CALL TO ACTION - Stand by our Marines in Berkeley!

This is a February 2nd press release from Move America Forward:

BERKELEY – Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates, convicted of stealing 1,000 free newspapers from the Daily Californian newsstands in 2002, is at it again.

The Mayor is attempting to steal the free speech rights of the United States Marine Corps by harassing the recruiting center into abandoning its lease.

Move America Forward has launched a petition drive denouncing the Mayor and the Council, while demanding an apology to the USMC at its website www.moveamericaforward.com .

The response was so overwhelming it crashed the site within minutes after launching, fueled by intense coverage from bloggers, talk radio, Internet, television reports and pro-troops organizations like the American Legion and Vets for Freedom.

Move America Forward plans to deliver the protest petitions at the Berkeley City Council’s next regularly scheduled meeting on February 12th.

“We are looking at all options to stop Berkeley from issuing gifts of public funds, such as free parking spaces, and violating the Constitution,” said Catherine Moy, Executive Director of Move America Forward. “We have contacted all branches of our government to redress these issues, and will explore all legal, legislative and executive avenues to stop the injustice perpetrated by the Berkeley City Council.”

A national backlash erupted last week over Berkeley’s attack on Marines. Mayor Tom Bates was forced to reconsider resolutions telling America’s heroes they are “intruders.”

While Bates’ rhetoric may have cooled, his actions and that of the treasonous Berkeley City Council are heating up.

Bates has taken a further steps to shutter the doors of the Marine’s recruiting station.

Bates told the Contra Costa Times that he would broker a deal to release the Marine’s from their building lease. But the Marines said they will stay.

“Mayor Bates, in his arrogance, has crossed the line by trying to steal the Marine’s First Amendment Rights, and we will not stand for this treasonous behavior. His stunning offer to “broker a deal” to release the Marine’s from its building lease shows the depth of his contempt for our military men and women,” said Melanie Morgan, chairman of Move America Forward. “Our group will stand with the Marines until their attackers stop.”

The Berkeley council on Tuesday passed two resolutions condemning the Marines as part of a campaign by anti-war activists to shut down the recruiting center. The council also gave Code Pink, a leftist group that daily harasses the Marines with hate speech, a free parking place and noise permit.

Move America Forward (Move America Forward), initiated a campaign for people to call and email the rogue City Council. Thousands of e-mails, calls and letters of denunciation have poured into the offices of Bates and other council members who support the efforts to drive the USMC out of town.

Move America Forward applauds the proposed legislation by U.S. Senator Jim DeMint to strip Berkeley of all pork barrel spending, amounting to $2.1 million dollars.

A companion bill in Congress is now being prepared to do the same.

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From Mary Pearson, of Move America Forward, here is an action checklist, if you would like to help the Marines:

Here is an ACTION checklist to help you show your support for our Troops!

• Go to our website www.moveamericaforward.org and SIGN THE PETITION to send a message back to the Berkeley City Council! For a direct link click HERE
• Contact the Berkeley mayor and city council by clicking HERE. Voice your disapproval of their actions against our Troops!
• Call or E-mail your Senators and Congressman or Congresswoman. Click HERE, input your zip code and e-mail your legislators, telling them to:

“Please support Senator Jim DeMint’s legislation to censure Berkeley by withdrawing pork barrel spending from their city due to their grievous error in judgment by condemning the U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting Station there and giving favor to the radical anti-American group Code Pink.”

• Contact your local media; TV, radio talk shows, newspapers, blogs, and clubs, churches and synagogues, businesses and work places and urge them to support our Troops by signing our petition.
• Join Move America Forward as we take the fight to the City Council at their next scheduled meeting:

FEBRUARY 12th AT 7:00 PM.
2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Berkeley, Calif.

• GET THERE EARLY – BY 5 PM – TO RALLY OUTSIDE THE BUILDING AND TO ENSURE YOU HAVE A SEAT AT THE MEETING! BRING FLAGS AND SIGNS, WEAR THE COLORS!