February 12, 2008

Free speech yes, obstruction, no

Hundreds of demonstrators are expected in Berkeley tonight as the City Council reconsiders a resolution condemning the Marine Corps and asking the service to shut down its local recruiting station. As ground zero of the "free speech" movement, Berkeley is unlike to take back its harsh words. But the council would be wise to rescind the part of the its action that seeks to help the protest group Code Pink disrupt the recruiters' work. The government -- in this case the City Council -- ought not be using its police powers to help private groups shut down an otherwise law-abiding business. And here the Marines' recruiting office is essentially a business, renting space from a landlord in a private building.

Posted by dweintraub on February 12, 2008 7:02 AM