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August 18, 2009
Townhall Meetings and the 2nd Amendment
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Chris Matthews welcomes William Kostric the man who legally brought a gun to an Obama Town Hall meeting. In classic media spin, Matthews, the Hardball host tried to pigeonhole the constitutional advocate on a variety of issues.
"CNN's Loud Debate On Gun-Toting At President Obama's Recent Events " - 08/17/09
Man carrying assault weapon attends Obama protest
PHOENIX
About a dozen people carrying guns, including one with a military-style rifle, milled among protesters outside the convention center where President Barack Obama was giving a speech Monday—the latest incidents in which protesters have openly displayed firearms near the president.
Gun-rights advocates say they're exercising their constitutional right to bear arms and protest, while those who argue for more gun control say it could be a disaster waiting to happen.
Phoenix police said the gun-toters at Monday's event, including the man carrying an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle slung over his shoulder, didn't need permits. No crimes were committed, and no one was arrested.
The man with the rifle declined to be identified but told The Arizona Republic that he was carrying the assault weapon because he could. "In Arizona, I still have some freedoms," he said.
Phoenix police Detective J. Oliver, who was monitoring the man at the downtown protest, said police also wanted to make sure no one decided to harm him.
"Just by his presence and people seeing the rifle and people knowing the president was in town, it sparked a lot of emotions," Oliver said. "We were keeping peace on both ends."
Last week, during Obama's health care town hall in Portsmouth, N.H., a man carrying a sign reading "It is time to water the tree of liberty" stood outside with a pistol strapped to his leg.
"It's a political statement," he told The Boston Globe. "If you don't use your rights, then you lose your rights."
Police asked the man to move away from school property, but he was not arrested.
Phoenix was Obama's last stop on a four-day tour of western states, including Montana and Colorado.
Authorities in Montana said Monday they received no reports of anyone carrying firearms during Obama's health care town hall near Bozeman on Friday. About 1,000 people both for and against Obama converged at a protest area near the Gallatin Field Airport hangar where the event took place. One person accused of disorderly conduct was detained and released, according to the Gallatin Airport Authority.
Heather Benjamin of Denver's Mesa County sheriff's department, the lead agency during Obama's visit there, said no one was arrested.
Arizona is an "open-carry" state, which means anyone legally allowed to have a firearm can carry it in public as long as it's visible. A permit is required if the weapon is carried concealed.
Paul Helmke, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said people should not be allowed to bring guns to events where Obama is.
"To me, this is craziness," he said. "When you bring a loaded gun, particularly a loaded assault rifle, to any political event, but particularly to one where the president is appearing, you're just making the situation dangerous for everyone."
He said people who bring guns to presidential events are distracting the Secret Service and law enforcement from protecting the president. "The more guns we see at more events like this, there's more potential for something tragic happening," he said.
A call to a Secret Service spokesman was not immediately returned Monday.
The National Rifle Association also did not return a call for comment.
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Wild Thing's comment.........
Chris Matthews does a rapid fire type of questioning. The other day I heard someone on talk radio playing a sound bite of Chris Mathews and I counted how many questions he asked the person in rapid fire mode before he actually shut up and alllowed his guest to reply. 19 19 questionos in a row. It was amazing, that a human being would do this and he does it with each interview. The more angry Chris Matthews is the more questions and louder he asks them.
The man he interviewed about the gun held his own really well.
It also shows the variety of people at the Townhall meetings, and I lke that because it shows across the board how much the American people are totally against Obamacare. The media can't just say it is conservatives when libertarians and even democrats have shown up.
I lost count how many Veterans I have met that carry a gun with them. Usually you can't even see it on them, it is no big deal. Many will have it attached to the leg under jeans,if they wear boots it is not even noticable. Or women having a small gun in their purse.
Now my thoughts about the guns being taken there. We have seen the tactics of the ACORN and SEIU thugs, maybe they would think twice before pushing someone around if they saw a weapon.
I have no problem with what these fellows did. We’re in a cold civil war. As long as they are responsible, their presence will avoid any hot wars at these rallies.
And as far as that idoit Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the people screaming the most about lawful firearms use are completely silent about the Obama Brownshirts, the thugs from SEIU and ACORN.
If we don't use our rights why have them.
Two wars have been fought on this countries soil when the principles of the Declaration of Independence have been flagrantly violated. The liberals should know that real Americans still pledge their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to uphold those principles. The more they know, the less likely they are to make it three.
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....Thank you Jack for sending this to me.
United States Army
1965-1971
Army Combat Engineers
Quang Tri & Chu Lai '68 -'69
67-69
Jack's blog is Conservative Insurgent
Posted by Wild Thing at August 18, 2009 06:50 AM
Comments
The very fact that this is happening,(open display of weapons), at events that feature political leaders, speaks volumes about the mood of the Country right now.
While I do not think that any of those that bring the weapons, are intent upon using them, I do think that they are sending a crystal clear message. If you push us too far, bad things can and probably will happen.
This Administration and the Congress has been trampling all over the Constitution, from the get go. Many of us saw this going in. A lot more of us are beginning to realize, what is actually happening. Hence we have actions like this
I like your comment about Acorn & SEIU thugs thinking twice about confronting someone with a weapon. Bullies only understand one thing the show of force and power. Once you demonstrate that you can reciprocate they back off. It was that way in Schoolyard when we were kids, and it hasn't changed.
Posted by: SEAN. at August 18, 2009 10:58 AM
I haven't found anything where they say the political leanings of the Black guy carrying the AR-15. A CNN clip said of a White guy with an AR-15 who was against Obama's policies but nothing about the Black guy.
You can bet one thing, somewhere a sniper had that guy in his sights and his finger on the trigger.
Posted by: BobF at August 18, 2009 11:02 AM
Love it, thanks Chrissie.
Posted by: Jack at August 18, 2009 11:16 AM
My first thoughts were echoed by SEAN. This open display of weapons and angry town hall meetings are strong hints that we are about fed up with the attacks on our rights, the spending of our money and the violations of The Constitution. This is something that hasn't happened before that I know of, the open show of weapons t a presidential event. Yeah obama, this is our form of change and hope!
Posted by: TomR at August 18, 2009 11:17 AM
The good news is that nobody watches Chris Matthews and MSNBC's ratings along with NBC are in the tank. Tey're just there to fill a time slot. Heh heh, what a bunch of dumb asses.
Posted by: cuchieddie(former Army Infantry) at August 18, 2009 11:49 AM
Sounds like the serf's were well behaved even though they were armed. Says something about the calibre of people who believe in the 2nd Amendment.
Mathews is a pissant.
Posted by: Mark at August 18, 2009 11:58 AM
"We’re in a cold civil war."
Brilliant.
Posted by: DavidB at August 18, 2009 06:15 PM
SEAN, thank you, I agree soooo much.
I think they are sending a message too.
" I do think that they are sending a crystal clear message. If you push us too far, bad things can and probably will happen."
Posted by: Wild Thing at August 18, 2009 07:18 PM
BobF., I would think so too.
Posted by: Wild Thing at August 18, 2009 07:24 PM
Jack, thank you so much for the link.
I had one video and needed a link to
a story about it and you saved the
day. Big smile.
Posted by: Wild Thing at August 18, 2009 07:27 PM
Tom, I agree, I never ever heard of
this happening in my whole life.
Not where the weapons are right out
there to be seen by anyone.
Posted by: Wild Thing at August 18, 2009 07:33 PM
cuchieddie(former Army Infantry), they
sure are. MSNBC is in the bottom rung.
It is so funny because I don't watch it
I just wait awhile and check out my
YouTube account and see what is in there.
That is how I see anything from MSNBC.
hahaha
It is neat to do it that way, I can pick
what I want.
Posted by: Wild Thing at August 18, 2009 07:36 PM
Mark, yessss, I love that they did this.
And the next time some jerk whines about
guns this is an excellent example for pro
guns I think.
Posted by: Wild Thing at August 18, 2009 07:40 PM
