This post was written was in response to a news item in a local paper about the arrest of CodePINKers for trespassing in the OSO. (I think that was March 24, after the incredible show of Red, White & Blue -- and black leather -- on March 22. The PINKs were desperate to re-establish thems selves a the center of attention). The video mentioned is on YouTube with the title "Recruiting Center 'Shut Down'". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akeNCiOuMQM (I'm sorry I haven't figured out how to post a video yet...).
"If people are concerned they should put pressure on the (recruiting center) landlord to break the lease," Benjamin said. "The recruiters are the ones who should have never come in to Berkeley. If whomever in the city wants to stop the protests, they should encourage the recruiters to leave. Democracy comes at a price." [emphasis is mine]
How dare Medea Benjamin say anything so arrogant, twisted and self-serving about the Marines stationed at the OSO in Berkeley. She wants to blame the OSO because their very existence compelled Code PINK to protest them -- and now, to be arrested protesting the Office.
I fully expect Medea to submit expense vouchers to the City for her time during these protests -- and to submit her vouchers along with Zanne Joi's formal complaint about falling off the sidewalk while arguing with the permit guy.... (if it had not been necessary to argue rationally about why Asher Wolf in a chair on the sidewalk wasn't the same as "No one in a chair on the Sidewalk"...she wouldn't have become distracted and fallen over. )
For several months I was even-tempered about all this, but I am disgusted by Medea Benjamin's actions and words. Someone at Code PINK posted a video of their arrests on Monday -- Code PINK supporters found it compelling, I found it rude and utterly self-centered. At NO POINT in this discussion has Code PINK been able to separate the local people involved - Marines, students, Berkeley residents - from the roles they've been assigned in this particular Code PINK street drama.
My humble belief is that considering, and treating, others as three-dimensional humans would make it impossible for them to prosecute this action without admitting its irrationality. Even the Iraqi's Code PINK wants to protect are described by Code PINK in flat, stereotypical terms instead of as humans.
The USMC OSO in Shattuck Square deals with college students who are legal adults. They, and the Marines who work in the Office, are not fools, not pawns, and not children OR predators.
The Marines were in their Shattuck Square Office for 9 months without any complaints until Code PINK noticed them. If anyone is to be pressured to leave it should be Code PINK, a group of protesters primarily from outside Berkeley, who protest for their own entertainment and self-aggrandizement. Where is their shame?
Showing posts with label Marines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marines. Show all posts
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Job Security - but there's just so much Information!
I apologize for not writing sooner, but I have been using a lot of time just following the ongoing drama of Marines in Berkeley. I assume you all have been following, too, if only what's been on the news. At the risk of ruining the punchline of my story I will tell you right away that I wondered at 1am on Wednesday if I was out of a "job" because the Council backed down and admitted that the Marine Office had the right to be located in Berkeley.
Well, job security isn't really that great if its a job you don't want to be necessary...but it looks like we'll be here awhile longer.
I'm going to put in some links to stuff I've found that I thought was particularly useful or descriptive concerning the demonstration on Tuesday and what has gone on since. Of course, if you are reading this you have the same capability to find those sources -- I would encourage anyone to try a Google search for "Berkeley vs. Marines" or "Code PINK vs. Marines" to see what you turn up.
In my opinion local papers have been more fair than I expected (I didn't expect much), with the best coverage from Doug Oakley of the San Jose Mercury News. The local television stations have been fascinated in their fashion, at 5:00am Tuesday there were 6 television trucks plus print journalists, etc. following a protest which at that time numbered about 50 people on each side of Martin Luther King, Jr. Civic Center Park. I was there, because I found out the night before that my college-aged daughter was coming by to drag my high school-aged son to the protest... so I got to do the right thing AND see my kids. The little guy was home with dad and we were back for breakfast before either one noticed.
The other assembled anti-war groups A.N.S.W.E.R. and World Can't Wait! almost made Code PINK look reasonable. That is the biggest condemnation I can give. There were people of goodwill on all sides, and there were people hellbent on getting attention by behaving badly, or in a shocking fashion - which is sometimes hard in Berkeley. Its not true that "all" the pro-troops demonstrators were from somewhere else, but some were and came amazing distances to be there. I'll try to add links to some stories. Its sad that Medea Benjamin of Code PINK can dismiss people who sacrificed so much to be here as "outsiders" instead of hearing something in the fact that they were committed to BEING HERE.
World Can't Wait recruited hundreds of high school students into their ranks at lunchtime using of a ploy Code PINK has condemned (when used by the military) --- FREE STUFF! It was sad to see hatred and vulgar language coming out of 15 year-olds who had just been given t-shirts and bandannas by World Can't Wait! in exchange for their participation -- during lunch and beyond. Next week I will have to ask the school what their policy is on the kids who were photographed while cutting school (right across the street) and shouting "1,2,3,4, We don't want your F***ing War!" at senior citizens who may also have been Veterans of Foreign Wars. I ran into my son and his friends at lunchtime, too. A group later dismissed by an anti-war blogger as "short haired para-military youth." The blogger probably thought she was being open-minded and loving, because she didn't ACTUALLY call them neo-Nazi skinheads....My son does have short hair, and he did wear a shirt with a flag on it....so I guess that's proof that there's something sinister about him. Nice shirt, too - from the Jelly Belly Factory, with "Proud to Bean American" on it.
Some teachers brought their kids out to participate in the protest as well. Arrrrrrrrrrrrrgh! I've tried in the past to get teachers at Berkeley High to behave in a more professional manner and they don't see it. The worst ones cannot conceive of stifling their own opinions to the higher calling of behaving like an adult and creating a safe place for students to have their own opinions. When my daughter was at Berkeley High the issue was complying with Ed Code to put a flag in every classroom. The Superintendent of Schools and the Principal came down on the side of flags being an unnecessary expense and infringing on teachers' personal rights --- but put up the flags when money was threatened. Last year they proudly folded again under federal pressure to comply with the "Opt-Out" legislation attached to "No Child Left Behind" and again it was because money was threatened. Berkeley was the last high school in the country to use an "Opt-In" strategy with military recruiters, "return this form if you want to be contacted", and by last year the Department of Defense had had enough arrogance and ended the stand-off with a single phone call. (Oh to have been a fly on the wall!!!) Berkeley is horrified that Sen DeMint has threatened to take our Earmarks - and now the State wants to take $3.3 in transportation money because the City ceded space on a public roadway to a private political group....well. There is a precedent. Its worth it if it works.
Oh wait, arrogance and unprofessional behavior...that reminds me. Berkeley City Council doesn't get it, either. Indeed, a large part of the communication I've had with the BCC in the past two weeks has been respectfully reminding them that while they are entitled to their personal opinions, they are pledged to perform objective public service. Gordon Wozniak is the only one who actually expressed that concept publically on Tuesday night, but Mr. Capitelli and Mrs. Olds actually do believe it. Of the rest, most don't get it but only Max Anderson actually seems to have a personal hatred of the military, based I think on his own experience (which I'll have to research). More than ever, its clear that our Mayor is clueless, which leads to his doing evil things without comprehension. The rest of them are just a waste, at least on this issue.
Well, job security isn't really that great if its a job you don't want to be necessary...but it looks like we'll be here awhile longer.
I'm going to put in some links to stuff I've found that I thought was particularly useful or descriptive concerning the demonstration on Tuesday and what has gone on since. Of course, if you are reading this you have the same capability to find those sources -- I would encourage anyone to try a Google search for "Berkeley vs. Marines" or "Code PINK vs. Marines" to see what you turn up.
In my opinion local papers have been more fair than I expected (I didn't expect much), with the best coverage from Doug Oakley of the San Jose Mercury News. The local television stations have been fascinated in their fashion, at 5:00am Tuesday there were 6 television trucks plus print journalists, etc. following a protest which at that time numbered about 50 people on each side of Martin Luther King, Jr. Civic Center Park. I was there, because I found out the night before that my college-aged daughter was coming by to drag my high school-aged son to the protest... so I got to do the right thing AND see my kids. The little guy was home with dad and we were back for breakfast before either one noticed.
The other assembled anti-war groups A.N.S.W.E.R. and World Can't Wait! almost made Code PINK look reasonable. That is the biggest condemnation I can give. There were people of goodwill on all sides, and there were people hellbent on getting attention by behaving badly, or in a shocking fashion - which is sometimes hard in Berkeley. Its not true that "all" the pro-troops demonstrators were from somewhere else, but some were and came amazing distances to be there. I'll try to add links to some stories. Its sad that Medea Benjamin of Code PINK can dismiss people who sacrificed so much to be here as "outsiders" instead of hearing something in the fact that they were committed to BEING HERE.
World Can't Wait recruited hundreds of high school students into their ranks at lunchtime using of a ploy Code PINK has condemned (when used by the military) --- FREE STUFF! It was sad to see hatred and vulgar language coming out of 15 year-olds who had just been given t-shirts and bandannas by World Can't Wait! in exchange for their participation -- during lunch and beyond. Next week I will have to ask the school what their policy is on the kids who were photographed while cutting school (right across the street) and shouting "1,2,3,4, We don't want your F***ing War!" at senior citizens who may also have been Veterans of Foreign Wars. I ran into my son and his friends at lunchtime, too. A group later dismissed by an anti-war blogger as "short haired para-military youth." The blogger probably thought she was being open-minded and loving, because she didn't ACTUALLY call them neo-Nazi skinheads....My son does have short hair, and he did wear a shirt with a flag on it....so I guess that's proof that there's something sinister about him. Nice shirt, too - from the Jelly Belly Factory, with "Proud to Bean American" on it.
Some teachers brought their kids out to participate in the protest as well. Arrrrrrrrrrrrrgh! I've tried in the past to get teachers at Berkeley High to behave in a more professional manner and they don't see it. The worst ones cannot conceive of stifling their own opinions to the higher calling of behaving like an adult and creating a safe place for students to have their own opinions. When my daughter was at Berkeley High the issue was complying with Ed Code to put a flag in every classroom. The Superintendent of Schools and the Principal came down on the side of flags being an unnecessary expense and infringing on teachers' personal rights --- but put up the flags when money was threatened. Last year they proudly folded again under federal pressure to comply with the "Opt-Out" legislation attached to "No Child Left Behind" and again it was because money was threatened. Berkeley was the last high school in the country to use an "Opt-In" strategy with military recruiters, "return this form if you want to be contacted", and by last year the Department of Defense had had enough arrogance and ended the stand-off with a single phone call. (Oh to have been a fly on the wall!!!) Berkeley is horrified that Sen DeMint has threatened to take our Earmarks - and now the State wants to take $3.3 in transportation money because the City ceded space on a public roadway to a private political group....well. There is a precedent. Its worth it if it works.
Oh wait, arrogance and unprofessional behavior...that reminds me. Berkeley City Council doesn't get it, either. Indeed, a large part of the communication I've had with the BCC in the past two weeks has been respectfully reminding them that while they are entitled to their personal opinions, they are pledged to perform objective public service. Gordon Wozniak is the only one who actually expressed that concept publically on Tuesday night, but Mr. Capitelli and Mrs. Olds actually do believe it. Of the rest, most don't get it but only Max Anderson actually seems to have a personal hatred of the military, based I think on his own experience (which I'll have to research). More than ever, its clear that our Mayor is clueless, which leads to his doing evil things without comprehension. The rest of them are just a waste, at least on this issue.
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