Friday, February 29, 2008

Berkeley Is Having a Bad Trip, Man

Beginning in the late ’60s and early ’70s the Left familiarized America with boycotts as means of influencing organizations’ decisions. How ironic it is that Berkeley, the leftiest of American cities, is now feeling the brunt of a boycott from the right.

Code Pink is bad for businessIt all started in January when Berkeley’s City Council voted on a resolution from their municipal Peace and Justice Commission to send a letter to the local Marine Corps recruiting office “disinviting” them to Berkeley. In tandem with this, they also voted to reserve the parking space in front of the Marine Corps recruiting office for the exclusive use of Code Pink. They knew the loud activists in Code Pink would make life at the Marine Corps recruiting office unpleasant.

You can find a portion of the city’s rationale here, along with a pdf of the whole laundry list of complaints about America, war, the military, etc. In other words, you can read the aggressive words of the anti-aggression movement in this country, a movement that has its moral foundation in what some call the town of Beserkley.

What surprised the city fathers and mothers was the fact that while they may be the center of the universe, even they cannot get past the law of cause and effect. What goes around, comes around. This time it is coming to Berkeley in economic terms. Many Americans who don’t share the city’s moral superiority are…guess what? Boycotting Berkeley:

People who are angry at city leaders for their anti-military stance are taking it out on businesses - canceling hotel rooms, restaurant reservations and theater tickets.

They are writing letters to the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce outlining their plans to boycott the city.

And they are steering clear of downtown shops because of the weekly anti-war protests that in recent weeks have become increasingly volatile.
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Of course, they wouldn’t be enduring “increasingly volatile” anti-war protests if they hadn’t invited Code Pink to start their own little war against the military in the first place:

Two weeks after the Berkeley City Council refused to apologize to the Marine Corps for calling them “uninvited and unwelcome intruders,” Berkeley businesses said they are feeling the backlash from people who don’t want to spend their money in the city.

“We’re hearing of folks canceling reservations and canceling hotel rooms, and we know there is a direct correlation. How big, I don’t know. We’re in a tough economic period anyway,” said Ted Garrett, chief executive officer of the chamber.

Sure, Mr. Garrett, blame it on the economy. No doubt, this is ultimately due to Bushitler’s machinations. Everything other bad thing in the U.S. is the President’s fault. However, Bush didn’t generate the communications coming into Berkeley from the outside world:

Garrett said the chamber has received an estimated 300 e-mails, letters and faxes from people upset about the council’s action and its refusal to apologize.

[…]

Many were angered by the move that they viewed as anti-military and anti-American. An estimated 30,000 e-mails were sent to City Hall, condemning the council’s move.

Well, since communication is the act of the receiver, one can only hope that the message is getting through. However, given this businessman’s outlook, Berkeley appears to be tone-deaf:

Mo Hallaji, owner of Pollo’s at Shattuck Avenue and Addison Street, said his business has declined 10 percent to 15 percent this month because of the traffic jams and fighting associated with the protests.

“They are killing our business,” Hallaji said. “Everybody is against the war but that is not the right way to go about it if you want to accomplish something.”

No, Mr. Hallaji, not everyone is against the war and many of us honor our military. Thus, the moral superiority of the City Council and your ignorance of the national temperament have given Berkeley its economic woes.

Fortunately, there is a remedy for this, at least eventually. Berkeley citizens can decide in the next election if they want to retain these people. Better yet, the head of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Garrett, could do one of California’s favorite pastimes: get enough signatures for a city-side referendum on their Council’s decision to send the Marines a “don’t-let-the-door-hit-you-in-the-behind” nasty gram.

In addition, another referendum to rid the town of its 24/7 Code Pink assault would probably be welcomed by business owners who have to put up with the pandemonium they generate.

Mr. Garrett sent a letter to the Council recently. He said merchants were bearing the brunt of the Council’s actions:

“(We) strongly encourage the City Council to offer a public apology to our community and the countless others who were offended by their actions - folks who roll up their sleeves every day and work hard to serve their country and their community…”

It sounds like the police aren’t happy, either. They’ve had to start arresting some of these people. I wonder what the police chief is saying to the mayor? Even more, I wonder what this whole fiasco has cost the city of Berkeley, not just in money but in good will?

Sometimes reality has a steep learning curve.


Hat tip: Don Surber

18 comments:

SEOULDIER13 said...

I say that to hell with protecting the rights of these college kids and the people at Pink. I say enforce consription. Let them earn their right to free speech and idiocracy. Let them serve in the military to earn appreciation if they can't seem to understand and support the military as a patriotic Americans should.

rkb said...

Ummm ... no. Not conscription into uniformed military service, anyway.

We've worked hard to build the best and most professional military in the world - and it is a volunteer force. The day of the drafted grunt is over. Don't cripple our forces by flooding them with unwilling and unsuitable draftees.

Daphne said...

Blessed is the sharp learning curve!

Swift consequences are the surest way to alter to all sorts of behavior. I seriously doubt though that this economic lesson will sufficiently sink into the thick headed Berkley council - these folks need to be repeatedly beaten silly by a solid two by four of common sense.

Great post Dymphna!

Dymphna said...

seouldier13--

While I agree with your sentiments that some things should be earned, the time for a conscripted military has past. It had outlived its usefulness before it was abandoned.

Besides, ask anyone in the military if they want to see conscription. THey'll tell you they're glad to be rid of the gold bricks and the unfit. Everyone who is in made the choice himself.

That in and of itself makes for a better soldier. Can you imagine having to actually have some socialist-spouting misfit in *your* squad? That would be hell.

Not to mention that fragging would probably come back.

SEOULDIER13 said...

Haha, I understand what you are saying. I was saying for conscription so that I can work the dog snot out of them and get for the country the moneys worth from these freeloading college kids that does not know that freedom isn't free. Also there are ways to make them do stuff in the military that isn't just going to war.

SEOULDIER13 said...

Also, don't you think that our forces are still being crippled? The military, especially the army, is recruiting to meet the standard they set. You don't always get the good oranges when you buy them in that red mesh plastic bag. You get some good tasting ones, and then the bland ones. Same with the recruiting. We have a lot of idiots that join since the recruiters do not give a damn about the rest of the active army when they send the idjits to our side after basic and all. They just try to meet the quota. So, if your going to ruin the military anyways, then send in the "free(dom)loaders" so that we can work their buts off for them to enjoy their rights.

ΛΕΟΝΙΔΑΣ said...

Seouldier13,
I don't know how long your experience with the military is but as one of those "conscripted grunts" from the Korean war era I can tell you that drafting these hippies into the military would be a huge disaster. The most reliable grunt soldiers of my era were all draftees (that is citizen soldiers) who wanted to perform their service and return to civilian life. They were for the most part honest, moral and successful members of society. The real "gold bricks" were the enlistees (RAs) who were in the military due to being unable to function without someone telling them what time to go to bed or defecate. All of that changed with the Vietnam war and the flower children of the 60s. The current professional military is the best of the best and it would be tragic to introduce the current crop of doper Marxist misfits into their ranks.

rickl said...

Funny, isn't it, how all the talk about reinstating the draft in recent years has come from the Democrat side? I wonder how long it would take for President Obama or Clinton with a Democratic Congress to reinstate conscription. In the name of "shared sacrifice" and "fairness", of course. Damned collectivists.

It probably wouldn't worry them all too much that such a move would weaken the U.S. military, given their explicit statements that they intend to do exactly that.

OBAMANATIONS, PART 2

And let us not forget that the Bolshevik Revolution was started by Communist-infiltrated units of the Russian military.

laine said...

Children (and Berkley leftists are mentally forever children) don't learn unless they are made to live with the consequences of their actions.

The Beserkley City Council thought they could carry out their vendetta against the military with no harm, no foul to themselves. Imagine their shock that this is not so.

Their eternally pouted lips are now quivering, because they didn't realize there were so many "mean"/grown-up citizens in their neck of the woods who would make them pay for their bullying of people who are far better than they'll ever be.

The military are not allowed to slap the Berkley cockroaches back by word or deed. Well, stand aside, soldiers, and let people who have retained their common sense lesson the shameless.

One of those 30 000 letters of complaint is mine.

SEOULDIER13 said...

Blogger ΛΕΟΝΙΔΑΣ, thats why I left a comment saying that the military is already screwed. I have been in for 6 years. I was in Fort Bragg for the last of the good years before the army got recruit crazy. One of my roomates got drugs, had a bottle of niacin in the fridge, and had shootouts after AWOL. This was a private that came in 4 years after I did. I also had soldiers who in the bays of the AIT barracks roll up weed, go AWOL and snort coke. They threw away 40,000 dollar bonus'. This was last year when I was reclassing for a new MOS. The mid careerist is not getting what he/she deserves. The young private is though. This is demoralizing to the people that have been in. The military has CHANGED A LOT since YOU were in. The military is screwing itself up, so all I was saying was if that is how it's going to be, then make them free(dom)loaders who fellow soldiers and I defend to do what they want get to EARN their freedom. Conscription doesn't mean military. Make them cops, border patrol, civil duties. On a side note, I thank you for your service, and the fact that you fought for my other half since I am part Korean.

babs said...

I have often thought that my disposable income was like a vote. Each dollar I spend on vacation or on things one really doesn't need (like a spiffy new TV) count as a vote.
There is no way I would spend a dime in the Bay area. That shop keeper that is so upset needs to communicate with others of his ilk how devastating the City Council's idiocy is to them, personally.
Me, I have recently checked into vacations in Denmark...

babs said...

And, BTW, it would take me about the same amount of time to fly to Denmark as it would to fly to San Fran as I live on the east coast. The fact that Berkley is in the U.S. means nothing to me. Both Denmark and Berkley speak a language other than my own...

X said...

The food will be better in Denmark, too. ;)

no2liberals said...

Here is one such letter of boycott, sent to the Berkeley Mayor shortly after the traitorous city council vote.
"Dear Mayor Bates,

In that you and your city have chosen to gravely insult the brave men and women, who have indeed bought you that right with their blood, I am informing you that my company will no longer do business with any of our current suppliers located in the Berkeley,California metro area.

In that my company is in international resort real estate development, and do business with and am associated with, developers and investors worldwide, I am informing all of my contacts, associates and patrons that we will no longer do any business of any sort with anyone living in the Berkeley area.

In that we/MDG Resorts are currently building a state of the art mega-yacht marina, all of the suppliers of Marina equipment, all owners of Yachts , all suppliers of Yacht materials & supplies, all yacht brokers and all tangential yacht business purveyors will likewise be informed that we will not do any business whatsoever with anyone from the Berkeley area.

Likewise all suppliers of building materials, both interior and exterior, currently associated with any of our several resort developments (Brisamar 300+ villas and 200+ condos: Porto Hussong, www.portohussong.com 500+ condos, 180 slip mega-yacht marina) both of which I might add have international recognition by virtue of glowing reports in Robb Report, Wall Street Journal, Yacht World, Forbes.

I will likewise inform all of our investors, most of whom are very wealthy yacht owners, casino owners, high net worth international businessmen, of our decision to essentially boycott all products and providers located in, or associated with in any way whatsoever,Berkeley, Ca.

Trust me when I say that having been in the real estate development business for over 35 years, our list of contacts and associates is long and very, very impressive. We, and I personally, are going to recomend that they ALL along with us boycott your city, its purveyors, suppliers, and businesses and CHARITIES of every kind.

You have every right to choose to take the obnoxious anti-military stance you have taken, and as stated, that right was bought for you with the blood of better men than you.

I too have every right to do all that I can to insure that your city suffers consequences arising from that obnoxious, sickening stance.

Cordially,

Brian G Dennard

Principal Director
Meridian Development Group, LLC
619 807 2444
www.mdgresorts.com
www.portohussong.com"

Then, to add some ironic justice to the actions of Code Stink, this happened the other day.
When in danger, call for the US Marines. That’s what CodePink’s Medea Benjamin did.
Leftists...feh!

laine said...

The marines should have told the Pink lady that they would not want to offend her by using any kind of force to defend her "not in her name" and she should enter into peaceful negotiations with the spitter - invaluable experience for negotiations with armed enemies in the future the Pinks envisage, with no military.

This is her first chance to "start feeling the love"...go to it. She should meditate on how she offended the spitter and beg his forgiveness.

Unknown said...

Wow...wonderful letter, Brian.
Very gratifying I should think.. :-)
And the story about Benjamin calling out to the marines is hilarious..

Sodra Djavul said...

Funny how Mr. Hallaji assumes the entire country hates the war in Iraq.

Newsflash: Democracies hate the act of war. None of us wish our brave men and women to go into harm's way.

However, Iraq was a move worth making at the time the decision was made. ALL politicians before George W. "Bushitler" thought Saddam was building a nuclear program, including Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Madeleine Albright, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Nancy Pelosi and others.

I hope Hallaji and his jihadi anchor babies starve.

- Sodra

. said...

Actually, Dymphna, it's BERSERKELEY. You left out an "r".

And this post is a lot more with it than the last one, with its mutterings of "sedition."