Throughout all of the heated debate about the war and the bush presidency we never heard of dissenters bringing guns to rallies or town hall meetings. Now in the past few days there have been several incidents of "dissenters" carrying weapons to Town Halls. I fear that we are heading to a confrontation that will be tragic. some thoughts from TPM and others-- 1, 2 ... With the rash of people bringing firearms to health care town halls, I'm starting to wonder whether folks on the right are under the impression that there's some sort of transitive property of amendments -- like First, gives right to free speech and redress of grievances and second, gives right to bear arms, which equals the new virtual amendment "(1+2)" which is the right to armed free speech and redress of grievances. Or maybe it's just that the first and second amendments are right next to each other in order so they're supposed to blend together. I'm all against handpicked town halls and loyalty oaths at the gate, but I feel like maybe we can get a no fire arms at town halls movement going? Grassroots and everything ... --Josh Marshall and this... News Release Use Common Sense: Keep Guns Out Of Town Hall Debates, Away From Presidential Speaking Events "Let's be clear: it is dangerous to allow the carrying of loaded handguns to the 'town hall' meetings hosting heated discussions about health care and other issues around the country. Except for trained law enforcement, it is unthinkable to allow people with loaded guns near the President of the United States. "We should decide contentious public issues with ballots, not bullets. The 'any gun, any where, any time' mentality of a few must give way to common sense before innocent people get hurt."
I'm more than a little tired of this, especially from the same group of people famously angry about the "radical" elements of society and their supposed anti-american focus. Yeah, nothing says patriotism* like bringing guns to a presidential town hall. ***** patriotism.
no nukular options. <object width="640" height="505"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZYtUWWwpGSw&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZYtUWWwpGSw&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="505"></embed></object> how 'da worm doth turn.
While bringing guns to these events is obviously stupid, I hate the effort being made to paint the people at these meetings overall as morons/crazies. Lots of people are angry and adamantly opposed to the healthcare plan and/or are dissatisfied with the way they feel government is currently trying to ramrod things through.
transparency is not an option. reading the bill is not feasible. you will be assimilated. no justice, no peace. no woman, no cry.
Right right....they're just ordinary men in the street, who read through the 1000 page House bill (which they call "Obamacare" - despite the fact that it displays a basic ignorance of how our government functions....) and scream "get your government hands off our medicare" Yep....regular Mr. Smiths, all of them. What do you think the correlation between these people and birthers and tea partiers is? I'm going to guess very, very, very high.
When you act moronic and crazy, you'll be called moronic and crazy. And going to a town hall itching for a fight, getting in a senators face and yelling down any discussion at the top of your voice is not the behavior of a rational/intelligent human being. It's moronic and crazy. Read the bill, learn the facts (not the Fox News version, but the actual facts), listen to the speaker, ask tough questions. But be reasonable. Be part of the solution, not the problem. Fine. But that does NOT excuse the behavior of these dissenters.
Forgive me for not reading the links fully and not being up on the news, but are these people who are bringing guns people that don't normally carry guns? I mean, some people just carry guns wherever they go, right? So is this story about people who wouldn't otherwise bring a gun deciding that a town hall meeting couldn't be attended without proper equipment? (via the Brady Campaign link in the OP...) http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/obama-to-enter-town-hall-fray-2009-08-11.html [rquoter]In Memphis, Tenn., at a town hall meeting hosted by Rep. Steve Cohen (D) that was described as “tense” and “ugly” by the Memphis Commercial Appeal, one member of the audience was discovered with a firearm and escorted from the room. Police determined the man had a proper concealed weapons permit, and cooperated when asked to leave the weapon in his car.[/rquoter] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/11/protester-with-gun-found_n_256614.html [rquoter]It's legal for him to have the gun as long as it is unconcealed, the police told MSNBC. The man was on private property -- church ground on the roadway leading to the high school where Obama would speak. The church gave the man permission to be there.[/rquoter] Obviously it seems like a bad idea to have guns available in such tense and heated situations, but I'm not so sure these cases are all that extraordinary.
I don't know, but I don't see too many civilians walking around with a handgun strapped to the outside of their thigh like that guy in New Hampshire.
Yeah, the quotes were kind of one example of each. Still, there's a difference between isolated incidents and things going to the next level. From what I've seen it seems that these are a couple isolated incidents, which is to be expected given the ideology of the people involved (lots of gun rights advocates often mean more likelihood of guns).
I feel like the 1st amendment is protected by the second. But I don't care enough to read if that is actually based upon any fact because it doesn't matter.
When Barry Soetoro was elected, I gave our people about a couple of years to wake up. But things sure are happening at a supersonic pace. Barry just does not understand about the psyche of the American people. Americans do not like to be bullied around, this country was founded by people who risked their lives from tyranny and oppression just to breathe the air of freedom. America is a model of democracy that the rest of world is yearning for and Barry wants to turn her upside down and insideout? I don't think so Barry, for a president you have absolutely zero clues who Americans really are. THANKS FOR NOTHING BARRY!
god how i wish glenn beck was right. this post has been reported to the proper authorities. i'd be prepared for a knock at your door later and for you and your family to be dragged out to the re-education camp. tuesday night is chicken cordon bleu night, so enjoy!
That doesn't even make any sense. Can you state the basis for your argument in a clearer fashion? Thank you.
our people? Is this some coded language insinuating that President Obama isn't an American? I guess Sam was right. There really is some correlation between the birthers and these gun toting wackos.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ses-worry-about-obamas-safety/article1248726/ president has faced more expectations and more stress then most, hell probably all. I think there comes a time where we must acknowledge that certain groups are trying to hurt/discredit America, to try to prove something about having a Democrat (and might as well go for the whole shiraz, a black) in charge. Which is not to say that certain Liberals are not the same when it comes to Republican administrations, but I have to admit liberals are more intellectually honest on this topic; they won't hide behind flags and Thomas Jefferson quotes.
Barack Obama stripped millions of Americans of their right to not have a black President. Tim F. http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=25329
