Armed, Dangerous, and Off My Medication

Ok, so here it is. The Talking Points Memo on the gun at the Portsmouth rally yesterday. Now I'm not clear if this is the same man supposedly arrested in the high school or not (update -- per Revere in comments he is not -- that'll learn me to not carefully read my own posts).

First things first. The man is not carrying a concealed weapon. He is carrying it openly. In Pa. you don't even need a license to do that. And, according to what is said in the article, neither do you in N.H.

The man is exercising his Second Amendment at a demonstration.

GOOD FOR HIM.

I understand the Secret Service may get antsy about that but, apparently they did not but showed restraint and kept an eye on him (update in the story).

The man is carrying a sign with the well known Jefferson Tree of Liberty quote.

Exercising his First amendment. While exercising his Second. (1 & 2 are part and parcel, just as Pasto says).

The man is completely legal. Even the Secret Service lets him be but keeps a wary eye (hey, it IS their job and I would do the same under the circumstances and expect them to do the same to me were I the one carrying the gun, which, of course, would never be as you ALL know my loathing of firearms.)

But of course jmm gets his knickers in a twist in the article "in the context of these townhall excesses and while carrying a firearm at a presidential event, it's quite a menacing statement, in as much as it is about the need to kill tyrants. "

Now then, instead of just the link, I've included the later interview with Matthews who's tingling leg still tingles for his boy Barry and who is clearly agitated that someone would so dare practice their First and Second Amendment rights so near the object of his appendage's desire, so near the very one sworn to uphold our right to do that very thing.

And spare me please, Mr. Matthews, the history of assassinations speech here. We've had Presidents who carried guns themselves. The Secret Service is there to protect the President, they are, in effect, his self defense. Do you really think they'd not keep an eye on someone openly carrying? It is their job to act and react, not to deny our rights.

William Kostric has just, in a small way, put down the lie that guns are intrinsically evil, anyone with a gun at a Presidential event is intent on harm. He did it legally and properly. And makes all us gun toters look good.

"Who'd be silly enough to carry an unloaded firearm?"

"I'm not advocating violence," he said. "I'm advocating an informed society, an armed society, a polite society."

I'll bet Matthews had to go home to change his shorts. . .

from Talking Points Memo:

Armed and Dangerous?
08.11.09 -- 11:40AM By David Kurtz

MSNBC just aired footage of the crowd gathering at the Obama town hall meeting on health care that's supposed to start later today in New Hampshire and pointed out one man in a group holding protest signs with a gun in a holster on his hip. Apparently not a law officer, but a civilian.

Whatever the concealed carry laws in New Hampshire, you have to figure guns not allowed at a presidential event. Right?

Late Update: Also important to note, the gun-toting protestor was holding a sign referencing the Jefferson quote: "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants." It's a well known quote from one of the archetypal founding fathers. And in itself it's part of the American heritage, something that echoes with Jefferson's always ambivalent and frequently dilettantish attitude toward political violence. But in the context of these townhall excesses and while carrying a firearm at a presidential event, it's quite a menacing statement, in as much as it is about the need to kill tyrants. -- jmm

Later Update: The local police tell MSNBC that the man is legally carrying the gun, is nowhere near where the President will be, and is "under constant surveillance."--dk

Packing Heat Update: The gun-wielding protester was interviewed by Chris Matthews late today: "I'm not advocating violence," William Kostric said. "I'm advocating an informed society, an armed society, a polite society."

Gun-Toter At Obama Town Hall: 'Who'd Be Silly Enough To Carry An Unloaded Firearm?'

Earlier today, MSNBC's cameras spotted a protester carrying a gun outside Portsmouth High School, where President Obama was about to hold a health care town hall. And, as he just told Chris Matthews on Hardball, the gun was loaded.

"Who'd be silly enough to carry an unloaded firearm?" said the protester, William Kostric.
Matthews then asked him why he brought the gun to a presidential event.

"That's not even a relevant question. The question is, why don't people bear arms these days?" Kostric said.

He said no one from New Hampshire was alarmed by seeing the gun, which was strapped to his leg. Maybe the people "bused in from Massachusetts" were alarmed, he said.
"They already have their health care scheme and their socialism. They can keep it," he said.
Kostric was also carrying a sign that said, "It is time to water the tree of liberty," an apparent reference to this quote attributed to Thomas Jefferson: "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
Matthews asked Kostric to say the rest of the quote -- the part not on his sign. He only responded that was for people to "look up. It's not a sound bite."
"I'm not advocating violence," he said. "I'm advocating an informed society, an armed society, a polite society."

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"I can't imagine there aren't enough lawyers to file an emergency injunction. . ."

HeHe they really ARE big wussies, ain't they?