City of Berkeley, Marine Corps facing off

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City of Berkeley, Marine Corps facing off
By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, February 13, 2008

The city of Berkeley, Calif., has insulted all servicemembers risking their lives for their country as well as veterans, said Kriss Worthington, a member of the city council.

On Jan. 29, the council asked the city manager to write a letter to the local Marine Corps recruiting office and the commandant of the Corps, saying that recruiters were not welcome in the city, Worthington said Monday.

The letter would also say that the Marine recruiters would be considered “uninvited and unwelcome intruders” if they stayed, said Worthington, one of three city officials to vote against the move.

“I’m a lifelong peace supporter, (and) when someone like me is offended by something, you got to think, ‘What were they thinking?’” he said.

The council’s move has enraged Marine supporters, including Republican lawmakers, who have threatened to take federal funding from Berkeley and give it to the Corps; and now city officials will consider rescinding their action at Tuesday’s meeting.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=52426