Okay, let's flip this Obama event/gun toting issue. I want to know something.

[Joe Fields]

The citizens who show up at these health issue town hall events that openly carry firearms claim that they are asserting their rights granted them. I believe that they are sending a very different message, a quite menacing and disturbing one, but that is conjecture on my part. Let's, for a minute, take these citizens at their word and examine this. We know, from events that Bush attended for the prior eight years, that no citizen would have been able to get within a mile of him with a weapon of any kind. It's kind of humorous to think that I never once heard any protestations from gun owners during that whole Bush reign.

Here we are, a new president, a new philosophy and a desire to allow the world to see that he is not afraid to allow protest. Not only is he not afraid to allow protest, but he is ALLOWING CITIZENS TO DISPLAY WEAPONRY IN PROTEST AT HIS EVENTS.

My question is this: Do you think that these gun toting protesters will give President Obama his props for allowing them to do what their former president wouldn't allow? Will he be given proper credit for actually restoring rights that were taken from these people by George W. Bush?

I have my doubts that he would ever be given credit for anything positive by these citizens, but again, that's supposition.

Personally, when it comes to the issue of the safety of the President, nothing else should supercede it.

[jimshoes]

1. Well, first of all, * was scared shitless

someone was going to pop him, being the likeable SOB he was.

[sharesunited]

2. No, because they know he thinks they think they're Annie Oakley.

And are deserving of nothing more than humorous derision.

[merh]

3. just imagine the police/security if a group of guys that looked

like gang members showed up wearing holsters holding their legally licensed firearms.

[Parker CA]

6. That would no doubt be an interesting experiment. I've got a tough time thinking they'd receive the

same treatment.

[merh]

21. They wouldn't receive the same treatment.

Those same "right to bear arms" white folks would have complained to the police and done what they could to get them arrested or tossed out of the town hall meeting.

[X_Digger]

19. I'm sure the SS already..

.. assumes that more than one person in any unscreened crowd has a concealed firearm- they'd be stupid not to, regardless of the venue.

[merh]

22. I'm sure you are correct.

That isn't the point of my post.

[X_Digger]

23. I would certainly hope they'd receive the same treatment..

.. depends on the attitudes of the local cops, I'd suspect. If they did receive different treatment, I'd hope they'd raise holy hell for profiling or racial discrimination. (wasn't one of the guys today black?)

[Caliman73]

26. Problem is X

They would be raising hell from a jail cell while their legal firearms were confiscated. I agree with meh on this one. No way in heck that a bald headed American citizen of Mexican heritage,in his late 20's with a couple of tattoos gets the same treatment as the white guy carrying his AR. Racism is still alive and well in this country.

[X_Digger]

30. Sad, but true.

I'd like to see the next 2nd protester be a latina woman with a pro-obama sign. That would make all of the RW's heads' explode (and about 1/2 of DU, unfortunately.)

[merh]

35. exactly

[Incitatus]

4. If they're going to bring guns, then we need to start using Free Speech Zones

Anyone who brings a gun should get confined to a little fenced in area a thousand yards away from the event.

[OHdem10]

5. Could it be that many people wrongly believe that Obama is secretly

believes in Gun Control. Truth never matters to the Righties.

These people are expressing defiance. At least the ones so far
have been civil as they display their "heat".

Could this be a silent:Mr. President, I will carry my gun
and there is not one thing you can do about it.".


People are funny creatures, they are. It is best just to
ignore them and let the SS monitor them. They are most capable
of protecting our President.

Ignore them and the novelty will soon wear off.

[AlinPA]

9. The problem I see is when 100 or 200 show up with guns at an Obama event. How can the SS

watch them all and sort out those who are doing a demonstration from those crazed enough to use their guns? It only takes one and as the numbers increase so does the risk. People are indeed funny creatures - but there are also a lot of crazy creatures.

[daleo]

28. They are most capable of protecting our President.

Kennedy was shot.
Ford was nearly shot.
Reagan was shot.

[spanone]

7. i want to know if they are checking the papers of everyone wearing a gun

i want to know that all these assholes are registered.

nothing to stop an assassin from wearing his gun to the 'job'

[X_Digger]

20. No registration required to open carry in many states. n/t

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

8. Do you know of anyone that tried?

[cap]

10. this is just insane...

don't they know that a lot of union members pack heat too. What are these people doing?

[havocmom]

11. Dumb question: Weren't cell phones forbidden at many bush apperances?

And meetings where many heads of state were together too? Did I dream that or weren't there some places where you couldn't have cell phones for fear of terrorists using one to detonate a device?

[havocmom]

12. Another dumb question: Is it legal to carry a garrote and follow GOP protesters around

Yeah, yer right, bad mood with all this crap.

[Rex]

14. Sounds good, let me know when we can begin.

I know how you feel.

[Rex]

13. I don't think it would be happening if McSame would have won.

[csziggy]

16. I could see Palin followers bringing their guns for her to autograph

And to show off their big "weapons" to her. :evilgrin:

[havocmom]

17. thanks csz, I need a giggle

and that lends its self to some pretty funny mental images.

[Rex]

18. Hahaha!

Good 1!! :)

[EFerrari]

15. It's porn for freepers and no, they won't give Obama any credit. n/t

[lunatica]

24. They will be disappointed that their dicks didn't actually GROW

After all that's what they were really waving around, but their itty bitty cojonitos are still unimpressive, so they'll be even angrier. Damn! They really, really want to start a dick war! And they can't even get arrested! Poor little fellas...

[Bluerthanblue]

25. this is an excellent point-

:hi:

[ConnorMarc]

27. I Flipped This Script Already On OTher Boards

With tacid agreement that it would NOT have gone down that way under Bush. Although the RWers are always maintaining that "it's their legal right/ its' the law" BS.

You know what though, I would love to see some of them get a lil too hyper and bolder and make a wrong move, so that we can witness a demonstration of the power of the US Armed Services...a la "The Pirate Fiasco."

Wouldn't that be a hoot?

LOL!!!

[SidneyCarton]

29. Look, these morons are bullies who think they're intimidating because they are carrying their guns.

And indeed, they are, to a degree. President Obama has shown himself to be a man who picks his battles and seeks to minimize the acrimony. Why? Because the RW thrives on the acrimony, and he knows it. The 2nd Amendment is a massive tripwire that they are just dying for him to cross, and finally give them the ammunition (both literally and figuratively) to take his Presidency apart. As the NRA's original scare-campaign did not work, they are now sending out agent provocateurs (in the form of these morons) who are meant to provoke a response from the left much like the one you are currently hinting at. Since President Obama won't cross the line of his own accord, they have decided to get us to shove him across, by taunting us into it.

[TexasObserver]

31. Contrast Bush: No one could even hold a sign against him on his path.

He had people arrested and removed from the path of his motorcade when they had signs which were critical of him. He didn't allow anyone in his events who were not vetted by the GOP for party loyalty. He had demonstrators removed to remote locations or arrested. He had opposing groups infiltrated, spied on, bullied, and arrested.

[X_Digger]

32. So it's not fairness or legality..

.. more like revenge, eh? Bush was a bastard, so we have to be a bastard, too?

[TexasObserver]

34. My post was conclusion free. I pointed out what Bush did.

Where in my post did I suggest anything more than comparing how Bush and his uber warriors handled any contact with the president by anyone opposed to him?

[DU GrovelBot]

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