Talk back to Berkeley: Sign the petition; Update: Troop-bashers go berserk, chain themselves to recruitment center; mayor wants to evacuate Marines
Update 2/2 . Internet undercover photojournalist Zombie has fresh photos of the Berkeley siege. Here’s how the anti-troop loons defaced the Marine recruitment center this time:
***
SFGate photo gallery of the siege at the Marine recruitment center.
Update 2/2: The Marine recruitment center in Berkeley is under siege and anti-war zealots are completely unhinged…
As the right-wing blogosphere railed and a U.S. senator vowed financial retaliation against the Berkeley City Council for its effort to boot the Marine Corps out of town, three war protesters ratcheted up pressure from the left by chaining themselves Friday to the front door of the downtown Marine recruiting office.
The demonstrators snapped their locks shut at 7 a.m. and spent the next 7 1/2 hours blocking the door, waving and chanting as hundreds of cars driving by honked in support. Finally, at 2:30 p.m., police snipped the chains and arrested them.
Two of the three were cited for blocking a business and released, and the third was booked into jail on an unrelated traffic warrant, police said.
The demonstrators promptly said they will keep protesting outside the recruiting station at 64 Shattuck Square until the Marines leave Berkeley – which is what the City Council advised the service to do in a vote Tuesday night that called the Marines “unwelcome intruders.”
Oh, I love how the SF Chronicle characterizes bloggers as “ballistic,” and not these nutballs trying to drive the Marines out of Berzerkeley:
The mayor wants to evacuate the Marines and is casting the city as the victim:
Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates offered Friday to help the U.S. Marines leave town by negotiating an end to the lease for their recruiting station, even as he backpedaled on a City Council resolution declaring the Corps “uninvited and unwelcome intruders” in the city.
In the face of an onslaught of pro-military criticism from around the country, Bates, a retired Army captain, also issued a statement that said the City Council’s resolution Tuesday night “did not adequately differentiate our respect and support for those serving in the armed forces and our opposition to the Iraq war policy.” He said he would ask the council to modify the resolution at its next meeting, scheduled for Feb. 12.
A Marines spokeswoman said Friday that the Corps has no intention of abandoning its space at 64 Shattuck Square that has been the subject of protests for months.
In an interview Friday, Bates said he has received more than 1,000 e-mails on the resolution, mostly from “the right wing that has really seized up on this and mobilized to pound us.”
Darn right.
More at Gateway Pundit.
Looks like the Berkeley city website has either crashed or been shut down.
Contact info:
Mayor – Tom Bates
2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704
Email: mayor@ci.berkeley.ca.us
TEL: (510) 981-7100
FAX: (510) 981-7199
TDD: (510) 981-6903
Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
====================
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
====================
Linda Maio
Phone: (510) 981-7110
FAX: (510) 981-7111
Email: lmaio@ci.berkeley.ca.us
Darryl Moore
Phone: (510) 981-7120
Email: dmoore@ci.berkeley.ca.us
Maxwell Anderson
Phone: (510) 981-7130
Email: manderson@ci.berkeley.ca.us
Dona Spring
Phone: (510) 981-7140
Email: spring@ci.berkeley.ca.us
Laurie Capitelli
Phone: (510) 981-7150
Email: lcapitelli@ci.berkeley.ca.us
Betty Olds
Phone: (510) 981-7160
Email: olds@ci.berkeley.ca.us
Kriss Worthington
Phone: (510) 981-7170
Email: kworthington@ci.berkeley.ca.us
Gordon Wozniak
Phone: (510) 981-7180
Email: GWozniak@ci.berkeley.ca.us
City Auditor
Ann Marie
TEL: (510) 981-6750, TDD: (510) 981-6903
Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm
Email: auditor@ci.berkeley.ca.us
Melanie Morgan e-mails me another update:
Senator DeMint’s staff is reporting that they have been contacted by many other Senators to co-author legislation to strip Berkeley of pork barrel spending totalling over $2 million for the City Council’s outrageous attempts to run the USMC Recruiting office from it’s Shattuck Avenue location.
Senator DeMint’s office is just a few hours away from completing the final legislative draft.
On the Congressional side, Republican lawmakers are hearing from thousands of constituents about the efforts to silence the free speech rights of our troops by running the Marine Recruiting office out of town, and they are rushing to complete their own companion legislation. Move America Forward is urging people to contact Congressional representatives to keep the pressure on.
Senator DeMint has shown great leadership in fighting back against the left-wing, anti-war, anti-troops politicans who populate Berkeley city government and the crazy moonbats at CodePink, International A.N.S.W.E.R., and MoveOn.org who support them.
e have been contacted by Marine groups across Northern California, Cal Berkeley Young Republicans, SF State Young Republicans and a tsunami of e-mails in support.
The MAF petition denouncing the Berkeley City Council crashed earlier today after your blog posting due to the huge traffic surge, plus my appearance on Your World with Neil Cavuto.
We have fixed the problem, and our server is now fully capable of handling the influx.Folks can sign the petition glitch-free now at www.moveamericaforward.com
In addition to marching on the Berkeley City Council on February 12th, the next regularly scheduled meeting, several Marine veterans groups are planning to jump aboard their motorcycles and join us in protest.
Cal Berkeley Republican students are coming, San Francisco State University student Republicans, as well as Joe and Jane Citizen.
Judging from the response to our office, there are going to be a LOT more folks who join in.
Our phones are flooded with people who are insulted, angry, and frustrated at what has transpired in Berkeley, not just in the San Francisco Bay Area, but across the country as MoveOn.org proceeds with it’s incremental strategy to oust military recruiting efforts and undermine support for our military men and women who are the BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST this country has to offer.
MoveOn.org lost the public relations battle to end this “illegal, immoral, unjust war” this summer and they have lost every single vote in Congress since.
The pro-troop side is winning, but we still have big battles to fight.
Watching the back of our miitary men and women is our duty, and our responsibility and our honor.
THANK-YOU FOR YOUR HELP!
***
Move America Forward’s Melanie Morgan sends word of a new petition protesting Berkeley’s discrimination against the Marines. She tells me: “We will be delivering the petition in person to the City of Berkeley at the next regularly scheduled meeting. Thanks for helping to spread the story of the outrageous conduct and slander against our troops.” The petition is here. The text:
To: The City Council, Mayor and City Manager of Berkeley, California
We, the undersigned, do register our complete outrage with the City of Berkeley for the recent resolutions that criticized our Marines, as part of an effort to harass the Marine Recruiting Center and chase all vestiges of the United States military outside of the city of Berkeley, California.
We take particular umbrage with the instructions given to the City Manager of Berkeley to tell the United States Marines that they are, “uninvited and unwelcome intruders.”
It is shameful for you to attack our military men and women who nobly and bravely serve this nation to protect our security and defend our freedoms and liberties. Those liberties include the right to Freedom of Speech, which you seem to believe should not be afforded to the members of the United States Marine Corps and service personnel in other branches of the Armed Forces.
I call upon you to immediately revoke the resolutions passed that defamed and insulted our U.S. Marines and issue a public apology to this nation, and in particular, the honorable and heroic men and women of the United States military.
If you’re not yet motivated to speak up about this madness, here’s the text of the Berkeley city council agenda with the “Peace and Justice Commission’s” recommendation that led to the resolution giving Code Pink special parking privileges and a free sound permit to protest at the Marine recruitment center:
From: Peace and Justice Commission
Recommendation:
1. Direct the City Attorney to investigate and report back to Council within 60 days on City options for enforcing Chapter 13.28 of the Berkeley Municipal Code, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, with respect to military recruiting offices in Berkeley;
2. Direct the City Manager to send letters to the Marine Corps Recruiting Station at 64 Shattuck Avenue and to General James T. Conway, Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, advising them that the Marine recruiting office is not welcome in our city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders;
3. Encourage all people to avoid cooperation with the Marine Corps recruiting station, and applaud residents and organizations such as Code Pink, that may volunteer to impede, passively or actively, by nonviolent means, the work of any military recruiting office located in the City of Berkeley.
***
More from Sen. Jim DeMint.
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Trackbacks
- A NEWT ONE
- D=S
- Letting Berzerkley hear from you « Bookworm Room
- Cao's Blog
- Big Dogs Weblog
- The Voice » Talk back to Berkeley: Sign the petition
- Matt Sanchez
- Cop The Truth
- Berkeley « I Think ^(Link) Therefore I Err
- Matt Sanchez
- Rhymes With Right
- Americas North Shore Journal
- Right Wing News
- Hot Air » Blog Archive » Berkeley mayor to Marines: End the occupation of our city; Marines to Berkeley mayor: Get bent
- BERKELEY’S ASSAULT ON USMC RCRTMNT CNTR: Sign the petition! Troop-bashers go berserk! « Chaotic Ramblings
- Op For
- Solomonia
- Knee Deep in the Hooah!
- More Cowbell
- Leaning Straight Up » The Marines vs Berkeley: The Peace and Justice Commission behind the actions - How bad is it? Read it here
- E-Ramblings
- Berkley takes on the Marines. « Inzax
- This ain’t Hell, but you can see it from here » Berkeley vs. US Marines (Updated)
- Braden's Corner Of The Net
- Wake up America-
- Talk back to Berkeley: Sign the petition | I Call BS!
- Freedom for Some
- Random-American - News Analysis and the Rantings of an Ordinary Citizen » Anti-military Berkeley leftist loons in action
- Traitors Thriving In America
- The Underground Conservative | Berkeley anti-Marine Update: a petition and more
- Give Berkeley to Taliban | Hennessy’s View
- Leaning Straight Up » Berkely vs The USMC: A blogging mom’s experience, A Gold Star Mom speaks Out, MAF rally’s behind the USMC and a strange connection is made
- Maggie's Farm
- Michelle Malkin » The latest on the siege at Berkeley
- Castro Death Watch | Dead Fidel Castro, Havana Cuba » Blog Archive » They’re ba-a-a-a-a-ck
- BizzyBlog » Toledo Mayor to Marines: Go Away, You ‘Frighten People’
- The Voice » Update: Troop-bashers go berserk, chain themselves to recruitment center; mayor wants to evacuate Marines
- » Blog Archive » Berkeley… Should I be surprised?
- 340 days and counting. « Blas Capwell Calls Bullshit
- double stroller toddler
- fax server
- Michelle Malkin » Special report: Tracing the Left’s escalating war on military recruiters
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Categories: Berkeley, Code Pink, They don't support the troops
Power Line
» More From the East Anglia Archives
Doug Ross @ Journal
» ACORN pwnage part II: Breitbart's BigGovt Lowers the BoomBig Government
» BREAKING: San Diego ACORN Document Dump ScandalVillainous Company
» Amateur Hour in the Oval Office Continues....Green Room
» Times Slimes Obamic ClimesLegal Insurrection
» Nation Mag Outs Secret U.S. Anti-Terror Program
I wonder if Miller beer had a booth set up next to the pinko commies parking spot as well.
I am usually a cock-eyed optimist. I always stay on the sunny side and never lose my temper.
HOWEVER
Nothing has made me seethe more with anger and rage than this display of domestic treason. Interfering with military operations in any capacity (including sitting down with your children in front of military supply trucks on the highway) needs a special section of the US Criminal Code and special severe penalties.
If you ask a liberal about the growing smut on television, they will always state that if you don’t want to watch it, change the channel as watching is voluntary. By the same extension of logic, no one is forcing anyone to join the military. WE HAVE AN ALL-VOLUNTEER MILITARY!!!! THERE IS NO DRAFT!!!! GET IT???
These anti-military loons never cease to amaze me. When will they learn that the politicians are the ones that determine their utilization? When they feel the need to spit on someone, why not try it on those that deploy the military? Start with all those who have voted in favor of the Iraq authorization (I believe Hillary is campaigning in California…)
Villainous Company blogging about Bezerkly.
http://www.villainouscompany.com/vcblog/archives/2008/02/berkeley_city_c.html
RetFireman #155
You know Hugo Chavez and his bird are laughing over this one, remember code pinkers love to have their photo opps with Chavez, do we believe there is NO line of communication btw Chavez and his California Enablers? They are all drinking from the same poisoned well. If I were say the FBI AND CIA, I would like to know if Chavez is meddling in our Country’s Defense, that is what the Marines are after all our Defense. Bezerkly a fertile ground for the Coca chewing Chavez to plant his agenda? After all think how many of the Movie Stars, Code Pinkers ect have been down to visit Venzuela.
I think the fact that code penk encourage using babies as human shields speaks volumes of what sort of people these are. Personally those intentionally bringing babies into such an inflammatory situation should be jailed for willing child abuse, and their children put into foster care.
I’m getting so f***ing angry that the federal government are doing NOTHING about this. Didn’t they learn anything after 12 years of wasted diplomacy with the UN and Saddam?
In 2005, I did a “counter-protest” to an “anti-war” protest on Veterans Day at a recruiting office. I stood with my pro-troops sign in front of the door, while dozens of peaceniks did their little thing. Meanwhile, a cohort of mine was guarding the back door of the building. It was just us two, against over 50 of the enemy (and yes, they are the enemy).
Two things:
1. Why aren’t the pro-troops people in California doing the same for the recruiting station? And no, “I have to work” is no excuse. If they will get off your lazy ***** and SACRIFICE some of the personal things you like, they will be able to do it. Prior to entering military service and then my current overseas deployment, I participated in two (usually three) counter-protests like that–one being in another city–all while holding a full-time job.
2. After the scum left that day, some Marines in uniform stopped at the office. After I told them what had happened, one of them said something about wishing he’d been there… with his M-4. (For the uninitiated who don’t know American military armament from their garden hose, the M-4 carbine is basically a short version of the M-16 rifle, and is often issued for use in houseclearing and other close quarters battle.) Just thought it was interesting.
Oh quit yer fawning. It makes ya look like a silly school girl. The Army has dress blues as well; as sharp and good looking as the Soldiers who wear them. But we don’t consider ourselves part of a frickin’ fashion show. We’re more a boots-in-the-mud type of force and we don’t care if we “look pretty” while we’re killing the enemy.
Just sayin’.
SFC Cheryl McElroy
US ARMY (RET)
Tommygun #186
You are absolutely right.
ACTION speaks louder than words.
Where are OUR advocacy groups?
I remember when the pro-life marchers (Operation Rescue et al) were arrested and the book was thrown at them.
The code pinkos and Berkeley Council types always seem to get a free pass.
Cheryl #187
Time to go to my other favorite site: USMA.edu. and smile at the photos of those in grey before they put on the blue.
Army BLUE – GOOD LOOKING!
On the hand pick above. Is that supposed to be a stament of “you’ve got orange jumpsuit on your hand’s”
That’s the shock and awe of the Corps, the enemy look’s at our uniforms and say’s “look at their nicley starched hat’s and their pressed uniform’s” and while there looking at how good we look we put a bullet in their head.
GO ARMY beat Navy
We all stand together when ANY of our military is attached.
Army
Navy
Marines
Coast Guard
AF
Would the City Council afford the same privileges to counterprotesters as they’ve given to Code Pink if said counterprotesters showed up with large photos/posters of victims of terrorists? A counterbalance to the Abu Ghraib (sp?) photos. Get in the pinkos’ faces with those and see what happens.
As for the “training you to kill babies line?” How come these wackjobs aren’t down the street chained to the abortion clinic’s doors? They’re ACTUALLY killing the babies in there! But those are American babies….
GO NAVY beat Army
Where is Arnold? Where is Nancy? Wouldn’t you think this would deserve some attention from them?
Genius move by DeMint. Hit those kooks right in the pocketbook.
katieanne # 196
Nancy is busy pushing legislation to tax 401K s and IRA s.
WHere are Mitt, McCain, Obama, and Hill-Dawg? Why aren’t they in Berkeley confronting these treasonous SOB’s and calling them out? I would think this would be an excellent opportunity for each and every one of them to show this country exactly where they stand, and this would give the voting public precisely what they would need to make the correct choice when they go to the polls.
How they confront these hate-filled treasonous scumbags would definately say everything you would need to know about all four of them, don’t you agree?
Blind_Mule #195 to my #192
Too bad there are no AF reps. here.
Isn’t this council breaking some federal law by actively encouraging citizens to interfere with a branch agency of the United States government? Supposing this council of confederates had encouraged interference with the US Post office in their community, what then?
DITTO #194: Why isn’t Toad Pink concerned about the abortions in Berkeley, if they’re truly worried about children?
Six years in USAF here…during the Reagan years, mostly in PACAF: Hawaii, Japan, Korea…did a lot of work helping to improve the ROKAF.
Land, sea and air power combined make a formidable and irresistible force, doesn’t it?
(How can Navy have such a good ground game on the gridiron?)
#202 AF
To your question: I’ve been trying to figure that one for years.
This “greatest country on earth” does have it all covered with our “greatest military on earth”.
If I was still young enough, I would make a show of going down to that recruiting station, even though I live in Virginia, and enlisting. As it is, I’ll have to settle for Navy OCS.
Send up a seasoned battalion of Marines from Pendleton for a weekend of liberty in Berkley. And, bolt-cutters, don’t leave home without them.
Sea leg’s, they bob and weave alot or maybe it is because some of them will become Marine Officer’s.
Blind_Mule:
December 6 – I’ll be looking for the “bobbing and weaving”.
People in CA preparing to petition Berkeley for the same privileges for anti abortion protests at their killing factories. Prepared to sue the city if denied.
That will make their pointy little heads explode.
I couldn’t stand it anymore. I sent the Code Pinkos this message on their web site:
I know it will fall on deaf ears, but I feel better.
@104, some jerk knocked me out and took my armor, dumped me off here, say wheres the nearest Imperial outpost?
I kid, anways @ Retfireman
“What is needed is some serious legislation from Washington and from Sacramento in order to fix what is severely broken in that city…and in the various other enclaves of uber-Liberalism, COmmunism and Socialism in California. What was once seen as esoteric and rebellious, something to be treated as a curiosity has now turned into something entirely dangerous. The precedents going on in this country over the last 6-7 years have set in motion events that will echo for many years, and our enemies have long memories and have been watching very, very closely.”
Its not just in CA, its a cancer that spreads into Urban areas, but the ignoring started back in the 60’s. Thats how a minor itch becomes a threat, and for the record the west has a horrific track record on remebering history. And honestly, the events you speak of have been action for a while, I’ve been picking up on it. And its both far right and left. And quite frankly from what I’ve seen I’m thankful for 9/11. For the main reasson I believe with out that spark we would be having a civil war now. And I still suspect it will happen, just a couple of years from now.
I wonder what would happen in a private citizen (or a few… dozen) were to come to the recruitment center with a set of bolt cutters and insist of exercising their right of assembly.
Why did it take the police 7 1/2 hours to cut the chains? Were the ‘protesters’ holding hostages? Making threats?
Evacuate all American military from there – seal it off as NO BOUNDS, NO MATTER WHAT.
Cut ALL Federal spending there – NO MATTER WHAT.
Write ICHABOD over the signposts, wipe the dust from your feet AND LEAVE.
The last American leaving the peoples republic of berkley take down and bring the Stars and Stripes with you-its offical, berkley is now under socialist control.
GSP
dhimicraps the new chicken!
To Christian Soldier @ #188
There are several organizations which do such advocacy. Three I have worked with are:
http://www.protestwarrior.com (I was the Northern and Western Missouri Chapter Leader for several months before my entry into military service)
http://www.freerepublic.com (no official actions, but it is a central location to meet people and organize) (I worked with “FReepers” in my area on annual and weekly events in central Missouri)
http://www.unitedamericancommittee.org (I organized several Missouri events for their “Rally Against Islamofascism Day” events in 2006 and 2007)
Any thing you say, jarhead.
“Semper Stupid”
