Pro War Rally in Berkeley

Marine headquarters

Code stink?

While many reactionaries are white there are quite a few that aren't . I recently wandered around UC Berkeley with a niece from Bakersfield who will be transferring there from Cal State Bakersfield . She's of mixed race, Chinese Immigrant mother, Italian -American father. One of the reasons she was so pumped up about UC Berkeley was that she believed that it was still the UC Berkeley of radical yore ! It ain't ! She was amazed that while discussing politics , social attitutes , etc. especially with Asian students , how reactionary many were. She was wearing a Teamster sweatshirt that her Dad had gave her . A group of Korean -American students snickered at that and one exclaimed '' You're pro-Union? Oh how retro ! '' A couple of Chinese-American students staffing a student org. table told her '' Of Course we back the President and Senator McCain ''.
There was a International Socialists table with a couple of students gathered around . When my niece walked by there with a group that were showing her and other Fall students around the campus , they commented how that they (the incoming students ) shouldn't think badly of UC because of a few ''radical scumbags '' like the International Socialists .(this '' Welcoming committee '' was comprised of two Asians , One Latina, and One white student . All concurred with that statement . ) The incoming students didn't though . One woman from Boise Idaho said that she thought that the presence of the International Socialists was ''interesting '' and thought it was a good thing . So did a guy that was about to be discharged from the Coast Guard . He said that it would be a relief to hear something other than '' right wing monolethic shit '' that he's was swamped with in the Coast Guard. Anyway my point is that race and nationality doesn''t always determine politics .

When it's done for an anti-war march or Critical Mass, it's taking the streets and asserting your rights, but when it's done by a group you disagree with it's disrupting traffic?


*ROTFLMAO*...thank you, I needed a good laugh today.

disrupting traffic is not a necessarily bad thing. Critical Mass is supposed to disrupt traffic and I think that is a good thing. You are adding the negative spin to it. Protests that take to the streets, like the M19 protests were supposed to halt traffic and pretty much everything else in the city and that is what these posts said. Stop trying to hijack this website and read other posts on this website before passing judgement. Their constant updates on the protests in SF on M19 made it clear that Market St. was closed off numerous times because of the protests... The problem with these protestors is that they are protesting city actions when they are not part of the city. If it was a state or federal issue then it would be different. I don't go to Fremont and protest the usage of motorcycles and attempt to ban motorcycles for their excessive pollution, but you enter Berkeley to protest the attempts to remove military recruiters from the city. Removing military recruiters does more than just remove these people who lie to kids to get them to join, but it also removes murderer (also rapists and torturers and people who have ruined millions of lives) known as OUR MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN from entering into Iraq and other countries...

You've complained that "The problem with these protestors is that they are protesting city actions when they are not part of the city.".

Well, then you understand exactly how I feel about a bunch of people who aren't part of my city coming to my city to occupy trees.

Fair deal? I'll ask the motorcycles to leave, you ask the tree sitters to leave?

ah ...what is the point of "blocking" the street to "support" the war machine. Every day on every street, business as usual supports the war machine.

Likewise the environment is under constant attack to label people who aim to protect it in a literal sense as outsiders is a) not entirely accurate and b) extraordinarily hypocritical when you consider the nature of interconnected environmental systems and the massive environmental destruction taking place in other peoples homes to sustain "our city" and current way of life.

Tree sitting means different things to different people.. but for many its about a environmentally sustainable future in the local environment that we are most connected to. People work towards a sustainable future lots of different ways. Tactically its not my approach but I support those who are fighting for our common goal with non-violent direct action. We need lots of activity on lots of fronts if the is any hope for global survival.

"extraordinarily hypocritical when you consider the nature of interconnected environmental systems".

That was essentially my point to the premise that the military protesters, pro or con, are out of bounds because they came from a different city. It's a ridiculous premise. I used the tree sitters as an ironic example to highlight that fact. If one followed that theory that "1" offered, that only locals get to argue/protest about local issues, then one could argue that nobody should have gone to Jenna to protest the racist treatment that occurred there. The list of alternate absurd examples goes on and on.

Regardless of which side of the issue (war, environment, the list goes on), the issues are interconnected and resonate in all of our towns. As such, all should have the right to voice their opinion. In this instance, the pro-military protesters had theirs. I personaly found it jingoistic to call them 'pro-war" and complain that they were "blocking the street".

Personally, I consider the entire Bay area to be one city.
Everything is interconnected.

Looks like those bikers are declaring they are pro-vets. You equate that with pro-war?
Interestingly enough, when asked about Code Pink, one of the bikers says Code Pink has a right to voice their opinion. Too bad they aren't accorded the same sentiment.