Berkeley wants to treat military recruitment offices like porn shops
Only in Berkeley. Sigh:
In response to a Marine Corps recruiting office established in Berkeley last year, local activists are trying to make it more difficult for future recruiting centers to open in the city.
If passed by a majority of Berkeley voters, a proposed initiative would require military recruiting offices and private military companies in Berkeley to first acquire a special use permit.
To obtain this permit, a business must hold public hearings and a public comment period.
If the initiative passes, recruitment offices could not be opened within 600 feet of residential districts, public parks, public health clinics, public libraries, schools or churches.
Currently, a recruiting office is held to the same standards as most other businesses, which do not require a public hearing or have limits on where offices can be established.
The author of the initiative, Berkeley-based lawyer Sharon Adams, modeled the initiative after current zoning law that restricts the location of adult-oriented businesses.
“In the same way that many communities limit the location of pornographic stores, that’s the same way we feel about the military recruiting stations,” said Phoebe Sorgen, an initiative proponent and a member of the city’s Peace and Justice Commission.
Question their patriotism? Damned straight.
Megan Sego at California Patriot issues a call to arms:
For those of you who aren’t acquainted with the non-residential areas of Berkeley, this process would make getting a recruitment office nearly impossible. First, the proposed recruitment office would have to have a special permit that they’d have to obtain through the “public hearing and public comment” process, which means entangling themselves in Berkeley’s sizeable and slugglish bureaucratic net. If they were successful, the 600 foot regulation basically covers anything they could be next to. The assumption that they have to be far away from public entities like schools, parks, and clinics indicates that the city still believes recruiters are “preying” on poor, weak, minority citizens…
…My elementary analysis: This is the “nice” way of banning military recruitment without actually doing it. I hope the public outcry is loud.
Contact info for the Berkeley “Peace and Justice Commission:”
Manuel Hector, Jr.
Health & Human Services
(510) 981-5110
E-mail: MHector@ci.berkeley.ca.us
***
A reminder of how Berkeley Code Pinkos “supported” the troops last year…by vandalizing the Berkeley Marine Corps recruitment center:
And a reminder of how Move America Forward rallied in response:
See what others have said
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The antiwar left is just sad. Or maybe just so out of touch with reality they should be pity for them. When these progressive enlightened thinkers move foward on their utopian plan one has to wonder just when was their last mental exam.
So many of these loonis claim to hold b.s., m.s. and phd degrees. Yet there is nothing they have to back up trhier claims . Proving that their degrees make the old saying true.
What is the saying …. a b.s. degree = bullsh%4. M.S. = more sh$5, and in berkely the PHD is = piled high and deep.
To equate that a military recruiting office is the same aa a pornographic store makes no sense.
I wonder when the mexican army comes on across the boarder and up california will they demand that they stop and get permits before they finish their invasion.
::sighs::
I wish I could say I was shocked by this, but I’d be lying. I expected it. This is Berkeley, after all.
All their talk about “Freedom of Speech” and “Freedom of Dissent” is actually “Freedom to speak only if I agree with you and you tow my line.”
Unfortunately, that being Berkeley, the zoning restriction will probably pass.
I’m going to email Mr. Hector. What do you want to bet he’ll find some incredibly PC way to tell me to go to he!!?
What are the Berkeley authorities trying to do? Make porn look good?
Who do these people think will save there butts…I guess they just don’t think that far ahead, maybe they like the burka look.
Let’s bet when GOD renders his judgement on our country, SF will be at the forefront on HIS hit list.
Maybe He’ll turn them all into conservatives.
Liberals are so clueless and stupid and uneducated. (A postmodern degree is not an education.)
Joining the military is the BEST way for anyone, including those “poor, weak, minority” citizens to better themselves. You travel the world, can get a college degree for free, have great benefits such as the PX and commissary. I was an army brat and it is a great way to raise kids.
Dumb liberals have to convince themselves that those in the military are actually “victims,” even though they signed up using their own freedom. This is why they so badly want the draft back.
So the local authorities trump the Federal Government? How about just relocating the recruiting offices into Federal buildings… they have a court house no?
Time to cut all federal funds from this town of idiots
Good idea Brooklyn.
But I’d like to hear what our illustrious presidential candidates, both democrap and republicans, have to say about this initiative. Who knows, we may learn something.
What about this scenario:
A natural disaster hits the area and local leaders call for the National Guard to help them. State officials tell them:
“To help you it is necessary to set up a command post and office area to coordinate the effort. We’ll send the National Guard in when all the necessary paperwork has been filled out and the public hearings have been held. We don’t want to violate your rights and city ordinances. Have a nice day.”
I be they’d howl like scalded cats, but I bet it wouldn’t change their minds about the military.
*sigh*
They can say these bite-the-hand-that-protects-them things
because they know that the military will protect them anyway out of a sense of duty and following laws.
*deeper sigh*
Didn’t America fight a Civil War? Pesky little jurisdictional questions about the authority of the Federal government versus local/state entities were answered almost 145 years ago.
… and Federal buildings have security.
Appears someone in Beserkly doesn’t feel they need Federal funding anymore. If it were up to me all states would lose it as a way to balance the budget while funding only real Federal responsibilities such as providing for the national defense and the operation of a greatly reduce Federal Government. The reduction from the Federal tax burden would greatly stimulate the economy while force the states to stop the handouts to balance their own budgets.
This law should not be able to withstand constitutional scrutiny. This is not a porn shop and the city does not seem to have a very good reason for doing this. Of course, it is 9th circuit territory, so who knows. I was supposed to go to school at Burkley. When I saw the place and the people that live there, I decided to go to UCLA instead. The place was disgusting. I would never set foot there again.
Good idea, brooklyn red… I like it.
1. Since when does the Federal Government (you and me) have to get permission from a town to do anything?
2. Why would we want a recruiting station in Berkley anyway? Can you imagine the kind of soldiers they would provide?
Or plan B: Invoke Eminent Domaine, & take over the ACLU offices lol!
I like the way you think brookly red! It could work considering the latest SCOTUS ruling on this subject. LOL!
Here’s the Commission’s mission statement: Advises the Council and the School Board on issues of peace and social justice. Creates citizen awareness and develops educational programs. Total membership is fifteen. Each Councilmember and School Director makes one appointment.
Any salary paid to these loons would have to constitute misuse of public funds.
Let’s see what was on the agenda of their January 7 meeting.
Like deodorant? You know, hippies do smell.
On to more serious matters…
Aha! They’ve found an issue where they can make a difference. The pending support of the the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission might be the tipping point in negotiations. Or Commissioner Bohn just wants to scam a set of new Firestone tires for his Prius.
# 10 Tennessee Dave..Perfect…
It is not hard to imagine that the “Peace and Justice Commission” members would all walk proudly in to the next meeting wearing blue helmets and bright red tee shirts with word Traitor in large block letters across their sunken chests.
Those on the left in that minute part of California are either incredibly rich and bored or overwhelmingly underemployed with an abundance of down-time on their hands if they can find nothing more creative to do with themselves than attack America’s military. (The sixties have long past, guys, and this schtick is really getting old.)
Perhaps someone from UC’s geography dept. should bring in a map to the next council meeting and point out to them that Cali is still one of the fifty states, as a reminder that even Berkeley has an obligation to show some modicum of respect to the military that safeguards their freedoms and rights to make utter fools of themselves!
You can be patriotic and against the military (though I’m not). Discriminating against homosexuals is reason enough. The Marines are not the National Guard.
This might be ineffectual, but so is expressing solidarity with the harassed Christians of Iraq and China.
TT #20…
“b. Changing the United States Drug Policy”
I think that explains a lot.
Disallow all citizens of Berkeley from venturing anywhere else inside the United States without first getting permits which take 6 months to process and contain all sorts of restrictions. Two can play at their silly little game.
Unfortunately, it’s going to take a few generations and few more attacks on our own soil close to Berkeley probably, to drive the “moonbat” gene out of the Berkeley gene pool. These people are SO insulated they are unable to see or understand real threats. The only thing that will eventually change their hearts and minds is when a whole bunch of them are killed right before their very eyes. Until death and destruction is actually on their doorstep, up close and personal, they’ll continue to have no use for the military or it’s recruiting process.
Take away any federal funding they enjoy right now. They don’t want to participate in Majority Rule, let them feel the consequences. This ain’t complicated, this ain’t Chinese Arithmatic.
GRIN.
#24: Oh yes. If only the Marines would stop discriminating against gays, they would be a much more effective fighting force.
At least they’d have more stylish haircuts! 
I believe we have the minutes of the Peace and Justice Commission’s debate over the Firestone issue below.
Honestly, I think the P&J Commies just heard the words “rubber workers” and reacted instinctively.
How about if the Federal Government takes advantage of the laws of Eminent Domain to annex the entire city of Berkley and turn it into a major military installation …
If they can allow it in Kelo for private development and housing construction then we can easily say that the need for a major military base is in the public interest for national security …
That would take care of the entire problem …
This calls for another fact-finding mission to Woody Harrelson’s stash!
My question would be:
WHY would you want to recruit from here in the first place?
If I were the military, I would pick up shop and move elsewhere. That would send a message to Berkeley that their kind “need not apply”.
Much better areas in CA to choose from.
Where’s the fence? I want these traitors out of the state freaking fascist retards. Don’t worry, if they ever have a disaster people here are going to cheer. I myself am going to serve cake and ice cream to the whole neighborhood. Would I care if a rat was run over in front of my house, no, so why should I care what happens to these foul excuses for human beings? They’ve ruined the UC there, none of us would send our kids into that rat hole. They, the UC system gets and will continue to get a no vote from me every time they come groveling for money on the ballot. No tax money for terrorist supporters. I’m surprised that the right to molest kids wasn’t on their agenda. I told my local recruiting office that if they have any trouble give me a call, we will come down and beat them up we don’t care if we get arrested. I know they don’t need us to do that but that way the military cant be blamed for the a$$ kicking they will get. Trouble is they are too scared to do anything around here, bummer.
Aren’t scientists predicting another major earthquake in that area, sometime soon? I hope so. One massive sinkhole open up and swallow the entire city building. Seriously though…interesting Constitutional question if they can legally do what they want there, since the Military is Federal. Yes, I am interested in seeing what our Presidential candidates have to say about this mess. Probably get a whole lot of double-speak, leaving one shaking his/her head.
We should suggest that they build a fence around Berkeley, and ship all the Gitmo detainees there…but first, make sure the military clears out of the area.
Does berkeley even treat porn shops like this anyway? or are they allowed to open up anywhere at any time because Berkeley is so toooolllllerant?
and yeah a public hearing on opening a recruiting office, that’ll be Conservative schandenfruden heaven!
34, yes… the same ones that predict hurricanes. And don’t expect too much from the candidates, California has a lot of electoral college votes ya know.
California is a closed primary and it isn’t winner take all. I will tell you what don’t make generalizations about the state based on the bay area and I won’t make generalizations about yours and all the mosques being built there. here we have moonbats marching on the other coast the islamists join them in force Ya wont see that here.You think you have something on us take a look around you guys have us beat in the liberal dept hands down, you just cant see it.
Every time I read this stuff, steam blows out of my ears. Next time Berkeley is hit with a major earthquake or fire (as in 1991), not a single member of the armed forces should set foot in that town to help. Not even the National Guard. Let the menopausal hags from Code Pink with their silly tutus or the stinky tree dwellers come to the rescue.
Shame on the Feds for not doing anything about it either.
Brooklynred, that’s why I said you’ll get nothing but double-speak from them.
Too many electoral votes from that state, so they don’t want to upset them by critizing their insane behavior. Personally, I would think it would be better if California had “negative” votes in the electoral college. In order words, who ever “wins” California, has 55 votes taken away from the candidate.
How do you question what they do not have?
well #40, as #38 said… “don’t make generalizations about the state based on the bay area” I don’t want to write off the whole state… (big difference between NYC & the rest of the state too).
My fear though, is that the west coast libs will put the far more dangerous east coast varieties into power.
#38 tell me what great state do you hail from. ‘your kind that will help their kind destroy the country. When that happens the real Americans among us will finally be rid of this scourge.
43, aren’t you 38?
Is there any way to say: “Hey, Berkeley, if anything bad happens to you, don’t count on any help from us.”. ?
Dave, that would be called FEMA.
Doh! #40
I agree with you completely brooklyn red.
We have millions of ex servicemen that have settled here. Take away their influence is that what you are proposing? No thanks I will stick with Americans.
Okay, lets have some fun
Taking a note from Brooklyn Red.. I say the answer is the U. S. Postal Service.
Place recruiting offices in each post office. Repaint all postal vehicles in military camo and provide them with military recruiting signs and flyers. We could even issue the postal service a few Humvees.
As, almost, everyone knows, it is a federal crime to impede, intimidate, or otherwise take steps to prevent mail service. The law provides penalities for blocking federal mail service that exceed the penalities for blocking emergency vehicles (ie: fire trucks, police, etc.. ).
As each action deserves an opposite reaction. When the first protestors show up, start with a bunker mentality. Make each Post Office resemble a military bunker. Complete with conerta wire, trenches, etc.. Basically, give them what they fear. A military atmosphere.
Once they decide to act like adults and stop harassing the military. We can reduce the footprint accordingly
That was fun
Have a great day all 
Go Fred.. oops..
Sarcasm, people, sarcasm. Of course, there are good people living in California, and some good people who post here. It’s a shame that they have local governments that aren’t as good as they are. Besides, I think it wouldn’t wash with the Constitution.
I wonder if they even teach the Constitution anymore at Berkeley…
TG, on the bright side I think Bloomberg is gonna do it, lol! That would doom the Dems…
New York liberals have their Woodstock, and now the Bay Area liberals have their LaughingStock!
In the future, electees to public office in Berkeley will have to raise boths hands high above their heads when taking the oath of office.
Oh, my gosh, Knob…how will the constituency be able to get their public assistance? Isn’t it the government’s job to “provide for the common dole,” rather than the common good?
Bloomberg!
graysonret, LA SF and Oakland, the goonie triangle.
It isnt as simple as
north vs south any more.
I like it, Knob! NYT headline: “Berkley goes postal!”
LOL….they told my Mom once that she can’ t think critically because she doesn’t have a degree. That’s pretty funny. You know, I haven’t been to Europe or Canada lately, but I’ve always defended our institutions of higher learning and said they are the best in the world. Now, I’m really not so sure. The thing is, some lefties are so obsessed with tolerance and diversity and think that can replace the Three R’s. It’s rather amusing.
A response to #24, lgm.
You state it is possible to be a patriot but against the military.
How can this be so?
History did not stop in 1992. There will always be a need to have a military to defend against future threats. Our geographical isolation will only protect us so much. At some point we will likely face a major war again. (Remember history? The UN hasn’t prevented wars, and a big one is only a matter of time.)
Since we must be prepared to protect out nation, (part of the definition of patriotism),we must also allow for the recruitment of military personel.
Ergo: if you are against the recruitment of military personel, you are against defending our country. If you are against defending our country, you are not patriotic.
If this isn’t clear enough, I just don’t know what is.
Awwww crap… why did you do that?
Well, sometimes I just can’t help myself.
But remember, lgm has a poor track record of coming back and arguing. I have noticed he tends to drop in one of his pebbles of wisdom and disappear. Sometimes he’ll return once or even twice, then no more.
But, sorry everyone. You see I had this big bag of troll food left over, and I had to feed it to someone.
Troll food, ? is that free government cheese?
Ya know, I think it is. It seems to make the rats come out and play.
Like rats, though, they never have much substantive to add. I just get a kick out of watching them do things like change the subjst when they’re losing. I watched one implode with such ferocity one time that he got banned from the site in less than two days.
It’s Fun!
I love my university and contrary to what many posters here have said, it’s a beautiful place and still the most prominent public academic institution on the planet. Unfortunately, I concur with many of you that many departments here have been consigned to radical leftists.
I caution many of you though not to construe the City of Berkeley and the University of California, Berkeley as one entity. IT’S ANYTHING BUT.
Hmmmm,
publicpeople’s academic institution…OK, tell us more…
By the way Michelle, when are you coming back for a visit to your favorite city?
Last semester in my “Southern Border” class, you were labeled proud “white supremacist”. Yes, WHITE supremacist BY A CLUELESS GSI and even more clueless discussion section comprised of many students who hadn’t even heard of Michelle Malkin.com
Unfortunately, we live in an uncivilized world, where there were and will always be, a need for police and military. To think we do not need a military anymore is ridiculous. Patriotism will not defend this land. All the liberal thinking….”singing kumbaya”, giving our enemies “hugs”, and chanting to our karmas, won’t save us or anyone else for that matter. Igm is talking through his hat to stir up emotion, which is the only thing liberals understand, since logic escapes them.
berkeleythurm, welcome and pardon my skepticism… the Southern Borders class sounds interesting.
I’m sure you love your university but we love our kids even more. There simply is no reason to send them there with so many choices no matter how pretty it is. If you have a smart kid you would have to be a fool to do that to them. Sorry, the chickens are coming home to roost it is too bad that anyone who really cared about education said nothing as this occured. There is a massive difference between the Ca when I went to school and the Ca schools of today and it isn’t because the conservatives hi-jacked our schools. Back then, they didn’t lower the bar, they were not banning tag or particular words. They were busy, teaching, and they weren’t teaching kids how to develop a wider stance either. I consider it the ultimate betrayal, a disgrace, you getting the impression I am angry you are right me and millions of other Californians as well.
May as well cut out the “Justice” in the name, because there certainly isn’t any.
Relax lgm, nobody was accusing you of being patriotic.
Tough to find institutions these days that aren’t teeming with subversive leftists TGUSA. Call it masochism but I find it reinvigorating each day taking on the ad hominem leftist arguments of my peers with provable facts. Obviously, the students who work at the California Patriot feel the same way. But trust me, I’m as upset about the state of public education in the U.S. as you are and my grievances go way beyond ideology to something I believe you’re alluding to in your post: THE SYSTEMATIC DUMBING DOWN OF AMERICAN SCHOOLS AND AN EMPHASIS on the inculcation of children with liberal propaganda and platitudes. Read “Muzzled” by Michael Smerconish.
Uh, no - no military = no U.S.A.
Thanks, graysonret. I live about 50 miles away from Berzerkley just west of a major fault. So any earthquake would cause “collateral damage.” But I’m with you on those idiots over there that speak of freedom and justice but have no idea what any of it means. Case in point.
All you ever hear from the brain-dead liberal teachers at UCB is how the freedom of speech movement began there in the 1960s. Hmmmm. I always thought it started in Philadelphia in 1776, but I’d have to check my notes.
When David Horowitz was scheduled to speak at UCB about reparations for slavery, he took out an add in the Daily Californian telling why it would be a bad thing. Being political speech and having paid for it, the paper was required to print it. That’s the law. But the knuckle-draggers (you know, the ones that believe they started the free speech movement?) went out and removed all copies of the paper so no one would see Horowitz’s add. The editor knew about it and said he didn’t want to deny the free speech rights of those that committed the crime.
Crime? Yes. The Supreme Court has ruled that political speech is protected. KSFO radio in SF is conservative talk radio but they have run ads from liberal candidates because it’s the law. The same applies to Mr. Horowitz’s ad. The Supreme Court has also ruled that “the claim and exercise of a constitutional right cannot be converted into a crime.” Obviously then, the reverse is true; a crime cannot be converted into a constitutional right. The students that stole the papers were not exercising a right, they were committing a crime. Denying Mr. Horowitz’s free speech.
Typical. Liberal. Hypocrites.
Where is the free speech? The diversity? The judgements? Only in their universe.
Someone asked a very good question (#36).
Does Berkeley actually have the same constraints on porn shops?
The statement quoted in the post is a little ambiguous. The lawyer who wrote the bill referred to ‘other communities’, but did she mean to include Berkeley in that?
JohnHolliday, not just a crime… a HATE CRIME, (oh the horror)!
Horowitz is a Jooow so it’s OK, right?
Oh, I see unpleasant things in the future…
Very interesting…I found the following at
http://maroonedinmarin.blogspot.com/2008/01/berkeley-zoning-proposal-against.html
Yes, JohnHolliday, I agree. Actually, back with the Committees of Correspondence and the Continental Congresses, in the 1770s,the people participating were liberal. But liberalism then, and liberalism today, are two different philosophies. One dealt with God given rights and rights of Englishmen. The other deals with Marxism and total domination of the populace. Berkeley teaches their “free speech” as you have seen. A lot of difference. I remember the 60s and the rise of Berkeley liberalism.
It is a shame we can not let just certain parts of our country be taken over by the enemy. I would love to see how these Berkeley morons enjoy living under Sharia Law, or what would happen when the real-live Communists come after their BMWs and plasma HDTVs.
Please wake me when someone actually gets a life in Berkeley.
So don’r recruit in Berkley! From what I’ve seen there, I’m not at all sure I would want even one resident of Berkley in my army!
though the funny thing is that anyone going through that office will either be in college, or a graduate… it’s an officer selection office, and all officers need to have a college degree.
Guess colleges don’t corrupt everyone.
Also you would think that the elites would believe that at least college graduates can think for themselves and not be told what is best for them. Guess I’m wrong though, and they have to tell all the misguided 22 year olds who come out of school without hating the military that they are wrong and should avoid the marines.
Glad we have you on the job berkeleythurm couldn’t agree with you more, carry on!
Help is out there if liberals want it.
http://liberalfascism.nationalreview.com//” rel=”nofollow”>
Liberal fascism
Opps, apologies.
These people are not liberals, they are Stalinist/Brezhnev types that want to stifle all freedom and see the overthrow of the Free USA. What are they liberal about??? the opening of new pornshops?
Time for the next civil war in the USA. This crap is too much! Load up on ammo.
These people are idiots.
I just sent out an email to the head of the peace and justice commission. This is what I wrote in the email
nice but to the point and what they are doing does make me want to vomit