What the.H##$ is wrong with California?

[dunndw]

I mean honestly..why don't they secede from the union and be done with it.

Berkeley gives Marines the boot

City Council says recruiting station not welcome; military mum for now

By Doug Oakley, STAFF WRITER

Article Last Updated: 01/31/2008 09:47:45 AM PST

Anti-war protestors outside the Marine recruiting office on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley Wednesday. (Doug Oakley/MediaNews)

BERKELEY — Hey-hey, ho-ho, the Marines in Berkeley have got to go.

That's the message from the Berkeley City Council, which voted 8-1 to tell the U.S. Marines that its Shattuck Avenue recruiting station "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders."

In addition, the council voted to explore enforcing its law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation against the Marines because of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. And it officially encouraged the women's peace group Code Pink to impede the work of the Marines in the city by protesting in front of the station.

In a separate item, the council voted 8-1 to give Code Pink a designated parking space in front of the recruiting station once a week for six months and a free sound permit for protesting once a week from noon to 4 p.m.

Councilman Gordon Wozniak opposed both items.

The Marines have been in Berkeley for a little more than a year, having moved from Alameda in December 2006. For about the past four months, Code Pink has been protesting in front of the station.

"I believe in the Code Pink cause. The Marines don't belong here, they shouldn't have come here, and they should leave," Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates said after votes were cast.

A Marines representative did not respond to requests for comment.The resolution telling the Marines they are unwelcome and directing the city attorney

Advertisement

to explore issues of sexual orientation discrimination was brought to the council by the city's Peace and Justice commission.

The recommendation to give Code Pink a parking space for protesting and a free sound permit was brought by council members Linda Maio and Max Anderson.

Code Pink on Wednesday started circulating petitions to put a measure on the November ballot in Berkeley that would make it more difficult to open military recruiting offices near homes, parks, schools, churches libraries or health clinics. The group needs 5,000 signatures to make the ballot.

Even though the council items passed, not everyone is happy with the work of Code Pink. Some employees and owners of businesses near the Marines office have had enough of the group and its protests.

"My husband's business is right upstairs, and this (protesting) is bordering on harassment," Dori Schmidt told the council. "I hope this stops."

An employee of a nearby business who asked not to be identified said Wednesday the elderly Code Pink protesters are aggressive, take up parking spaces, block the sidewalk with their yoga moves, smoke in the doorways, and are noisy.

"Most of the people around here think they're a joke," the woman said.

Wozniak said he was opposed to giving Code Pink a parking space because it favors free speech rights of one group over another.

"There's a line between protesting and harassing, and that concerns me," Wozniak said. "It looks like we are showing favoritism. We have to respect the other side, and not abuse their rights. This is not good policy."

Fran Rachel, 90, a Code Pink protester who spoke at the council meeting, said the group's request for a parking space and noise permit was especially important because the Marines are recruiting soldiers who may die in an unjust war.

"This is very serious," Rachel said. "This isn't a game; it's mass murder. There's a sickness of silence of people not speaking out against the war. We have to do this."

Anderson, a former Marine who said he was "drummed out" of the corps when he took a stand against the Vietnam War, said he'd love to see the Marines high-tail it out of town.

"We are confronted with an organization that can spend billions of dollars on propaganda," Anderson said. "This is not Okinawa here; we're involved in a naked act of aggression. If we can provide a space for ordinary people to express themselves against this kind of barbarity, then we should be doing it."

[saintsfanbrian]

This is clearly a violation of Free Speech and the Marines haven't said a word. Last time I checked there was NO ONE holding a gun to ANYONE'S head when they entered a recruiting station.

This is ridiculous an should be stopped. Can the Code Pink people protest? Sure, that is guaranteed by the first amendment. Should they be given special treatment with free permits and parking spaces in which to do it? Nope. I guess there are no ex-Marines living in Berkley. (This Anderson Fellow was clearly a draftee that was able to get out.)

One more reason to stay out of that state.

[molonlabetn]

Code Pink can go kalifornicate themselves, for all I care. Their reaction, and their endorsement by the local officials, is pretty much one of the most blatant examples of how un-American some people want America to become.

Will the San Andreas Fault please hurry up...

[Guest db99wj]

Marine: "Cooome on, cross the line, cooome on, you know you want to, just give me a reason......."

[highshot]

hey! Why their at it building that fence on the boarder,why don't they put it around CA. to

[NuTcAsE]

hey! Why their at it building that fence on the boarder,why don't they put it around CA. to

GREAT IDEA!!!, the new "NATIONAL AMERICAN ZOO"

Calipornia the Land of Fruits & Nuts

[towerclimber37]

This is so sad.

there's no wonder that California is 40 Billion dollars in debt to the federal Government.

[Guest Halfpint]

I'm very tempted to rent a heavy backhoe and start digging a trench right along the California/Arizona border, and I'll work my way along the border until I end up on the Oregon coast... maybe it can at least fill up with water or something and cut them off.

I'm actually considering if it would be worth it to fly to CA and enlist at that same recruiting station, rather than doing it here.

[Guest SUNTZU]

I thought France was across the Atlantic.

When its Berkley's turn for a state of emergency, our fighting men and women will be right there to help, no matter how the individual soldier may feel. These same people will be crying for help, and as soon as they are out of the danger zone, will be screaming in outrage over how little the government did for them.

Instead of dressing up like a bunch of third grade ballerinas, why don't they run to Home Depot and pick up tool belts and help rebuild the burned areas of their state? How about feeding those who are helping?

America is the best country this side of hell, and being an American, with all its freedoms, comes great responsibility, a responsibility to your fellow Americans. If you cannot accept this mantle of responsibility, hang down your head, scuff the dirt with your shoe, and be ashamed, for you have cast off the one thing that keeps the torch of liberty burning bright to downtrodden people the world over who want what you now have....freedom.

My apologies to the group.

[saintsfanbrian]

I'm very tempted to rent a heavy backhoe and start digging a trench right along the California/Arizona border, and I'll work my way along the border until I end up on the Oregon coast... maybe it can at least fill up with water or something and cut them off.

I'm actually considering if it would be worth it to fly to CA and enlist at that same recruiting station, rather than doing it here.

Well, you better do it quick. Just leave the guns at home because they don't recognize other state permits.

[dariks]

The recommendation to give Code Pink a parking space for protesting and a free sound permit was brought by council members Linda Maio and Max Anderson.

Anderson, a former Marine who said he was "drummed out" of the corps when he took a stand against the Vietnam War, said he'd love to see the Marines high-tail it out of town.

It sounds like someone has hurt feeling and is trying to get "even".

[NuTcAsE]

I thought France was across the Atlantic.

When its Berkley's turn for a state of emergency, our fighting men and women will be right there to help, no matter how the individual soldier may feel. These same people will be crying for help, and as soon as they are out of the danger zone, will be screaming in outrage over how little the government did for them.

Instead of dressing up like a bunch of third grade ballerinas, why don't they run to Home Depot and pick up tool belts and help rebuild the burned areas of their state? How about feeding those who are helping?

America is the best country this side of hell, and being an American, with all its freedoms, comes great responsibility, a responsibility to your fellow Americans. If you cannot accept this mantle of responsibility, hang down your head, scuff the dirt with your shoe, and be ashamed, for you have cast off the one thing that keeps the torch of liberty burning bright to downtrodden people the world over who want what you now have....freedom.

My apologies to the group.

No apologies necessary.....

[strickj]

GREAT IDEA!!!, the new "NATIONAL AMERICAN ZOO"

Calipornia the Land of Fruits & Nuts

fruits;YES nuts;NO

just wait untill someone attacks california with there gun hating,fudge packing,war bashing fruit cake loving,anti-american selfs.what will happen?I can see it now.they will talk to the terrorist,invite them to yogo,flower them with gifts of over sized-bug eyed sun glasses,and all we be well

the only good thing that has ever came from california is myth busters,at least they like guns!

[dunndw]

would it be wrong to make up a Berkley version of the Muhammad cartoon and email it to Bin Laden?

We could let him clean up our mess...then smoke him when he was done, clear two nagging insects at one time

[NuTcAsE]

fruits;YES nuts;NO

just wait untill someone attacks california with there gun hating,fudge packing,war bashing fruit cake loving,anti-american selfs.what will happen?I can see it now.they will talk to the terrorist,invite them to yogo,flower them with gifts of over sized-bug eyed sun glasses,and all we be well

the only good thing that has ever came from california is myth busters,at least they like guns!

I though the nuts were in L.A. & Hollywood?

[Guest canynracer]

how does this one protest reflect the entire state?

http://www.codepink4peace.org/groups.php?state=TN

this stupid azz group is EVERYWHERE...and if you read the articles there are a lot of people protesting the protestors...

[Guest Len]

THANK YOU canynracer! Code Pink is not a CA-only org.

30-odd million people live in the Golden State, more live in the SF/Oakland metro area than live in most of TN. Certainly, there are going to be some oddballs in the bunch -and they will get most of the attention.

California is a great state. I have been there MANY times and always enjoy myself. Natural beauty galore, history, art, cuisine, a diverse and interesting population, stuff to do, etc. Also, lots of shooting sports and gun owners there. (Great range on the Monterrey Peninsula - not many places you can shoot with sand dunes as your berms and the Pacific as your backdrop.)

CA has its problems, and its fair share of characters. As the center of the entertainment industry, is anyone surprised? I ask anyone to name a state without issues. CA has lots of them -magnified due to its size and media focus. But, it is part of this country and deserves as much respect as any other state in the Union. To me, it is interesting to live in a nation as diverse as this one, and I'm glad to have Cali (and New York and Alaska and every other state) as part of it.

End of rant.

how does this one protest reflect the entire state?

http://www.codepink4peace.org/groups.php?state=TN

this stupid azz group is EVERYWHERE...and if you read the articles there are a lot of people protesting the protestors...

[Guest canynracer]

as i stated in the "lead wheel weights" thread I lived there 30 years, born and raised. (Lets not get into any of the "then go back" comments)

there are some bad desicions made, and I dont agree with the gun laws there, but it it beautiful (as Len stated) There are some equally bad desicions made here as well...hell Memphis just hit #1 in the COUNTRY for crime...

I love it here...but I loved CA as well....dont let some whack-jobs form your opinion on the entire state...we have the same whack-jobs here...its just not publicized like it is in CA.

[dunndw]

I don't remember a TN town protesting anything other than beer prices :-)

If it's that great of a place why don't the "normal" people stand up to the kooks. If the kooks get all the attention, that's going to be what people automatically think.

Berkley has had that rep for a LONNNNNG time...and again they stoop down to meet their expectations.

Any group of people have the right to protest anything. It's when a local government gets involved it crosses the line into state sponsored harassment and intimidation...if a bunch of lefties could intimidate a Marine...which if nothing else would be really fun to watch. Kind of like the Simpsons episode where Homer thinks he's taunting a palace guard and the Marine floors him while standing at attention

[Guest TNDixieGirl]

It's not this one protest that reflects the entire state. It's a lifetime (mine anyway) of protests and whackos that have put the reflection on the entire state. And they continue to do so. Beautiful nature-wise, most definitely. Other than that, there's no real attraction (to me).

And I would never, tell you to "go back". I like ya too much for that.

[Guest jackdog]

Those folks are in a total ly different world out there. Spent quite a lot of time in Cal, And can't say that I miss it at all.

[NuTcAsE]

as i stated in the "lead wheel weights" thread I lived there 30 years, born and raised. (Lets not get into any of the "then go back" comments)

there are some bad desicions made, and I dont agree with the gun laws there, but it it beautiful (as Len stated) There are some equally bad desicions made here as well...hell Memphis just hit #1 in the COUNTRY for crime...

I love it here...but I loved CA as well....don't let some whack-jobs form your opinion on the entire state...we have the same whack-jobs here...its just not publicized like it is in CA.

I'm not going to tell you to go back, but if you will remember you came here. These comments are no different than we being referred to as hillbillies, inbreds & rednecks. In fact The Beverly Hillbillies, Petty Coat Junction, Green Acres, The Duke's of Hazzard, were produced in Hollywood about us, and I ain't upset. I know Cal. is a beautiful state, and it WAS around here till every where you look is a subdivision, I can't go out side and pee off the front porch anymore! Lighten up, you're gonna hear all kind of stuff about Cal. no account yankees and whatnot. But it's mostly in good fun.

[Guest TargetShooter84]

Thats pretty ridiculous thing i've ever heard of....but again, Kalifornia has really strange fruity and nutty people there anyways so I'm just gonna donate any leftover used straitjackets that I find for them....

[Guest canynracer]

I'm not going to tell you to go back, but if you will remember you came here. These comments are no different than we being referred to as hillbillies, inbreds & rednecks. In fact The Beverly Hillbillies, Petty Coat Junction, Green Acres, The Duke's of Hazzard, were produced in Hollywood about us, and I ain't upset. I know Cal. is a beautiful state, and it WAS around here till every where you look is a subdivision, I can't go out side and pee off the front porch anymore! Lighten up, you're gonna hear all kind of stuff about Cal. no account yankees and whatnot. But it's mostly in good fun.

I came here as a relo...cost of living is better...and no need to lighten up...I am not dark about the statements at all I was just saying that there are whackos everywhere, some get more attention than others...and I dont think that the state should fall of the map, sink in the ocean, or wish any ill will, I have family there, and frankly, I wouldnt want that to happen to ANY American state reguardless of how it is run.

and you are correct about the "assumptions" hell I even had them about the south before I moved here, I honestley thought I was going to see people walking around barefoot in overalls with no shirts, and KKK sheets when I got off the plane...my perception was quickly changed when I saw the level of intelligence, and the real human factor of the south. I am very happy here, it is a great place to raise my kids...

That being said. I am proof positive about my prior statement...dont let the whack jobs ruin your perception of an otherwise nice place...

[NuTcAsE]

I honestley thought I was going to see people walking around barefoot in overalls with no shirts,

And you will, if you come to my house this summer. We'll set on the front porch drank beer and throw the bottles at the passing cars.