation to give Code Pink a parking space for protesting and
> > a
> > > free sound permit was brought by council members Linda Maio and Max
> > > Anderson.
> > >
> > > Code Pink on Wednesday started circulating petitions to put a measure on
> > the
> > > November ballot in Berkeley that would make it more difficult to open
> > > military recruiting offices near homes, parks, schools, churches
> > libraries
> > > or health clinics. The group needs 5,000 signatures to make the ballot.
> > >
> > > Even though the council items passed, not everyone is happy with the
> > work of
> > > Code Pink. Some employees and owners of businesses near the Marines
> > office
> > > have had enough of the group and its protests.
> > >
> > > "My husband's business is right upstairs, and this (protesting) is
> > bordering
> > > on harassment," Dori Schmidt told the council. "I hope this stops."
> > >
> > > An employee of a nearby business who asked not to be identified said
> > > Wednesday the elderly Code Pink protesters are aggressive, take up
> > parking
> > > spaces, block the sidewalk with their yoga moves, smoke in the doorways,
> > and
> > > are noisy.
> > >
> > > "Most of the people around here think they're a joke," the woman said.
> > >
> > > Wozniak said he was opposed to giving Code Pink a parking space because
> > it
> > > favors free speech rights of one group over another.
> > >
> > > "There's a line between protesting and harassing, and that concerns me,"
> > > Wozniak said. "It looks like we are showing favoritism. We have to
> > respect
> > > the other side, and not abuse their rights. This is not good policy."
> > >
> > > Ninety-year-old Fran Rachel, a Code Pink protester who spoke at the
> > council
> > > meeting, said the group's request for a parking space and noise permit
> > was
> > > especially important because the Marines are recruiting soldiers who may
> > die
> > > in an unjust war.
> > >
> > > "This is very serious," Rachel said. "This isn't a game; it's mass
> > murder.
> > > There's a sickness of silence of people not speaking out against the
> > war. We
> > > have to do this."
> > >
> > > Anderson, a former Marine who said he was "drummed out" of the corps
> > when he
> > > took a stand against the Vietnam War, said he'd love to see the Marines
> > high
> > > tale it out of town.
> > >
> > > "We are confronted with an organization that can spend billions of
> > dollars
> > > on propaganda," Anderson said. "This is not Okinawa here; we're involved
> > in
> > > a naked act of aggression. If we can provide a space for ordinary people
> > to
> > > express themselves against this kind of barbarity, then we should be
> > doing
> > > it."
> > >
> > > E-mail Doug Oakley at doakley at bayareanewsgroup.com
> > > __________________________________________________
> > > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> >
> > --
> > Robert Skinner  "Squirrel Haven"
> > Gorham, Maine         04038-1331
> > s/v "Little Dipper" & "Edith P."
> > __________________________________________________
> > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> >
> __________________________________________________
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-- 
Robert Skinner  "Squirrel Haven" 
Gorham, Maine         04038-1331
s/v "Little Dipper" & "Edith P."