The Cost of Being Anti Military
Filed under: Feature, General News — Michael van der Galien on March 30, 2008 @ 11:13 am CEST
Susan Duclos takes a look at how much Berkeley had to pay for its anti-military attitude: the numbers are quite astonishing. Firstly, the university was shocked after it learned that politicians demanded “that federal funding be stripped from Berkeley.” Secondly, “business owners declaring they would no longer do business in Berkeley.” But there’s more:
In the last six weeks alone, the city of Berkeley has spent over $210,000 in police overtime to keep peace during these protests and counter protests, according to police.
The Berkeley police department has 186 officers on duty and in a statement from police spokeswoman Sgt. Mary Kusmiss, they usually spend between $2,500 and $3,500 per week on overtime during a normal week.
She further states that from Feb. 12 to March 22, that rose to $210,814.13 and that the city spent approximately $93,000 Feb. 12 during an all-day protest at Old City Hall that drew about 2,000 anti-war and military supporters…
The Lafayette War Veterans Golf Committee has moved their third annual fundraising golf tournament outside of the Berkeley. Their stated reason is ” due to the cities hostile attitude toward the Marine Corps.”
They have raised over $60,000 the last two years to help people who have been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan and are being treated at the Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center at the Veterans Administration hospital in Palo Alto.
Ted Garrett, CEO of the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce said they had received at least 140 emails from people saying they would not do business with Berkeley. That was in early February, the number has risen since then…
Some businesses reported a decline of 10 to 15 percent and those communications Garrett spoke of were from people outlining their plans to boycott the city…
The last counter protest held in Berkeley, on March 22, 2008, to show support for the troops, which Move America Forward joined Eagles up, who consists of mostly military veterans that wanted to show their support for the troops, and thundered into the town of Berkeley with 400 motorcycles, showed that even those going to Berkeley refused to spend money in Berkeley and chose to use hotels outside of the town.
According to the group they spent spent $25,000 to $30,000 in neighboring cities to penalize Berkeley financially for its recent anti-military stance.
And there’s more: read the whole thing at Wake Up America.
A protest like this is much more effective than what the Code Pinkers are doing. Berkeley is truly being punished for its ridiculous anti-military attitude. People don’t mind protests, but they do mind having less money to spend, and losing jobs.
UPDATE
Michelle Malkin (thanks for the link): “Left-wing bigotry has consequences. Feel it, Berkeley.”
1 Susan Duclos
March 30, 2008 @ 3:57 pm CESTI find it notable that over 400 Veterans, families and supporters can stage a massive protest and/or rally with not one arrest reported and yet, last Monday alone the anti-military protesters cannot manage to abide by the law and had four members arrested.
This coming Monday, Move America Forward is also delivering a request to the US Attorney’s office to ask them to investigate possible criminal charges.
One of which stems from the wording of the city councils resolution where it said, "encourage 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 nonviolent means, the work of any military recruiting office located in the City of Berkeley.”
From the letter:
"By encouraging disruptive behavior patently calculated to drive the Marine Corps out of the City of Berkeley, the City Council appears to be soliciting unlawful, and quite possibly criminal, interference with the lawful operations of a federal agency operating within the City of Berkeley."
Everyone has the right to protest but why do supposed peace activists always find it necessary to break the law and become violent.
Does anyone else see this to be a contradiction?
2 utsu
March 30, 2008 @ 8:57 pm CESTThe US military breaks international conventions and has not done its job in preventing the suffering of civilians. It should be kept from drawing in more young men and women until it cleans up its act and does not waste their good will by making them a part of immoral warfare.
It is not about being anti-military, it’s about being anti-needless suffering and anti-tarnishing of the US. The military is not a sort of continuous phenomenon that never changes, that always has to be treated as moral, and right now the US military as a whole is not up to snuff (and by my standards it may never have been, I don’t know).
3 Jason
March 30, 2008 @ 9:05 pm CESTBlatantly false. I urge you to read the research by Prof. Colin Kahl (a strong opponent of the Iraq war, BTW) in either Foreign Affairs or the journal International Security.
Only if you care about correcting your misinformation, of course. If your purpose is only to regurgitate standard anti-American talking points from International A.N.S.W.E.R. and MoveOn.org, then you’re already doing fine.
I think it IS anti-military (and anti-American) to grossly exaggerate the actual scope and frequency of war crimes just out of some petty partisan vendetta or ideological orientation. Maybe it is time to demand a little accountability from those who constantly demand it from others.
4 utsu
March 31, 2008 @ 11:18 am CEST"I think it IS anti-military (and anti-American) to grossly exaggerate the actual scope and frequency of war crimes just out of some petty partisan vendetta or ideological orientation."
I am simply stating that the US military has passed a line - I don’t give a flip about the scope or quantity at that point.
5 Jason
March 31, 2008 @ 2:37 pm CESTWell, if you don’t care about the facts that contradict your claims, there is no point in anyone bothering to respond to you.
6 Michelle Malkin » The cost of being anti-military
March 31, 2008 @ 2:56 pm CEST[…] Poligazette, here’s an analysis by Susan Duclos of the taxpayer hit that Berkeley is taking over its […]
7 On the Right
March 31, 2008 @ 3:23 pm CESTThe Cost Of Being Anti-Military…
Michelle Malkin • March 31, 2008 09:56 AM
Via Poligazette, here’s an analysis by Susan Duclos of the taxpayer hit that Berkeley is taking over its anti-troops’ stance.
And that’s not all. The civilian……
8 The city of berkeley Finds their Disrespect for the US Military Costly « Samaritans Scalawags Scoundrels & Fleecing the Sheep
March 31, 2008 @ 4:30 pm CEST[…] resolutions hostile to the US Military recruitment office located in town. In an article over on Poligazette they talked about the mounting personal and financial costs that the city is experiencing over the […]
9 Berkeley begins to feel the cost of being anti Military
April 1, 2008 @ 7:20 am CEST[…] Poligazette, here’s an analysis by Susan Duclos of the taxpayer hit that Berkeley is taking over its […]
10 smearjay
April 1, 2008 @ 1:38 pm CESTMaybe Berkeley Ca. will get invaded by an enemy.. I sure as hell would not do anything (take up arms, mobilize) to help them. Everyone in Berkeley Ca. could fall off the face of the earth, and the earth would be a better place.
11 Interested
April 1, 2008 @ 1:48 pm CESTWell as much as I think utsu’s comments shows he/she has zero concept of reality, I would step up to save them and any other like them at Berkeley. Ironically utsu would probably be the type to sue someone for saving their life - so be it.
12 just my opinion
April 1, 2008 @ 2:33 pm CESTI too would step up and defend those at Berkley if invaded. I would lay my life down in defense of them. While I disagree with their tactics and politics, I have been willing to sacrifice all for UTSU and those alike. It is this mentality and willingness that they disagree with. However, that does not mean that I will ever spend a dime in Berkley. I also do not want my taxes to pay for this disrespect. Freedom of speech does not mean that I have to pay for them to spout ignorant ramblings, it just means that I have to defend their right to "hate speech."
13 Kevin McQueen
April 1, 2008 @ 3:23 pm CESTUtsu says…"The US military breaks international conventions and has not done its job in preventing the suffering of civilians. "
I’ve got news for you, Utsu. The U.S. Military’s job is not now, nor has it ever been, nor will it ever be to "prevent the suffering of civilians". It is, plain and simply to manage the aggressive use of violence. Plain and simple, we are here to kill people and break things. And frankly, it gives me great pleasure to have in the sights of my M-16 and subsequently dispatching to hell an Islomaofacist cretin that has no compunction about shooting schoolchildren in the back, conducting an "honor killing" of his own daughter, or flying a plane into a skyscraper. That, Utsu, is what the Military is for.
14 Sam
April 1, 2008 @ 3:26 pm CESTI find it funny that the protester’s MO is to shut down the very service that let’s them protest. I wonder what would happen to the Code Pinkers if they were in Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan, being that they are women. Would they just be arrested for their behavior? The recruiting office is proud to have them because they know that we are still a free country and these protesters still have the option to do this. Why not charge the organizations for the work & overtime? Police and fire officials charge a lost hiker for rescue fee’s and cost assoc. with rescues. The city should do the same. They still will have the right to protest. Remember, freedom is not free. It has never been free. We pay a cost for this freedom. And on that note when has any of the current candidates on either side mention the word freedom??? Look it up. None has yet. Just ponder the consequences of the actions of it all.
15 John Mitchell
April 1, 2008 @ 4:39 pm CESTTHE PEOPLE OF BERKLEY ARE A BUNCH OF IDIOTS. THEY PROTEST THE VERY INSTITUTION THAT GIVES THEM THE RIGHT TO PROTEST, BUT DON’T EVEN REALIZE IT. I AM GLAD I DON’T LIVE IN SUCH A LIBERAL BASTION OF BS.
16 Otto
April 1, 2008 @ 5:09 pm CESTTo Utsu:
You are proof that liberalism is a mental disorder. How does it feel to be nothing more than a useful idiot of the far left?
17 Kevin
April 1, 2008 @ 5:21 pm CESTUtsu,
You are SO wrong. The military DOES care. How do I know? I work with people that have been over there. You know, those evil military people???
These evil people have built schools so that girls can tgo to school for THE FIRST TIME.
These bad bad evil people gave up there own fuel so that children could be warmer in their schools.
These devils are rebuilding the infrastructure.
These people that are over the line are providing medical care to people that have never seen a doctor IN THEIR LIFE.
These evil bad soldiers…. and their FAMILIES btw, are providing paper, and pencils and back packs for the school kids.
I would suggest that you EDUCATE yourself. You seriously look foolish by spouting off the typical drivel of the far lefties. Stupid cant be fixed. Ignorance can. I still have hope for you.
18 Kevin
April 1, 2008 @ 11:07 pm CESTIn case nobody noticed, Berkely has been invaded by anti-American traitors. The only ones who haven’t noticed are the "citizens" of Berkely. We are not going to do a thing, other than offer those with a conscience a way out of their moral morasse by doing something noble with their lives, by joining the service. Sorry to the rest of the real Americans living in Berkely, but the time to bail out is now. Otherwise, you will find yourself being continually enveloped by increasing taxes and regulations for the "common good". Remember everyone is, or should be equal in Berkely, it’s just that some are "more equal" than others. If you’re living in Berkely, and can’t see that you have been taken over by socialists, the rest of us here in America want you to stay there as you don’t pass the intelligence test we would like implemented for new immigrants.
19 Trooper
April 2, 2008 @ 6:40 am CESTUtsu You are anti-military. Your intent is to personally attack the troops by stating they “Crossed the line”. You disparage their intelligence like the traitor John Kerry – i.e. “stuck in Iraq” because they didn’t study in school. They’re probably more educated than you.
It’s all about trying to break their morale. They are “Evil” because they sacrifice on your behalf. You’re code pink bitches hang out around Walter Reed hospital and yell at the wounded vets that they lost their legs for Halliburton. It’s about making them suffer more in attempt to make them quit.
You have no idea of the reality of the world. You’re first question to a vet is “How many people you kill”, not “how many did you save”. You want to extend their sacrifice by making them pay for as long as you can. You feel a need to punish them for not falling to your will and running away.
You are the evil one for inflicting more pain on the hero’s who stand and defend even you. Something you would never do for anyone who does not believe in your anti-capitalist, anti-military agenda. You must make them suffer that is your point.
I’m an airborne infantry combat vet. I’d still defend to the death any American soil, yes even Berkeley and your worthless butt. You’d probably be hiding shaking and crying in a hole while others did the hard work of saving lives by protecting the flock. However, I think the protesters should have to foot the bill for their free speech. It may be the only way you understand freedom is not free.
There are 2 ways to get someones attention, grab them by the short hairs or by the wallet.
20 Airborne
April 2, 2008 @ 2:52 pm CESTutsu, you need to pull your head out of the sand. And if theres so much "Needless suffering" then why arent there more incidents like this going on around the states? And show me one military over the course of History that has been able to protect every single civilian, every single person, and kept them from getting hurt. Not possible. And ITS NOT THE US BLOWING UP CIVILIANS, its the suicide bombers and car bombs, etc created by the INSURGENTS from IRAQ and surrounding countries. Apparently you don’t watch the news. I and my wife both spent time over there, and as an Airborne Signal Veteran, I spent 8 months of my time in FALLUJAH. So I saw plenty. When you bring something to backup what you have to say someone MIGHT listen to you. But since you " don’t give a flip about the scope or quantity at that point " then I guess you really don’t know wtf your talking about. Do us all a favor, kill yourself.
21 G T Baker
April 2, 2008 @ 3:29 pm CESTOdd, isn’t it, that liberals will hold protest marches and conduct boycotts against things they don’t like, but then will howl in protest when conservatives do the same thing. So much for their vaunted positions on "equality."
22 Jeff
April 2, 2008 @ 7:46 pm CESTSam,
McCain does mention freedom in at least a few of his speeches. http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/Speeches/ I started from the bottom and found mention of freedom on the first 3 I checked. I don’t believe it because McCain is a liberal but he does speak about freedom.