[Berkeley] Business Owners React to Marine Corps Vote

The Daily Californian ^ | February 5, 2008 | Amy Brooks

[2ndDivisionVet]

Some Berkeley business owners say they have received such a negative response from the recent City Council resolutions against the Marine Corps recruiting center in Downtown Berkeley that they may withhold city taxes in protest.

Last week the council declared that the center was "unwelcome" in Berkeley and sought to aide Code Pink, a group that organizes regular protests outside the center, by reserving a parking space for the group in front of the center, among other actions.

Since then, the resolutions have elicited a nationwide response. Last Thursday, United States Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., said he would attempt to remove funding for programs in the Berkeley area to protest the council's actions.

Ted Garrett, the CEO of the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce, said he had received at least 140 e-mails from people who said they would not do business in Berkeley in response to the council's resolutions.

"Most are threatening to never set foot in Berkeley and never have anything to do with businesses in Berkeley," he said. "I know of at least one instance now where an innkeeper has reported that one visitor has cancelled their reservation because of the council's actions."

Councilmember Darryl Moore said some of the complaints may have come from people who never planned on visiting Berkeley in the first place.

"Those people don't live anywhere near Berkeley and who's to say that they were coming to Berkeley to begin with?" he said. "I just think it would be unfortunate if the chamber did some sort of knee-jerk reaction to all of this."

At a meeting of the chamber's Government Affairs committee yesterday, some members discussed a plan to withhold business license taxes to protest the resolutions' effects on their business.

A formal plan to withhold taxes would require the approval of the chamber's executive committee or board of directors.

But Carolyn Henry Golphin, the immediate past chair of the chamber's board, said withholding taxes should only be a last resort.

"We have to do what we have to do," she said. "We do need to make a stand together if that's what we all agree on."

Liz Stevens, broker and owner of Windermere Real Estate in Berkeley, said the current controversy was part of a larger problem.

"The city has a good way of keeping people at arms length and making decisions that affect them at the same time," she said.

Mark McLeod, a member of the chamber's board and president of the Downtown Berkeley Association, said he agreed that the council should have considered the implications of its actions before voting for the resolutions.

"The council can't operate as an isolated unit-the university, council and chamber have to realize they're all members of a large, complex community and have to act with a realization of the effect of their actions on all members of the community," he said.

[Azzurri]

Is there any planned counter-protest of these yahoos? I’d definitely find my way over there to participate.

[Lorianne]

Does anyone have a list of downtown Berkeley businesses?

[vetvetdoug]

Damn, another article about a boycott. When are we going to get the Volunteers together and march on the city, burn down houses and businesses, and take away Berkley's citizens voting rights until they sign an Oath Of Allegiance to the US?

[2ndDivisionVet]

http://www.downtownberkeley.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23&Itemid=41

http://www.downtownberkeley.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24&Itemid=42

http://www.downtownberkeley.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=40

[austinaero]

OH the CHAMBER CEO took donuts to the Recruiters office to show support!!!!!

What d’ya know?!

[mewzilla]

The Berkeley Chamber of Commerce’s website has a list of members. That’d make a good start :)

[austinaero]

If you hear of any such owner, I would like to know. I’m not being sarcastic. I will personally order something from any patriotic owner who is trying to fight this along with the few sane people left in Burqua-lee.

Please let me know if you hear of one.

[Between the Lines]

I’d love to see a blue and red (for fire) sickout of one day in protest. Maybe Berkeley can ask for the National Guard in the interim.

That's funny!

[mewzilla]

Meanwhile....

Berkeley council members want to rescind Marine resolution

Sorta.

There's one heckuva big caveat mentioned in the second paragraph. They're still trying to have it both ways...

[Between the Lines]

Some patriotic ex-military business owner in Berkeley may be losing money because of this.

Sad thing is that these business cannot advertise their patriotism or that they are veterans. If they did the locals would boycott them.

[tsmith130]

Check out some other resolutions on the City Council agenda sponsored by Kriss (WT? Kriss? Is that male or female?) Worthington:

19. Condemn Construction of Border Wall - United States and Mexico Border
From: Councilmember Worthington
Recommendation: Condemn the construction of a border wall along the international boundary zone connecting the United States of Mexico and the United States of America.
Financial Implications: None
Contact: Kriss Worthington, Councilmember, District 7, 981-7170

20. Reaffirmation - U.S. Record of the Armenian Genocide
From: Councilmember Worthington
Recommendation: Adopt a resolution calling upon the House of Representatives to schedule a vote on House Resolution 106, which reaffirms the U.S. record of the Armenian Genocide.
Financial Implications: None
Contact: Kriss Worthington, Councilmember, District 7, 981-7170

(http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/uploadedFiles/Clerk/01-29a.pdf)

But I can't find a record of the voting on the Marine resolution.

[pogo101]

Damn, another article about a boycott. When are we going to get the Volunteers together and march on the city, burn down houses and businesses, and take away Berkley's citizens voting rights until they sign an Oath Of Allegiance to the US?

1. Boycotting is pretty far removed from prosecuting Berkeley for treason or taking away Berkeley's citizens' rights. They absolutely have the right to do SOME of what they've done here, including to pass resolutions condemning the war, the Marines, motherhood, apple pie, etc.

2. But IMHO, the federal government has the right to condition its supply of funds on at least EQUAL treatment being accorded to military-affiliated tenants. When Berkeley's government officially grants special permits to protesters on a NON-content-neutral basis -- to Code Pink, which received a permit to park its truck directly! in front of the recruiting office, because Berkeley knows that such a group is virulently anti-Marines -- that government obviouxly is not playing it "neutral." No law requires the USA to continue to supply discretionary funds to such a government.

Your references to burning down houses and requiring loyalty oaths are, to pick a kind word, misplaced.

[antiRepublicrat]

If you hear of any such owner, I would like to know.

I don't know of any, but there's bound to be some patriotic business owner there. There are some former or current military bases fairly close to there, and it's the home to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory with its prior strong military connection.

[pogo101]

Oh, wait a minute. I thought you were being sarcastic (criticizing folks for even daring to suggest a boycott). If you weren’t, and are angry at Berkeley’s official actions here like I am, then — Never Mind! Sorry.

[antiRepublicrat]

Adopt a resolution calling upon the House of Representatives to schedule a vote on House Resolution 106, which reaffirms the U.S. record of the Armenian Genocide

I'd like this one if it weren't specifically timed to interfere with our fight against the terrorists by alienating Turkey.

[MosesKnows]

police, firemen, EMTs - are often filled with veterans

Berkely may become an unimpeded target of opportunity for terrorist tactics.

[vetvetdoug]

Sorry, but that is the way the North solved the problem the last time something like this happened.

I agree....just thought the US would just do what it did the first time...

[Syncro]

I only read the first sentence so far:

Some Berkeley business owners say they have received such a negative response from the recent City Council resolutions against the Marine Corps recruiting center in Downtown Berkeley that they may withhold city taxes in protest.

Good for them!

See this thread for the action that is going to be taken:

Berkeley Attacks U.S. Marines - MAF Responds! PROTEST OF BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL
Move America Forward ^ | Feb 5, 2008 | Move America Forward

Posted on 02/05/2008 12:50:10 PM PST by Syncro

Berkeley Attacks U.S. Marines - MAF Responds!

PROTEST OF BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL

[Titan Magroyne]

A blue-and-red sickout? That’s a pretty nifty idea!

It had occurred to me, what if local base commanders of all branches asked their personnel to avoid that area during liberty? (Nothing so draconian as an order, which naturally entails punishment for noncompliance, merely a request to not spend military pay there.) But I don’t know if there’s enough military saturation to make a diff. in the economy.

It would be great if the sports fans and all visitors to Berkeley chose to support the troops by not contributing to the unpatriotic, short-sighted government. A good old-fashioned shunning, if you will.

[pogo101]

I’m not sure that I could quite compare even Berkeley’s stupid actions here to the nascent Confederacy’s seizure of federal forts, including Fort Sumter by force of arms.