Marine recruiters at Berkeley City in California are another casualty of the intimidation and militaristic tactics of anti-militarism groups like Code Pink, Peace and Justice, Coalition Against Militarism (CAMS), National Network Opposed to the Militarization of Youth (NNOMY), Courage to Resist, and Not My Child—to name only a few.

No anti-militarism group member thinks the Marines are “The few-the proud”—to the extreme contrary—they hold the Marines, and all military personnel and military branches, in the utmost contempt as Code Pink, and others at Berkeley petition the Berkeley City Council and persuaded them to condemn by vote (6-3) the Marines, saying they are “ …not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders.” The council also voted (7-2) to explore how it might charge the Marines, and the military, for its discrimination against homosexuals. The Council also encouraged Code Pink to protest in front of the Marine recruiting building. By a vote of 8-1 the Council granted Code Pink a parking space in front of the Marine’s building and a permit to protest there from noon to 4:00 p. m. one day a week. That could easily be extended to seven days a week.

The goal of Code Pink and the other groups is not tainting the Marines as virtual, mindless killing machines, but they seek by legal means to oust the Marines, and other military branches, from trespassing in Berkeley—the ultimate goal would be to have all military branches expunged from all educational institutions and public places, across the county.

Hey, it was Bill Clinton’s “Don’t ask—don’t tell” policy that was accepted, so why not rail against the Clintons—they are all over the country now—easy to find and chastise.

Recently, on January 24, three members of the Mount Mansfield Union (MMU) Peace Club underscored this by petitioning the MMU school board to ban military recruiters from the MMU campus—in direct violation of federal law found in the NCLB act of 2001 and the National Defense Act of 2002.

Here is a quote from the MMU Peace Club petition, “We directly oppose military recruitment at Mount Mansfield Union High School because of the military’s discriminatory policies (i.e. against gay and lesbian potential recruits and active duty soldier) and the myth (i.e. job transferability and tuition assistance) used by the military to recruit students.”

Furthermore, you may have read in the Burlington Free Press on December 1, 2007 where the MMU Peace Club allegedly planned the protest at the National Guard recruiting office in Williston and were joined by many members of anti-militarism groups. It seems no MMU students actually occupied the building and those arrested were from these other groups. The inference, and perhaps conclusion, is that MMU students were used as tools by these professional, non-profit groups who are united across this nation for social change. They believe by purging the military from the hearts and minds of our citizens, particularly the youth as they are the future, their goals can be achieved. It appears these anti-military groups hope an activist federal judge will rule the military is discriminatory and cannot be allowed in any public secondary school or college.

One member of the “Greatest Generation that saved the world” from Hitler, and who saved the lives of several of his fellow naval warriors in the Pacific, was John Fitzgerald Kennedy. As Commander in Chief he pledged to defend this nation, this democracy, from enemies from without and from within. He, and all presidents, held the members of the military in the highest esteem that he made clear with these words as he spoke to hundreds of Naval officers graduating from Naval Academy in Annapolis in June of 1961.

“You represent the American people and the best of the ideals of this free society. This nation salutes you as you commence your service to your country in the hazardous days ahead.”

Robert Skinner lives in Grand Isle, Vermont. His father and uncle are both WW II veterans.