Military Recruiters are Necessary
to Our Common Defense

by Kyle-Anne Shiver
AmericanThinker.com
February 29, 2008

"Providing for the common defense and securing the blessings of liberty aren't little governmental after-thoughts, nor do they come cheap.

As the popular t-shirt proclaims: "Freedom was never free."

We, as a people, expend billion of dollars every year on our common defense.

And a small percentage of our finest citizens give their very lives and limbs in the cause of securing the blessings of liberty.

But neither the sacrifices of our military men and women, nor the value of our hard-earned tax dollars seem to matter much to what seems to be a growing number on the home front.

Nor do they seem to matter much to our United States Congress, who see the genuine worth of investigating professional baseball players for possible steroid use, but have neither the time nor the inclination to do anything whatsoever to combat the growing wave of counter-recruitment activities.

We are only two months into the new year, and already a small wave of anti-defense agitators, sometimes with the willing abetment of local civil authorities, are hard at work undermining the Constitutionally supported military recruitment efforts of the People of the United States of America.

The first week of February, the Democrat Mayor of Toledo, Ohio refused the Marines the opportunity to do urban combat training in his city, telling his Chief of Police that he didn't want the Marines "playing war in his city."

That same week, the Berkeley City Council refused to apologize to our Marines for calling them "unwelcome intruders," and has continued their efforts to run the Proud and the Few out of town.

On February 15, a rowdy band of young hooligans, acting as part of the newly reincarnated SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) rushed a military recruiting center at 14th and L streets in our Nation's capitol, (while police reportedly watched) and utterly wrecked the office.

Several days later, in Minneapolis, a few 40-pound rocks were thrown through the windows at an army recruiting office, for the fourth time in 18 months.

So, who really is shredding the Constitution of the United States?

Those who actively defend our Constitution with their lives?

Or those who actively impede our national right to have a common defense?

Where, oh where, is the Congressional outrage?

When the Berkeley City Council first issued its letter of condemnation to our Marines, bidding them a rather premature farewell, Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) authored the Semper Fi bill to revoke $2.3 million worth of earmark spending for Berkeley pet projects. As of February 12, the bill had unanimous support by Republican Senators, but due to parliamentary machinations by Democrat Senators in control of the floor, an anonymous hold has been placed on the bill, and it may never again see the light of day.

Since our Democrat-controlled Congress seems to have little regard for its own duty ensure the legal and necessary recruitment activities for our common defense, that task is being picked up by citizen groups around the Country.

Move America Forward forces remain on the ground in Berkeley, doing the work our amply compensated civil authorities refuse to do.

Catherine Moy, Move America Forward's Executive Director, told me that they are in the process of using a California statute to file a formal grand jury complaint against the Berkeley City Council. This is the first step in forcing a criminal investigation into whether or not Berkeley has trampled the civil rights of Americans protesting the city's maltreatment of our Marine recruiters.

Part of the complaint is based on the fact that Berkeley has formally waived protest/demonstration fees for Code Pink, while refusing to do the same for Move America Forward.

Another effort, which may eventually accomplish what no other tool could, is a complete economic boycott being organized by the group Brigade-America, led by Brian Dennard. This group, according to Mr. Dennard, has already been contacted by numerous Fortune 500 companies and many other businesses who are enthusiastic about promising to cease any and all contracts for goods and services for the communities who dishonor our military and their recruiters.

Mr. Dennard stresses that this is an apolitical endeavor formed in the interest of all citizens, as an extension of our common defense. It is an affirmation that without our military and their recruiters, we will cease to have a force capable of defending our liberties and our Constitution.

The group, Brigade-America, also promises to highlight on its upcoming website all communities and locales who pass legislative proclamation in support of our military.

In my own humble opinion, whoever stands against our military, stands against the entire People of the United States of America and the Constitution upon which we stand.

It will be on their heads

Meanwhile our Congress has failed to pass the legislation that has been partly responsible for our homeland safety since 9/11, the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act. Not only that, but they have resurrected their efforts to precipitously withdraw our forces from Iraq, even though we are winning and decimating Al Qaeda Iraq.

Our military fights on without the support they deserve.

Our Congress has time and money to investigate baseball players and to fund every other cockamamie pet project under the sun.

They are living it up in the lap of tax-payer funded luxury, and seem to have completely forgotten their Constitutional duty to provide for our common defense, which includes defending military recruiters, in my opinion. And we citizens are left holding the bag once again.

Do the words, taxpayer revolt, ring a patriotic bell anywhere?

If a single act of terrorism occurs, if even a single American life is lost, while Congress fiddles on our dime, it will be on their heads, especially the Democrats who are the controlling majority.

Elections do indeed have consequences."

Kyle-Anne Shiver is a frequent contributor to American Thinker. She welcomes your comments.

We thank Ms. Shiver and American Thinker for permission to reprint this article for the benefit of our readers. We encourage you to explore the other insightful articles you'll find there.

Related pages:

The City Council in Berkeley, California, takes an anti-military stance.

Berkeley's Marine Corps Officer Selection Officer responds to Code Pink's claims, in the direct but respectful way one would expect from a Marine officer.

Berkeley Chamber of Commerce makes a Weak-Kneed Response to San Diego businessman Brian Dennard's economic boycott letter.

Berkeley Chamber of Commerce's response is off the mark.

Leave Berkeley to defend themselves.

Add your comments on Berkeley's anti-military stance, Code Pink, the Times Square recruiting office bombing, or the increasingly-vocal anti-military trend in America.

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