As six Republican senators devised a plan to yank $2.3 million in federal funding for Berkeley programs, the mayor of the famously liberal city apologized Wednesday for his hard stance against a Marine recruiting center. …
“That letter will probably be pulled back and maybe more moderate language will be put in place which is appropriate I think,” said Berkeley mayor Tom Bates. …
“Subtly stated in the resolution is perhaps an impugning of the soldiers fighting for us in Iraq and other places,” Berkeley City Councilman Laurie Capitelli. “And that was never the intention but that really needs to be cleared up. As I walked to my car that night I realized I regretted it and I had made a mistake.” …
“There’s really no correlation between federal funds for schools, water ferries and police communications systems and the council’s actions, for God’s sake,” said Bates, a retired U.S. Army captain. “We apologize for any offense to any families of anyone who may serve in Iraq. We want them to come home and be safe at home.”
Bates thinks that his city should be able to have consequences-free little morality plays on their city streets? What a shock! I mean, what good is it sticking it to "the man" if the man won't keep sending the checks? But all it was intended to be was a cost-free stunt and once it looked like they'd have to put their money where their mouth is, they ran away. And they tried to weasel their way out of what they had done by putting it down to a "Subtle" put down of our troops defending us. The subtle nature of the Code Pink hags escaped me.
Truly, it is sad when the Berkeley politicians aren't willing to sacrifice for their cause. They are now a part of the Coalition of the Bribed.
