Berkeley To The Marines : Stay Out

Gosh, is this 2008 or 1968? All that's missing is Georgie Jessel and Martha Raye screaming, "America, love it or leave it!"

 

Okay, let's replay what I just said since some people apparently have shit stuffed in their ears. I didn't need to read the story because I had assumed, wrongly, that the description you see above my post here explained it all.

Instead, it turns out that Boom:

1. Started his post with a false premise that human rights and freedom were being denied because the city council asked the Marines to get out of town. In reality, there was much more to the story and freedom of speech concerns on the opposite side of the issue. But, Boom, as he so often does, glazed over the facts to fit his warped view of things.

2. The council didn't say it didn't want Marines in the city. It said it didn't want the Marine recruiters in the city. It's a specific group. Again, Boom misrepresented the facts to push his own agenda.

3. Boom then goes on to use some trumped-up language: Defenders of Freedom. Let's just call them what they are and not boost them to sainthood. You could also call them assassins in some respects and, frankly, murders in a few isolated cases. But Boom couldn't just call them Marines and couldn't articulate his opinion without throwing out hyperbole and drama that completely masks reality.

 

Well, this is moving along quite nicely but I don't think it will end well. .

 

I guess that "Mission Accomplished" photo was all too apropos then...

 

I'm ok with a city denying recruitment.

 

The story is not over and in fact gaining critical mass. It will be over when the City of Berkeley issues an apoligy.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_8378815?nclick_check=1

 

Boom, the link doesn't work and there's nothing on the Mercury News website that I can see about the story.

And I can't find a thing on the SF Chronicle website.

 

works for me

Here is a partial :

Berkeley businesses feel pinch of weekly anti-war protests
By Kristin Bender and Doug Oakley
Bay Area News Group
Article Launched: 02/27/2008 08:07:17 AM PST


BERKELEY - People who are angry at city leaders for their anti-military stance are taking it out on businesses - canceling hotel rooms, restaurant reservations and theater tickets.
They are writing letters to the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce outlining their plans to boycott the city.

And they are steering clear of downtown shops because of the weekly anti-war protests that in recent weeks have become increasingly volatile.

Two weeks after the Berkeley City Council refused to apologize to the U.S. Marine Corps for calling them "uninvited and unwelcome intruders," Berkeley businesses are feeling the backlash from people who don't want to spend their money in the city.

"We're hearing of folks canceling reservations and canceling hotel rooms and we know there is a direct correlation. How big, I don't know. We're in a tough economic period anyway," said Ted Garrett, chief executive officer of the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce.

Garrett said the chamber has received an estimated 300 e-mails, letters and faxes from people upset about the council's action and its refusal to apologize. "Folks are upset," he said. "Unfortunately, they are blaming the businesses."

Mo Hallaji, owner of Pollo's at Shattuck Avenue and Addison Street, said his business has declined 10 to 15 percent this month because of the traffic jams and fighting associated with the protests.

"They are killing our business," Hallaji said. "Everybody is against the war but that is
not the right way to go about it if you want to accomplish something."

 

That's all well and good Boom but I'd hardly call that "gaining critical mass".

You need to turn down your hyperbolemeter a notch.

 

This is one of the protesters in Berkerely.

I'm guessing it's like looking in a mirror for some of the posters on this board.

 

So if Berkeley decided to ask, say, a minority-owned business that was paying its bills and obeying the law -- just because they didn't like "their kind" being around -- that'd be OK with you?
I don't think you're applying the First Amendment correctly.
It says government shall pass no law abridging the exercise of free speech. I'd say a marine recruiting office is exercising its free speech rights, not the government trying to kick them out.

 

Here's another one of the protesters.

And it's the Marines that the City Council finds repugnant?