I generally make it my practice to stay out of issues that involve other San Francisco Bay Area cities. Today, however, is a clear exception.
True, I am a very proud San Franciscan whose family first came to this City in the late 19th Century. Yet, it is also true that I am a very proud American Citizen by birth and I am veteran.
That's why I decided to voice my distaste for the City of Berkeley's decision to insult the United States Marine Corps. Berkeley's actions are an embarrassment to the entire San Francisco Bay Area.
Click on the image to enlarge in a separate window. Image courtesy of Move America Forward
Berkeley has insulted every veteran in this country and Berkeley has insulted the sons and daughters of Americans who, unlike the Berkeley City Council and Mayor, are proud of their country and serve their country in uniform.
Politically I am a 100% Obama Democrat.
The Move America Forward organization is a conservative right-wing group and I seldom agree with any of their positions. Today, however, I am promoting them and I'm asking you to consider signing the petition they are organizing."Keeping faith with those who serve must always be a core American value and a cornerstone of American patriotism. Because America's commitment to its servicemen and women begins at enlistment, and it must never end."
— Barack Obama, Speech in Kansas City, MO, August 21, 2007
The petition will be delivered by KGO Radio host and Move America Forward Chairwoman Melanie Morgan to the Mayor of Berkeley, the Berkeley City Council and to the Berkeley City Manager.
Here is the wording of the petition:
"To: The City Council, Mayor and City Manager of Berkeley, California."
We, the undersigned, do register our complete outrage with the City of Berkeley for the recent resolutions that criticized our Marines, as part of an effort to harass the Marine Recruiting Center and chase all vestiges of the United States military outside of the city of Berkeley, California.
"We take particular umbrage with your refusal to apologize for telling the United States Marines that they are, 'uninvited and unwelcome intruders'."
"It is shameful for you to attack our military men and women who nobly and bravely serve this nation to protect our security and defend our freedoms and liberties. Those liberties include the right to Freedom of Speech, which you seem to believe should not be afforded to the members of the United States Marine Corps and service personnel in other branches of the Armed Forces."
"I call upon you to immediately revoke all the resolutions passed on January 29th, 2008 that defamed and insulted our U.S. Marines and issue a full public apology to this nation, and in particular, the honorable and heroic men and women of the United States military."
To sign the petition, follow this link to Support Our Marines!
Resources:
Berkeley City Council
Mayor of Berkeley
Berkeley City Manager
United States Marine Corps
Move America Forward
Veterans for Obama
Leatherneck.Com
Marine Corps League
Barack Obama
.
5 comments:
This one's a no-brainer: You don't have to think the Marines should be in Iraq to agree they should be in Berkeley, a US city.
Senators Obama, McCain and Clinton as well as Governor Huckabee support our military and oppose the actions of the Berkeley City Council. About the only politician who might support Berkeley's asinine decision is Cindy Sheehan. Other than Sheehan, no politician in the country is supporting Berkeley. No member of Congress has come out in support of Berkeley. Governor Schwarzenegger does not support Berkeley's decision. I know of not one single state senator or assembly member who supports Berkeley's decision. Not one single mayor of any Bay Area city supports Berkeley's decision. The Berkeley City Council is so far out of place that not one single City, state or federal elected official supports Berkeley. They are out on a limb incompletely on their own. I hope the Feds cut-off Berkeley from all federal funding and leave Berkeley to rot. That would encourage a recall petition and that would be great. Send those goddam city council members and Berkeley's politically impotent mayor packing. Kick those bums out of office. Replace them with real American Citizens! I wish we could draft those Berkeley bastards and forward deploy them straight to Fallujah.
Popping Berkeley like a pimple is a good analogy. Berkeley is full of infected pus and until we get rid of the infection, we are all suffering. I'm sure glad I don't live in Berkeley. One thing is for sure: I won't ever spend another dime in that pus bucket of a town.
Since you quoted Barack Obama, I want to quote Senator and Decorated War Hero John McCain: "For my part, I would simply affirm that the sacrifices borne by veterans deserve to be memorialized in something more lasting than marble or bronze or in the fleeting effect of a politician's speech. Your valor and your devotion to duty have earned your country's abiding concern for your well being. I am, I assure you, committed to honoring that debt."
John McCain, Remarks to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 3/7/95
I hope the two-bit punks who sit on the Berkeley City Council go to their graves feeling a deep sense of inadequacy and painful regret. They deserve it.
Calm down, y'all.
Berkeley has been doing this kind of thing for decades. They are the "clown" community of the Bay Area
and the whole world knows it.
Relax. Sooner or later they are going to screw themselves and, with George Bush in the White House for the remainder of the year, the City of Berkeley just might find a lot of federal funding going South.
Low income people in Berkeley will suffer. Schools will suffer. Hospitals will suffer. Business will suffer - all because of some brainless half-wits on the Berkeley City Council who listen to all the wrong voices.
Still, I've signed the petition and I hope Melanie Morgan delivers it with a brick attached.
Post a Comment