My Home Town.... Berkeley, California.... Well, you sure can't say they're scared of a little controversy..

This was noted in The Guardian.co.uk, reported originally by the San Francisco Chronicle....

"The [Berkeley city] council is expected to vote Tuesday on whether to declare its support for Bradley Manning, who's suspected of providing WikiLeaks with classified military documents and a video depicting an Army helicopter attack in Baghdad in which 11 civilians were killed.

Manning, 22, currently in the brig in Quantico, Virginia, faces 52 years in prison if convicted. Manning has not commented on his guilt or innocence.

"If he did what he's accused of doing, he's a patriot and should get a medal," said Bob Meola, the Berkeley peace and justice commissioner who authored the resolution. "I think the war criminals should be the ones prosecuted, not the whistle-blowers."

[comment from MS, from here on]

I was a firefighter for the City of Berkeley for 29 years. I was also a firefighter's union negotiator in Berkeley. In my 29 years working there, I rarely agreed with the City Council on just about anything, but this time...... I'd say they might be right.