http://www.qando.net/ - Berkeley: for every action...

People who are angry at city leaders for their anti-military stance are taking it out on businesses — canceling hotel rooms, restaurant reservations and theater tickets.

They are writing letters to the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce outlining their plans to boycott the city.

And they are steering clear of downtown shops because of the weekly anti-war protests that in recent weeks have become increasingly volatile.

So when government authorizes things like anti-war protests by giving the protesters a special parking place and free rein to do just about anything they want, other people notice and react. Wow ... what a surprise.

Suddenly the city council is learning what most folks learn at the age of 3 - actions have consequences.

"We're hearing of folks canceling reservations and canceling hotel rooms, and we know there is a direct correlation. How big, I don't know. We're in a tough economic period anyway," said Ted Garrett, chief executive officer of the chamber.

Garrett said the chamber has received an estimated 300 e-mails, letters and faxes from people upset about the council's action and its refusal to apologize.

"Folks are upset," he said. "Unfortunately, they are blaming the businesses."

No, they're not "blaming" business, they're demonstrating the fact that they're upset with a clueless city government the only way they can, by withholding their business. You know, voting with their dollars?

Deborah Badhia, executive director of the Downtown Business Association, said the fall-out and the protests have been a "hardship" on businesses.

"In spite of any political issues that are going on, we still want the public to know that they are welcome and invited in Berkeley," she said.

In my world, the Marines are a part of "the public". So until they are specifically made to feel welcome and invited again, I certainly won't ever darken the streets of Berekeley.

Ironic, isn't it? The left, who dearly loves boycotts, is now the subject of one because of both their actions and ideology.

So, how does it feel?

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Huh...

What a shame. :)

And I guess the phrase "Boycott Berkeley" means, to the city council, "Boycott Berkeley Businesses". Amazing.

Soon enough the council and the cops will have to get their act together, though I suspet it will take a lawsuit from someone who gets hurt by attacking Pinkos with a cop standing by doing nothing...

Written By: Scott Jacobs
URL: http://

In my world, the Marines are a part of "the public".

That’s the disconnect McQ. You think Marines are ’people’ and are part of the ’public’. Everyone at Berkley knows they are just mindless killing machines. You should wake up and smell the coffee.

/sarcasm! and it hurt to write it!

Written By: meagain
URL: http://

In my world, the Marines are a part of "the public".
That’s the disconnect McQ. You think Marines are ’people’ and are part of the ’public’. Everyone at Berkley knows they are just mindless killing machines.

As mindless and dangerous as Cylons, but not as cute...as a tie-in to the thread below.

Written By: Joe
URL: http://

Joe is right, In Lefty land, there are no independent thinkers because all thought has been chosen for you, there is no need for defense because there are no more enemies, there is no need for commerce, usury, and filthy lucre, because the all loving all knowing government will meet your needs.

This is what happens when left wingers gain too much power in a location for too long. Reality is not a part of their vocabulary.

Written By: kyleN
URL: http://impudent.blognation.us/blog

I don’t disagree with any of the conclusions, except this seems a bit upside down...

Ironic, isn’t it? The left, who dearly loves boycotts, is now the subject of one because of both their actions and ideology.

I seem to recall the widely publicized national boycotts being conservative led nonsense, like the Dixie Chicks boycott, Disney boycott, French boycott, Ford boycott, the dozen or so boycotts suggested by Bill O’Reilly, boycotts against the movies of Sean Penn, Alec Baldwin, Tim Robbins, etc...

Written By: Captin Sarcastic
URL: http://

Ah, then we all dearly love boycotts.

Written By: looker
URL: http://

Unless Berkeley is radically {snicker} different from other cities, McQ, the Chamber of Commerce is not part of city government, but is a private business organization.

So it’s unfair to say the City Council has learned that actions have consequences. I’m pretty sure the Chamber of Commerce, not being Leftist ideologue idiots, already knew that... and, sadly, that the Council’s posturing would only hurt businesses.

And these consequences will have sadly little effect on the City Council’s re-election prospects, is my guess.

Written By: Sigivald
URL: http://

Wal-mart can’t screw with small business owners by having a negative impact on their traffic, but the City Council?
No problem.

Written By: looker
URL: http://

Unless Berkeley is radically {snicker} different from other cities, McQ, the Chamber of Commerce is not part of city government, but is a private business organization.

Im not directing this at the CoC, Sigie, I’m directing it at the City Council. The CoC is merely reporting a result. I’m laying the blame for that result squarely where it belongs.

Written By: McQ
URL: http://www.qando.net

" seem to recall the widely publicized national boycotts being conservative led nonsense, "

Too young to remember Caesar Chavez and his grape boycott? That went on for years. How about boycotts of Israel, Rhodesia, South Africa, Nike shoes, fur, Canadian products because of seal hunting, Jesse Jackson’s various boycotts, boycotts of Laura Schlesinger’s advertisers, the Boycott Bush campaign (http://www.boycottbush.net/), WalMart, etc.

Written By: timactual
URL: http://

...I’m directing it at the City Council. The CoC is merely reporting a result.

It will be interesting to see if the CC realizes that it is from the CoC (and its community) that a good part of their ’operating’ funds come.

Written By: bains
URL: http://

Tim, you forgot the best Boycott ever - tuna.

Cause god forbid a dolphin die ever...

Written By: Scott Jacobs
URL: http://

"Tim, you forgot the best Boycott ever - tuna."

I couldn’t list them all. Even if I remembered all of them, bandwidth is limited. Furthermore, if a score of dolphins should perish so that I can continue eating tuna casseroles and tuna sandwhiches on rye with raw onion, pickle, lettuce and tomato, accompanied by an ice cold caffeine-free diet pepsi, then so be it. Speaking of lettuce, I believe there was also a boycott of that, too. Hail, Cesar!

Written By: timactual
URL: http://

So who started the Bezerkly boycott, and will we be (re)naming a street after him in Austin Texas any time soon?

Written By: looker
URL: http://

Only if they were an illegal immigrant...

Written By: Scott Jacobs
URL: http://

Oh, that is rich....Hoist, meet Petard! Hee-haw!!!!!

Written By: Unscripted Thoughts
URL: http://

I’m starving... I’d kill Flipper for a tuna sandwich

By the way, I appreciate that you assume that every boycott based on compassion for animals is a liberal boycott, but they’re not. There are a significant number of people who recognize that conservatives can be conservationists.

Besides, if you understand the symbiotic relationships between dolphin and tuna, you’d recognize that killing dolphins wholesale was going to make catching tuna much more difficult. You see, the best way to find a big school of tuna deep underwater is to find a big school of dolphin at the surface. The trick is to catch the tuna and leave the dolphin so they can go on to help locate other schools of tuna.

Written By: Captin Sarcastic
URL: http://

"Besides, if you understand the symbiotic relationships between dolphin and tuna, you’d recognize that killing dolphins wholesale was going to make catching tuna much more difficult."

So the tuna boycott was for the fishermen’s own good. How thoughtful. Those fishermen must be awfully dumb not to realize it would be more profitable to avoid killing dolphins.

Written By: timactual
URL: http://

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