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Berkeley Marine Corps Recruiting Center protests

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Code Pink demonstrators in front of Berkeley City Hall on February 12, 2008.

The Berkeley Marine Corps Recruiting Center Controversy began in September, 2007 when a small group of protesters from Code Pink began periodically protesting in front of a United States Marine Corps Officer Selection Office located in Downtown Berkeley, California by standing in front of the office holding banners and placing signs.[1]

History

In early 2007 the Marine Recruiting Center for the northern Bay Area relocated from Alameda to downtown Berkeley in order to be closer to the University of California, Berkeley.[2] Some nearby businesses have complained about the noise level.[3] On January 29, 2008, Code Pink began collecting the necessary 5,000 to qualify a city measure for the ballot that would require public hearings before military recruiting offices could open near schools.[3] Ex-Marine Staff Sgt. Bill Hamilton told the SF Chronicle that the recruiting office was only for recruiting college not high school students.[3]

On February 1, 2008, protesters from another group, The World Can’t Wait, chained themselves to the doorway of the recruting office, blocking the entrance, and preventing people from moving in and out.[4][5][6]

City Council response

On January 29, 2008 the Berkeley City Council passed two motions regarding the controversy.[7] The first motion, passed 8-1, gave anti-war protesters Code Pink a reserved parking space in front of the recruitment and waiving the normally required noise permits so they could operate their loud speaker.[7][8]

The Berkeley City Council 6-3, passed a motion to have the city clerk write a letter to the U.S. Marine Corps to inform them that they were "unwelcome intruders" that were "not welcome" in Berkeley.[9][10][8] The motion stated that the United States had a history of "launching illegal, immoral and unprovoked wars of aggression" and that "military recruiters are salespeople known to lie to and seduce minors and young adults into contracting themselves into military service with false promises regarding jobs, job training, education and other benefits."[11] The Berkeley city council also asked the city attorney to investigate the possibility of fining the Marines for violating the city's ordinance requiring equal-opportunity hiring without regard to sexual orientation because of the militaries don't ask, don't tell policy.[11][7]

National government response

The position taken by the Berkeley City Council was seen by many across the country as a sign that they did not support the troops.[12] Berkeley's motion was followed by a backlash in conservative blogs and among conservative lawmakers, including introduction of the "Semper Fi Act" in Congress to cancel several million dollars in federal funding gourmet lunches and a library for a former Congressman who attended the University of California.[13] In response to the council's vote, on February 1, 2008 Senator Jim DeMint said that he would introduce legislation that would strip Berkeley of it's $2,392,000 in federal funding.[14] On February 6, 2008 Jim DeMint was joined by Saxby Chambliss, Tom Coburn, John Cornyn, James Inhofe, and David Vitter in the Senate to introduce the Semper Fi Act of 2008 which would strip federal funding from Berkeley.[15] The bill strips $243,000 from the Chez Panisse Foundation which provides school lunches to children in Berkeley, and $975,000 allocated to build the Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service at the University of California, Berkeley which would have created an archive of Robert Matsui's papers.[15] City Council member Gordon Wozniak criticized the act as unfair, stating "These people have nothing to do with the council's action. They should not be penalized just because they happen to live in Berkeley."[16] Representative John Campbell sponsored a similar bill in the house.[15]

State government response

Republican Assemblyman Guy Houston of San Ramon announced that he will introduce legislation to withhold state transportation funds from Berkeley until they rescind their "war on the U.S. Marine Corps."[17]

Council reverses

Some members of the city council regretted their vote almost immediately after the motion passed. Councilwomen Betty Olds said she was ashamed of her vote.[3] On February 4, 2008, Councilwomen Betty Olds and Laurie Capitelli called on the council to rescind the letter to the Marines and to declare that Berkeley was against the war but supported the troops.[18] On February 12, 2008, the council meet to reconsider the Marines Recruiting motions. On this day, at it's peak, 2,000 protesters gathered outside city hall, with one group protesting against the city council motions and the other, consisting mainly of Code Pink, protesting in support of the motions.[19] There were four arrests.[19] The city of Berkeley spent $93,000 in police overtime on February 12th as part of a large police presence to keep the peace.[20]

On February 13, 2008, after 4 hours of debates and public comment that ended at 1:30 in the morning, the Berkeley city council decided 7-2 not to send the letter they had asked the city clerk to draft to the Marines. The council decided not to offer an official apology but some individual members of the council had regret.[19]

References

  1. ^ Riya, Bhattacharjee (2007-09-28). "Code Pink Protests Marine Recruitment Center". Berkeley Daily Planet. Retrieved 2008-02-05. {{cite web}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
  2. ^ Kwong, Jessica (2007-10-17). "Protests Follow Recruiting Center to Berkeley". The Daily Californian. Independent Berkeley Students Publishing Company, Inc. Retrieved 2008-02-05. {{cite web}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
  3. ^ a b c d Fagan, Kevin (2008-02-01). "Group protests Marine recruiters in Berkeley". The San Francisco Chronicle. The San Francisco Publishing Company, Inc. Retrieved 2008-02-16. {{cite web}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
  4. ^ Rubenstein, Steve and Kevin Fagan (February 2, 2008). "Facing off over Marine Corps: 3 war opponents chain selves to door of recruiting station, and right-wing blogosphere goes ballistic". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-02-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ Scherr, Judith (February 1, 2008). "Three Chain Themselves to Marine Recruiting Center Doors". Berkeley Daily Planet. Retrieved 2008-02-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Scherr, Judith (2008-02-05). "Protesters Chain Selves To Recruit Center Doors". Berkeley Daily Planet. Retrieved 2008-02-06. {{cite web}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
  7. ^ a b c Shalev, Asaf (2008-01-30). "City Council Passes Motions Criticizing Marines Office". The Daily Californian. Independent Berkeley Students Publishing Company, Inc. Retrieved 2008-02-05. {{cite web}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
  8. ^ a b Debra J. Saunders, Debra J. (February 5, 2008). "Berkeley's Marines offensive". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-02-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ ""12. Marine Recruiting Office in Berkeley" (Includes 3 passed recommendations)". Regular Meeting Annotated Agenda, January 29, 2008. City Council, Berkeley, California. {{cite web}}: Text "accessdate-2008-02-10" ignored (help)
  10. ^ Jones, Carolyn (February 5, 2008). "In Berkeley, push to rescind letter to Marines". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-02-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ a b "Marine Recruiting Office in Berkeley - Peace and Justice Commission recommendation" (PDF). Berkeley City Council. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  12. ^ Shin, Jane (2008-02-05). "Council Members to Revisit Vote". The Daily Californian. Independent Berkeley Students Publishing Company, Inc. Retrieved 2008-02-05. {{cite web}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
  13. ^ Drash, Wayne (February 8, 2008). "Berkeley to Marines: You're 'not welcome in our city'". CNN. Retrieved 2008-02-09. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ Fife, Taylor (2008-02-04). "Marines Vote Leads to Threat on City Funds: Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., to Introduce Bill To Remove City's $2.3 Million in Earmarks". The Daily Californian. Independent Berkeley Students Publishing Company, Inc. Retrieved 2008-02-05. {{cite web}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ a b c Oakley, Doug (2008-02-07). "Lawmakers aim to punish Berkeley over anti-Marines stance". San Jose Mercury News. MediaNews Group. Retrieved 2008-02-07. {{cite web}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
  16. ^ Shin, Jane (2008-02-07). "Senators Put Forward Act to Withhold Funds: Legislation in Response to Recruiting Center Opposition Would Remove Millions in Funds from Local Projects". The Daily Californian. Independent Berkeley Students Publishing Company, Inc. Retrieved 2008-02-07. {{cite web}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ Associated Press (February 8, 2008). "Penalty eyed for Berkeley stance on Marines". Marine Corps Times. Retrieved 2008-02-09.
  18. ^ Jones, Carolyn (2008-02-05). "In Berkeley, push to rescind letter to Marines". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Communications. Retrieved 2008-02-16. {{cite web}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
  19. ^ a b c Jones, Carolyn (2008-02-14). "Berkeley will not send Marines "unwelcome intruders" letter". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Communications. Retrieved 2008-02-16. {{cite web}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ Jones, Carolyn (2008-02-16). "BMarines protest cost $93,000 for police OT". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Communications. Retrieved 2008-02-17. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
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