Is anyone that surprised by this?
Hey-hey, ho-ho, the Marines in Berkeley have got to go.
That's the message from the Berkeley City Council, which voted 6-3 Tuesday night to tell the U.S. Marines that its Shattuck Avenue recruiting station "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders."
In addition, the council voted to explore enforcing its law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation against the Marines because of the military's don't ask, don't tell policy. And it officially encouraged the women's peace group Code Pink to impede the work of the Marines in the city by protesting in front of the station.One of the main reasons why they hate us is because of places like Berkeley and San Francisco and hundreds of other smaller enclaves in this country in which homosexuals live, work and do their thing in peace.
One of the main reasons why they hate us is because groups with warped and unpopular agendas—from Code PINK to the Westboro “Baptist” Church--can protest to their black hearts’ content, without governmental interference. (And I wonder whether Berkeley has passed legislation against the latter group.)
One of the main reasons why they hate us is because, toe-to-toe, there is no entity able to match the USMC and come out victorious. That’s why or present adversaries aren’t going toe-to-toe with them.
And one of the main reasons why they hate us is because, in spite of this mind-bogglingly stupid and short-sighted (often the same thing) measure that the Berkeley City Council has passed and in spite of that body rolling out the welcome mate to Code PINK, our Marines, along with the rest of our military, will support and defend that area against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
It’s like having crazy family members: you stay away from them unless they’re hurting somebody or somebody is hurting them. These people are free to reject their protectors, but we'll still have their backs at the appropriate time. That's what fidelity is all about.
Sort of related: Godspeed to Army Major John Thames Tammes of Miserable Donuts, who is on his way to Iraq.
(Thanks to Matt Sanchez via Hot Air)
UPDATE: Here's my 2005 piece Dissecting [the Purposes of] Code PINK.
