Why are Democrats so smug? Hours after Robert Gibbs complained that “the Brooks Brothers brigade . . . appears to have rented a similar bus and are appearing at town hall events throughout the country” to protest the healthcare plan, Barbara Boxer decided to run with a similar comment:
The Examiner has a great post reminding Gibbs that Barack Obama also wears Brooks Brothers (like at his inauguration).
But more to the point, do the idiots Boxer and Gibbs realize that nicely dressed people (like…uh, themselves) also have a right to voice their opinions? They are citizens, too, and most likely the same people who will have their money stolen by the government to pay for others’ healthcare.
I can’t stand Boxer or Gibbs, but their loathing of people with money (not that you can’t dress nicely with little money) is ridiculous.
It’s not just voicing their opinions, it’s a somewhat organized effort to disrupt and/or shutdown town hall meetings across the country. Americans should voice their opinions, but a clear line has been crossed when a Congressman has to be escorted to his car by police officers after a community meeting.
Organized by who? That link you posted says nothing about the types of people who show up, nor does it suggest that the Congressman was escorted for any other reason than crowd volume.
As far as I can tell, these people have done nothing wrong. They are completely protected under the 1st Amendment.
Having been to quite a few of these town hall meetings in my day, I can assure you that police usually don’t escort people to their car unless there is some security risk. The First Amendment doesn’t cover violence nor should it be used as a weapon to disrupt or prevent others from expressing their point of view.
“The First Amendment doesn’t cover violence nor should it be used as a weapon to disrupt or prevent others from expressing their point of view.”
You are assuming way too much. Can you prove that these people were violent at even one of these meetings?
Protest is the primary vehicle of action for the left, but when they get a taste of their own medicine they start crying foul.
When police have to escort an elected official to his car there is a clear indication that violence is possible. Are you really not capable of recognizing and condemning these thug tactics when they are so clear?
I honestly have no idea what you, Boxer, or the White House are talking about.
From what I have read and seen, there are angry people at town hall meetings voicing their opinions to their representatives.
I’ve seen no indication of violence and absolutely no indication of any sort of organization.
I’ll freely admit that I could be missing something here, but having one congressman say that at one meeting he had to be “escorted” to his car means nothing.
Even a cursory search on this subject yields plenty of evidence.
Washington DC based groups are coordinating and encouraging people to attend town halls and are providing them with scripts and talking points.
Several Congressman and Senators have had town halls disrupted by protesters including Rep. Steve Kagen, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, HHS Sec. Sebelius and Rep. Hoyer.
Speaking from experience, Congressman are not usually accompanied by police when they hold town halls. They don’t have police escort them places unless they don’t feel safe. If you don’t see a concern for violence in that situation then I don’t know what else to say.
Yes, there are lots of angry people there. Yes, they are being encouraged to voice their opinions by people like Grover Norquist.
But these are citizens who are angry about the legislation being proposed, and thank God they have the courage to voice their concerns.
Would you rather that they write letters to their Congresspeople , which will be responded to with a form letter? Would you rather that they sit back keep their mouths shut? That sure doesn’t seem like a very democratic option.
The Democrats are whining about opposition to their plan, and they are trying to pin the blame on rich people because they can’t stand the heat.
The Democrats wanted Town Hall meetings to gauge reaction, and that is exactly what they are getting.
If you asked Thomas Jefferson about what is happening, he might remind you that, “When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”
I’d rather people be civically engaged in a respectful manner.
I would, too.