Found this on the Sgt. Grit newsletter:

MARINES ATTACKED IN BERKELEY, CALIF.
Written by Melanie Morgan
Wednesday, 30 January 2008
City Calls Marines
"Unwelcome Intruders"

SAN FRANCISCO - The City of Berkeley, California, has passed two resolutions attacking the United States Marine Corps, calling the Marines "uninvited and unwelcome intruders in the city."

The Berkeley City Council voted to condemn the Marines on Tuesday night (January 29th) as part of a campaign by anti-war activists to shut down a U.S. Marine Recruiting Center located in Berkeley.

The votes by the Berkeley City Council were immediately condemned by Move America Forward (website: www.MoveAmericaForward.org), the nation's largest grassroots pro-troop organization.

"It is disgraceful that in the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement, anti-military activists would attempt to silence the same military men and women who serve this country and give their lives to protect the free speech rights of all Americans, including these ungrateful and despicable people on the Berkeley City Council," said Melanie Morgan, Chairman of Move America Forward.

The actions by the Berkeley City Council followed continuous protests by Code Pink and other anti-military organizations who vandalized and defaced the U.S. Marine Recruiting Center in September 2007.

One of the two resolutions passed by the Berkeley City Council last night granted a parking spot in front of the Marine Recruiting Center to be used by anti-military activists to harass Marine recruiters. The anti-military activists would not need to apply for a sound permit for the next six months - allowing them free reign to disrupt the day-to-day operations by the Marines.

Move America Forward organized a counter-protest in support of the Marines last October that attracted more than 400 pro-troop supporters who stood in solidarity of the Marine Recruiting Center.

"We have hundreds of thousands of military men and women serving honorably overseas to protect our freedoms. Imagine how they feel when they go to turn on the news and see that they are being stabbed in the back by shameful people here at home, it's disgraceful!" said Catherine Moy, Executive Director of Move America Forward.

Please get INVOLVED and let the Berkeley city council know that you DO NOT appreciate their actions.

Is it still 1968 in Berkeley?!

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"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." - Orwell

Further Information:

The Berkeley Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Berkeley Business Association are considering withholding business license taxes from the City of Berkeley in protest and response to their resolutions condemning the Marine Corps and aiding and abetting Code Pink in their protest efforts against the USMC Recruiting Office, and the loss of revenue that these resolutions are causing to Berkeley business owners...

Also Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) will introduce legislation in the US Senate to rescind federal funding earmarked for projects in Berkeley and divert those funds (approx. 2.3 million dollars) to the Marines...

Quote from Sen. DeMint:

"This is a slap in the face to all brave service men and women and their families," DeMint said in a prepared statement. "The First Amendment gives the City of Berkeley the right to be idiotic, but from now on they should do it with their own money."

"If the city can’t show respect for the Marines that have fought, bled and died for their freedom, Berkeley should not be receiving special taxpayer-funded handouts."

oh boy...

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Scorpions - Wind Of Change

Without federal tax money they will quickly change their minds. Money makes policy, unfortunately.

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Daniel

Isn't it ironic that this is all occurring in the city that is the center of the effort to find intelligent life elsewhere in the universe?

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"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." - Orwell

"This is a slap in the face to all brave service men and women and their families,"

Actually, the real 'slap in the face' is yet to come... And it won't be from the hand of a few 'war protesters'...

Three cheers for Berkeley... ;)

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It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . .

Isn't it ironic that this is all occurring in the city that is the center of the effort to find intelligent life elsewhere in the universe?

With people like that, it makes one wonder "Did 9/11" Really happen?

We had some like that here on 11/11/07. They prevented the vets from parading because they were against the military.

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This is a democratically elected council put in office to speak for the citizens of Berkeley.

If they have made the wrong decision, the voters will inform them next election.

Isn't democracy one of the big reasons for all the warfare or is democracy only allowed to be practiced by those with "the right" point of view?

This is a democratically elected council put in office to speak for the citizens of Berkeley.

If they have made the wrong decision, the voters will inform them next election.

Isn't democracy one of the big reasons for all the warfare or is democracy only allowed to be practiced by those with "the right" point of view?

Warfare existed long before democracy entered the picture. These people are 99/100 the first to call the cops when they're attacked.

Didn't Pearl Harbour - 9/11 teach them anything?

Freedom & free speech has always come with a price & as they are not the ones paying it, they don't give a brass monkeys!!!

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Da** hippies, when will they learn that without the military they would not be able to go outside and pick there pretty flowers.

This is a democratically elected council put in office to speak for the citizens of Berkeley.

If they have made the wrong decision, the voters will inform them next election.

Isn't democracy one of the big reasons for all the warfare or is democracy only allowed to be practiced by those with "the right" point of view?

No one said what the council is doing is illegal, Frenchie. However, vandalism, defacing government property and harassing people IS illegal.

Why am I not surprised you condone this activity?

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This is a democratically elected council put in office to speak for the citizens of Berkeley.

As a general rule (that I personally have thought out), "democratically elected groups" are put in place to make decisions for the entire group ('on behalf of the electorate').Their "authority" tends to come from laws that previously convened groups have voted into place. (Example- The U.S. Congress has the beginning of its authority from the U.S. Constitution, put into place before the Congress itself.)
Just because a group is elected doesn't mean the group is "100% right." They're just faster at deciding. It's the difference between an Election Poll and the Election itself.

If they have made the wrong decision, the voters will inform them next election.

Assuming, of course, "the voters" don't think of some other way to 'voice their displeasure.'

Isn't democracy one of the big reasons for all the warfare or is democracy only allowed to be practiced by those with "the right" point of view?

And here I was thinking that democracy was a way of settling "wars" without the fighting/shooting/killing.

-"Warfare is a continuation of diplomacy by other means."
Terry Pratchett, "Jingo"

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Da** hippies, when will they learn that without the military they would not be able to go outside and pick there pretty flowers.

Don't you need a permit for that? ;)

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It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . .

This is a democratically elected council put in office to speak for the citizens of Berkeley.

If they have made the wrong decision, the voters will inform them next election.

Isn't democracy one of the big reasons for all the warfare or is democracy only allowed to be practiced by those with "the right" point of view?

The First Amendment guarantees the right of the city council to express their opinions as they see fit. The problem arises when they take direct action to facilitate interference with a federal agency pursing legitimate activities, as they did by aiding Code Pink. It is also disingenuous for the city of Berkeley to accept funding at the federal level while at the same time attempting to undermine federal authority.

The hypocrisy is laid bare when they say, in effect: "We don't want you to interfere in our city, but we'll take your money..."

I have no problem with their symbolic resolutions regarding the Marine Corps. It is more of the same anti-war/anti-military posturing that has come out of Berkeley since the sixties, and means nothing in practical terms. My problem is when they take direct action, as they have done, to facilitate interference by granting special dispensation to a group that mirrors their opinions. If they reserved a parking spot and time frame for peaceful demonstration by any group that wished it, regardless of political stripe, then I'd have no problem with that either...

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"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." - Orwell

The hypocrisy is laid bare when they say, in effect: "We don't want you to interfere in our city, but we'll take your money..."

When can we expect our tax collecting government to allow college recruiters and headhunters onto military installations... ;)

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It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . .

This is a democratically elected council put in office to speak for the citizens of Berkeley.

If they have made the wrong decision, the voters will inform them next election.

Isn't democracy one of the big reasons for all the warfare or is democracy only allowed to be practiced by those with "the right" point of view?

Gee whiz Bobby, I agree with something you said! If these counsel members are not doing what their electorate wants them to do (but I think they are), they will know when they are voted out at the next election. Just like President Bush was voted out in 2004 . . . wait, Bush actually won a second term. So, the message is clear, is it not?

So, the message is clear, is it not?

Yes... The message is clear, there are gremlins living inside the voting machines... ;)

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It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . .

So, the message is clear, is it not?

Yes... The message is clear, there are gremlins living inside the voting machines... ;)

So, the Berkeley Council wasn't properly elected? That's a tough claim to back up.

Legislation to withhold government funds are largely symbolic and have little chance of passing.

Not always the case...Louisiana was the last state in the Union to raise the drinking age from 18 to 21 and we lost highway funds for about a decade...STILL have crappy roads as a direct result.

I know I'll keep my fingers crossed!!

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So we all agree we love democracy, except when the result is against what we want.
I'm reminded of Bush telling the Palestinians that all aid to their country would be cut off if they didn't hold elections.

Well they held elections and democratically elected Hamas to form the government.

All aid was cut anyway.
Why? Because the republican administration didn't like the result of the election.

It seems the will of the people and the democratic proccess are NOT the priority after all.

You've gotta love these guys lurking behind the veneer of righteousness and democracy for all.