Would you carry a gun to an Obama event?

[onehandle]

Poll question: Would you carry a gun to an Obama event?

This is assuming that it is legal in this scenario.

[mikelgb]

1. I prefer a flamethrower

:crazy:

[Ferret Annica]

4. Actually, a BIC lighter works better at lighting cigs or bongs

And flame throwers have the nasty habit of blowing up taking out everyone around them when hit by rounds from Secret Service Uzi submachine guns. But hey, thanks for the chuckle.

[Bluzmann57]

2. Of course not

Not to a bush event, not to a Clinton event, not to whomever the next president is. I just think it is wrong to even think about gunplay around the President of the United States of America. I believe in freedom of speech, most likely more than those who are carrying guns to an Obama event, but there are limits to everything.

[Wapsie B]

3. A better question: Would you carry a gun to a Dick Cheney or gop event?

[Ferret Annica]

7. Nope, but I would be more scared of ...

... Cheney coming to a rally with a shotgun and a snootful then I would be of me being there with a piece of my own ordinance.

[Wapsie B]

14. Or his protectors getting to you way before you got within several miles of the Dickster.

[TheWraith]

36. That assumes I'd ever be caught dead at such an event. nt

[TlalocW]

5. Even given the seriousness of this, I can't help but think

Of a Deep Thought by Jack Handey from Saturday Night Live that went something like:

I think a good gift for the president would be a chocolate gun. And since he's so busy, you'd probably have to run up really fast to give it to him.

TlalocW

[Ikonoklast]

6. No. I'm not an idiot.

And I don't need to make a 'statement' of any kind.

[BenjaminFranklin]

8. Intimidation factor

they're just showing their asses. they should be arrested for creating a public nuisance. they know carrying a gun is something that wouldn't cross most liberals minds. just another reason to despise the neandercons.

[unpossibles]

9. No, and I don't see the point

unless the point is that the carrier is an idiot. I am not anti-gun per se, but I am anti-idiot.

[gorfle]

10. No, I'm too scared.

I voted no.

I'd be too afraid to do it. I applaud those who have the guts to make the ultimate political statement.

[iverglas]

17. "the ultimate political statement"

I believe that would actually be: self-immolation.

Now, if some of these thugs - and not just the ones at political events - wanted to try that on for size, I don't think I'd object. As long as they didn't manage to singe anybody else.

Christ almighty. Standing around at a public event festooned in firearms is "the ultimate political statment". I can think of a lot of people who have made a lot of rather important and effective political statements who would be very proud. Not. And not that the thugs in question are looking for approval from people like them.

[gorfle]

21. You're right.

Actually shooting politicians would be the ultimate political statement.

Christ almighty.

You can just call me Gorfle if you like.

Standing around at a public event festooned in firearms is "the ultimate political statment".

Maybe not the ultimate, but saying "I've got arms and I'm willing to use them" ranks up there pretty high in my book.

[iverglas]

11. there is a point; there very definitely is a point

The point is to intimidate. Not specifically to put people in fear for their lives, but to put people on notice that all your public spaces are belong to them.

La la la. Just exercising our constitutional rights here, folks. Don't like it? FUCK YOU.

Just like a white person standing on a streetcorner issuing racist insults at people of colour walking by.

Just like gangs of men verbally harassing women on the street.

Just like preachers invoking fire and brimstone on the heads of GLBT people.

Just like anti-choice gangs screaming at women going into clinics.

La la la. Just exercising our constitutional rights here, folks.

Don't like it?

It makes you feel excluded from the public spaces of your community?

FUCK YOU.

[Tim01]

27. Ah, you've been going to the meetings, havn't you?

They won't let me into the "lets scare people" meetings. Shame. Looks like fun.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

33. I think you almost understand.

Lalala you are from another country and are butting your nose into our internal politics, quite hypocritically I might add, so . I'm guessing you can figure out what's in the blank.

[LAGC]

12. Maybe we should pack too in case things get out of hand?

Just kidding. If, Goddess forbid, something did happen to the President, EVERYONE packing heat nearby would look awfully stupid, to say the least.

I'm an ardent supporter of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, I just question the logistics of packing heat during a protest of any sort, President or not. Whenever I've attended protests in the past, I made it a point NOT to pack, just in case I got arrested, so I wouldn't have to explain my firearm to the police.

[ChazInAz]

13. Right on.

You can just bet that if one of us liberal, long-haired, godless, hippie freaks were seen with a gun, the cops wouldn't be particularly interested in our rights. I suspect that their reaction would not be as tolerant as it is toward the slack-jaws that DO show up heeled.

[iverglas]

16. yeah, that's right

Let's have a little diversionary grooming.

It isn't about thugs with guns occuping public spaces.

It's about cops are thugs and they hate liberals.

Yes indeedy.

[LAGC]

18. Maybe your experience with cops has been different up there in Canada...

But around these parts, the difference in the way cops respond to left- vs. right-wing protests is like night and day.

[iverglas]

19. could be, who cares

You don't have any basis for predicting that cops would react differently to any member of DU -- very few of whom present as "one of us liberal, long-haired, godless, hippie freaks", but nice try -- from the way they are currently reacting to the obviously problematic individuals currently engaging in this behaviour.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

15. no.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

20. Will I be put on a watchlist for answering this poll?

[proteus_lives]

22. No but....

If the ones who do aren't breaking the law, I'm not going to say anything about it.

[iverglas]

23. huh

If there's somebody standing on the main corner of your town addressing racist insults at every person of colour who walks by, you not going to say anything about that either?

No laws broken. Just a constitutional right being exercised. Nothing to see there, right?

Certainly nothing for you to say anything about.

[proteus_lives]

28. What to do?

If someone is on the street and up on a soapbox shouting out racist opinions, you have 3 choices. 1. Move along. 2. Shout, "You racist prick!" and move on. 3. Stop and engage him in debate about it.

I'd entertain those options but would I attempt to stop him? No. If he's not breaking the law I have no right to. It's the same with this situation. I might ask a person why they are carrying to an Obama event but I won't stand there and claim they have no right to.

[iverglas]

29. "I'd entertain those options but would I attempt to stop him?"

I dunno. Who the fuck suggested you should?

YOU said you would DO NOTHING in the situation under discussion.

I wouldn't do nothing if I encountered someone spewing racial abuse in public, and I wouldn't do nothing if I encountered someone engaging in intimidation of the public by displaying firearms at a public political event (or anywhere else it might happen).


No. If he's not breaking the law I have no right to. It's the same with this situation. I might ask a person why they are carrying to an Obama event but I won't stand there and claim they have no right to.

Bully for you. And I won't beat my dog. Aren't we wonderful?

[proteus_lives]

31. You wonderful?

.......no comment.

I meant that we don't have the right to force anyone to stop carrying.

[michreject]

24. Yes, but concealed and I wouldn't go inside.

I carry a gun with me every place I go. It's not like I'd put it on just to go to the event.

[TxRider]

25. no

But I'm also not upset because a few people did.

[Tim01]

26. I actually think a bunch of dems showing up with guns would be a good thing.

"Hey, check it out guys. Not only are only are we not pissing ourselves over your guns, we brought our own. I guess it is going to be harder for the repubs to hang their hat on the second amendment now, isn't it."

[Mz Pip]

38. +1

[create.peace]

39. -1

[slackmaster]

30. No way

Of course not.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[rrneck]

32. No. But I don't carry anyway.

Even if I did carry, that's probably the safest place on earth. And it can cause a helluva more headaches than most places if you attract the attention of the Secret Service. It's not worth the trouble. A sign would work just as well if I wanted to make a statement.

[benEzra]

34. Define "to an Obama event."

If you're talking about carrying inside the secure area the Secret Service sets up around the President wherever he/she goes, that'd be a felony, so no.

If you're talking about carrying a firearm in the UNSECURED area in the general vicinity of a Presidential event, I have a CHL and often discreetly carry in the course of my daily activities, and happened to have a firearm in my possession when the President last visited my town. That's not illegal, and I was NOT within the secure bubble around him and would not have been allowed to be. But in that sense the answer would be yes.

[tortoise1956]

35. They have the right to carry a firearm,

But I would much rather that they don't. All it will take is one idiot to become encouraged by current events, and to decide to take a shot at one of these rallies. It could possibly destroy the second amendment completely.

BTW, what happened to MOEZ? What is the deal with Bots? I'm not exactly the most computer-savvy person. (Kinda irritating, considering that I have worked in electronics since the 70's, but hey-it's what it is)

[SteveM]

37. No. Don't need to. (nt)

[grifter_tm]

40. Civies with guns at Presidential events...

haven't really worked out for the best. Eg. Lincoln, Garfield, Kennedy, Reagan... Heck, even Clinton and Bush had some close calls a few years back.