Liberals take on the Marines - ShaMEFUL

[Guest Vet From Hillcrest NY]

This may make you very angry!

 

[Guest Guest]

I am a moderate and this is very upsetting!!!! Those Code Pink people are total idiots!!!

[Guest A Reasonable Atheist]

What is wrong with this? Why is it that "democracy" is OK for Iraq or other nations that we have invaded, but when we exercise the democratic process here at home, and a city determines that they, as a community, do not want military recruiters in their municipality, it is "liberal pinko, shamful blah blah blah"?

 

Dost thou not believeth in democracy?

[beowulf]

Actually, you are absolutely correct.

Any city, town, county, area, or whatever should be able to turn away military recruiters no matter if they are Marines or Army or whatever. They do deserve the right to say no to the military in every way. If they want to close their place off to anything military they do deserve that democratic right.

 

However

 

If they do so, in any disaster, natural or otherwise, no military personnel or equipment may be used to assist, help, or save them. Simple trade off. If they do not support them, then they should return the gift.

 

Enjoy your next earthquake, fire, landslide, flood, storm, etc. folks!

[LunaC]

Actually, you are absolutely correct.

Any city, town, county, area, or whatever should be able to turn away military recruiters no matter if they are Marines or Army or whatever. They do deserve the right to say no to the military in every way. If they want to close their place off to anything military they do deserve that democratic right.

 

However

 

If they do so, in any disaster, natural or otherwise, no military personnel or equipment may be used to assist, help, or save them. Simple trade off. If they do not support them, then they should return the gift.

 

Enjoy your next earthquake, fire, landslide, flood, storm, etc. folks!

 

After seeing the Federal response to Katrina, who needs them?

 

[beowulf]

Start a movement to found federal free zones. You get no federal services and you will be charged for everything you use that is federally funded. Not charged like a tax but charged much more for any use.

 

[Navin R Johnson]

After seeing the Federal response to Katrina, who needs them?

 

oh I think the people in tennessee and other southern states that had thier lives torn apart by tornadoes this week may have a different sentiment than what you share. everyday you should thank God (do you hear that reasonable atheist?) that you never have experinced this type of disaster, Although some in our community have. katrina was a disaster on such a large scale that no matter how great the response, there still would be problems. don't forget local and state governments initial response is what started the snowball rolling. But hey if you feel that you don't need federal govt, great good luck to you.

 

[Mullet]

Looks like Sen Jim DeMint is fighting back...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,327466,00.html

 

 

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., says the City of Berkeley, Calif., no longer deserves federal money.

DeMint was angered after learning that the Berkeley City Council voted this week to tell the U.S. Marine Corps to remove its recruiting station from the city's downtown.

"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," he added.

In the meantime, a senior Marine official tells FOX News that the Marine office in Berkeley isn't going anywhere.

"We understand things are different there, but some people just don't get it. This is a part of the military machine that gives them the right to do what they do, but what they are doing is extreme," the official said.

 

DeMint said he will draft legislation to rescind any earmarks dedicated for the City of Berkeley in the recently passed appropriations bill — which his office tallied to value about $2.1 million. He said that any money taken back would be transferred to the Marines.

DeMint's office provided a preliminary list of items that would be subject to his proposal:

— $975,000 for the University of California at Berkeley, for the Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service, which may include establishing an endowment, and for cataloguing the papers of Congressman Robert Matsui.

— $750,000 for the Berkeley/Albana ferry service.

— $243,000 for the Chez Panisse Foundation, for a school lunch initiative to integrate lessons about wellness, sustainability and nutrition into the academic curriculum.

— $94,000 for a Berkeley public safety interoperability program.

— $87,000 for the Berkeley Unified School District, nutrition education program.

The Marine official, speaking with FOX News on Friday, said Marine Commandant Gen. James Conway scoffed at the news, but there are no plans for to protest the City Council's decisions. There are definitely no plans to move the recruiting station either.

"To actually put something into law that encourages the disruption of a federal office is ridiculous. They are not going to kick a federal office out of its rightful place there, and this is not going to discourage those young patriots who want to be Marines," the official said.

The Berkeley City Council this week voted to tell the Marines their downtown recruiting station is not welcome and "if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome guests," according to The Associated Press.

The council also voted to explore whether a city anti-discrimination law applies to the Marines, with a focus on the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy that prevents open homosexuality in the military.

The council also voted to give the antiwar group Code Pink a parking space in front of the recruiting office once a week for six months, as well as a protest permit.

The Marine recruiting office in Berkeley has been open for about one year, but has been the subject of recent protests by Code Pink members.

 

 

So what goes around can indeed come around.

[Mullet]

And the Mayor of Berkeley, seeing the threat of having millions cut off, back pedals.

 

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,329866,00.html

 

 

WASHINGTON — The mayor of Berkeley, Calif., has issued an apology to servicemen and women serving in Iraq following a flap over a City Council vote that told the U.S Marine recruiting station there it should leave, and if it doesn't, is staying only as "uninvited and unwelcome intruders."

 

The apology follows the introduction this week of the Semper Fi Act of 2008, pushed by Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., that would rescind more than $2 million in federal earmarks destined for Berkeley. DeMint was joined by five other Republican lawmakers in introducing the bill Wednesday after they were angered over the Berkeley City Council's actions.

 

A companion bill entered in the House has the support of 45 Republicans. No Democrats are supporting either bill.

 

Following a public uproar, Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates argued Wednesday that the council's actions last week shouldn't be linked to federal money dedicated to schools and other services, according to tan San Jose Mercury News. Bates is a retired U.S. Army captain.

 

"There's really no correlation between federal funds for schools, water ferries and police communications systems and the council's actions, for God's sake," Bates said.

 

But, he said: "We apologize for any offense to any families of anyone who may serve in Iraq. We want them to come home and be safe at home."

 

Berkeley city officials indicated they likely would withhold now sending a letter containing the message they agreed on at last week's council meeting.On the introduction of his bill Wednesday, DeMint released a statement saying, "Berkeley needs to learn that their actions have consequences. Patriotic American taxpayers won’t sit quietly while Berkeley insults our brave Marines and tries to run them out of town. Berkeley City Council members have shown complete ingratitude to our military and their families, and the city doesn’t deserve a single dime of special pet project handouts."

 

The list of items that DeMint's bill target include:

 

DeMint's office provided a preliminary list of items that would be subject to his proposal:

 

— $975,000 for the University of California at Berkeley, for the Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service, which may include establishing an endowment, and for cataloguing the papers of Congressman Robert Matsui.

 

— $750,000 for the Berkeley/Albana ferry service.

 

— $243,000 for the Chez Panisse Foundation, for a school lunch initiative to integrate lessons about wellness, sustainability and nutrition into the academic curriculum.

 

— $94,000 for a Berkeley public safety interoperability program.

 

— $87,000 for the Berkeley Unified School District, nutrition education program.

 

 

[beowulf]

It truly is amazing how people change their views when money is involved.

[Guest Godfrey Daniels]

What is wrong with this? Why is it that "democracy" is OK for Iraq or other nations that we have invaded, but when we exercise the democratic process here at home, and a city determines that they, as a community, do not want military recruiters in their municipality, it is "liberal pinko, shamful blah blah blah"?

 

Dost thou not believeth in democracy?

 

The logical progression of your arguments allow for the "community standards" to ban all homosexual, political, and uncomfortable groups from soliciting in any and all ways.

 

A vocal minority with the collusion of a controlled Press should determine Community Standards. SIEG HEIL!

 

[Guest Spike z]

The logical progression of your arguments allow for the "community standards" to ban all homosexual, political, and uncomfortable groups from soliciting in any and all ways.

 

A vocal minority with the collusion of a controlled Press should determine Community Standards. SIEG HEIL!

 

It's very hard to believe this is going on in this country.

I would like to pass urine on all these liberals graves someday soon.

 

 

 

[Guest Guest]

It's very hard to believe this is going on in this country.

I would like to pass urine on all these liberals graves someday soon.

 

Have no fear. Due to the "surprisingly" upsure of Americanism even the mayor found it in the personal interest to apologize.

 

We know you are a New Yorker and isolated from America but take heart in the knowledge that our Country is being diminished but it still Stands as a Force.

 

[Guest toonsiesdrvgcat]

It's very hard to believe this is going on in this country.

I would like to pass urine on all these liberals graves someday soon.

the ONLY love i have for republicans, are for THOSE that are in IRAQ. It is the OTHERS that reside here that PREACH about something they know little about. Republicans DIVIDE this nation. without the electoral college, they would have no discussion. A REPUBLICAN president would never get in. These people DISCUSS war... THEY dont FIGHT IN IT. THEY are the DAUGHTERS of the REPUBLICAN president. REAL MEN AND WOMEN, that ARE REPUBLICAN, have shed THEIR blood. . Those that remain in the STATES, are COWARDS. REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS FIGHT IN IRAQ. I call them AMERICANS. THOSE that remain OVER HERE, are LABELED republicans and democrats. NON AMERICANS. what have YOU DONE to be AMERICAN, besides being born here. NOT SERVING is NOT AMERICAN

 

[Guest A Reasonable Atheist]

oh I think the people in tennessee and other southern states that had thier lives torn apart by tornadoes this week may have a different sentiment than what you share. everyday you should thank God (do you hear that reasonable atheist?) that you never have experinced this type of disaster, Although some in our community have. katrina was a disaster on such a large scale that no matter how great the response, there still would be problems. don't forget local and state governments initial response is what started the snowball rolling. But hey if you feel that you don't need federal govt, great good luck to you.

 

Why should I thank a figment of a collective imagination? By your logic, the fact I haven't been killed by a tornado, and those people were is because "god" chose to kill them. Seems a bit vindictive. Regardless, if your "god" is so petty as to be involved in decisions such as who wins a football game, who gets hit by a tornado, or who wins the lottery, then he is quite a small creature.

[Guest anti-war]

WOW, YOU GUYS ARE MISSING THE BOAT ON THIS ONE. I AM 100% AGAINST THE WAR IN IRAQ. BUT SOMEONE SAID EARLIER "WHAT ABOUT DEMOCRACY"? YOU NEED TO LEARN THE BIG WORDS YOU USE. WHAT IF A YOUNG PERSON IN BERKELY WANTED TO EXPLORE JOINING THE MILITARY. DO THEY NOT HAVE THE COSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO DO SO? DOES CODE PINK HAVE THE RIGHT TO STOP SOMEONE'S PURSUIT OF JOINING THE MILITARY IN THEIR CITY? SHOW ME THE STATUTE THAT SHOWS THEY DO.

 

A CITY DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO KICK OUT A LAWFUL AND ESTABLISHED OCCUPANT BECAUSE SOME OF THEIR RESIDENTS DON'T WANT IT THERE. WHAT ABOUT THE RESIDENTS THAT WANT IT THERE? DO THEY HAVE A SAY? MOB DOESN'T RULE. IF MORE PEOPLE IN A CITY WANTED TO THROW OUT OTHER STORES IN THEIR CITY, IS THAT LEGAL? NO!!!! THE ENTITY WOULD HAVE TO VIOLATE SOME SORT OF LAW. SAME GOES FOR HERE.

 

I HOPE CONGRESS TAKES ALL THEIR FEDERAL FUNDING AWAY AND IN THE CASE OF A NATURAL DISASTER, THEY ARE ON THEIR OWN. AFTER ALL, THEY WOULDN'T WANT ANY SOLDIERS HELPING THEM, WOULD THEY? THIS IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, ANTI-AMERICAN, ANTI-DEMOCRATIC, ANTI-CIVIL RIGHTS, ANTI-REPUBLIC, AND TREASON. THEY WILL NOT DEFEAT THE MILITARY IN THIS CONFLICT.

 

REMEMBER, I'M ANTI-WAR AND ANTI-GOVERNMENT. BUT THIS IS TREASON ANYWAY YOU LOOK AT IT.

[Guest A Reasonable Atheist]

WOW, YOU GUYS ARE MISSING THE BOAT ON THIS ONE. I AM 100% AGAINST THE WAR IN IRAQ. BUT SOMEONE SAID EARLIER "WHAT ABOUT DEMOCRACY"? YOU NEED TO LEARN THE BIG WORDS YOU USE. WHAT IF A YOUNG PERSON IN BERKELY WANTED TO EXPLORE JOINING THE MILITARY. DO THEY NOT HAVE THE COSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO DO SO? DOES CODE PINK HAVE THE RIGHT TO STOP SOMEONE'S PURSUIT OF JOINING THE MILITARY IN THEIR CITY? SHOW ME THE STATUTE THAT SHOWS THEY DO.

 

A CITY DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO KICK OUT A LAWFUL AND ESTABLISHED OCCUPANT BECAUSE SOME OF THEIR RESIDENTS DON'T WANT IT THERE. WHAT ABOUT THE RESIDENTS THAT WANT IT THERE? DO THEY HAVE A SAY? MOB DOESN'T RULE. IF MORE PEOPLE IN A CITY WANTED TO THROW OUT OTHER STORES IN THEIR CITY, IS THAT LEGAL? NO!!!! THE ENTITY WOULD HAVE TO VIOLATE SOME SORT OF LAW. SAME GOES FOR HERE.

 

I HOPE CONGRESS TAKES ALL THEIR FEDERAL FUNDING AWAY AND IN THE CASE OF A NATURAL DISASTER, THEY ARE ON THEIR OWN. AFTER ALL, THEY WOULDN'T WANT ANY SOLDIERS HELPING THEM, WOULD THEY? THIS IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, ANTI-AMERICAN, ANTI-DEMOCRATIC, ANTI-CIVIL RIGHTS, ANTI-REPUBLIC, AND TREASON. THEY WILL NOT DEFEAT THE MILITARY IN THIS CONFLICT.

 

REMEMBER, I'M ANTI-WAR AND ANTI-GOVERNMENT. BUT THIS IS TREASON ANYWAY YOU LOOK AT IT.

 

First, how about working on typing without the capslock key on?

 

What is to stop the kid from going to Oakland right next door? Nothing; so it seems that his "right" to join the military has not be impacted. From what I understand of this situation, they have just designated a parking spot for a monthly protest, not revoked the permit of the recruiting station.

 

Municipalities routinely write their zoning codes so as to exclude certain businesses from operating within town/city/village limits. There is nothing unconstitutional about that unless there are equal protection issues raised.

 

Additionally, while you warned me about throwing around big words like "democracy", I suggest you abide by your own advice and wait before you consider calling something treason. Treason is constitutionally defined; perhaps you could present an argument in support of how giving a parking space to a monthly demonstration constitutes treason.

 

I await your learned brief on how this constitutes treason.

 

 

 

[Guest historian]

First, how about working on typing without the capslock key on?

 

What is to stop the kid from going to Oakland right next door? Nothing; so it seems that his "right" to join the military has not be impacted. From what I understand of this situation, they have just designated a parking spot for a monthly protest, not revoked the permit of the recruiting station.

 

Municipalities routinely write their zoning codes so as to exclude certain businesses from operating within town/city/village limits. There is nothing unconstitutional about that unless there are equal protection issues raised.

 

Additionally, while you warned me about throwing around big words like "democracy", I suggest you abide by your own advice and wait before you consider calling something treason. Treason is constitutionally defined; perhaps you could present an argument in support of how giving a parking space to a monthly demonstration constitutes treason.

 

I await your learned brief on how this constitutes treason.

 

 

 

 

DON'T LIKE THE CAPS? OK. 1ST OF ALL, IF A YOUNG PERSON WANTS TO TALK TO A MILITARY RECRUITER, AND THERE IS ONE WHERE THEY LIVE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO OAKLAND. THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO THE EXISTING ONE IN THEIR OWN CITY. I ASK AGAIN, WHAT ABOUT THE RESIDENTS IN BERKLEY THAT WANT IT THERE? THEY HAVE NO SAY IN THE MATTER? ONLY 1 GROUP MATTERS, APPARENTLY. THAT IS NOT THE WAY THIS COUNTRY OPERATES. THIS SHOWS HOW STUPID YOU ARE. YOU SAY ZONING LAWS CAN KEEP A CERTAIN BUSINESS FROM AN AREA. THE STATION HAS BEEN OPERATING FOR OVER A YEAR. THEY ALREADY ZONED IT. SO, WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS THAT AN EXISTING BUSINESS CAN BE SHUT DOWN BECAUSE OF POLITICAL REASONS ONLY. THAT IS THE MOST UNAMERICAN THING THAT COULD BE DONE. CATCHIN ON YET, MORON.

 

 

FINALLY, YOU THINK YOU ARE FOOLING PEOPLE BY SUGGESTING THAT THIS ISSUE IS ABOUT A PARKING SPACE. YOU KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. IT JUST SHOWS WHAT A LIAR YOU ARE. THEY ARE COMMITTING TREASON BY ACTIVELY INTERFERING WITH THE OPERATION OF THE USA MILITARY. THAT HELPS ALL OF OUR ENEMIES. I KNOW IN THE LIBERAL HANDBOOK, THE WORD TREASON DOESN'T APPLY. TO SANE PEOPLE, IT IS OBVIOUS TREASON. WILL THE GOV'T TRY TO PRESS CHARGES? OF COURSE NOT. IT'S NOT A BIG ENOUGH CASE. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT DOESN'T FIT THE BASIC DEFINITION OF TREASON. TAKE YOUR LIBERAL MUMBO JUMBO SOMEWHERE ELSE. I HATE THE WAR, BUT I HATE YOUR TYPE EVEN WORSE. YOU ARE THE MOST ANTI-AMERICAN GROUP IN THE COUNTRY. CONSIDER YOURSELF TOAST.

 

[Guest Stan the Man]

When confronted, they ain't got the gonads to do a damn thing!

What a pathetic bunch of filthy cowards!

 

And the LIBERAL kooks want to run the country!

 

[Guest toonsiesdrvcat]

since when does the military run our country. the military is made up of americans. the nation is made up of americans. they represent democracy. they are free to do what they want. they arent killing anyone. they stood up to govt. which is what most of you people are afraid to do. along with you people being afraid to enlist in the service. what have you done for america. you sit on bc voice. cowards. that is all you know.

[Guest A Reasonable Atheist]

DON'T LIKE THE CAPS? OK. 1ST OF ALL, IF A YOUNG PERSON WANTS TO TALK TO A MILITARY RECRUITER, AND THERE IS ONE WHERE THEY LIVE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO OAKLAND. THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO THE EXISTING ONE IN THEIR OWN CITY. I ASK AGAIN, WHAT ABOUT THE RESIDENTS IN BERKLEY THAT WANT IT THERE? THEY HAVE NO SAY IN THE MATTER? ONLY 1 GROUP MATTERS, APPARENTLY. THAT IS NOT THE WAY THIS COUNTRY OPERATES. THIS SHOWS HOW STUPID YOU ARE. YOU SAY ZONING LAWS CAN KEEP A CERTAIN BUSINESS FROM AN AREA. THE STATION HAS BEEN OPERATING FOR OVER A YEAR. THEY ALREADY ZONED IT. SO, WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS THAT AN EXISTING BUSINESS CAN BE SHUT DOWN BECAUSE OF POLITICAL REASONS ONLY. THAT IS THE MOST UNAMERICAN THING THAT COULD BE DONE. CATCHIN ON YET, MORON.

 

 

FINALLY, YOU THINK YOU ARE FOOLING PEOPLE BY SUGGESTING THAT THIS ISSUE IS ABOUT A PARKING SPACE. YOU KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. IT JUST SHOWS WHAT A LIAR YOU ARE. THEY ARE COMMITTING TREASON BY ACTIVELY INTERFERING WITH THE OPERATION OF THE USA MILITARY. THAT HELPS ALL OF OUR ENEMIES. I KNOW IN THE LIBERAL HANDBOOK, THE WORD TREASON DOESN'T APPLY. TO SANE PEOPLE, IT IS OBVIOUS TREASON. WILL THE GOV'T TRY TO PRESS CHARGES? OF COURSE NOT. IT'S NOT A BIG ENOUGH CASE. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT DOESN'T FIT THE BASIC DEFINITION OF TREASON. TAKE YOUR LIBERAL MUMBO JUMBO SOMEWHERE ELSE. I HATE THE WAR, BUT I HATE YOUR TYPE EVEN WORSE. YOU ARE THE MOST ANTI-AMERICAN GROUP IN THE COUNTRY. CONSIDER YOURSELF TOAST.

 

Perhaps you need a new keyboard as it appears your capslock key is stuck on. It is the key to the left of the "a" key.

 

What if there was no recruiting station in Berkeley? Would you then be arguing that it is the duty of the municipality to open one so that any schmo who wants to be lied to can have that wish fulfilled? Should we go up to Lisle or Triangle and demand that they install a recruiting station so as not to disenfranchise the prospective recruits in those municipalities?

 

Actually, the residents of Berkeley who want the recruiting station there has just as much a right as those who wish to demonstrate against it. They can go out and hold their own "send our boys to war" rally if they choose. Additionally, they can vote in municipal elections. Let me ask you this question: There are many people in the United States that support Universal Single Payer Health Insurance. However, the elected officials refuse to pass legislation enacting the program. Does that mean I, and the millions of other Americans who support this program have no say? I would suggest that it doesn't. It means that we are currently in a minority (or at least the officials who have been elected to represent us are in a minority). It is the natural result of any democracy or republic, there is a minority who will "lose out" because they do not have the votes to stop action. The course of action then is not to sit and whine, but rather to mobilize and organize to enact what you would consider positive action, in your case allowing military recruiters who deceive young folk to do their dirty work in Berkeley.

 

I believe the above paragraph has sufficiently addressed the fact that it is you, not me, fails to comprehend the way a representative democracy functions.

 

I will only devote a brief response to your "political reasons" argument. Businesses are shut down all the time because of political reasons. For instance, we routinely spray and bomb coca fields in South America, violating the sovereignty of those nations, for purely political reasons. We force mines and chemical plants to stop operations when we deem them unsafe. And, we change town zoning codes to prohibit buildings of a certain size in order to prohibit those particular businesses from entering our town.

 

And, yes, the issue is a parking space being set aside for demonstrators to stand and demonstrate. Is there a more fundamental issue, whether we should have military recruiters in our towns? Yes. However, the issue in the Berkeley case is as simple as setting aside a parking spot.

 

Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court. US.Const. Art. III §3 ¶1

Actively interfering with the operation of the American military doesn't fall under the Constitutional definition of treason, sorry, you are just wrong there. As you are leveling the charge of treason, you still carry the burden of proof regarding "aid and comfort". Though, I would suggest that historically "aid and comfort" had to do with things such as housing and feeding and arming enemy soldiers, not exercising first amendment rights to demonstrate.

 

Treason is a defined crime in the Constitution, the government would not fail to prosecute such a fundamental crime against our nation. The fact of the matter is that what is being done in Berkeley is not treason, and until you offer something other than "regular people feel it in their gut" you don't even have quicksand to stand on.

 

[Guest Lefty]

I am a proud Democrat and am not ashamed to say I am "left wing." I agreed with previous comments regarding people's right to protest and that we sometimes seem to wish greater democratic freedoms to those in Iraq than we are willing to give our own citizens here.

 

That being said, I do find it disturbing that protesters were allowed to physically block the entryway to the recruiting station. I am definitely against this war. However, I would no more support the people blocking this entrance anymore than I would fanatics blocking entrance to an abortion center. (Yes -- gasp -- I am pro-choice!) Protesting is one thing. Physically preventing legal access to a building is another.

[Guest Thomas]

I wonder if Code Pink would protest if they tried to kick all abortion clinics from Berkley. They'd probably say they have "rights".

[Guest Guest]

I wonder if Code Pink would protest if they tried to kick all abortion clinics from Berkley. They'd probably say they have "rights".

 

So the Code Pinko crowd may not look at James Kopp and Eric Rudolph as Martyrs?

 

[Guest historian]

Perhaps you need a new keyboard as it appears your capslock key is stuck on. It is the key to the left of the "a" key.

 

What if there was no recruiting station in Berkeley? Would you then be arguing that it is the duty of the municipality to open one so that any schmo who wants to be lied to can have that wish fulfilled? Should we go up to Lisle or Triangle and demand that they install a recruiting station so as not to disenfranchise the prospective recruits in those municipalities?

 

Actually, the residents of Berkeley who want the recruiting station there has just as much a right as those who wish to demonstrate against it. They can go out and hold their own "send our boys to war" rally if they choose. Additionally, they can vote in municipal elections. Let me ask you this question: There are many people in the United States that support Universal Single Payer Health Insurance. However, the elected officials refuse to pass legislation enacting the program. Does that mean I, and the millions of other Americans who support this program have no say? I would suggest that it doesn't. It means that we are currently in a minority (or at least the officials who have been elected to represent us are in a minority). It is the natural result of any democracy or republic, there is a minority who will "lose out" because they do not have the votes to stop action. The course of action then is not to sit and whine, but rather to mobilize and organize to enact what you would consider positive action, in your case allowing military recruiters who deceive young folk to do their dirty work in Berkeley.

 

I believe the above paragraph has sufficiently addressed the fact that it is you, not me, fails to comprehend the way a representative democracy functions.

 

I will only devote a brief response to your "political reasons" argument. Businesses are shut down all the time because of political reasons. For instance, we routinely spray and bomb coca fields in South America, violating the sovereignty of those nations, for purely political reasons. We force mines and chemical plants to stop operations when we deem them unsafe. And, we change town zoning codes to prohibit buildings of a certain size in order to prohibit those particular businesses from entering our town.

 

And, yes, the issue is a parking space being set aside for demonstrators to stand and demonstrate. Is there a more fundamental issue, whether we should have military recruiters in our towns? Yes. However, the issue in the Berkeley case is as simple as setting aside a parking spot.

 

 

Actively interfering with the operation of the American military doesn't fall under the Constitutional definition of treason, sorry, you are just wrong there. As you are leveling the charge of treason, you still carry the burden of proof regarding "aid and comfort". Though, I would suggest that historically "aid and comfort" had to do with things such as housing and feeding and arming enemy soldiers, not exercising first amendment rights to demonstrate.

 

Treason is a defined crime in the Constitution, the government would not fail to prosecute such a fundamental crime against our nation. The fact of the matter is that what is being done in Berkeley is not treason, and until you offer something other than "regular people feel it in their gut" you don't even have quicksand to stand on.

 

 

 

THIS, WITHOUT A DOUBT, IS THE DUMBEST POST IN BCVOICE HISTORY. I LOVE THE 1ST SENTENCE. "WHAT IF THERE WERE NO RECRUITING STATION IN BERKELY? HUH???????? THAT SHIP HAS SAILED. WHAT IF I COULD FLY AND BE A SUPERHERO? WHAT IF ALIENS ABDUCTED ME AND TOOK ME TO THEIR MOTHERSHIP? GREAT ARGUMENT.

 

I SAID YOU CAN'T SHUT DOWN A BUSINESS FOR ONLY POLITICAL REASONS AND YOU TALK ABOUT SOUTH AMERICA? WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING? WE SHUT DOWN BUSINESSES FOR BEING UNSAFE AND THAT'S POLITICAL? IT'S AGAINST THE F'IN LAW TO RUN AN UNSAFE BUSINESS, YOU MORON. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH POLITICS. SO YOU KEEP BELIEVING IT'S ABOUT A PARKING SPACE (YOU'RE PRETTY DEEP). I WILL NO LONGER RESPOND TO YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE EITHER: A CHILD, INSANE, RETARDED, DELUSIONAL OR HAVE ALZHEIMERS. NOBODY COULD BE THIS DUMB.