Update: Berkeley Backs Off On Banning Marines

In an update to my earlier post, yesterday the Berkeley Mayor (pictured left) apologized to Marines over the recruiting center flap that occurred recently. I wonder if it would have occurred if the six Republican senators in Washington had not devised a plan to yank $2.3 million in federal funding for Berkeley programs. Or, perhaps the backlash by real Americans that love and support the men and women who serve to protect our freedoms.

In addition, two city council members vowed to soften their stance on the issue as well. Doesn’t that just make you warm all over?

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 in Berkeley and that the Marines were “uninvited and unwelcome intruders.”

In the world of liberals nothing is more uninvited and unwelcome than freedom and those that secure it. Well, maybe an opposing viewpoint would be more unwelcome. That might be a toss up!

I won’t rehash my previous post on this but I am glad to see that the Berkeley City Council is backing off, even if I don’t believe that they are really sincere.

"That letter will probably be pulled back and maybe more moderate language will be put in place which is appropriate I think," said Berkeley mayor Tom Bates.

MAYBE more moderate language will be put in place? Ya think? How about getting rid of all of it if you’re really sorry?

Berkeley City Councilman Laurie Capitelli (right) had this to say: "Subtly stated in the resolution is perhaps an impugning of the soldiers fighting for us in Iraq and other places and that was never the intention but that really needs to be cleared up. As I walked to my car that night I realized I regretted it and I had made a mistake." SUBTLY STATED?

I have learned in the business world that one rarely apologizes. Instead, one ‘regrets’. So Councilman Capitelli, since ‘perhaps an impugning of the soldiers’ was a regrettable action how do you make up for it? You people are way too wrapped up in your hatred for anything good about America. And unless the six Republican senators in Washington had threatened to take punitive action you would have continued your unpatriotic letter.

But I take comfort knowing that Mayor Bates and the city didn't mean to offend anyone in the armed forces and feel that the focus should have been on the war not the troops.

Your TRUE colors came out Tom. You liberals always say you support the troops but not the war. I have always thought that was a BS statement and this action shows what you really think about the troops. And worse, mayor, you claim to be a retired Army captain. You disgust me and dishonor those that have served and are still serving if that is true.

And it took the threat of losing federal funds for schools, water ferries and police communications systems to get your attention. The Republican plan would give the funds, intended for a school lunch program, UC Berkeley and ferry service, to the Marines instead. Now there is a good idea! But knowing the Marines, they would have donated it to something for the city like Toys for Tots , or something like that.

Bates went on to say, "We apologize for any offense to any families of anyone who may serve in Iraq. We want them to come home and be safe at home." How about apologizing to the Marines too? Let me get this right: spit on the Marines and apologize to their families. Give me a break!

Even better, Council members have said they would replace the "intruder item" with words expressing their support for the troops but not the war in Iraq. Don't waste your time, no one believes it anyway, much less you worms.

"Patriotic American taxpayers won't sit quietly while Berkeley insults our brave Marines," said one of the senators. Last week, as I said in a previous post, the council passed resolutions giving Code Pink a place to park out front. In doing so, the city is giving the group a place to continuously protest the Marines.

"What we're doing is we're announcing a bill that we intend to get on the floor to strip transportation from the city of Berkeley," said East Bay Republican Assemblyman Guy Houston. "What they have done in Berkeley is they have set aside a parking spot and in my opinion a public right of way, a public transportation corridor, specifically for a private organization -- in this case Code Pink -- to harass and annoy the United States Marine Corps and their recruiting efforts. We think that playing around and having an agenda with the public right of way is subject to ramifications. There is $2.3 million in proposition 1B transportation dollars. We think that should be in jeopardy." Amen!

Don’t get too giddy over the ‘regrets’ by the city council. Others on the Berkeley City Council seemed quite firm on their stance and Sen. Barbara Boxer and Rep. Barbara Lee said they plan to fight the Republican bill. I would expect that. But where is there rebuke of the city's actions?

And Code Pink announced they would have what they called a "24-hour peace-in" leading up to Tuesday's city council meeting. They will have a lot of company. A group of pro-troop protesters will also be there too.

"I was under the impression that we have the right of free speech," said Xanne Joi of Code Pink. "To me, I thought free speech meant you get to say what you want without recrimination." Xanne (what kind of name is that, anyway), all freedoms come with responsibilities. That is something you liberals seem to forget. Actually, in your morally relative paradigm no one should have to be burdened with any responsibilities. I think freedom of speech ends at libel and slander and things like that.

Berkeley City Councilman Gordon Wozniak (right) extended an olive branch to the Marines. He went to breakfast with a recruiter Thursday morning. Wozniak said he does not support the harsh language of the letter to the Marines originally authorized by the city.

"Berkeley is supposed to celebrate diversity and free speech and we welcome homeless people here. We welcome illegal immigrants. We give them sanctuary. We should welcome the Marines. I mean they're basically dedicating their lives to protect their country."

That’s right, Gordon, they’re protecting this country so you spineless pansies can ‘say what you want without recrimination” and ‘welcome illegal immigrants’. And that may totally sum up the way liberals think…let’s welcome illegal immigrants to our city but get rid of the Marines. YGBSM!!

Ann Cooper (below) with the Berkeley Unified School District wants both sides to play nice.
"Senators sitting 3,000 miles away are trying to take food away from the children of Berkeley," said Cooper. "Why? Because the Marines and the city aren't playing nice -- and that's just not OK."

No, Ann, it’s the city that’s not playing nice. The Marines aren’t out there counter protesting Code Pink or the fact that you’d rather have illegal aliens in your city than United States Marines. They are going about their jobs protecting invertebrates like you with Honor, Courage and Commitment – qualities you liberals cannot fathom and certainly don’t possess.

A-6Dude

NO Martini recipes for you liberals today!