Catherine Moy: Berkeley Buckling After Attack on Marines

Move America Forward ^ | Thursday, April 03, 2008 | Catherine Moy

[Syncro]

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Posted By:
Catherine Moy
Permalink

Berkeley Buckling After Attack on Marines

The Berkeley City Council supports this type of confrontation

The San Francisco Chronicle today wrote a story about the financial hardships Berkeley has suffered since it called the Marines “unwelcome” and “uninvited.” The pushback from (Move America Forward and other pro-troops groups is having the desired effect: Groups are canceling trips to Berkeley; hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent on police overtime; businesses have left; outsiders will no longer do business in Berkeley.

The Chronicle reports: 

Berkeley is finding that having its own foreign policy isn’t cheap. The city’s recent dustup with the U.S. Marine Corps has so far cost the city more than $200,000, while businesses say they’ve been slammed by related protests. . . .

But some business owners, residents and officials say the Marines dispute, which brought international headlines and boycotts, is a perfect illustration of why Berkeley should spend less money on foreign policy and more on filling potholes.
City Councilman Gordon Wozniak put forth a plan last week to make the commissions more accountable. The plan, approved by the City Council, requires the commissions to post their full reports on the city’s Web site, to be more diligent about posting their agendas and minutes and to pass along more background information to the City Council, especially on controversial items.
“I think it’s out of hand,” Wozniak said of Berkeley’s commissions, most of which meet monthly and have two or three subcommittees that also meet regularly. “When we spend a lot of time debating things like the Marines issue, we’re not spending time on the serious problems in this city, like fire station closures. It’s easier to tackle international issues than deal with messy local problems.”

The council approved the item with little fanfare, but pro-military groups seized on the issue, calling the council’s move treasonous and demanding an apology. The council rescinded the resolution on Feb. 13, but protests on each side have cost the city about $208,000 in police overtime, city officials say.
Additional costs include city staff time to handle permits, the media, security and the thousands of e-mails that have intermittently crashed the city’s computer server. In addition, businesses around the recruiting station have been hurt by the protests, and at least four hotels and a handful of restaurants have reported cancellations as a result of the boycott.

And businesses are victims of the idiocy by the City Council:

“The city is raising business fees and parking meter rates at the same time they’re spending all this money on international issues and handling protests. It doesn’t make sense, in these difficult economic times,” said Ted Garrett, director of the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce. “We’re very concerned about the effect this is having on business.”
An Oregon Ducks football fan club and a Lafayette golf club are among the groups that have canceled junkets to Berkeley this fall, Wozniak said. A San Diego resort developer said he canceled three contracts with Berkeley suppliers and has persuaded other businesses to follow suit.

We at Move America Forward love free enterprise. But we will stand against any city that makes policies attacking our military. So here are a couple important safety tips for Berkeley:

And all the City Council has to do to reverse its bad fortune is to:
1. Rescind its resolutions giving special favor to the radical group, Code Pink. The city gave the anti-war agitators free permits and a free designated parking space in front of the Marine’s recruiting office so the group can harass the Marines and try to run them out of town.
2. Make a formal apology to the Marines for its anti-American attacks on the military.

Until then, Move America Forward will continue its pushback against Berkeley, its allies Code Pink, World Can’t Wait and all anarchist America-haters, and enemies of the state.

And to the Americans who are giving Berkeley hell: Thank You!! You are patriots and you are making a difference! 

[Syncro]

An Oregon Ducks football fan club and a Lafayette golf club are among the groups that have canceled junkets to Berkeley this fall, Wozniak said. A San Diego resort developer said he canceled three contracts with Berkeley suppliers and has persuaded other businesses to follow suit.

[Syncro]

More about Berkeley

[Enterprise]

Hey Bezerkley - fix the potholes and quit smoking the pot ya morons.

[vpintheak]

Couldn’t have happended to a nicer bunch of leftists.

[Leo Carpathian]

Way to go!
Time to stand up to morons!

[Judith Anne]

So, Berkeley is closing firehouses, and not fixing their potholes, but feels that the Marines shouldn't be there.

Fine. I'll never go to Berkeley. And they shouldn't be getting any federal funds, either. I don't want my tax dollars going to ANYbody who wants the Marines to leave town and who encourages Code Pink.

[goldstategop]

Nothing better than to see leftists lose dollars because of their contempt and disdain for our military. Berkeley is learning that has real world consequences.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[A_Former_Democrat]

Indeed it is, as leftists are incapable of self-support.

[penelopesire]

Way to go MAF!!

[navyguy]

Berkeley should be walled off and sold to North Korea for a dollar.

[RandallFlagg]

Berkeley made their choice. Now they’re going to have to live with it.

[Syncro]

Naw, it's part of my country.

We'll just let them continue to self-destruct with their self-rightous City Council, Mayor and Chamber of Commerce.

The more they spin the situation and pat each other on the back with their vacuous platitudes, the ditzier they become and the more money they lose.

Even though the CofC tried to say some positive things, they got tripped up in their own PC words.

[ConfidentConservative]

I love the Ducks! Go Ducks!

Berkeley deserves the bed it has made.

[Purrcival]

Speaking truth to morons, maybe?

[dk88]

Go DUCKS

[SmithL]

Here's a thread about the Chronicle story: Calls renewed to fix Berkeley's citizen boards

[Syncro]

I found this on Melanie Morgan's website, from the end of last month:

Overtime Costs Berkeley, Boycott Hurts Bottom Line

Written by Melanie Morgan   

Saturday, 29 March 2008

Digital Journal and its amazing writer Susan Duclos is reporting on financial woes for the city of Berkeley due to protests, backlash and overtime costs.

(Susan Duclos, Digital Journal, via google) 

Read the latest here.

Oops!

I don't know how I missed this one, but the launch of the new website to Boycott Berkeley www.BrigadeAmerica.com  is featured in the Washington Times.

One of our (former) top spooks at the CIA is pitching in to help punish the Berkeley City Council for calling our Marines 'unwelcome and unvited intruders.'

And now back to Susan Duclos, also known as 'Spree' at her own website called "WakeUpAmerica." Susan has more here on MAF's Monday march to US Attorney's office with demands to investigate and prosecute civil rights violations in Berkeley, Ca. on February 12th.

Here's the beginning of Susan Duclos' report:

Saturday, March 29, 2008

The Financial Cost to Berkeley California For Their Anti-Military Stance

[Update] 4/3/08- Another business leaves Berkeley.

Berkeley California has been the subject of news for months since the City Council of Berkeley issued a resolution calling the Marines "uninvited and unwelcome intruders." They later rescinded that resolution, but what has it cost them?

*snip*

"We feel it's important to have some measure of presence at any type of protest or demonstration," Kusmiss said, adding that the department is worried about the "comingling" of CodePink with the groups the World Can't Wait and the ANSWER Coalition, which police say, unlike CodePink, chain themselves to buildings and purposely antagonize police officers.

Code Pink vows to continue their protests every week until the Marine recruitment center leaves town, as stated by the co-founder of Code Pink, Medea Benjamin, who says, "If people are concerned they should put pressure on the (recruiting center) landlord to break the lease. The recruiters are the ones who should have never come in to Berkeley. If whomever in the city wants to stop the protests, they should encourage the recruiters to leave. Democracy comes at a price."

Benjamin is correct about the price and it does not stop with the financial strain on the city of Berkeley for police over time.

Several good links in this post

[Syncro]

Great, thanks SmithL

[SmithL]

For a while, the Chamber of Commerce was saying all the right things about supporting the Marines, and I was sympathetic. Then they made up with Mayor Bates, and I just don’t care what happens to anybody that keeps electing these anti-Americans to speak for them.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Berkeley CA should be federally de-funded

The petition
We, the undersigned condemn the Berkeley City Council’s treasonous attack on US Marine Recruiters stationed in their city. We ask that Congress cut off funds from any and all municipal entity within the confines of the city of Berkeley, California, until such time as the city council withdraws it’s action.

The City Council has 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.”

The measure passed last week by a vote of 8-1.

The council also voted to explore enforcing a city anti-discrimination law, focusing on the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

In a separate item, the council voted, also 8-1, to give the Marxist protest group Code Pink a parking space in front of the recruiting office once a week for six months and a free sound permit for protesting once a week.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/cutoffberkeleynow

[dbacks]

In addition, they welcome illegal mexicans. I think LA and phoenix should, when they pick up illegals, put them on a bus (w/ armed guard) and send them up there. Mebbe the invasion of a few thousand illegals will help them out!

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Excellent Phenomenonological Reporting, I must say, Excellent!

[Marysecretary]

Oooh,how sweet that sounds...

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

but pro-military groups seized on the issue,

So if pro-military groups are one side then logically the other side would be.... come on you can do it.

Yes, they would be anti-military groups wouldn't they.

Can I question their patriotism now?

[USMC Brat]

Thanks for the Ping, Syncro :)

And all the City Council has to do to reverse its bad fortune is to:
1. Rescind its resolutions giving special favor to the radical group, Code Pink. The city gave the anti-war agitators free permits and a free designated parking space in front of the Marine’s recruiting office so the group can harass the Marines and try to run them out of town.
2. Make a formal apology to the Marines for its anti-American attacks on the military.

Until then, Move America Forward will continue its pushback against Berkeley, its allies Code Pink, World Can’t Wait and all anarchist America-haters, and enemies of the state.

##

This cannot be said more plainly.

While the Council refuses to fully comprehend the weight of their utter stupidity, businesses are suffering the consequences.

Berkeley has a chance to replace Bates and 4 Councilmembers this November, and there's nary a word of any challengers. That's disturbing to me. Although I can't imagine why anyone would want to serve in the asylum, there must be better inmates who are more qualified to represent the interests of the taxpayers and businesses.

BTW, Spring's term expires in 2010... She needs to be recalled since she doesn't represent her district whatsoever. Her's is the Business District.

[444Flyer]

Berkeley is stuck in its own 60’s Hippie time warp. The greatest disgrace of the Vietnam Era was the way these type of leftist freaks berated and treated our military. I am not sure, but it appears that there weren’t any major groups countering and opposing them at the time and calling them out on there traitorous and disrespectful actions. They got used to getting away with their disgusting behavoir.

Now that there is a massive patriotic movement doing battle for and supporting our men and women of the military, Berkeley doesn’t have a clue as to the fact that they have lost there cause and will continue to lose if they don’t learn from this and change their policy, behavoir and attitudes. The old saying, “You can do it the easy way or the hard way” applies here.

The city of Berkeley has chosen the “hard way”. They deserve whatever punishment they have brought upon themselves.

[444Flyer]

Berkeley’s financial toll is adding up:

$211,000.00+ for police overtime.

$$$$$$$$$? LOSS in revenue and taxes from loss of local Bay Area patronage of Berkeley businesses.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$? LOSS of out of town tourism/commerce business (Hotel/Conference/Groups etc.)

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$? LOSS of new businesses who have changed plans in locating in Berkeley.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$? LOSS of local business tax revenue who will be relocating because of financial loss thanks to the City.

$25,000+ in local revenue LOSS from Eagles Up Rally.:)

(I know I’m forgetting some, let me know if you think of any others.)

Would love to know the REAL amount they have lost, but I guess it’s anybody guess. It is possible it could be in the millions at this point.

[444Flyer]

Ping on #27.

[USMC Brat]

The biggest difference in Berkeley, between Vietnam and Iraq protests, are the Vietnam Vets themselves. The Vets, along with their families and American Patroits who have stood up and stated unequivocally "NOT THIS TIME." We are blessed to have numerous Vet organizations and MAF to counter the anti-war/anti-military radicals this time.

I was just a little kid in the backseat of our family car the first time I encountered moonbats. What I still remember...

There was an unusually long line of cars waiting to enter the Camp Pendleton gate, along with a mob of hippies. On our approach to the gate, Dad told us to roll up the windows, lock the doors, lay down and be still. Mom reached around back and covered us 3 kids with the snoopy blanket (a camouflaged nylon cover). It was frightening for all of us. They pounded on the windows, yelled awful things at my Dad and Mom, and rocked the car up and down by pushing on it. When it was finally over the windows were covered with dirt-like smears...what I now know was spit smeared by dirty hands. When we got home (123 Chosin Circle) Dad got the hose and bucket for us to wash the car, together.

Thanks for the memories moonbats! F-U then and now.

[Syncro]

For a while, the Chamber of Commerce was saying all the right things about supporting the Marines, and I was sympathetic. Then they made up with Mayor Bates, and I just don’t care what happens to anybody that keeps electing these anti-Americans to speak for them.

They joined the bandwagon with the spin that the Marines brought this problem to their little dictatorship.

I never saw any complaints about code pink and the Council's other lackeys disrupting the downtown area.

Face to face one of the leaders of the CofC told me how these type of gatherings (the pro troop one on the 22nd) need to stop, they are hurting businesses.

When I tried several times to get his take on code pink and the others, and tried to show him how they were the root cause, he kept interrupting me with his spin.

Outed as a liar and a fraud.

[Interesting Times]

Nice work. It’s classic Skinnerian conditioning: leftists attack American institution; leftists receive electric shock on their little rat feet. Repeat and rinse...

[Syncro]

This petition is misleading in it's context.

This needs to be updated:

The measure passed last week by a vote of 8-1.

This did not pass last week.

IMO, this should be made clear every time it is posted.

Hopefully 2ndDivisionVet you can take a little time to clarify this when you post it to threads.

Thanks

[RGSpincich]

difference in Berkeley, between Vietnam and Iraq protests

Burning a draft card then and carrying an AARP card now. All the same players are back.

[2ndDivisionVet]

It was last week when the petition started, is my guess. Thanks, I’ll try to modify that in future.

[444Flyer]

That is scary for a kid, I am so sorry your family went through that. Those people were shameful to say the least.

Now the Bulldog pup is biting the hippies in the arse! Oorah! (If we could only get a graphic of that. lol;))

[Syncro]

Thanks for your response.

The wording in the petition when using "last week" is referring to the City Council Meeting on Jan 29^th of this year.

On Jan. 29, the Berkeley City Council agreed to send a letter to the U.S. Marines calling them "uninvited and unwelcome intruders." At the same time, the council also approved a fee waiver for a parking space and event permit for CodePink's weekly protests.

[El Gato]

They pounded on the windows, yelled awful things at my Dad and Mom,

That's assault. Dad should have pulled out his .45 or .30 Carbine, and blasted the SoBs. But I know "orders" were not to react forcefully to the SoBs. Well as the Vets themselves say, "NOT THIS TIME", ASHHATS.

[Portcall24]

I am a Duck...not just any Duck, but an Oregon Fighting Duck.

[ConfidentConservative]

:)

As am I!

A Quack attack is GOOD!

[AprilfromTexas]

That should not have happened.

Please tell your Dad & Mom “Thank you for serving our country” for me.

[davidlachnicht]

...bump

[oneamericanvoice]

Thank your mom and dad for me, my boyfriend (we’re both vets), & alot of patriots here in Los Angeles! We do support the troops rallies twice a week so that folks know that the hippies aren’t the only voice in town. We defeated them at the Sunday rally, but we carry on so folks don’t forget. We still oppose the hippies on Friday night, though. But we will stay the course, because, just like your parents taught you, we don’t quit or back down. Surrender is not an option.

God bless your family!

[USMC Brat]

Thanks April, I’ll definitely tell them.

While mom never wore the uniform, she earned her stripes as a Marine Corps Wife.

[USMC Brat]

Thanks oneamericanvoice.

Thanks to You and your boyfriend for your service to our country. AND Thanks to all your fellow Patriots in LA for standing on the front lines against the moonbats every week "so that folks know that the hippies aren’t the only voice in town". If I was in CA I'd be standing right there with you every week.

God Bless You All.

Semper Fi