Ha! Possibly the best response the Marines could give to this.
I do have a couple of questions; is it the Marine’s mission to protect the Constitution? And what proof do Berkeley have of the various lies and so forth they claim recruiters have used (I would guess little, since some of the protestors are open about it being against the war in general)?
Apparently, things were looking like this in front of the Marine Corps offices.
Gah, I’m almost sorry I watched that. I’m certain the commanding officer for that station gave orders for the marines that work there to not confront the protesters. The police on the other hand should be ashamed. In leiu of any orders to the contrary, if I were the station commander I’d insist that the protesters were arrested.
The protesters are sick of the war…fine, I get that. Interfering with the military personnel there is like bitching to the cashier at the supermarket about the price of Yoo Hoo. He doesn’t set the price, if you want to make your opinion of it known go to the management. But your displeasure doesn’t give you the right to block the checkout line.
But then to do that you’d need common sense and perhaps some guts.
I’ve been a military Officer for over twenty years now. I know several gays in the military, and the military by and large doesn’t care at all if someone is gay or not. If Congress changed the law, I don’t think you’d hear much from the miltary.
Those people are no better than pro-life zealots who want to stop people from exercising their liberties to go into an abortion clinic. Shame on them.
I grew up in Berkeley and I’m profoundly ashamed of the outright anti-military view held by so many people there. I recall right before the Gulf War, I was called into an official school assembly to hear how hundreds of thousands of Americans were going to die in a war that would last years (presented by Daniel Ellsberg, no less) and a panel of lawyers advising on strategies to avoid the upcoming draft, and several peace groups talking about how the military uses the same brainwashing techniques as fascists, because people who want to join the military are already mentally weak. And I swear to God, this whole-day assembly was presided over the the principal of the school.
If folks don’t like the military, fine. But portraying outright lies that military recruiters are merely looking for “bullet sponges” is odious. And denying people their right to go into a building is a crime. They should have been arrested.
And my last thought is that it is silly to try to strip Berkeley of $2 million for spite. Let the cops enforce the law and require that any protests be peaceful, and let the nation continue on its business. Our country has bigger problems than picking fights with stinky hippies.
Are these stinky hippies or fabulous faggots? Even in off-handed slurs, such distinctions can be important.
Freedom of speech doesn’t mean what you think it does.
The government can’t make it ILLEGAL for them to say the things they say.
They certainly can ensure that their speech has CONSEQUENCES.
And where you see “punishment,” I and others see “reassignment of funds based on changed priorities.”
I very much doubt anyone behind the creation of that Act has that particular reason in mind. It’s silly to claim this is anything but a way to get back at Berkeley, if indeed that’s what you’re doing.
Just plain “idiots” would suffice, I think.
Well,what I see is a brave and principled stand by “Republican lawmakers”, supporting Our Troops against the wildly popular Berkely denizens, political consequences be damned! Real *Profiles in Courage * territory!
This is why I have a bumper sticker that says, “I wish wolves ate Californians.”
The denizens might be “wildly popular” in Berkeley, but I doubt they are so in many other parts of the country. I just saw a bunch of intolerant assholes who don’t know the difference between protest and violence. The police should’ve hauled their asses off to jail.
Perhaps you’re right, John, perhaps I’ve overestimated the raw political courage it takes to wrap yourself in Old Glory and take a bold stand against the Hippy Faggots of Berkeley.
What exactly is it that you’re celebrating about these people? That they block doorways, preventing people from carrying out their personal business? If they were blocking an abortion clinic, would you still be on their side?
I was across the street picking up a pizza at Arinell’s. I treated them with the indifference I do virtually all protestors ( standing on picket lines with my parents as a toddler pretty much permanently burnt out my interest in such things ) and far as I can tell so did everybody else. It was lunch time and that’s a major area for folks to get their feed on. No admiring crowds or high fives at least in the brief time I was there.
Yeah… the Protectors of the Constitution Continuum runs as follows:
Superman > ACLU > Supreme Court > high school civics teachers > USMC
Pretty sure that’s in the Bill of Rights someplace.
Really? I swear I’ve heard that somewhere else recently. Let’s think, where might I have had this very discussion not a few hours ago. Oh, that’s right! Just a few posts above yours. It’s a pity you have that disorder where you can’t read the whole thread before responding. Good luck with that.
The only one talking about Hippy Faggots is you. Next, say something about Worthless Homo Cannon Fodder and ascribe that to “the pubbies” too. You’re a past master at the strawman wank-off (set it up, and knock it down, repeat and increase speed) and I know you’ll squeeze something out of this one yet.
As for the OP: Why on earth anyone gives a shit what the Berkeley City Council thinks about foreign policy is beyond me. I’m confident the Marines don’t give a rat’s ass.
A bit more courage than it takes to gang up on people.
Oh, dear, I’ve been too obscure again. Drat! Let me break it down bite-size for you.
The primary focus of my disdain is these “Republican lawmakers” (notice how many times that phrase shows up, its how you define the “subject”, the focus, you see…) These courageous souls have exaggerated this pissy little incident for the sake of political posturing. Put bluntly, they’re jerking you off, Lib.
If they are so anxious for Our Troops, how about they take a break from flowing the tears crocidilian and get them out of the festering fever swamp they consigned them to? But, no, instead, they pander like a motherfucker.
Because it works. Because people buy it. They’re pandering, Lib, and if you don’t know that, today would be a good day to wise up.