Berkeley Council Retreats Under Fire

Miltary Offices Association of America(MOAA): The Berkeley, Calif. city council, newly informed that the rest of the country has grown beyond the 1960s, has canceled its planned attack on the U.S. Marine Corps. But they're not signing any peace agreement. The council made headlines across America two weeks ago by voting (6 to 3) to direct the city clerk to send the Marines a letter calling them "uninvited and unwelcome intruders" for establishing a recruiting office in the city. They also approved a parking permit to let a group called "Code Pink" park in front of the Marines' office one day a week to disrupt recruiting efforts with marches and noise.

That touched off multiple rounds of incoming fire from outraged citizens, editorial writers, business leaders, and members of Congress -- who threatened legislation withdrawing appropriations earmarked for companies and public projects in the Berkeley area. That prompted a worried University of California, Berkeley chancellor to write the area's congressional delegation, indicating the university's disagreement with the city council and strong support for its ROTC program and military people in general.

The furor culminated this week in marches and countermarches of pro- and anti-Marine protestors, before the city council voted (7 to 2) to withdraw the letter. We embarrassed our city," said one council member. But a separate motion to apologize to the Marines was defeated. The Marines remain optimistic that they can find a few good men and women, even in Berkeley. Note: The leftist Code Pink activists are still harrassing the Marine Corp recruiting station.

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Tags: anti-war, anti-war protesters, Berkeley, California, city council, Code Pink, Marine Corps, Marines, military, recruiters To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!