Activists Object to Navy as Concert Sponsor ( Code Pink Wages War on Military)

The San Francisco Chronicle ^ | Tuesday, August 9, 2005 | Joe Garofoli

[kristinn]

Anti-war activists are asking San Francisco radio station KMEL-FM to remove the U.S. Navy as a sponsor of the annual Summer Jam concert in Mountain View, saying the station is "using hip-hop to promote the military to young people of color."

The high-profile event, set for Aug. 21, usually sells out the 20,000- capacity Shoreline Amphitheatre.

San Francisco's Global Exchange, the group Code Pink: Women for Peace and two dozen other organizations are leading a protest at noon today in front of the San Francisco offices of Clear Channel, which owns KMEL and nine other Bay Area stations.

SNIP

The protesters allege in a letter they sent Clear Channel and KMEL last week that the Navy's sponsorship of the concert was an attempt to "promote the Bush administration's pro-war agenda."

SNIP

"For many people in these communities (of color), the military is an escape from the violence they see in their neighborhoods," said Jen Low, an organizer for the protesters. With several branches of the military not reaching recruiting goals and with public opinion polls turning against President Bush's handling of the war, activists see an opportunity to show "the Navy is attempting to use any and all means to meet its goals," according to the activists' letter.

They want KMEL to sever its "ties" with the Navy or grant "counter- recruitment groups equal access to the 2005 KMEL Summer Jam as that granted to the U.S Navy."

Medecki said counter-recruiters were welcome to have a booth at the event at Shoreline Amphitheatre for the same price other sponsors paid -- $5,000 to $10,000.

Low said the organization didn't have enough money to sponsor a booth, but it does plan to buy tickets to the show and do counter-recruiting inside.

[kristinn]

The sad fact is, the 'people of color' Code Pink are concerned about would be safer serving in our military in Iraq than in the inner city neighborhoods they would be escaping by joining the military.

[L98Fiero]

"using hip-hop to promote the military to young people of color."

SO?!?!

[EggsAckley]

"For many people in these communities (of color), the military is an escape from the violence they see in their neighborhoods,"

And she sees this as a problem . . . . . . . ?

[Tax-chick]

Can we object on grounds of good taste?

[popdonnelly]

Amen to that. Not to mention the signing bonuses, tuition assistance, and training that they'll get courtesy of Uncle Sam. A fine example of how the Left promotes its own agenda, while feigning concern for the "oppressed".

[randog]

...saying the station is "using hip-hop to promote the military to young people of color."

TRANSLATION: Minorities can't think for themselves.

[SilentServiceCPOWife]

Medecki said counter-recruiters were welcome to have a booth at the event at Shoreline Amphitheatre for the same price other sponsors paid -- $5,000 to $10,000.

Low said the organization didn't have enough money to sponsor a booth...

he he

[YOUGOTIT]

Code Pink is a anti-American left-wing organization whose members (in my humble opinion) are committing treason against the United States. Like their Nazi counterparts during the 60's and 70's who spit on the troops returning from Vietnam these scum bags are lower than whale poop.

[massgopguy]

Will L T Smash have his new boy band there to sing their hit "YVAN EHT NIOJ"?

Code Pink didn't have the money? Why doesn't Medea Benjamin ask her hero Castro for it?

[Spyder]

YVAN EHT NIOJ

Great minds think alike - I was remembering the same episode when I read the story, LOL.

[Tulane]

This pretty much sums up those commie (broke) douche bags.

[SilentServiceCPOWife]

And if they're so broke that they can't come up with $5000, you've got to wonder how many supporters they really have.

[kcvl]

Tue, Aug 9, 12:00 pm

---

Press Conference and delivery of letter to KMEL/Clear Channel protesting Navy presence at Summer Jam
KMEL Headquarters
340 Townsend St, San Francisco

Join us at our press conference to deliver a letter to KMEL and Clear Channel, protesting Navy sponsorship of the KMEL 8/21 Summer Jam concert.
Download the letter from
http://www.globalexchange.org/countries/mideast/iraq/counter-recruit.html

To sign on or to get involved please contact Jennifer Low at CodePink at (415)575-5545

For more information contact:Jennifer Low
CodePink
(415)575-5545
jlow@ucsc.edu
http://www.globalexchange.org/countries/mideast/iraq/counter-recruit.html

[GOP_1900AD]

Fair is fair - Leftist political action groups and appeasing peacenick groups have sponsored many a concert and many other social events. If they can do it, so too can the DoD!

[RexBeach]

"Women for Surrender".

I'd like to see them try this in Saudi Arabia.

They exercise their rights because American fighting men and women make it possible.

What's wrong with black kids serving in the military? Is that worse than hanging on a street corner in northeast Washington, DC? Not hardly.

[oldleft]

YEAH! Screw freedom of speech and the free exchange of ideas! The only free speech allowed now will involves rainbows, anti-imperialism, and other communist sloganeering!

[stratman1969]

I had to deal with one of these idiots this past weekend when my wife, my 15 month old son & I were in Santa Cruz. We went to a Mexican restaurant and this lady started talking to us (while she was nursing the last of several margaritas.) A few minutes later, as we were looking over the menu, she put a pink postcard sized item on our table near my wife, which was a Code Pinko promo. I looked at the card and said out loud "Oh, it's Code Pinko!" After a few words exchanged between our tables, we had to have the management throw her out after she made a comment about our son possibly getting killed because of the war.

[Drew68]

activists see an opportunity to show "the Navy is attempting to use any and all means to meet its goals," according to the activists' letter.

FWIW, the Navy isn't having any trouble meeting recruitment goals.