Berkeley’s Marine Corps Recruiting Center Controversy
Posted on February 3, 2008
Zombietime has a mini-report and photos of the controversial battle.
» Filed Under 1st Amendment, ACLU, News, War On Terror
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12 Responses to “Berkeley’s Marine Corps Recruiting Center Controversy”
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I heard those Marines at Berkely staged the whole thing for sympathy. Highly respected Jack Wheeler told me so. IF this is true, it would be disturbing.
Roy, If your friend Mr. Wheeler is correct, this would indeed be disturbing, but I think he’s mistaken.
For one thing, the Marines were in that location for several months before (as CodePink describes it) they noticed by chance and started raising objections. Beyond that, Capt. Lund has stated some compelling reasons for his choice of location: Berkeley is central to the area he serves and many of the potentialfuture officers that the office serves are college students who do not own cars, so the close proximity to both bus and BART (light rail) public transit, as well as UC Berkeley was very important.
Beyond THAT, I just don’t think they could have anticipated this reaction from CodePink even if they had wanted it.
I think its ironic that the same people who are crying about the City of Berkely allowing protestors in front of the recruiting center and saying that the marine recruiting station isn’t welcomed would be the same people who in Tennessee, Alabama and every dry county in the country say its ok to shut down a liquor store, strip club or sex shop by saying they have a right to dictate who can do business in their local community even when some of those businesses are protected by the 1st amendment as well. I also assume they are the same people who stand in front of planned parenthoods and spit on girls who need pregnancy tests.
At leas no one has bombed the marines recruiting center.
Well Mr Toad.. first of all id like to know why you would think that people who support the military and its members are the same people who would care to shut down liquor stores, or strip clubs, or whatever. I dont understand the connection. Secondly.. when was the last time that a liquor store owner or a stripper sacrificed their lives serving their country or defending the 1st amendment rights of ignorant people like you? Probably never, unless they also happened to be members of our military. I buy liquor, and ive been to strip clubs, but i feel no obligation to honor or support either one.
I am all for the Armed Forces Recruiting removing themselves from Berkley, CA. Further more I feel that ALL Federal subsidies should be withdrawn from Berkley, including student loans for Berkley residents and school residents. Maybe persons exiting Berkley city limits should have to show a passport before returning to the UNITED STATES.
First of all Mr Wheeler is nuts. The Marines don’t do that sort of thing.
Next I agree with Isquic. I am ashamed to say that I am a resident of Berkeley. I hope the federal funds are totally withdrawn. I went down to the office and saw the “code pink” people and asked each and every one of them if they had ever done anything to serve their country. None of them had done anything.
On top of the federal funds withdrawal I think people who are opposed to what Berkeley is doing should not purchase anything in Berkeley or do any business with one that is located here. There should be a boycott Berkeley movement.
Some of these people should try to understand what the “Freedom of Speech†tenant is before they use it as the basis of defending the mayor and city council. That freedom belongs to the “PEOPLE†not the government. The “people†protesting the misuse of government are the ones who have the rights not the mayor. The city government has no “right†to say anything. The “people†protesting certain members of the city government have every right to protest the usurpation, by the mayor, of government resources to forward his own personal agenda. These people don’t even understand how valuable their rights are, that is why they so easily give them over to people who misuse them. Even if they side with the mayor and his lackeys on this one particular issue it is not a right that should so easily be given up. It’s no wonder city governments like this exist, the people who live there don’t know or even care about how much the Marines and others have sacrificed to give them their “Freedom of Speechâ€. They gladly hand over the “peoples†rights to a government run by an ungrateful, disgruntled ex-employee and spit on the very people who sacrificed so much to give them that right. If the mayor and the rest of those ingrates had any integrity they would take your protest to Washington, but of course its cold in Washington and it would be inconvenient. It’s easier to use deluded old women and unthinking parrots who don’t even understand what “Freedom of Speech†is to do the protesting for them. Now they show their true cravenness by not even defending what they claimed was the moral high ground. These people, so quick to take a stand against something they claimed was immoral and illegal don’t even see the irony in what they’ve done. In contrast to the Marines, these toadies lack the courage to even defend their position. At the mere mention of withholding funding these people hide behind each other, clinging like a pack of monkeys, and proclaim it was a mistake. The immorality is clearly there, it drips off the mayor and covers his city council with a stench.
I think that the local government is a representation of the people and should be granted the Right to say what they want. I think it essential for people in this nation to stand for what they believe and the “Code Pink” is simply emboding that notion. I think it is shameful for anyone to discourage their voices and that my generations livelihood is faltering and all you people have to complain about is the Marine Corp. recruitment protests. If you really want to raise a complaint, complain about the unbelievable number of foreclosures, or the plumitting stock market. Its depressing when you fight against free speech and ignore more pressing issues. Stopping the Berkeley controversy won’t solve any problems my generation faces and that is a fact.
I believe it is very important that these people who demand their freedom of speech from those who died for it, be able to voice their opinions.
Without their rights and methods, this country would not be able to set a “vomit” standard for the lowest of humanity. On a scale of 1-10, somebody has to be a -25 and Berkley anti-military is it!
If you look at the whole thing from the perspective of being noticed, they have nothing else they can do for media attention. The media doesn’t come to them when they are back home under the bridges and overpasses.
I am a Staff Sergeant currently active duty in the Marine Corps. I grew up in the bay area and prior to the service, frequently visited Berkley. While I am proud to serve and Deploy twice to Iraq to ensure freedom of speech for all Americans, there is a certain responsibility that needs to be held by elected officials.
While I can’t comment on certain elected officials, the city council of Berkeley is meant to represent the majority of the city itself. Obviously, the choice to endorse an anti-military stance including the ousting of recruiting offices and the people that man them does not reflect the opinions of the city and merely the opinions of a few citizens and personal opinions of the council members themselves.
I appreciate everyone who has posted something against this decision. It neither helps our troops nor the population as a whole.. If you want to protest the war fine, if you want to protest the people fighting in it all you have to do is look to your left and right, to your brothers, sisters, mothers, sons, and fathers. These, in fact are the people you are protesting against.
Once again. Thanks to those that support the troops.
I am a bay area native and a 10 year wife of a Gunny in the Marines. I personally abhor the actions of the city of Berkeley. My husband has served as a recruiter but has also done 2 combat tours to Iraq. We both have seen the difficulties faced for the those in uniform under both circumstances. I believe if we’re to give our 18 year olds the right to vote, go to a college of their choosing, pick their college major, decide on scholarships, live away from home ect. Should they not also be given the right to choose for themselves whether or not service to their country is a priority to them? Are they all misguided? If the military is so good at brainwashing or hypnosis or whatever else people think they’re doing out there then all the parents of America should talk to military recruiters when trying to solve their problems with their wayward teen. Personally I don’t think teens can be that easily swayed once they’ve chosen their course but maybe I’m naive.
I love how the police say they are remaining neutral and do not want to get involved when the Code Pink protestors are blocking the doors to the recruiting office and not allowing people in or out and chaining themselves to the door. I wonder if they’d behave so passively at say an abortion clinic or even a Wal-mart. Oh yeah it’s Berkeley they only support SOME people’s right to free speech there, the people with whom they agree.
Having been an Active Duty U.S. Marine, and now the father of 2 U.S. Marines, I must say I am completely appalled at the actions of Berkeley’s city govt. My reaction is that I am thankful to be a part of this country’s military, defender of the freedom those in this country so freely enjoy with no fear of loss. This is a typical coward’s way of dealing with reality. Maybe this fear comes from the fact that more and more our liberal college grads are finding it hard to find meaningful work after college?
I have no issue with protesting the war or an individual’s right to not want to be a part of the military. The last time I looked, there is no armed goon forcing people to join the military. What appears to be happening is that we have a new found ideal, service to country before ones self. Yikes, we can’t have that in Berkeley!
To all of the people in Berkeley, I will still defend your right to your opinion. And I will be proud to have my sons do the same.