"We will forcefully resist people imposing their will on us through the strength of the majority with a vote," said “Chris” the man seen sporting a hand gun and an AR-15 rifle in Phoenix, AZ as folks gathered to protest for or against health care reform as they waited on President Barack Obama who was in town to address the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention. “Chris” was only one of a dozen people who were armed according to
Talking Points Memo.
Last week William Kostric showed up to protest outside of a health care town hall meeting
Obama was holding in Portsmouth, NH, was photographed with a gun strapped to his leg and held a sign that read “It is time to water the tree of liberty” which many people believe to be a reference to Thomas Jefferson’s quote "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." (
Windy City Watch 8.12.09).
These are not common and responsible gun owners exercising their Second Amendment rights, but political terrorists acting in a provocative manner in an effort to intimidate some and to taunt local and federal law enforcement officials. This is armed resistance in search of a cause.
Conservative media figures such as Glenn Beck, Ann Coulter, Mike Gallagher, and G. Gordon Liddy have been stoking fears of some gun owners by warning that President Obama was going to take their guns away (
Media Matters 4.09.09). There have been a number of reports of people buying up as many guns as possible and stockpiling loads of ammunition as a result of this fear mongering.
Despite these warnings Obama has not taken their guns, as a matter of fact he recently signed a bill that would allow guns in national parks so it is safe to say he has expanded the rights of gun owners.
So what do you do if you have been worked into a frenzy about President Obama taking your guns and he didn’t do it? What do you do if you have prepared for an armed resistance by hoarding guns and ammo but there is no gun grab to resist?
You make up a reason, an excuse to take up arms and take to the streets. You target health care!
Only in America can an attempt by the President and Congress to make sure that EVERY CITIZEN is given access to affordable health care be met with armed resistance.
Let’s look at the quote from “Chris” again "We will forcefully resist people imposing their will on us through the strength of the majority with a vote."
Say what? These folks “forcefully resist” change that an overwhelming majority of Americans voted for in November of 2008?
Kudos to local authorities, the Secret Service, FBI and ATF in showing restraint in dealing with these kooks. not escalating any kind of confrontation with them, and not giving Second Amendment advocates any red meat to complain about, but enough is enough. If not addressed immediately this will only get worse.
Last week it was one guy with a gun, yesterday it was 12, who knows how many will show next time. President Obama has the best security of anyone in the world, but I fear further tolerance of these provocative acts will eventually lead to a violent confrontation between these political terrorists and those of us who have peacefully exercised our “strength of the majority with a vote."
