Monday, August 17, 2009

Pros and Cons

Worth a thousand words. Reform supporters.


Anti-reform protesters


And then, at the same rally -- this:
One sight was perhaps a little un-nerving to those in charge of making sure everybody remains on their best behavior.

A man, who decided not to give his name, was walking around the pro-health care reform rally at 3rd and Washington streets, with a pistol on his hip, and an AR-15 (a semi-automatic assault rifle) on a strap over his shoulder.

"Because I can do it," he said when asked why he was armed. "In Arizona, I still have some freedoms."

Two police officers were staying very close to the man.

"What he is doing is perfectly legal," Detective J. Oliver, of the Phoenix police department said. "We are here to keep the peace. If we need to intervene, we will intervene at that time."
Photo at the link. Judging from his comment, assuming the gun guy is anti-Obama 2nd Amendment activist. I'm not a person who believes stricter gun control laws will protect the public, but I can't help but think it's the false rhetoric stoking up anxiety about guns being taken away that precipitates this sort of display. There are days that I begin to think we might need to rework the "incitement to violence" aspects of the First Amendment. [photos via Mark Knoller]

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]

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5 Comments:

Blogger (O)CT(O)PUS said...

About the current healthcare debate, here is a brief vignette to share with you:

Last weekend, the healthcare controversy came to my door when friends from South Florida arrived for a visit (…) My former neighbors and now dear friends had an appointment at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. Her cancer is treatable and manageable, but she suffers from fatigue and takes mega doses of Percocet and morphine to relieve pain. Last week, she and her husband checked into a Marriot Inn near the clinic for days of blood tests, X-Rays, MRIs, and consultations (…) On Monday morning, just before their return trip to Jacksonville for more diagnostics, the hospital called their cell phone: Their insurance carrier had not “pre-authorized” the tests.”

The full story here.

4:35:00 PM  
Blogger Libby Spencer said...

Hey 8pus. I'm so remiss in getting around to my blogroll, I'm glad you came over and gave me a heads up. Sorry your friends are going through that.

8:10:00 PM  
Blogger Capt. Fogg said...

Georgia has had people showing up at these meetings armed to the teeth to and there's Phil Gingrey (R-GA) who is encouraging them to continue.

Remember when there were "free speech zones?" miles away and surrounded by barbed wire?

Obama sure is a tyrant!

5:39:00 PM  
Blogger Libby Spencer said...

You know Fogg, I find it astounding that they have no recollection of the Bush years. It's like they just erased them from the memory banks. When Bush was preznit, they would have been arrested for the tshirts alone, nevermind the signs. Or the guns.

This gun is really bad too because it will freak out non gunowners and build up steam for antigun laws, thus punishing responsible owners.

7:25:00 PM  
Blogger Capt. Fogg said...

You're very right. I posted on a gun forum the other day: the way to preserve a right is not to see how far you can push it, which is another way to say rights demand responsibilities.

How hard would it be for some terrorist to grab a gun out of a holster - perhaps bubba is part of the plot. No, it's just insane and your right, people were arrested in Georgia for anti-Bush t shirts.

I do mean insane too -- clinically insane.

10:06:00 AM  

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