Berkeley to lump recruiting stations with porno shops

[revwardoc]

http://www.dailycal.org/article/1000...ry_recruitment

Initiative Targets Military Recruitment
November Ballot Proposal Would Limit Where Centers Could Be Built, Require Public Hearing

In response to a Marine Corps recruiting office established in Berkeley last year, local activists are trying to make it more difficult for future recruiting centers to open in the city.

If passed by a majority of Berkeley voters, a proposed initiative would require military recruiting offices and private military companies in Berkeley to first acquire a special use permit.

To obtain this permit, a business must hold public hearings and a public comment period.

If the initiative passes, recruitment offices could not be opened within 600 feet of residential districts, public parks, public health clinics, public libraries, schools or churches.

Currently, a recruiting office is held to the same standards as most other businesses, which do not require a public hearing or have limits on where offices can be established.

The author of the initiative, Berkeley-based lawyer Sharon Adams, modeled the initiative after current zoning law that restricts the location of adult-oriented businesses.

"In the same way that many communities limit the location of pornographic stores, that's the same way we feel about the military recruiting stations," said PhoeBe sorgen, an initiative proponent and a member of the city's Peace and Justice Commission. "Teenagers that really want to find them will be able to seek them out and find them, but we don't want them in our face."

The initiative lists complaints against the military including the invasion of Iraq, abuses at Abu Ghraib, discrimination based on sexual orientation and recruiters who mislead potential recruits about benefits and duties.

Recruiters from the office declined to comment.

The primary purpose of the new zoning law would be to protect young people from undue influence from military recruiters, supporters say.

"We feel that as a community we need to protect the youth," Adams said. "We're trying to level the playing field."

Berkeley Councilmember Dona Spring said she supports the wording of the initiative, but said she would prefer the issue be passed by council so it can be enacted faster rather than waiting for the initiative to be placed on the ballot in November.

"I think we should just go ahead and pass it," she said. "We can't take everything to the voters."

But some proponents are hesitant to pass the ordinance through the council because they feel it might be watered down by other council members.

In addition to making it more difficult for future military recruiting centers to be established, Spring also said she would support action that would remove the current office, which is in her district.

"I do want to do something, whatever we can do, to shut down an agency that � offends our public standards," she said. "It's a detriment, it's a danger to the public."

Code Pink has staged demonstrations against the recruitment center every Wednesday in front of the center on Shattuck Avenue since Sept. 26.

The Marine Recruitment Center, which has been located in Berkeley since mid-2007, is the only military recruitment center in Berkeley.

Proponents hope that this ordinance will become a template for communities around the country to follow.

"We hope this is a model for other places," Adams said. "I have already gotten e-mails from people trying to duplicate this."

[SparrowHawk62]

If California were to get an enema, Berkeley is where I'd insert it!

[reconeil]

An excellent bodily positioning choice.
Do they have enemas with fuses?

Neil

[82Rigger]

Do they have enemas with fuses?

LOL!

ROFLMAO!

Dang, Neil! That's pretty grim!

[reconeil]

Maybe even a-tad-bit-smelly, also?

Still, believe such fairly mellow treatment for such deviant & nationally-suicidal morons.
In any other country on earth with a military, such would no doubt be
locked up in-a-looney-bin...at minimum.
And,...QUITE RIGHTFULLY & RIGHTEOUSLY SO.

Besides, are such stupidly-asinine Californians just plain nuts?
Disrespecting America's SOLE guarantors of: "Life, Liberty and The Pursuit of Happiness"
(politicos & ideologues certainly DO NOT) so foolishly,...doesn't even make sense.

Neil

[darrels joy]

MARINES ATTACKED
IN BERKELEY, CA


City Calls Marines “Unwelcome Intruders”

SAN FRANCISCO – The City of Berkeley, California has passed two resolutions attacking the United States Marine Corps, calling the Marines, “uninvited and unwelcome intruders in the city.”



The Berkeley City Council voted to condemn the Marines on Tuesday night (January 29th) as part of a campaign by anti-war activists to shut down a U.S. Marine Recruiting Center located in the city of Berkeley.


The votes by the Berkeley City Council were immediately condemned by Move America Forward (website: www.MoveAmericaForward.org), the nation’s largest grassroots pro-troop organization.
“It is disgraceful that in the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement, anti-military activists would attempt to silence the same military men and women who serve this country and give their lives to protect the free speech rights of all Americans, including these ungrateful and despicable people on the Berkeley City Council,” said Melanie Morgan, Chairman of
Move America Forward.


The actions by the Berkeley City Council followed continuous protests by Code Pink and other anti-military organizations that vandalized and defaced the U.S. Marine Recruiting Center in September 2007.

One of the two resolutions passed by the Berkeley City Council last night granted a parking spot in front of the Marine Recruiting Center to be used by anti-military activists to harass Marine recruiters. The anti-military activists would not need to apply for a sound permit for the next six months – allowing them free reign to disrupt the day-to-day operations by the Marines.


Move America Forward organized a counter-protest in support of the Marines last October that attracted over 400 pro-troop supporters who stood in solidarity of the Marine Recruiting Center.


“We have hundreds of thousands of military men and women serving honorably overseas to protect our freedoms. Imagine how they feel when they go to turn on the news and see that they are being stabbed in the back by shameful people here at home, it’s disgraceful!” said Catherine Moy, Executive Director of Move America Forward.

This release posted at: http://www.moveamericaforward.org/index.php/MAF/MAFNews

[revwardoc]

We should give the North Koreans the exact co-ordinates of the Berkely City Hall and have them "test fire" a high explosive missle there. Not that anything valuable will be destroyed.

[reconeil]

That so many Fellow Americans daily act so stupidly and treasonably insane,...
is downright embarrassing.

That fools in authority in San Francisco are daily permitted acting similarly,.....
doesn't say much for our political system & many obvious perversions of:"Free Speech", also.

Hell, so despicably insulting & demeaning The U.S. Military as weirdos of The Bay Area
do incessantly on a daily basis,...HAS TO BE AT LEAST AS BAD as: "Hollering FIRE in a crowded theater", "Inciting to Riot" & "Slanderous & Hateful Character Assassinating"?
Wouldn't you think?

So, what point is there for authorities to keep on permitting such nonsense?
Must America be forever stupidly tolerant & sensitive towards EVEN Deviant Sickos, either?

And besides, by now most everyone must surely know that most Frisco Political Leaders,
Professors & easily duped Students obviously aren't dealing with full decks.
So why keep putting up with such career & perpetual trouble causers?
Ship 'em off to Washington like Lefty Pelosi, or just jail or deport them to The Middle East.

Think jailing or desert sands to harsh for traitors?
Well then, just ship all such nationally-suicidal hypocrites to: "Happy Farms", instead.
Then, and with free dope available for-a-change,....EVERYONE will be quite happy & content.

Neil

[pete v]

I have always believed that we are the United States of America and should remain so.

I might make an exception when it comes to these idiots.

Let them succeed from the Union and defend themselves.

[Stick]

Those same protestors are the same group that advocates illegal alien protection and therefore houseing, food stamps, welfare and medical care for those that walk accross the borders illegally wanting to take the American tax payer for a ride.
Enemas are not covered in the welfare medical care coverage. Come on over to Ellijay and I'll personally beat the sh-t out of 'em with a big stick.
Hmmmm? Will they eat potatoes with minor powder burns on 'em? Don't even need food stamps to get 'em. All they got's to do is catch 'em but they'll have to be quick.