Berkeley council tells Marines to leave

dnj51 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-03-2008, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Berkeley council tells Marines to leave
By Doug Oakley
STAFF WRITER

Article Launched: 01/30/2008 01:48:16 PM PST

Council says Marines unwelcome in town. Hey-hey, ho-ho, the Marines in Berkeley have got to go.
That's the message from the Berkeley City Council, which voted 6-3 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@bayareanewsgroup.com

- My thought is we send the Code Pink Group to Westboro - Now there's a good place to protest!

Aren't they lucky they have the freedom to protest - and we all know why they have that freedom!

IrishBlonde · #2 (**permalink**) 02-03-2008, 12:20 PM

Mary I am getting a site certificate notice not secure, and it is redirecting me back to MC.

check your link again...Karrie

dnj51 · #3 (**permalink**) 02-03-2008, 12:38 PM

I went ahead and posted the article - Thanks for the head's up for the bad link (You would have to log onto the site to read the article)

allinaugust · #4 (**permalink**) 02-03-2008, 01:12 PM

I read the article you posted, and just want to know if they are saying they don't want the Marines there just because they don't allow openly gay people??? I'm a little confused.

dnj51 · #5 (**permalink**) 02-03-2008, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allinaugust

I read the article you posted, and just want to know if they are saying they don't want the Marines there just because they don't allow openly gay people??? I'm a little confused.

Yeah, that's what I got out of it too.

cougarskies · #6 (**permalink**) 02-03-2008, 01:51 PM

Here is a link that doesn't require registration:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_8120433?source=rss

In answer to the question, Code Pink couldn't care less about the rights of gay people. Code Pink hates the Marines because they fight in Iraq. The Marines have the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy so they are just using that policy to try and file charges against them. The attempted sexual discrimination charge is merely another harrassment technique.

From Code Pink's website:

CODEPINK is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the war in Iraq, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into healthcare, education and other life-affirming activities. We reject the Bush administration's fear-based politics that justify violence, and instead calls for policies based on compassion, kindness and a commitment to international law. With an emphasis on joy and humor, CODEPINK women and men seek to activate, amplify and inspire a community of peacemakers through creative campaigns and a commitment to non-violence.

I'm most bothered by the fact that the council voted 8-1 to give Code Pink a designated parking space in front of the Marine recruiting station once a week for six months and a free sound permit for protesting once a week from noon to 4 p.m. Regardless of one's opinion on the war, it's wrong to give any group licence to harrass another. There's no doubt about it. Berkeley has given one group higher legal standing than another and actually encouraged them to harrass their victim.

And before anybody says that they support Code Pink just because they don't agree with the war either, their cause isn't the issue. The cause can change and it will. This kind of thing opens the door and no protest group should be given such elevated rights over their target. Anybody can form a protest group and decide their agenda. The target could be your business. Would you think it right for your town council to authorize a free sound permit and designated parking space in front of your business for the sole purpose of harrassing you and driving you out of business? How long do you think it will be before somebody on the town council decides that their brother's business would make more money if your's wasn't around? The harrassment passes will be flying then.

I would hope that the federal government steps in and overides the pompous town council. They're just a town council and they shouldn't have the right to violate one group's rights in favor of another group's agenda.

Darlene804 · #7 (**permalink**) 02-03-2008, 03:06 PM

I believe we should go ahead and let Berkley force the military to leave. Later, when something happens and they want the national guard or any other type of military presence... tell them to screw themselves.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode