Stand With Our Military
Two weeks ago, in Berkeley, California, the City Council voted 6-3 to send a letter to the U.S. Marines telling them that their recruiting office in the city was no longer welcome. The City Council also labeled Marine recruiters as “uninvited and unwelcome intruders.” That’s right – the men and women who serve our nation during this time of war – who put their lives on the line for our freedoms - they are what Berkeley City Council calls “uninvited and unwelcome intruders.”
If that wasn’t enough, Berkeley City Council took additional action – empowering a radical protest organization and voted to give the group, Code Pink, space outside the recruitment office and urged them to “impede, passively or actively” the work of the recruiters.
And just days later, another disturbing scenario unfolded in the city of Toledo, Ohio, where the Mayor told the Marines they were no longer welcome in his city. The Marines had planned to conduct a critical training exercise in Toledo – they had done so in the past with no problems. But this year – just hours before the Marines were scheduled to arrive – the Mayor pulled the plug on the exercise saying the Marines should leave because “they frighten people.” Through a spokesman, the Mayor said he did not want the Marines drilling and practicing in a highly visible area.
This kind of action is simply outrageous and our legislative team at the ACLJ is engaging this issue right now. There’s legislation that’s just been introduced – by Senator DeMint of South Carolina and five colleagues in the Senate and by Rep. John Campbell of California in the House – legislation that would punish the City of Berkeley, California for its actions.
The legislation, the Semper Fi Act of 2008, would rescind over $2 million in hidden earmarks for Berkeley, California in the 2008 Omnibus Appropriations bill, and transfer the funds to the Marines.
In the Senate, the measure was introduced by U.S. Senators Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, Tom Coburn, M.D. of Oklahoma, John Cornyn of Texas, James Inhofe of Oklahoma, and David Vitter of Louisiana. We expect it will gain additional support quickly.
Our legislative team tells me that Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama is also working on legislation – a broader measure that would address the situation beyond what’s happening in Berkeley.
There is a petition there you can sign...
3 comments:
Finkweiner in Toledo is not well liked...learned that listening to AM Talk when I was there.
I wish Reagan was still around to order the National Guard Berkley...crack some heads.
Oh dear...
Honestly, I have thought for a while that the media blitz of military ads and recruitment techniques shouldn't be allowed during times of war. It makes it look too glamourous, too safe, too Hollywood. That being said...to disallow recruitment OFFICES? To keep young men and women who might want to join up for all kinds of reasons, not just because the commercials make it look good, from being able to go in and even Ask Questions????? To claim that members of our Own Military (that same military who is currently living lives we cannot possibly fathom unless we've been there) are "uninvited and unwelcome intruders"????? To prevent Training sessions so that our military can be Prepared to live a life we cannot even fathom???? And yet, we "support" our military, even if we don't support the war our government has sent them into?????
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!
I am practically foaming at the mouth I am so pissed here.
I come from a military family as does my husband (who was military). I have four boys who want to join the military. One is a die-hard Marine.
I'm a little upset myself.
However, I'm incredibly proud to live in a country where there are men and women willing to serve and if need be die to protect the rights of certain asshats who look down upon them for providing the very freedom which give said asshats the right to be asshats to begin with.
WHEW!
That was one long run-on sentence!
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