Mayor Finkbeiner tells the Marines to leave Toledo - Does not want them to learn the skills to save their lives - updated

Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.
-James Madison, Federalist No. 10, November 23, 1787

of his egomania and his complete lack of common sense and good judgement.

at the Recall! hahaha. Bet the wish they had signed now. Hey Tom...vindication comes when ya least expect it.

The mayor told the Marines to leave because the training exercise frightened residents.

But residents are frequently frightened about lots of things. Residents are not just frightened about things that are merely simulations, but other things which are indeed real.

Isn’t it ironic that the the mayor sprang into action based on calming residents’ illegitimate fear? It’s fear based on something which is pretend, yet the mayor fails to respond to residents who have legitimate reasons to be afraid based on reality.

Actually, some people WERE frightened last time they did this. A few years ago, I was going over to get a haircut and trying to dodge the soldiers roaming the streets when I saw an older, frail woman crossing the street. She looked absolutely bewildered and quite uneasy by all the guys running around with rifles. I went up and told her that it was just an exercise and not to be worried, that nothing had happened. So it does happen that people can be put off by this stuff. My question is, why can't they do this in Grand Rapids?

1. Carty should have let them stay.

2. The breakdown in communications between the police and the mayor's office on something of this nature is totally inexcuseable and someone's job should be in jeopardy.

3. "Toledo police issued a press release Tuesday to media outlets on behalf of the Marines that asked Toledoans not to be startled by the sight of camouflaged soldiers toting M16 rifles."
Did anyone hear about this on local television, radio or newspaper reports since the press release 72 hours before Marines were to begin exercises?

4. I realize, off topic, but: The Marines who fight bravely and have died fighting the terrorists on our behalf
If we're talking Afghanistan, OK, I'll buy this train of thought. It does not apply to Iraq, where there are indeed Marines fighting, but not terrorists, and certainly not on our behalf.

We should be proud that they would want to practice in our downtown. The skills that they are perfecting in the heart of our city may save their lives and the lives of others someday. Obviously there's a reason they picked downtown Toledo repeatedly. But f**k the military, right Pete? Let's hope they all get themselves killed, right?

the training exercises from I believe 2004. I was downtown at the time. It was...unnverving for me, probably downright frightening for others...because many people had no clue as to what was taking place and why.

There has to be a steady drumbeat of information about this beforehand. The police, mayor's office and local media have to all be involved and on the same page about letting residents know what the hell is going on.

Hmmm.... Isn't our beloved Brian Schwartz the city's Information Officer?.........

Who exactly is going to be frightened on the weekend in downtown Toledo in February ??

Must be all those people visiting COSI and the Erie Street Market.

from me, if the SysOp will allow deficit spending.

I agree with McCaskey. Finkbinder and TCC have reached a brand new low.

A communication breakdown between the City and Police was no reason to send the Marines home. The Marines had obviously done all that is required of them prior to the begining of the exercise. The Mayor should have taken issue with his Police/Fire Chief (maybe the duel roles are too much for Chief Navarre).

In response to Pete and McCaskey on people being frightened. People being scared is no reason to allow our Armed Forces to become lax in their training. Calming the populace could have been easily done by positioning a police officer at either end of the roadblocks to answer questions. And unlike many of the other times TPD is used as "security" the Marines generally compensate for the added cost as it can be included in their training budget.

Toledo should have been more accomodating to the Marines because as my father told me this morning "Toledo was listed as #3 on the likely terrorism target list last week. Who do they think would respond if it actually happened?"

Also Carty should have been more accomodating for the simple fact that this training was bringing federal non-aid money to the city. Am I the only one who thinks the mayor was stupid for the sheer fact that he turned away a temporary source of money for the city?

MikeyA

We are in red letters on Drudge now. It's going to spread like wildfire from there. (drudgereport.com)

since he had no way to tax the Marines, force them into a union or lock them in a hot SUV. That's why he asked them to leave.

made foxnews

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,330197,00.html

http://www.star-telegram.com/national_news/story/446347.html

Toledo's there...near the bottom of new cities mentioned. Far cry from 3rd, but it did make some list.

http://glasscityjungle.com/wordpress/?p=2520
about the list

we're in for quite a ride here

Yay! Now we are becoming the Florida of Fark. Actually some of the comments about Carty are pretty funny. Where is sub-commandante Bob when you need him?

Good to see Carty's erratic behavior cause something positive for our city this time.

This is a really good chance for Toledo to take a public stand against the US war machine, and a great example for other communities to follow.

How can the Mayor claim "communication breakdown" if, following a press release, the local news carried this information?

While secondary (or maybe not), where were those 200 Marines staying? Were they going to stay in local hotels and eat in local restaurants? Were they going to spend their money at local bars and strip clubs?

Thanks, Carty, you jackass!! I hope Brian Swartz comes back to the board to explain this crap. Think that will happen?!? Me, either!