Oliver North speaks to Liberty University students

Lt. Col. Oliver North, USMC (Ret), addressed Wednesday’s Convocation gathering.... (photo, continue reading here)

Thank our military ... random acts of kindness

Nate Salatin and his fellow Marines in Iraq ... 2009.

Our military men and women so so much to protect our freedoms and keep us safe.

Yesterday I met a friend for lunch at Texas Steakhouse in Staunton. He's former military, a cop, and someone who shares an interest in politics, and we often meet for lunch to discuss the news and what's going on locally. I complimented him on his "Miss me yet?" t-shirt featuring a photo of former President George W. Bush.

As we sat and talked, a young soldier walked in, was seated at a nearby table, and ordered his lunch. My friend stopped our waitress and said, "I'll pick up that soldier's tab."

Other friends have done the same over the years as a small token of gratitude for the sacrifice and gratefulness of our military members. It's a big change from the 1960s and early 1970s during the Vietnam War when soldiers were not treated well in this country.

The American military ... we thank them for their service.

VA & Maine decline to join 48 others in Westboro church lawsuit

As a Virginian, this is surprising and disappointing. In the past, I have written in support of the Marine father who initiated this lawsuit.

Thank you

On a quiet knoll in southern Augusta County, a simple memorial, a remembrance every day of the sacrifice given for our country. Semper Fi.

Photo by Lynn Mitchell
31 May 2010

Slain Marine's father ordered to pay legal fees for hate mongers

Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, USMC, was killed in 2006 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. His family grieved ... a nation grieved.

Enter Westboro "Baptist" Church out of Topeka, Kansas. I put quotes around "Baptist" because there's nothing Baptist about this group of hate mongers who trail behind military funerals throughout the nation, brandishing signs that say things like, "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" and "Thank God for IEDs."

Michael Reagan has written about how the father of Lance Cpl. Snyder took this group to court to try and stop their shameful demonstrating at military funerals, how he won, and how the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the finding saying it infringed on Westboro's First Amendment rights. What is worse, the court has ordered Mr. Snyder to pay Westboro's $16,000 in legal fees. But what of the First Amendment rights? Michael Reagan wrote:

... I do not believe that these rights are unlimited, without regard to our basic humanity. I do not believe that they allow free Americans to cross the bounds of decency while intruding on the privacy of fellow citizens. In short, I don’t believe that our Constitution affords disturbed protesters the right to interfere with a peaceful memorial service for a fallen Marine. I can only hope and pray that the Supreme Court will agree and rule in favor of Mr. Snyder.

Others are outraged by this story and stepping in to help. Bill O'Reilly of Fox News has offered to pay Mr. Snyder's outstanding legal fees ... and the Patriot Guard Riders, those strong patriots on motorcycles who stand guard at military funerals, have stepped in:

They are motorcycle riders from across America whose main mission is, if invited by the grieving families, to attend the funerals of our service men and women and provide an escort for the fallen military member and their family, so as to ensure that no protests or demonstrations can disrupt the services. These are men and women who simply recognized that groups such as Westboro were hurting families at a time when they were most vulnerable and grieving. I ask each of you to visit the Patriot Guard’s website and join their ranks. You need not own a motorcycle or even have ridden one in the past. Rather, they proudly state that their only prerequisite to membership is “respect.”

The Patriot Guard Riders have stood guard at military funerals in Augusta County. They are good people.

In memory

In memory of Lance Corporal Jason Redifer, 19, USMC ... First Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Alpha Company ... from Augusta County, Virginia, who was killed in action in Iraq five years ago today, January 31, 2005. Semper Fi.

"For those who have fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know."

A Marine remembers ... "Burial at Sea"

If you have a love and respect for our American troops and if you appreciate the work they do and the role they play in our safety as a nation, you will want to read Lt. Col. (Ret) George Goodson's remembrances from The Sandgram of the young men who pay the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

God bless them. Semper Fi.

H/T to Mike

American flag over Ramadi, Iraq ... 9/11/09

American flag flies over Ramadi, Iraq, on 9/11/09.

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM
09.1

This flag was flown 11 September 2009 next to the Task Force 2/23 sign on-board Camp Ramadi, Iraq, in direct support of

Operation Iraqi Freedom
2D Battalion, 23D Marine Regiment, RCT-6

Presented to
The Mitchell Family
for your dedication and support

[signed]
Lt. Col. Joseph A. Cabell, USMC, Battalion Commander
Sgt. Maj. Dennis R. Simons, USMC, Battalion Sergeant Major
1st Lt. Robert J. Jones, USMC, H&S Company Commander
1st Sgt. Patrick F. Llamas, USMC, H&S Company 1st Sgt.

The mailbox brought a special surprise Wednesday in a Priority Mail bag with the return address from Cpl. Nate Salatin in Iraq. He had sent an American flag that had flown over the USMC camp in Ramadi, Iraq ... but the extra special part was that it had flown on 9/11.

Nate knows what an impact 9/11 made on my family.

A certificate was included verifying the flag's authenticity, and included was a note from Nate dated 15 Sept 2009:

Dear Mitchells,

This flag flew over Camp Ramadi, Iraq, on Sept. 11th, 2009. I thought it might be a special way to thank ya'll for the letters, packages, and loving support that you have always given to me.

Thank you.

Love,
Nate

He added that he had a photo of the flag flying that he would pass along once he knew we had received the flag. That will be special, too.

Meanwhile, Nate and thousands of other American military members are on the front lines protecting our freedoms and keeping us safe so that we can go about our lives. Thank God for our American heroes and their families. God bless Nate ... Semper Fi.

UPDATE: The photo of the American flag flying over Iraq has been received from Nate (see top picture) and we thank this young hero.

Nate Salatin (right) of Augusta County.

Originally posted September 24, 2009 ... "Surprise gift from Iraq ... 9/11 American flag. Also ... "Back from Iraq ... welcome home, Nate!"

Surprise gift from Iraq ... 9/11 American flag

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM
09.1

This flag was flown 11 September 2009 next to the Task Force 2/23 sign on-board Camp Ramadi, Iraq, in direct support of

Operation Iraqi Freedom
2D Battalion, 23D Marine Regiment, RCT-6

Presented to
The Mitchell Family
for your dedication and support

[signed]
Lt. Col. Joseph A. Cabell, USMC, Battalion Commander
Sgt. Maj. Dennis R. Simons, USMC, Battalion Sergeant Major
1st Lt. Robert J. Jones, USMC, H&S Company Commander
1st Sgt. Patrick F. Llamas, USMC, H&S Company 1st Sgt.

The mailbox brought a special surprise Wednesday in a Priority Mail bag with the return address from Cpl. Nate Salatin in Iraq. He had sent an American flag that had flown over the USMC camp in Ramadi, Iraq ... but the extra special part was that it had flown on 9/11.

Nate knows what an impact 9/11 made on my family.

A certificate was included verifying the flag's authenticity, and included was a note from Nate dated 15 Sept 2009:

Dear Mitchells,

This flag flew over Camp Ramadi, Iraq, on Sept. 11th, 2009. I thought it might be a special way to thank ya'll for the letters, packages, and loving support that you have always given to me.

Thank you.

Love,
Nate

He added that he had a photo of the flag flying that he would pass along once he knew we had received the flag. That will be special, too.

Meanwhile, Nate and thousands of other American military members are on the front lines protecting our freedoms and keeping us safe so that we can go about our lives. Thank God for our American heroes and their families. God bless Nate ... Semper Fi.

Nate Salatin (right) of Augusta County.

Nate in Iraq ... Semper Fi

Cpl. Nate Salatin, USMC (right) from Augusta County ... home school graduate ... a special young man. He is now on his second deployment in Operation Iraqi Freedom which has twice interrupted his schooling at Virginia Military Institute.

Notice "The Culpeper Minute Men 'Don't Tread On Me' " flag in the living quarters.

At work in the Iraqi desert....

Sleep comes when they find a place and opportunity. Nate is on the roof.

This is one reason why they are there. Nate has been mailed soccer balls and other goodies to share with local children.

After a dust storm....

VMI sent a banner signed by Nate's classmates.

There he is at the top of this formation.

The smiling Marine in the middle front is Nate. Notice the terrain behind them.

In full battle gear ... these are the guys who watch his back and he watches theirs. Nate is on the left.

Cold weather gear. Notice the sunrise behind them.

Nate. Anyone who reads this blog knows him through my writings the past three years. He came into our lives when he was 11 years old, the second of four children in a missionary family, born in Indonesia but back in the States at that young age as his family settled on his father's family farm in Augusta County.

His family was part of our home school group, and Nate soon became a familiar face around our house as the home schoolers often gathered for cookouts, bonfires, Capture the Flag, soccer, and badminton. I called him "Crash-and-Burn" because he went at everything wide open ... and if anyone bit the dirt, it was Nate. But he was always back up and going again ... if we noticed a limp or bruise, he shrugged it off as nothing to worry about.

A young man with goals, he decided early he wanted to be a Marine. "A country worth fighting for ... a wife worth living for," is what he told me ... such grown-up words for someone so young. Now 24, he has fought for this country in two deployments to Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom, our war on terrorism. It is because of Nate and thousands of others like him that we enjoy the freedoms here at home to continue our lives uninterrupted while their lives are put on hold for them to go to war.

The first time Nate deployed, I wasn't sure how war would affect him. But his eyes still laughed when he came home ... wiser and maybe a bit more of a risk taker, I was grateful to see he still had that Nate grin. At the time I wrote:

Nate's eyes still laugh. I was worried that war would wear away at the young man I had known since he was a boy and that he would return from Iraq somehow older, somehow wearier, somehow not Nate. And while battle a half-world away can't help but leave an impression on those who serve, and it certainly leaves them wiser, it didn't scar him ...

... because Nate's eyes still laugh.

As he sits in my living room or in the back yard talking ... as he does back flips off the diving board, gathers his fellow home school friends for a volleyball game, or canoes with those same friends on the Shenandoah River ... he's still the Nate we love. He jokes, tells war stories, and warmly remembers his Marine buddies ... those guys he depended on to watch his back in life-and-death situations. And somehow you know he's leveling with you and, at the same time, protecting you.

And he shared with us his feeling that, yes, the U.S. needed to be in Iraq and had been good for the country.

This time he has been part of the American forces leaving Iraq, cleaning up, tearing down, whatever is included in leaving the country in the hands of those who live there.

He is scheduled to be home by Thanksgiving. We can't wait. Meanwhile ... be safe out there ... God bless ... we love you. Semper Fi.

Previous posts about Nate:
- Heard from Nate on Easter Sunday
- Thinking of Nate ... and reflecting on Cindy Sheehan's protest of the war
- Nate ... at home this Christmas
- Salatin family watches Staunton 4th of July parade 2008
- Godspeed, Nate ... back to Iraq
- Congrats, Nate ... promoted to Corporal USMC
- 4th of July 2009 ... a Marine in Iraq: "Freedom Is Not Free"
- Birthday greetings sent to Iraq 2009
- Other posts about Nate: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here.

Photos from Nate
Iraq 2009

AP published photo of dying Marine against family's wishes

What is it with some in the mainstream media? Do they not understand they are Amerians first and reporters second? What about the decency of being fellow human beings ... what about the decency of respecting the wishes of a deceased Marine's family?

USMC Lance Cpl. Joshua Bernard, 21, was mortally wounded by a grenade in Afghanistan on August 14. An embedded Associated Press photographer -- a woman -- snapped photos of the dying Marine as fellow Marines tried to save his life.

When the family of Lance Cpl. Bernard became aware of the photo, they asked -- twice -- that it not be published. Defense Secretary Robert Gates asked that it not be published and followed up with a phone call ... all to no avail:

Gates wrote a strongly worded letter to AP President and CEO Tom Curley on Thursday, saying it was a matter of "judgment and common decency" not to use the photo. A Pentagon spokesman said Gates followed up with a phone call "begging" Curley not to use it.

The AP decided to publish it anyway. Why? From the Washington Examiner:

[AP photographer] Julie Jacobson had been embedded with the unit and had photographed the Marines, including Lance Cpl. Bernard immediately prior to the ambush. She had also kept a journal in which she had described the attack and the care the other Marines had provided.

Describing her decision to publish the image to the St. Petersburg Times Julie Jacobsen stated,”To ignore a moment like that simply ... would have been wrong. I was recording his impending death, just as I had recorded his life moments before walking the point in the bazaar," she said. "Death is a part of life and most certainly a part of war. Isn't that why we're here? To document for now and for history the events of this war?”

I dare say Ms. Jacobsen is not a mother. I almost question whether she is a human being after such a blatant comment. A heart of stone would be needed to ignore the wishes of a young man's parents.

Secretary Gates wrote that "use of the photo of a wounded Bernard would mark an "unconscionable departure" from the restraint that most journalists have shown in covering the military since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks." When the AP still published the photo, he followed up:

"Why your organization would purposely defy the family's wishes knowing full well that it will lead to yet more anguish is beyond me," Gates wrote. "Your lack of compassion and common sense in choosing to put this image of their maimed and stricken child on the front page of multiple newspapers is appalling."

I also would dare say the MSM is trying to recreate the Vietnam war by playing on the emotions of the American public ... at the expense of the very families who have made the biggest sacrifice in the ongoing war on terrorism.

The AP's director of photography, Santiago Lyon, put out a statement defending the decision:

AP journalists document world events every day. Afghanistan is no exception. We feel it is our journalistic duty to show the reality of the war there, however unpleasant and brutal that sometimes is.

Against the wishes of the family? It makes no sense.

Did they bother to talk with the parents and learn about the young man they were about to exploit?

Lance Cpl. Bernard's father John was on Fox and Friends Monday morning where the Marine veteran emphasized that the family did not want that photo of his son published, and then described a gentle young man who went to war.

He also emphasized that the Rules of Engagement -- ROE -- need to be changed. With no time to explain, I would guess he is talking about the fact that political correctness has followed our military into war and, as a result, soldiers and Marines are dying because of it.

Here's an idea: send those who make the rules into combat zones and see if they still feel the same.

Perhaps the headline of the story should be, "Change the Rules of Engagement ... military dying because of them."

America is at WAR ... we are not on a cake walk. Our military is putting itself in harm's way and politicians are tying their hands. August was the deadliest month in the ongoing war on terrorism ... this under Barack Obama and the Democrats' watch.

On Fox and Friends, a composed yet grieving father talked with affection about his son whom he described as a Christian first who was devoted to family and country, and was kind to a fault. He became a Marine at the age of 18 but continued to "walk the walk," held in high esteem by his fellow Marines who called him "holy man" and considered him their religious leader because of his quiet yet strong faith.

American first ... reporter second. Are the MSM more interested in getting the sensationalism ... "If it bleeds, it leads" ... or following an agenda ... or will they show they care about America and her citizens? The AP appears to have given its answer.

Meanwhile, an American hero's family mourns, that sadness intensified by the actions of the media.

Our prayers and gratitude go out to the Bernard family for their extreme sacrifice in the war on terrorism and the fight to preserve the freedoms we enjoy here in this country. May God bless and watch over them.

Semper Fi.

Birthday greetings sent to Iraq

Nate with his cat "Moophie" after returning from first
deployment to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

We all send birthday greetings to Cpl. Nate Salatin, USMC, who celebrated his 24th birthday in Iraq during his second deployment with the Marines. He shares his July 31 birthday with SWAC Husband.

Nate wrote on his Facebook page:

"Nate Salatin got to see the Iraqi sunrise while driving to Ramadi (home) for his birthday. haha Thanks for ALL of the birthday wishes!!!!! Now for some sleep....

Here's wishing him best birthday wishes ... be safe out there.

Photo by Heidi Salatin
2007

Congrats, Nate ... promoted to Corporal USMC

Lance Cpl. Nate Salatin, USMC
Augusta County, Virginia
Holding "Welcome Home" sign upon his return from Iraq in 2007.

Congratulations to Cpl. Nate Salatin who has received his promotion to Corporal. On leave from Virginia Military Institute for the second time, Nate is currently training in California and will be deploying back to Iraq for his second tour of duty.

I know I speak on behalf of the home school community in the Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County area when I say, "Congrats, Nate ... and thank you for your service."

Godspeed, Nate ... back to Iraq

Lance Cpl. Nate Salatin, USMC

He is deploying for his second tour of duty in Iraq Monday morning. Lance Cpl. Nate Salatin (soon to be Corporal) of Augusta County is heading out again to serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He was home from training for the Thanksgiving weekend and spent much time with family and friends including a bruising but fun volleyball evening with many of the young people from the home schooling community in the SWAC area. It was an opportunity for this home school graduate to get together with his friends one last time for a while....

Godspeed, Nate. We love you ... we will miss you ... and will keep you in our prayers. And though you don't think you're a hero, we do ... and we thank you for your part in protecting our freedoms and keeping us safe from terrorism.

Semper Fi.

Troop reductions in Iraq ... Marines diverted to Afghanistan

Lance Cpl. Nate Salatin, USMC, has been notified his unit is deploying in November but I now wonder if he will be going to Afghanistan. He was in Iraq in 2006-07.

President Bush announced in a live news conference on Fox News Tuesday morning that he would divert Marines to Afghanistan in November.

According to Fox News:

President Bush announced Tuesday that the Marine battalion that had been scheduled to deploy to Iraq in November will instead go to Afghanistan instead of Iraq.

The battalion, roughly 1,000 Marines, will be followed in January by an Army combat brigade. A brigade is 3,500-4,000 troops.

The president said he also plans to order 8,000 more combat and support troops out of Iraq by February, but plans to keep the bulk of U.S. force strength in Iraq largely intact until the next president takes over. No more combat brigades will come home from Iraq for the rest of this year.

Bush said the mission of the forces headed to Afghanistan will be to work with "Afghan forces to provide security for the Afghan people, protect Afghanistan's infrastructure and democratic institutions and help insure access to services like education and health care.

Wherever he goes, our prayers will go with him.

Berkeley Marines and Congressman Bob Goodlatte

I wrote Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-6th Congressional District) to ask that he support HR 5222, the Semper Fi Act, to supporting cutting off federal funds to Berkeley, CA, and send them instead to the U.S. Marine Corps. I received the following letter from him today:

Dear Lynn:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the recent decision by the city of Berkeley, California to treat U.S. Marines with disrespect. I appreciate hearing from you, and I share your concern.

As you may know, on January 29, 2007, the Berkeley City Council approved motions to send a letter to the U.S. Marine Corps informing them that they are "unwelcome intruders" in the city of Berkeley, to give the anti-war group Code Pink a reserved parking space in front of the Marine Corps recruiting station in Berkeley, and waiving noise permit requirements for the group.

In response to the large national outcry that resulted from the Berkeley city council's actions, the council decided on February 13, 2008, not to send the letter to the Marine Corps. However, the measures passed accommodating the group Code Pink still stand.

To express my opposition to the city of Berkeley's disrespect, I joined 91 Members of Congress in cosponsoring H.R. 5222, the Semper Fi Act. This legislation would rescind funds appropriated for fiscal year 2008 for the City of Berkeley, California, and any entities located in the city, and to provide that these funds be transferred to the Marine Corps Operation and Maintenance account of the Department of Defense for the purposes of recruiting.

The Semper Fi Act was introduced on February 6, 2008, and was referred to the House Committee on Appropriations. No further action has taken place.

All Americans who are serving in the U.S. military took an oath to protect this country and the freedoms that we hold dear. As Americans we owe these dedicated men and women a debt of gratitude. Rest assured, I will continue to work to ensure that our armed forces remain the most effective and best equipped in the world and that our military personnel receive the level of compensation they deserve.

I appreciate you taking the time to contact me. I feel it is important to keep an open line of communication so I can best serve the interests of the 6th District. I hope you will continue to be in touch as the 110th Congress debates issues of importance to the United States.

Again, thanks for the benefit of your comments. Please feel free to contact me whenever I may be of assistance.

Sincerely,

Bob Goodlatte
Member of Congress

His support of our men and women in uniform is very much appreciated.

"Lance Cpl. Daniel Todd Morris Bridge" -- honoring a fallen hero

One year ago, on February 14, 2006, 19-year-old Lance Cpl. Daniel Todd Morris, USMC, was killed in the line of duty in Iraq.

Delegate Ben Cline has proposed HB 1555 to designate the bridge at Steeles Tavern across I-81 at Rt. 620 as the "Lance Corporal Daniel Todd Morris Bridge" to honor this Augusta County native who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country.

One year later, we have not forgotten ... Semper Fi.

More info is here.

Berkeley: Congressman Campbell (CA) acts to rescind federal $$ in USMC case

Congressman John Campbell (CA-48) has been lining up co-sponsors for his "Semper Fi Act." The “Semper Fi Act” rescinds all of the funding contained in the Omnibus Appropriations Act for the City of Berkeley, CA, and transfers those funds to the Marines. This is in response to Berkeley ’s City Council recent vote to tell the Marines to close their recruiting station in the city. With this vote, they told the Marines recruiting office is not welcome in our city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruder.

During the meeting, the City Council also voted to give protest group Code Pink a parking space in front of the recruiting office once a week for six months and a free sound permit for protesting once a week. According to the City Council agenda, they "encourage all people to avoid cooperation with the Marine Corps recruiting station, and applaud residents and organizations such as Code Pink, that may volunteer to impede, passively or actively, by nonviolent means, the work of any military recruiting office located in the City of Berkeley ."

Co-sponsors lined up so far are: Duncan Hunter (CA);John Carter (TX); Joe Wilson (SC); Doug Lamborn (CO); Michael Burgess (TX); John Kline (MN); Ted Poe (TX); Dana Rohrabacher (CA); Mike Rogers (MI); Paul Broun (GA); Darrell Issa (CA); Todd Tiahrt (KS); Jim Saxton (NJ); Dan Burton (IN); Mary Fallin (OK); Thaddeus McCotter (MI); Louis Gohmert (TX); Joe Pitts (PA); Wally Herger (CA) Tom Feeney (FL); Patrick McHenry (NC); Trent Franks (AZ).

Berkeley pro-troops rally needs you

There has been more fallout in Berkeley, California, after the City Council passed a resolution that called our troops "unwelcome intruders" and called upon residents to not cooperate with any military recruiting center in the city.

Anti-military protestors, feeling emboldened by the city's blessing, chained themselves in front of the Marine Recruiting Center and prevented people from entering the facility. The police stood by and did nothing - telling people that they were "trying to remain neutral."

See the video for yourself - HERE.

Photograph from San Francisco Chronicle.

Thousands of you have responded to our call to action and registered your protests with the city via emails, phone calls and petitions.

Now, as Michelle Malkin reports, city council members are indicating that they may rescind the resolution at their next City Council meeting that takes place this Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 7:00 PM.

Move America Forward has already announced our plans for a giant rally outside the City Council chambers at the February 12th Council Meeting. We need people there by 5:00 PM for the council meeting start time of 7:00 PM.

However, since the news media will likely be camped out throughout the day, we will have staff arriving in the morning, and are asking as many supporters as possible to join us for at least part of the day - so there are bodies there for the cameras. Our first Move America Forward staff members will arrive at 5:00 AM (yes, in the morning) - this is when the early morning news programs begin airing in San Francisco.

The City Council Chambers are located at 2134 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. It's right by Martin Luther King, Jr. Park. Here is a map of the location.

PROTEST OF BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL
* TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2008
* 2134 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. WAY - BERKELEY, CA
* Council Meeting Begins at 7:00 PM (We are asking people to be there early - if possible, start arriving by 5:00 PM)

** Also... If you can, please join us for our "picketing" of the City Council Chambers. We will be out there at 2134 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way beginning at 5:00 AM for the morning news. We will have a presence all throughout the day - the next newscasts are at 12:00 Noon, so we'll want a good size presence there as well. **

--From Move America Forward

Marines attacked in Berkeley, CA ... called "unwelcome intruders"

The City of Berkeley, California has passed two resolutions attacking the United States Marine Corps, calling the Marines, “uninvited and unwelcome intruders in the city.”

The Berkeley City Council voted to condemn the Marines on Tuesday night, January 29, 2008, as part of a campaign by anti-war activists to shut down a U.S. Marine Recruiting Center located in the city of Berkeley.

The votes by the Berkeley City Council were immediately condemned by Move America Forward, the nation’s largest grassroots pro-troop organization.

“It is disgraceful that in the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement, anti-military activists would attempt to silence the same military men and women who serve this country and give their lives to protect the free speech rights of all Americans, including these ungrateful and despicable people on the Berkeley City Council,” said Melanie Morgan, Chairman of Move America Forward.

The actions by the Berkeley City Council followed continuous protests by Code Pink and other anti-military organizations that vandalized and defaced the U.S. Marine Recruiting Center in September 2007.

One of the two resolutions passed by the Berkeley City Council last night granted a parking spot in front of the Marine Recruiting Center to be used by anti-military activists to harass Marine recruiters. The anti-military activists would not need to apply for a sound permit for the next six months – allowing them free reign to disrupt the day-to-day operations by the Marines.

Move America Forward organized a counter-protest in support of the Marines last October that attracted over 400 pro-troop supporters who stood in solidarity of the Marine Recruiting Center.

“We have hundreds of thousands of military men and women serving honorably overseas to protect our freedoms. Imagine how they feel when they go to turn on the news and see that they are being stabbed in the back by shameful people here at home, it’s disgraceful!” said Catherine Moy, Executive Director of Move America Forward.

--Press release from Move America Forward