Flying in the face of his hosts concerns regarding demonstrations at the Marine Recruiting Center, Mayor Tom Bates spoke out about his opposition to the war in Iraq and support for peaceful demonstrations. The speech was delivered Tuesday at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon where the mayor was the featured speaker.
Bates also painted a rosy picture of the citys economy, with flourishing hotels and restaurants, lauded city efforts to build downtown (perhaps up to 18 stories), laid out plans to build green and more.
Toward the end of his talk, the mayor introduced the topic of ongoing Marine Recruiting Center demonstrations on a lighthearted note: Let me conclude with the topic of the day, he said, the battle of Code Pink vs. the United States Marine Corps. Thats not a fair fight!
Bates went on to say that beyond what people think of this Code Pink stuffa recent photo on the Chamber of Commerce website portrayed CEO Ted Garrett bringing donuts to a Marine recruiterthe war, whose fifth anniversary was the next day, had caused the deaths of some 4,000 U.S. military personnel and the injury of about 28,000 Americans. Some 1 million Iraqis have been killed and 4 million displaced, he said.
Trillions of dollars have been spent on the war. Can you imagine what that would mean if we had that for education? If we had that for housing? he asked. What a waste. We were lied to, to begin with.
Bates placed the current demonstrations in a historical context. First of all, this city has protested wars and recruiting stations since I was in grammar school. People lay on the railroad tracks. People tied themselves to the recruiting station door, he said.
Since 2003 there have been protests at recruiting stations all over the country. Its not like Berkeley is unique in this regard, said Bates, a former Army captain.
Bates said he does not support young people going into the military and noted that those who sign up have few options.
The mayor spoke to the Jan. 29 council item calling Marine recruiters unwelcome intruders, which sparked a nationwide, mostly right-wing, reaction.
The council was wrong to pass an item with inflammatory language that had not been properly vetted, he said. It passed and Im sorry. Ive apologized at every forum I can think of, but Im not prepared to apologize to the Marines who are recruiting our kids to go to this war.
He pointed out that Code Pink has been demonstrating in many venues other than Berkeley, including in front of Nancy Pelosis house and at Congress. At the same time there are counter-demonstrations by Move America Forward, billed as a grassroots organization, but which actually is a bunch of right-wing shock jocks, Bates said.
Move America Forward wants to move the U.N. out of the United States and build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border to keep immigrants out, he added. (Move America Forward is headed by talk-show host Melanie Morgan, recently laid off by KSFO.)
Bates said that there have been boycotts of Berkeley in the past and that the current one will pass as they have before.
We need to take the high road. We need to talk about what is great about this community, he said.
No one in the audience criticized Bates overtly, but during the question and answer session, when Bates addressed anonymous written questions, the issue was raised. One person asked about the high cost of overtime police for demonstrations, which Bates said he couldnt answer, and another made a statement asserting that middle-class youth sign up voluntarily for military service, countering Bates view that people without resources join the service.
After the luncheon, the Planet asked Chamber Executive Director Ted Garrett whether he was disappointed in Bates anti-war remarks, but Garrett said his primary concern was the protests harm to local business, especially the businesses adjacent to the Marine Recruiting Center.
He pointed to hotels and restaurants that received cancellations recently, but conceded that its hard to know whether that was because of a boycott or because of the economy. Responding to a question, Garrett said he had not asked other businesses near the recruiting center whether their receipts have increased because of the increased numbers of people flocking downtown for protests.
In response to another question, Garrett said it was too early to know whether the chamber would be making political endorsements and if so, whether it would endorse Bates, though Garrett said he works closely with the mayor to make sure the chamber voice is heard in the decision-making process.
Bates needs to consider 'What if Berkeley had the funds the City has devoted toward supporting anti-war protests to spend within the City of Berkeley.' Stuff like beautification projects, road maintenance, attracting new jobs, etc. - things city councils all over the U.S. That's what they were elected to do.
"First of all, this city has protested wars and recruiting stations since I was in grammar school. People lay on the railroad tracks. People tied themselves to the recruiting station door, [Bates] said."
BFD... this guy seriously needs to grow up and stop living in the 60s. It was wrong then and it's wrong now. Anti-war Protests in the 60s got our soldiers killed in Nam, just like Anti-war Protests now are getting our soldiers killed in Iraq. The Iraqi Insurgents are watching and responding with suicide bombers and IEDs to feed the anti-war sentiment that protesters thrive on!
Its not like Berkeley is unique in this regard, said Bates, a former Army captain.
What is unique Bates, is that never before has a governing body of any city or state within the nation ever called our military "uninvited and unwelcome intruders" and given taxpayer funds toward the support of radical leftist groups.
Seriously I wish the media would stop mentioning that Bates is "a former Army captain." He is a TRAITOR to his service! Just as Councilmember Max Anderson is a TRAITOR to the Marine Corps.
"He pointed out that Code Pink has been demonstrating in many venues other than Berkeley, including in front of Nancy Pelosis house and at Congress. At the same time there are counter-demonstrations by Move America Forward, billed as a grassroots organization, but which actually is a bunch of right-wing shock jocks, Bates said.
AAARGH!! Them's fightin' words!
"Bates said that there have been boycotts of Berkeley in the past and that the current one will pass as they have before."
Don't count on that happening any time soon Berkeley. Bates is just trying to dazzle you with his attempt to be diplomatic but it's really just a load of 'baffle them with BS.' He went to the Chamber on full defensive.
Berkeley Business Owners you are on your own. Neither your Chamber or City Council is interested in representing you. Take matters into your own hands, afterall it's your livelihood on the block.