What do you think about the Berkeley, California city council attempting to protest the Bush Wars with hostility towards their local Marine recruiting office? The Berkeley city council have spoken out for the past few weeks that because they oppose the war, and they wanted to kick the Marine recruiters out of their town. They agreed on a message that the Marines were not welcome in their city.
I firmly believe it is the right and yes responsibility for citizens to disagree and protest the government when we disagree. I believe true patriots stand up to administrations when they act so arrogantly and secretly as the Bush administration has conducted itself.
However, this Berkeley city council is demonstrating a perfect example of how not to disagree and protest. They are also revealing how little our nation’s liberal side is thinking.
First, our constitution specifically prohibits the quartering of soldiers, which was a problem back in the Revolutionary days. Soldiers could enter your home and live there without your permission. Quartering soldiers is not nearly what happens when the military pays and occupies local office spaces for recruitment activities. I read a bit here and there of some ignorant people trying to make this argument; hopefully they learn a bit of history before making bigger fools of themselves.
Second, are the Marines really the only military branch with a Berkeley recruiting office? I find it difficult to believe, so why is the city council getting all bunched up over one branch and not the others?
Third, the war is decided and conducted by the corrupt Bush administration. If you want to protest, take your fight to the appropriate place. Either go to the White House gates or to your local congressional offices. A few thousand eggs thrown at your senator’s local office door ought to get your message across. Why fight against the military recruiters? They have no say in whether we go to war, continue war, or to pull out of war.
If the Berkeley city council wants to protest McDonalds’ fatty food, are they going to harass the local minimum wage workers for change? This city council probably would be dumb enough to do it, but the real protest would be against the national corporate headquarters or regional corporate offices.
Fourth, philosophically speaking, is it smart for any city to ever try kicking out the local military offices? I am not saying kicking out a base with the associated weapons and ranges, I mean just administrative offices which recruiter offices are essentially. Berkeley would not be a city if not for the groundwork and sacrifice paid by our national military.
Fifth, this issue runs deeper than a simple war protest. I think it is safe to say Berkeley, California represents the tip of liberal extremism in America. I think it is also safe to say we Americans have realized the national Democratic party is bankrupt in the good ideas department. We gave them a chance to balance our nation’s ills, and they have squandered their opportunity in almost every way possible. This Berkeley city council represents another huge failure by liberals to be the good guys America needs now.
This morning I read that the Berkeley city council reversed their decision to oust the Marine recruiter office (which was legally dubious if they could anyways). There were strong counter-protests to the city council’s decision, but the reversal probably had more to do with the threatened loss of millions in federal funding. Here again is the perfect example of their weak resolve. Berkeley is a fairly rich city, but in the face of losing their federal welfare dollars they decided their phony principles should be set aside.
I think the Berkeley city council members need to sign up for an eight week Marine boot camp, and then send them out to spend a month in Iraq (outside the fortified green zones). I view Berkeley’s city council protest as a lot like those idiots who burn flags. Sure it is their right to protest in that manner, but they are being so stupid about their tactic that they actually hurt their cause rather than help.
Some people say the city council’s action was treasonous. I don’t think it rose to the high and distinct level of treason, but it was incredibly misguided and stupid. Can you imagine how fast a recall election would throw those bums out of office in Idaho?
What do you think?
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Joe, thankyou for bringing up this issue. I agree with many points on your article. However, taking pains to point out that this is a war authored by a ‘corrupt Bush Administration’ don’t exactly lead one to believe you were being objective about the fact that Bush and the Congress launched this war…..including many Democrats.
The real issue is that Berkley, like San Fransisco, hates the military estalishment. Code Pink pretends to care about the soldiers so much that they just want them home. That is a bunch of baloney. The real political agenda is to stick it to the military, Bush, and anyone else that wants to stick it to the terrorists because they don’t believe in conflict or America throwing it’s weight around to protect it’s interests (i.e. oil). However, these same liberals want the government to protect them against terror attacks, they want cheap gasoline and power that abundant oil brings them. Like so many other issues, they want their cake and they want to eat it too. This is typical knee jerk liberalism that spouts off based on emotion vs. world realities that this country has faced for decades.
They stomp around burning the flag….for what….because they can?! They call the Marines murders….because they can…..but they have no moral authority to speak about ending the war or anything else because they expect all the same rights and privileges without being willing to pay for them. (This most recent Democratic Congress elected in 2006 has been a joke in that department) As Joe noted, they are bankrupt in the ideas department. They only seem to know how to whine and bitch…..they don’t seem interested in solving problems….just creating them and trying to score political points. As a result, many Americans are turned off by their over the top rhetoric. The Democratic Congress and it’s far left loons should be embarrassed how they treated our soldiers. It reminded me of Vietnam all over again. That was a sad time for this country. The left is always talking about how our society treats it’s disadvantaged citizens is a good indicator of how we, as a society, are really doing. They don’t seem to have the same care or concern for men and women that have fought and died to protect all of us and our way of life. This shows the hypocrisy at work on the left and why stunts at Berkley and San Fransisco are all about the politics of fear and hate that most of the American People disdain. These loons will never succeed with these types of tactics–nor should they.
I agree with you, and I should be clear I am absolutely not trying to be objective. I agree wholeheartedly in protesting this war and believe the Bush presidency will be seen historically as America’s dark ages.
I just cannot agree with or support the Berkeley city council’s methods, their tactics. If they really wanted to protest, why not lobby for their neighbor’s congresswoman Nancy Pelosi to get ousted as the Speaker of the House and get someone who will allow impeachment hearings?
It is dumbfounding that they would think hassling the local recruiting office is the right place for their energies.
It was a cold and blustery day on Pearl Harbor Day 2007. The day dawned gun metal gray and the winds seemed to bring back spirits of Patriotic Ghosts gone by. My wife was leaving to help care-give for her Mom in some distant state. We drove silently out Broadway to that gasser by the interchange. There we would wait for the shuttle.
We sat quietly, observing. And I noticed a very glitzy, hot rod pickup drive pointedly into the parking lot. I noticed it had a government license plate. I thought that was odd. So I watched the truck closely as it sliced into the cold void. It parked in a place that said “No Parking” and no one got out. I watched and waited.
Eventually, the shuttle arrived. My wife was ready to go and I helped her unload her bags from our truck. I kept an eye on that hot rod pickup. To my surprise, I noticed a Military Man get out of the driver’s side. He wore regulation fatigues and had the fit and firm figure of a robust military male.
And then out of the passenger side, a slightly built boy alighted on the parking lot pavement. He looked dazed and confused. The Military Man escorted the young boy over to the shuttle, shook his hand, spun smartly on his heel and stepped quickly back to the truck.
I watched all of this quietly. As I waited to help the driver load my wife’s bags into the shuttle trailer, I moved closer to the boy.
Finally, I stepped into his space and said, “I see you’ve enlisted, young man, and you’re heading off to boot camp today, am I right?”
He smiled a weak smile and nodded with his head. He carried only a small ditty bag. I reached out my hand and said, “Son, I’d like to shake your hand, would you mind?” Well, he didn’t know quite what to do but he moved out his hand rather hesitantly.
I said, “Son, I am so proud of you, you make my heart swell with pride. Here you are on Pearl Harbor Day stepping forward to serve your country. I want you to know that there are a lot of Old Farts like me who want to thank you for your service to our Country! We are so grateful that you care enough to fight for the freedom we enjoy. God Bless You, Son, and God Speed.”
The young boy didn’t really know what to say. His eyes misted up and his hand held mine a little tighter. I almost wanted to hug that kid but I didn’t–it wouldn’t have been cool. Finally, our eyes met and he just said, “Thank you, sir.”
I had to let go of his hand and turn quickly away for I knew I was going to burst into tears if I didn’t. I walked quickly away as the tears ran down my cheeks–I didn’t want anyone to see.
I am glad and grateful that Military Recruiters live and work in Idaho falls. I wish them every success. They are the connection between our Military and our Youth.
And regardless of however we might feel about Iraq, let us always support the young men and women who step forward from our community to preserve our freedom. They are the heart of America. Theirs is the lifeblood of our future. I am very proud of them and I salute them. May God Bless Them Forever!
And may God Bless America as long as we shall live.
Cheers, Monte.
I disagree with disrespecting our military. They are protecting us. I want their good will.
If I have a problem, it’s with our commander in chief. Shame on him for what he’s doing to our good name!
And the military is taking the brunt of it from ignorant folks.
I’m not saying military folks are perfect, or that they don’t sometimes do things in the heat of war that we would be horrified about if we knew (does Evan Vela come to mind?).
But what happened in Berkeley is foolish and extreme and gives right wing radio more reason to dump on those who oppose the war.