Marines Not Welcome in Liberal Land

"This is an OUTRAGE! When did the city of Berkeley become an independent nation ? When did it legally seperate from the United States ? If terrorists were to attack Berkeley, you can bet your a** that they would be screaming for the Marines to come to their rescue. It just goes to show what kind of morons these liberals really are." J.R.

As you have probably heard by now the Berkely City Council passed a resolution condemning the recruiting actions of the US Marines Corp on January 29 of last year. The resolution further stated that the Marines were not welcome in Berkeley.

"The people of Berkeley should want the Marine Corps present near Berkeley High School, Berkeley City College, and University of California no more than they would want other violent influences downtown," read the resolution.

The resolution also encouraged citizens to disrupt Marine recruiting efforts:

"The Council of the City of Berkeley encourages all people to avoid cooperation with the Marine Corps recruiting station, and applaud residents and organizations such as Code Pink, that may volunteer to impede, passively or actively, by non-violent means, the work of any military recruiting office located in the City of Berkeley."

In response to a letter by the city council of Berkeley, Calif., telling Marine Corps recruiters they are not welcome in the city, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said:

"Well if they said that, I am disappointed. The Marine Corps should be welcome in any place in the United States."

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(Republicans have accused Reid of rearranging the Senate schedule to prevent a vote on the Semper Fi Act, according to The Hill newspaper.)


Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said he is demanding an apology from the city council stating:

"I would be satisfied with an apology but nothing short of that," said Cornyn. "Everything I have seen indicates they have felt the sting of public opinion, but they have not understood the depth of outrage at what they have done."

Earlier this week, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) introduced in the Senate the Semper Fi Act of 2008, which would reprimand the Berkley City Council and strip the city of $2 million in earmark spending allotted in the omnibus spending bill passed at the end of 2007.

Cornyn was asked if he thought it was the role of the Senate to reprimand city councils, he said:

"When it comes to spending federal tax dollars, sending them to localities like the city of Berkeley is our responsibility," he said. "As far as I am concerned, we should make sure not one red cent of tax dollars goes to support Berkeley, particularly in any way that would indicate approval of this outrage."

When asked if he thought this would be punishing citizens who had no part in the council's decision, he said:

"Well, all the folks in Berkeley elected their local representatives. I suggest they take this up with them."

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Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.)weighed in also:

"I think that action was reprehensible," he said. "I don't like what they did. But, there again, I am not going to try and tell the local government in Berkeley what they should or shouldn't be doing. But we obviously have opinions, and we can all voice those opinions. So if there is something that voices our opinions, sure."

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