11 Comments

1. JK  •  Aug 11, 2009 @12:10 pm
   

   I saw a good portion of it but wouldn’t describe it as “near riot.” It was emotional and many questioners demonstrated that they’ve been sucked into the conservative noise machine. The “questions” were just reiterations of the mass emails circulating in the rightie blogosphere or talk radio.

2. Sam Simple  •  Aug 11, 2009 @2:53 pm
   

   I would start these meetings by asking people to raise their hands if they want to pay more for health care, make American businesses less competitive and have a less productive workforce?
   If no one raised their hand, I would continue, “Good, then you are all here to support President Obama”.

3. Dave S  •  Aug 11, 2009 @5:11 pm
   

   My local NBC station said that the guy was there with the gun legally – apparently they have open carry laws there. But police spotted him right away and kept him under close watch.

   The one that scared me was the one that DROPPED his gun at a town hall in Arizona, I believe. They found the gun after everyone left. How could someone drop their gun and not know it? The only answer I can come up with is that he brought so many that he didn’t notice it was missing.

4. Crazy About Urban Planning  •  Aug 11, 2009 @5:43 pm
   

   Its difficult for my small 2.5 pound brain to fathom what the Right Wingers are up to these days… or any other day. I saw some of C-Span’s “Washington Journal” today, and while an occasional caller was reasonable and cogent, every so often they put on someone who would say: “government never good”. I know where they get this idea, since Ronald Reagan the “conservatives” have been telling them government can’t do anything, but cripes! The country is in such a negative pickle that its time to get beyond this immature nonsense and realize that in the case of health care the government is actually much more efficient than corporations founded on the profit paradigm. Every other country has figured this out!

   On a related note I would direct everyone to read Bob Herberts column today, he shows the unemployment numbers to be fictional (they are). I’m proof of it, a college grad with a Masters in Planning who has yet to find a job – but who looks for them every day. I’m not counted as “unemployed” because I haven’t had steady work for the last few years in school… I don’t pay in I don’t qualify to get a single dime back.

5. c u n d gulag  •  Aug 11, 2009 @7:35 pm
   

   Crazy,
   Best of luck to you. I wish I could help you. But, I”ve been out of work for 9 months with no unemployment – and this after working for over 30+ years.

6. Hume's Ghost  •  Aug 11, 2009 @8:50 pm
   

   Check Neiwert’s blog at Crooks and Liars. He’s got footage of a man outside of Obama’s townhall saying to send home immigrants with a bullet in the head, and then threatens that he’s going to refresh the tree of liberty.

7. zhak  •  Aug 11, 2009 @10:07 pm
   

   As far as the NH fella with the openly carried gun, my best guess is that he hoped to create an incident by carrying open. As in, he hoped to be today’s Gladney or Joe the Plumber or whomever. If the Secret Service had taken him away, he’d be on Fox News right this minute decrying the fascist thuggery of Democrat-controlled government.

   It’s interesting to me, also, how low they’re setting the bar, both in terms of behavior and discourse. I understand that selective amnesia will occur if, horrors, Republicans gain control once again. Then it will be perfectly okay to attack peaceful protesters and arrest people for nasty tee shirt slogans and so forth. But for those who are not so entrenched in the tribal primal thinking that passes for Republicanism these days, there’s plenty of YouTube and blog posts for people to review, you know?

8. jman  •  Aug 12, 2009 @12:38 pm
   

   You can find the video of Specters town hall at cspan (http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2009/08/12/HP/R/22047/Town+Halls+Continue+Despite+Conflicts+with+Protesters.aspx) Obama and Cardin’s town halls are there too. There was a little flare up but not bad. Specter weathered it well. But he looks like a really old man to me. I thought Obama’s town hall was great!

9. Fangshih  •  Aug 12, 2009 @12:43 pm
   

   I am reminded of a Buddhist story from Japan.

   A Samurai asked a wise man about heaven and hell. The wise man told the samurai what an idiot he was. The Samurai freaked out in rage (for he was not used to being disrespected) and prepared to kill the old man.

   “That is hell,” the old man said.

   The samurai suddenly realized the old man had taught him a valuable lesson, and fell to his knees in gratitude that someone would risk his life to make a point.

   “That is heaven,” said the old man.

   These protestors coming in to scream and rant and all the people that are enjoying being riled up? They’re in hell. They’re in Naraka.

10. maha  •  Aug 12, 2009 @1:54 pm
    

    The “wise man” was Hakuin Ekaku (1686-1769).

11. Fangshih  •  Aug 12, 2009 @4:22 pm
    

    Maha, one of my favorite stories, and very illustrative.

    I look at the people screaming and angry, armed and hateful. Yes, I am afraid they will do me and others harm. I wish that prevented, and if there are the violent among these protesters, I want them stopped.

    But I feel sadness for them. To be so wound up, so angry, as if possessed, really is hell. Nothing can slake their thirst, nothing can stop the burning, because it’s inside. Worse, they fight against things meant to help them and their fellows, directed by those who have far more than they need and want more. The residents of hell directed by Hungry Ghosts.

    Hakuin Ekaku would probably make a telling piece of art around this.

    (and yes, I am conflating various kinds of Buddhism. But I think it works in this case.)