Berkely to treat Military recruit-stations like Pornstores

[Lonestar]

No answer as yet to what the Status of the National Guard will be in the event of a massive earthquake in the city

n response to a Marine Corps recruiting office established in Berkeley last year, local activists are trying to make it more difficult for future recruiting centers to open in the city.

If passed by a majority of Berkeley voters, a proposed initiative would require military recruiting offices and private military companies in Berkeley to first acquire a special use permit.

To obtain this permit, a business must hold public hearings and a public comment period.

If the initiative passes, recruitment offices could not be opened within 600 feet of residential districts, public parks, public health clinics, public libraries, schools or churches.

Currently, a recruiting office is held to the same standards as most other businesses, which do not require a public hearing or have limits on where offices can be established.

The author of the initiative, Berkeley-based lawyer Sharon Adams, modeled the initiative after current zoning law that restricts the location of adult-oriented businesses.

“In the same way that many communities limit the location of pornographic stores, that’s the same way we feel about the military recruiting stations,” said PhoeBe sorgen, an initiative proponent and a member of the city’s Peace and Justice Commission. “Teenagers that really want to find them will be able to seek them out and find them, but we don’t want them in our face.”

Berkeley Councilmember Dona Spring said she supports the wording of the initiative, but said she would prefer the issue be passed by council so it can be enacted faster rather than waiting for the initiative to be placed on the ballot in November.

“I think we should just go ahead and pass it,” she said. “We can’t take everything to the voters.”

[DinoDoc]

Do they turn down Federal money?

[Lonestar]

It's the City, not the University(UC Berkeley has some kickin' Rad National Lab contracts, so ROTC is not banned on that campus).

Of course, since the primary industry in the city is UC Berkeley, I suppose the argument could be made that "no, they do not turn downfederal money".

[Zkribbler]

I would imagine that the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution would trump any attempt by a local government to regulate the placement of military recruiting centers.

I don't see why a private military company would even attempt to recruit in Berkeley. That'd be like trying to fish in the middle of the Sahara Desert.

[DinoDoc]

Then they shouldn't be allowed to kick military recruiting stations out.

[Grandpa Troll]

Im a Veteran.

I also enjoy my freedoms earned by past,present and future Veterans standing in the Gap when called upon.

I see no basis for not allowing a recruitment office for U S Military Branches.

I could give a hoot either way for privately held companies, since thats another can of worms.

But, no one called me and asked for or against this, so my opinion really wouldnt be counted for.

Gramps

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Grandpa Troll
....
I see no basis for not allowing a recruitment office for U S Military Branches.
...

I believe Berkeley's "reasoning" must be something like:
If you get rid of military recruiting stations, you get rid of the military.
If you get rid of the military, you get rid of wars.

In other words, if Berkeley were any more to the left, it'd sink into the Pacific Ocean.

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by Zkribbler


I believe Berkeley's "reasoning" must be something like:
If you get rid of military recruiting stations, you get rid of the military.
If you get rid of the military, you get rid of wars.

In other words, if Berkeley were any more to the left, it'd sink into the Pacific Ocean.

i heat ya

thnkas

[Riesstiu IV]

WTF?! Our campus military recruiters never gave out free porn!

[Dinner]

There are all sorts of far out proposals which come out of Berkeley. The point is very, very few of them ever become law. Not that this fact deters right wing sites from trumping this stuff up pretending it is something big instead of just the fringe 5% getting something on a ballot with no chance of getting it passed.

[Kuciwalker]

I'm not sure how constitutional this would be. I'm thinking McCullock v. Maryland.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

So, wait: does that mean military recruitment centers are going to be full of skeevy guys in long coats leafing through magazines, or young guys cruising each other while keeping an eye out for the management?

[SlowwHand]

A city can't prohbit a VFW or an Ameican Legion. Certainly not a recruiting station. Berkley may mouth all this, but I think they're either posturing, or in for a rude awakening.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
A city can't prohbit a VFW or an Ameican Legion. Certainly not a recruiting station.

Why is that? Honest question.

[SlowwHand]

It's a right guaranteed to veterans. I never even knew about it until I helped form an American Legion post in a city that, for some reason, the mayor had a hard on about it.