Berkeley officials want to rescind anti-Marines declaration

[villager]

Source: AP

Berkeley officials want to rescind anti-Marines declaration

The Associated Press

BERKELEY, Calif.—Two Berkeley City Council members want the city to rescind a declaration that says the U.S. Marines' recruiting center is not welcome in Berkeley.

Council members Betty Olds and Lauri Capitelli have proposed backing off the anti-Marines declaration and publicly declaring that Berkeley opposes the war in Iraq but supports the troops.

The controversy erupted last week after the City Council passed an item condemning the Marines' downtown recruiting center. The declaration angered right-wing groups and prompted a Republican senator to try to cut off federal funding for Berkeley.

The City Council will vote on the new proposals next week.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_8173513

[boricua79]

1. STAND STRONG BERKELEY

You backpedal now, and it will embolden the forces of the Right, who like to bash any dissent away with blunt force of harrassment.

STAY STRONG!! There are those of us who are with you!

[jimnasium]

6. Damn Str8!

I'd like to see Berkeley give a big FU to the feds and forgo federal devil money.

Only then can they lead the way to true independence.

The way it ought to be.

[JustDavid]

9. unbelievable

...and I am glad I live in a country where I have the right say that.

[AngryAmish]

2. cowards

[noel adamson]

3. Supporting the troops is irrelevant to this issue.

Truth in advertising might be a more appropriate one. Let them stay, but require they tell the truth to poor kids who wander into their evil trap. Full disclosure.

[Kelvin Mace]

4. Spines of cooked macaroni

Why are these people incapable of understanding that "supporting the troops" means not getting them killed in stupid wars? The purpose of recruiters at this stage of the game is to provide warm bodies to be ground up in Bush's war machine. So yes, it is OK to tell recruiters of all stripes to go take a hike. Now, if recruiters would adhere to honesty in advertising and let THIS marine work at the recruiting station, I'm perfectly willing to to let them stay and recruit. This is the reality of war, not "Army of One" not "The few, the proud..." or any other meaningless slogan.

[saigon68]

14. NICE PHOTO

Its called the marines wedding.

This guy gave all he had for Halliburton and Draft Dodger Cheney's corporate profits

[Hugabear]

5. Ever wonder why the military has to try so hard to recruit young people?

They lie to young men and women, promising them all sorts of things to get them to commit their lives. They tell them "sure, we'll give you valuable training in computers, electronics, etc etc". Then next thing you know, that kid is patrolling some street in Baghdad, wondering if that day will be his last alive.

[VP505]

7. Anyone want to email the Council and give them some support?

• District 1
  Linda Maio: [e-mail]
  
  
• District 2
  Darryl Moore: [e-mail]
  
  
• District 3
  Max Anderson: [e-mail]
  
  
• District 4
  Dona Spring: [e-mail]
  
  
• District 5
  Laurie Capiteli: [e-mail]
  
  
• District 6
  Betty Olds: [e-mail]
  
  
• District 7
  Kriss Worthington: [e-mail]
  
  
• District 8
  Gordon Wozniak: [e-mail]

[kimmylavin]

8. Stay strong, Berkeley.

This has NOTHING to do with supporting the troops.

[VP505]

10. K&R

:-)

[zonmoy]

11. wonder what those two are being blackmailed

or threatened with to get them to say this.

[slackmaster]

12. Read the article

It spells it out pretty clearly.

[zonmoy]

17. where does it spell it out. doesn't seem to say a thing about their reasons.

which makes me think even more that something fishy is going on.

[Sweet Pea]

13. Its the right thing to do

It just didn't anger right wing groups - whether we like it or not there is a whole country that is not as liberal as Berkeley and many of them got pissed off, as well.

[Robb]

15. Also

Not every Marine is right-wing. Nor their families.

[slackmaster]

16. Berkeley regards itself has the home of the Free Speech Movement in the 1960s

Remember Mario Savio?

How does that square with an effort to silence public employees whose job it is to provide an alternate point of view, and information about career opportunities for young people?

Free speech as long as you agree with us, it seems.

[rayofreason]

18. We knew what they are...

...now we know we how much it costs.