Berkeley Wrap-up: A Tale of Two Stories

Berkeley Mayor Tom "Just Call Me Norman" Bates, sitting in front of the Marine Recruiters Office in Berkeley, with Code Pink. The beret looks "gorgeous!"

The situation in Berkeley seems to be “calming down” for now, but it is not over. The Berkeley City Council may have “backed down” and rescinded the original unwelcome letter, but they refused to apologize in any way for their actions. Moreover, several City Councilors continued to express their support for the anti-American group, Code Pink. In fact, the special parking permit that the City Council granted Code Stink is still valid. Code Pink has been camped out in front of the Marine recruiting station since October of 2007, and there are no plans on their part to leave anytime soon.

Move America Forward was extremely active during this latest City Council meeting to readdress the “Unwelcome Marines” letter. They organized a petition and write-in campaign, as well as arranged for a pro-American/Support the Troops presence in Berkeley the day of the rescind vote. They provided a final recap of the events, along with some photos, posted on their website:

Move America Forward Journal

Kudos to Move America Forward!

Code Pink also followed up the decision at Berkeley with an e-mail and web posting claiming victory:

Berkeley Update Dated 2/13/2008; VICTORY!

Or how about the statements by Code Pinks founder, Medea Benjamin, to the local media:

"Not quite, said Medea Benjamin, the 56-year-old co-founder of the anti-war group Code Pink that has led the charge here, organizing and energizing the growing crowd of protesters - and, in turn, their opponents - in front of the old City Hall where council meetings are held.

"The city council's action has been a great gift to the peace movement," Benjamin said of the recent decision to not only show the recruiters the door, but also to give Code Pink a permit for a prime parking spot in front of the Shattuck Avenue Marine recruitment center to pitch its daily protests. "Once this pro-war crowd goes away, we'll be left with an energized base and a tighter anti-war community. We'll be out tomorrow and every day in front of that recruiting station and we'll eventually shut it down no matter what the council does."

Benjamin is right. To some degree Code Pink can claim victory. The only thing that happen was the Berkeley City Council took back the letter…..that’s it! The Council never apologized, or revokes the “special” permits issued to Code Pink (at no cost), and most of the Councilors continue to express support for Code Pink actions.

Code Pink and the Berkeley City Council aren’t done. Code Pink also supports the eviction of the not only the Marine recruiters, but all military recruiters. Code Pink is actively working with the Berkeley City Council on a zoning ordinance banning military recruiters from Berkeley:

Zoning Petition

The ordinance is “modeled” after similar zoning initiatives meant to eliminate porn shops (except in Berkeley where gay and lesbian themed shops are encouraged) and non-living zones for child molesters. This action is far worse than the original “unwelcome letter.” To attempt to classify military recruiters in the same realm as perverts is disgusting.

Is this where we are going to let it end?