By ASAF SHALEV
Contributing Writer
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Members of the Berkeley City Council showed their opposition to a Marine Corps recruiting office in Downtown Berkeley last night.
Council members supported the two resolutions-one supporting anti-war protests and the other criticizing military recruitment practices-citing opposition to the war in Iraq, deceptive recruitment practices and the right to protest.
"By taking a stand against recruitment we are protecting the health and safety of our youth," said PhoeBe sorgen, a member of the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission. "I see the protest as taking a proud and courageous stand."
Code Pink, a national anti-war grassroots organization, will be granted a parking spot for their regular Wednesday afternoon protests and will not need to apply for a sound permit for the next six months, under one resolution.
The other resolution more directly criticizes the presence of the center in Berkeley. The city manager was directed to send a letter to the U.S. Marine Corps saying they are "uninvited and unwelcome intruders" in the city.
In addition, the city attorney has been directed to investigate whether the city's anti-discrimination laws can be enforced at the center, based on the military's consideration of sexual orientation in hiring.
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Does this irritate anyone else. I believe in freedom of speech but I also believe in respecting your country. I also think it's real stupid they want to investigate into discrimination because of sexual orientation in hiring... well, yeah, it is the military. Women aren't allowed on the front--would you rather have them there. [Note: I may be wrong, haha. I do not claim to know everything, but from my knowledge, they are not allowed on the front.]
The marines, or the US military all together, is a structure needed in a country. I feel like we reach back into the time of Jackson and Hamilton and does a standing army hurt or help the union?
But then think, if your gov't upsets you, do you not have the right to over throw it...? I really hate politics.
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