Posted on 02/13/2008 8:21:10 PM PST by kellynla
TOLEDO, Ohio -- Turning away a squad of Marine Corps reservists planning a weekend of training downtown has put the city's mayor in the crossfire of veterans.
Even some supporters wonder what he was thinking.
Mayor Carty Finkbeiner told the Marines, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., to turn around when they hit town Friday, saying he didn't want them scaring unsuspecting visitors and office workers.
City Council members have sent an apology to the Marines, and the local visitors bureau offered the unit's 200 members a free hotel stay, restaurant gift certificates and a visit to the zoo.
"I'm shaking I'm so upset," said Ron Hernandez, a former Marine who served in Vietnam. "It's a slap in the face."
The mayor said he didn't mean to inconvenience the unit, which had to cancel the exercise and return home.
Yet Finkbeiner _ a three-term mayor whose history of gaffes includes considering moving deaf people near the airport to solve noise complaints _ said if the Marines try to come downtown, he'll close the door in their faces again.
The mayor said he didn't know the city's police department had approved the latest urban warfare training until a few hours before the Marines arrived. Police sent out a news release to the media three days before the Marines arrived, but no one had alerted business owners or residents downtown.
A similar training exercise two years ago caught people off guard when they saw soldiers in camouflage running down sidewalks, crouching behind buildings and aiming their weapons, Finkbeiner said.
Not everyone thinks his stand against the Marines' plan to simulate firefights and ambushes and fire blank ammunition downtown was a mistake.
"This isn't about being for or against our military," said Jan Moore, a lifelong resident. "This is about avoiding potential danger."
She and her husband were downtown three years ago during another training exercise when a soldier in fatigues sprinted past their car with his gun drawn. Other soldiers then surrounded a building, she said.
"We didn't know what the heck was going on," she said. "My mind was going crazy."
Five minutes of panic passed before they figured out the city wasn't under siege. "Our first thought wasn't that this was just training," she said.
Maj. Dan Whisnant, commander of 1st Battalion, 24th Marines, said the training is vital to his troops, who were deployed to Iraq twice in the past two years. They've trained in the city four times since 2004.
Finkbeiner's string of memorable missteps goes back to 1994 when he was first elected mayor of the state's fourth-largest city, whose most famous soldier _ Cpl. Max Klinger _ was portrayed by Toledo native Jamie Farr on television's "M-A-S-H."
Finkbeiner once settled a lawsuit against the city with a former employee who accused him of hitting her with a mug. He wound up offering a tearful apology on the misguided proposal to put deaf residents near the airport. And when he asked for a boycott of a pizza chain because he said it didn't support the city, stores responded by offering "Crazy Carty Bread."
The dustup with the Marines has had bloggers and talk show hosts nationwide ripping Finkbeiner, who insisted he's not unpatriotic and called anyone questioning his loyalty a "baboon." He also offered to allow the Marines to return for training, but not downtown.
None of that appeased veterans who flooded city offices with complaints, some saying they'd never set foot in the city again.
"The timing of this was horrible, to do it when they got here," said Jerry Knapp, a former Marine whose son is serving in Iraq.
Another former Marine, City Councilman D. Michael Collins, said the mayor's banishment of the troops has given the city "an image that is not accurate or fair."
Collins doesn't think Finkbeiner meant any disrespect toward the Marines. He said the city should have told downtown business owners and residents about the training and let it continue.
"The mayor was in a bad situation," Collins said. "He was surprised there was going to be a military operation."
Yeah...me..I heard it on 1370 Am new radio all day thursday and friday...
It wasnt a big goddamn secret...
The only mis-communication here is that the marines didnt get he message that they werent wanted back by carty after 2006....
This is well documented in several Toledo Blade articles and several of the local TV stations...
The current soft shoe is a total lie an an act...
I should know...I live here...
Anyone else in the country thinking of insulting our military will now likely think better of it.
I'm sure there's a lot of lib town fathers our there that were mighty surprised at the reaction these two towns got...
They likely won't be trying it.
Bet the code pinkos won't be as welcomed either. I'm sure they had visions of marching across the country with their traitorous, unwashed group -
fizzled on the vine.
Now the police dept of Berkeley need to be brought up on charges of allowing people to break the law by blocking access in/out of a public building and refusing to help law abiding citizens to gain access. -
Police around the country need a heads up too ...
Thank you for your thoughts. Your message will be conveyed to the Mayor. Attached is the Mayor's Statement to the Media and a statement from Lt. Colonel Piccoli, U.S. Marine Corps on this issue.
Statement from Mayor Carty Finkbeiner -Regarding U.S. Marine Corps.
February 10, 2008
Frank Szollosi can play politics with anything. It is what he does best. Today, I spoke with Major Jeff Brooks of the United States Marine Corps. I conveyed my sincere regret for the failure to communicate within the administration and any inconvenience that caused the U.S. Marine Corps.
I also conveyed, as my staff did on Friday, that we would make available abandoned buildings for Marine training outside of the CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT (CBD).
I concluded by reviewing my belief that the CBD, particularly on a weekday afternoon, was not available for military staging operations. 10,000 - 14,000 men and women would have been departing their offices in downtown Toledo on Friday afternoon with a major military training action unfolding - including the use of weapons being discharged with blanks.
My interest is not only in supporting the U.S. military wherever and whenever such support is sought, but also protecting the health, peace, and tranquility of Toledoans in every way possible.
For those who disagree with my priorities in terms of safeguarding Toledoans, we may disagree, but you have my respect.
Statement from Lt. Colonel Piccoli - U.S. Marine Corps
February 11, 2008
Although our planned training event for Company A, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment from Grand Rapids, Mich., did not occur over the weekend in the Central Business District of Toledo, Ohio, we greatly appreciate the commitment of the city leaders and the support of the citizens of Toledo to assist us with future training opportunities in the Toledo area.
As the Marine Corps has done in myriad cities in the past, which includes Columbia, S.C. (2003), New Orleans (2004), Savannah, Ga. (2005), and Hampton Roads, Va. (2006), we'll continue to work very closely with community leaders, law enforcement personnel, members of the media and private citizens to ensure our training does not adversely impact them. Such training, coupled with governmental and civic support, enables the U.S. Marine Corps to meet the country's expectations as the nation's premiere force in readiness.
The U.S. Marine Corps stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of Toledo as we move forward together well into the future.
and you'd think he would have handled it better. and you'd think either the marines or cops would have posted some signs or handed out fliers or gotten the word out to local newspapers or tv stations! anything!
Run for Mayor, will ya?
Slam!! Good one.
You point out a prime example. Boycotting gives the Democrats Power. This is why we are in the shape we’re in and I for one am tired of whiners who don’t take their rightful place in the process.
One person can make a different in each area. Get involved, start a voter registration drive, find voter guides online or have them made up and pass out to people.
Let people know they matter and every vote counts. Educate the people and let them know local and state politics “do matter”.
Wake Up America!
“She and her husband were downtown three years ago during another training exercise when a soldier in fatigues sprinted past their car with his gun drawn. Other soldiers then surrounded a building, she said.”
No disrespect intended towards soldiers, both my son and son-in-law are in the Army, but Marines are not soldiers
“Run for Mayor, will ya?”
I would..but I still inhale...
*grin*
Hahaha. Maybe your mayor should try this instead of other self medications that cause paranoia :)
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