Berkeley Backs Off On Banning Marines

Posted on February 7, 2008
Filed Under Public Policy |

At their Tuesday council meeting, leaders will discuss scrapping a letter that might be perceived as targeting the center or the Marines.

The letter said that the recruiting center was not welcome on Shattuck Avenue and that the Marines were uninvited and unwelcome intruders.

[From Berkeley Backs Off On Banning Marines - News Story - KNTV | San Francisco]

<begin sarcasm>Gee I wonder why anyone would perceive that letter as targeting the Marines? Some people just have no sense of symbolism and nuance, I guess. <end sarcasm>

The amount of spin in this report is simply astounding. Does the media in this town have to carry the water of every liberal group? It’s embarrassing. Seriously embarrassing.

I wrote a letter to Mayor Bates expressing my opinion on this matter and supporting Senator DeMint’s efforts. What Berkeley did was to enhance and amplify the free speech rights of the socialist and anti-American group Code Pink for the express purpose of repressing the equally valid rights of the Marines to do their lawful work. It was shameful to a level that should shock and dismay even the most strident Berkeley watchers.

I’ve lived in the Bay Area my entire life and have grown desensitized to the insanity that is called Berkeley. I respect and honor the rights of people to dissent and voice their displeasure at policies, but there is a point at which ordinary people have to say enough. When government officials use vile groups like Code Pink as tools for policy, that line is irrevocably crossed.

But in the end what is really worthy of our collective dissent is the willingness of Berkeley officials to pass pointless measure after pointless measure on national and international issues while ignoring the very real problems that the people of Berkeley suffer from, like homelessness and crime to economic blight on Shattuck Ave.

On a positive note, there is a “teach in” on the current economic woes many are feeling… that should do a lot of good.

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