Berkeley council tells Marines to leave

**Parihaka** · 01-30-2008, 22:29 PM

Quote:

By Doug Oakley

STAFF WRITER

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
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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."

lwarmonger · 01-30-2008, 23:00 PM

When did sedition during a time of war stop being a crime?

I have no problem with people who object to the conflict on either moral or practical grounds... but this goes way beyond that.

**TopHatter** · 01-30-2008, 23:06 PM

Quote:

said he'd love to see the Marines high tale it out of town

The "writer" of that article is an idiot.

Bluesman · 01-30-2008, 23:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TopHatter

The "writer" of that article is an idiot.

Yeah, the Spelling Nazi in me noticed that, too.

**Lunatock** · 01-30-2008, 23:39 PM

"Marines out of Berkely", and a town in Vermont is trying to indict President Bush and Vice President Cheney for "crimes against the constitution".

Looks like a pincer move!

Drive the USMC out of Berkely...and bring up charges against the POTUS and VPOTUS, who the local police in that small Vermont town don't have the authority to arrest.

T_igger_cs_30 · 01-30-2008, 23:44 PM

Ah the price of fighting for and living in a democratic country ............Dont you sometimes just wish you could ......... ...better not say it

tankie · 01-31-2008, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T_igger_cs_30

Ah the price of fighting for and living in a democratic country ............Dont you sometimes just wish you could ......... ...better not say it

Go on Wayne say it ,, go on ,, ahhhh sod it , i will then

f,kin tosspots

S65 · 01-31-2008, 04:39 AM

This is ridiculous. At least when the partyline was "support the troops and not the war" it was obvious they were lying but at least they made it look like they were decent.

These people form an interesting part of society, one I don't appreciate.

gunnut · 01-31-2008, 05:11 AM

Berkeley is the one place on earth that needs sharia.

tankie · 01-31-2008, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gunnut

Berkeley is the one place on earth that needs sharia.

What , dya mean that girl tennis player ?????

dave lukins · 01-31-2008, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lwarmonger

When did sedition during a time of war stop being a crime?

I have no problem with people who object to the conflict on either moral or practical grounds... but this goes way beyond that.

The difference between sedition and treason consists primarily in the subjective ultimate object of the violation to the public peace. Sedition does not consist of levying war against a government nor of adhering to its enemies, giving enemies aid, and giving enemies comfort. Nor does it consist, in most representative democracies, of peaceful protest against a government, nor of attempting to change the government by democratic means (such as direct democracy or constitutional convention).

Put simply, sedition is the stirring up of rebellion against the government in power. Treason is the violation of allegiance to one's sovereign or state and has to do with giving aid to enemies or levying war. Sedition is more about encouraging the people to rebel, when treason is actually betraying the country.

gunnut · 01-31-2008, 19:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tankie

What , dya mean that girl tennis player ?????

Yes. Tall, blond, pretty, and most of all, shaved...something that Berzerkly lacks.

lwarmonger · 01-31-2008, 19:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave lukins

The difference between sedition and treason consists primarily in the subjective ultimate object of the violation to the public peace. Sedition does not consist of levying war against a government nor of adhering to its enemies, giving enemies aid, and giving enemies comfort. Nor does it consist, in most representative democracies, of peaceful protest against a government, nor of attempting to change the government by democratic means (such as direct democracy or constitutional convention).

Put simply, sedition is the stirring up of rebellion against the government in power. Treason is the violation of allegiance to one's sovereign or state and has to do with giving aid to enemies or levying war. Sedition is more about encouraging the people to rebel, when treason is actually betraying the country.

I stand corrected.

So would a certain town council in Vermont voting to arrest the president count as rebellion? An interesting question...

1 Observer · 01-31-2008, 20:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lwarmonger

I stand corrected.

So would a certain town council in Vermont voting to arrest the president count as rebellion? An interesting question...

If they flub the op ... otherwise ... they hang him, release the cell phone video, and write it up anyway they want ... So, just in case, what are thier grid coordinates?

lwarmonger · 01-31-2008, 20:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1 Observer

If they flub the op ... otherwise ... they hang him, release the cell phone video, and write it up anyway they want ... So, just in case, what are thier grid coordinates?

Haha. Secret Service vs local small town police force... my money is on the secret service.

01-30-2008, 23:39 PM	#5 (permalink)
Lunatock Staff Emeritus Join Date: 08-03-03 Location: Southeast Pennsylvania Posts: 3,486 Country:	"Marines out of Berkely", and a town in Vermont is trying to indict President Bush and Vice President Cheney for "crimes against the constitution". Looks like a pincer move! Drive the USMC out of Berkely...and bring up charges against the POTUS and VPOTUS, who the local police in that small Vermont town don't have the authority to arrest. __________________

01-30-2008, 23:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
T_igger_cs_30 *Military Professional* Join Date: 01-04-07 Location: Canada Posts: 1,943 Country:	Ah the price of fighting for and living in a democratic country ............Dont you sometimes just wish you could ......... ...better not say it __________________ $<img src=http://C:\Documents and Settings\Wayne Smith\My Documents\002...My Pictures border=0 alt= />$ FEAR NAUGHT I don't work here ...I am an analyst!

01-31-2008, 05:11 AM	#9 (permalink)
gunnut *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 01-27-06 Location: DPRK, Democratik People's Republik of Kalifornia Posts: 8,594 Country:	Berkeley is the one place on earth that needs sharia. __________________ "Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

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01-30-2008, 23:00 PM	#2 (permalink)
lwarmonger *Military Professional* Join Date: 02-08-05 Posts: 1,761	When did sedition during a time of war stop being a crime? I have no problem with people who object to the conflict on either moral or practical grounds... but this goes way beyond that.

01-31-2008, 04:39 AM	#8 (permalink)
S65 Regular Join Date: 12-22-07 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 34 Country:	This is ridiculous. At least when the partyline was "support the troops and not the war" it was obvious they were lying but at least they made it look like they were decent. These people form an interesting part of society, one I don't appreciate.

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