These are the people who elected the city council and Mayor. These are the people who support (in most cases) these actions.

They can be against the war all they want to but taking this out on the Marines is not the right way. I hope that they drain the city of all Federal monies and the entire city and its occupants suffer. Next time there is an election hopefully those who were effected by this will remember and vote someone with a bit of common sense into the offices.

I'm on record here as being very disgusted by the Berkeley city council; however, I am not part of the "Republican choir" that, as you say, is "lapping it up enthusiastically." I just think the city council is morally wrong on this issue. I think they are an embarrassment to America.

Net Net: The People need to take responsibility for their Government.

Ridiculous. These f*cking hippie liberal jackasses ought to be either shot or cut off from the rest of the country. I don't really care which.

The People's Republic of Santa Monica is much the same way. Frankly I wouldn't be disappointed to see that one go away either.

So apparently none of those protesters have little things called jobs.

Please show me how the beneficiaries of public safety programs, funds to UC Berkeley, a ferry service, and lunches at public schools voted for these Council members or support their actions. Some of them voted for these Council members, I'm sure. Does that mean they support this resolution? You're throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

I never said taking this out on the Marines is right. I disagree with it. Please don't assign a false opinion my way.

Punishing innocent people is a much bigger wrong than a misguided resolution and misguided protests. It's an abuse of power. Two wrongs don't make a right.

ahh yes....America, home of the free unless you disagree with Jeff ;)

Taking this out on UC is moronic. If the DC politicos want to make an example of someone, then do it to the city council, not the university. The university admin had nothing to do with this.

I disagree Todd. Citizens must take responsibility for the government it elects. If the good citizens of Berkeley elect nutballs, then the only way it will elect officials that are more in line with its core values as a community is to get the nutballs out and elect new people in.

the only way to do that is to make the community pay for its actions: electing nutballs.

I want to see a group of folks in Berkeley rise up, call for the ousting of these officials, put together a petition or whatever means necessary (by the books) to get them out of office and then get new people in.

People need to take responsibility for the government it elects.

You say that like it's a bad thing. . .

:D

Unless I missed where Cal officials were complicit in the protest, I completely agree.

There is so much misunderstanding about Cal as an institution...there are very conservative disciplines within the university that never get any pub, which is how they like it;)

So are you willing to amend your post to specify that the Berkeley city council is an embarassment?

UC Berkeley is one of the top scientific institutions in the world, and one of the best educational institutions too. LBL is a pre-eminent research lab and has done its share of military weapons research. The city of Berkeley is one of the nicest, most livable towns in the US - well, excluding the parts that border on Oakland.

Yet everytime some whacko in Berkeley does something controversial, a bunch of people here - who mostly have never been to the city nor know anything about it - rise up panting and lapping. Like Pavlov's dogs - bell rings, PPOT rants. It's just brainless.

John, my disgust is with the city council and those that support their decision are pretty fuched up, too. Beyond that, I am not a hater.

I hope that my opinion on this is now clear. :)

Especially annoying when you consider that this pack of sniveling beeches couldn't protect themselves from a troop of Brownies.

Then we don't disagree.

:)

So its about MONEY not their true beliefs? What a bunch of hacks....

I feel for you John. BTW, why are there so many Berkeley wackos?

Flouridation

The town has a lot of politically active people. They've pushed for residential solar, mass transit, controlled development, free speech, reducing emissions, urban forest, opposed the Iraq war, lots of good things. Berkeley was one of the center of opposing the Vietnam war, attacking apartheid in So Africa, etc. So there are occasionally whacko things done, well, you take the bad with the good. Its not like you notice it in daily life, outside of a couple particular areas.

Disclaimer: I don't live in Berkeley any more, but I imagine it hasn't changed in the past 2 years.

actually most of us up here would like to charge you down there for all the water you steal :)