Armed Protestor at NH Obama Town Hall

[zephyp]

The liberal media is going wild over an armed NH man at the Obama town hall meeting yesterday. Looks to me like the guy is a little on the extreme side as in the video he's carrying a sign saying "its time to water the tree of liberty." First link is the MSNBC video and the second is the text from CBS.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/ ... 2#32378192

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/08/11 ... 5445.shtml
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New Hampshire state law is pretty clear about protecting its citizens' rights to carry firearms in public. Carrying a pistol or revolver openly is permitted without a license; carrying a concealed weapon requires a license from the state or local police.

William Kostric took advantage of that law on Tuesday to show up outside President Obama's Portsmouth, N.H. town hall meeting and hold a sign saying "It Is Time To Water The Tree Of Liberty." That invokes a phrase from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson: "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

Kostric did not immediately respond to an interview request from CBSNews.com.

Portsmouth police spokesman Lt. Frank Warchol told the Boston Globe that because Kostric was on private property -- it belongs to a church near the school with the town hall meeting -- he would not be arrested. "We can't do anything about it," Warchol said. "Obviously he's on our radar screen at this time."

Kostric was there around 11 a.m. ET, before Mr. Obama even left the White House en route for the Granite State, and there's no indication he ever laid eyes on the president. Nevertheless, around that time (11:35 a.m., to be precise) MSNBC's Carlos Watson called for Kostric to be forcibly disarmed: "I cannot imagine that there aren't enough lawyers in New Hampshire who can't file some sort of emergency injunction." One of his guests added: "Why can't we get rid of him now?"

MSNBC's Chris Matthews invited Kostric on his show and wondered why "you're carrying a goddamned gun at a presidential event?" (Kostric's reply: He was there peacefully, guns aren't unusual in New Hampshire, and Americans lose rights unless they exercise them.)

One MSNBC.com report indicates that Kostric was approached by a detective, possibly a Secret Service agent, who told him he could be arrested within 1,000 feet of a school with a weapon under a federal law.

Some background: the 1990 Gun-Free School Zones Act said that it "shall be unlawful" to possess a firearm within 1,000 feet of an elementary or secondary school.

That law is no longer on the books. In the case of U.S. v. Lopez, decided in 1995, the U.S. Supreme Court said violated Congress' powers to regulate interstate commerce and was therefore unconstitutional.

Congress re-enacted a version in 1996 with a narrower definition of interstate commerce; it says the statute does not apply "on private property not part of school grounds" or to anyone with a carry permit, with Kostric may or may not have.

It's reasonable to not understand the intricacies of gun laws; many vary from state to state, and few are written especially clearly.

But you'd hope that television commentators would take the time to learn at least a little before calling for measures such as court injunctions and disarming by police. One thing that MSNBC's hosts could have added is that a lawsuit filed last week in Washington, D.C. seeks to establish a broad Second Amendment right to carry firearms in public -- which, if successful, could mean that William Kostric's exercise in public handgun ownership will become much more commonplace.

[OakRidgeStars]

Seeing a citizen lawfully carrying a handgun at a rally doesn't worry me. But what does worry me is that someone is going to use a gun at a rally or town hall meeting. This entire Obamacare debate is quickly getting out of hand, and I'm genuinely concerned about what could happen if a confrontation should develop between protesters and a group of SEIU or Acorn thugs. All this situation needs right now is a single spark to throw this country into some kind of national emergency.

[Moccasin]

Yep, blowing it out of proportion. If we use Chris Matthew's appearant definition of "preseidential event" we should all put our guns in a safe and loose the key/forget the combination.

[zephyp]

Seeing a citizen lawfully carrying a handgun at a rally doesn't worry me. But what does worry me is that someone is going to use a gun at a rally or town hall meeting. This entire Obamacare debate is quickly getting out of hand, and I'm genuinely concerned about what could happen if a confrontation should develop between protesters and a group of SEIU or Acorn thugs. All this situation needs right now is a single spark to throw this country into some kind of national emergency.

This is one of my biggest fears right now. I completely agree, Jay. IMO the firewood has been stacked and the gas poured. The sad part is the current administration doesnt appear proactive to defuse the situation. It is indeed a crisis in the making.

[Fordmechanic]

I agree entirely with Jay on this one. But he was acting entirely in the rules of the law. "I " personally would not have done so (carried at that event), if it were my option. This is a VERY fine line and one needs to chose their actions wisely.

[Moccasin]

The guy wasn't at the town hall meeting, he was near where it was to be held. As Jay said I'm afraid someone will use a gun at a town hall meeting. But I see no reason for the media to get in an uproar over someone carrying near a meeting. One person was obvious to them and they squawked about it, how many did they not notice. Besides, Obama hadn't even left D.C. when the guy was out there, hence my comment that based on their definition,,,,,,

[Paliden]

OBAMA IS JUST LOOKING FOR A REASON TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW. WE ALL NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL AND MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR FRIENDS AND BROTHERS STAY ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW PATH. aFTER ALL WE WILL BE HELD TO A MUCH HIGHER STANDARD THAN THE OTHER SIDE EVER WILL

[wylde007]

It's reasonable to not understand the intricacies of gun laws; many vary from state to state, and few are written especially clearly.

And all violate the Constitution.

WE THE PEOPLEhave allowed these trespasses on our rights. Perhaps there is "change" coming...

[06bolton5pt3]

It's reasonable to not understand the intricacies of gun laws; many vary from state to state, and few are written especially clearly.

And all violate the Constitution.

WE THE PEOPLEhave allowed these trespasses on our rights. Perhaps there is "change" coming...

[BlueTiki]

The other thing that bothered me about the article is that it said

Nevertheless, around that time (11:35 a.m., to be precise) MSNBC's Carlos Watson called for Kostric to be forcibly disarmed

. Who is MSNBC's Carlos Watson that this person can just call for someone that is with in their right to be forcibly disarmed? I could see them asking him to take his firearm home and securing it. But to forcibly disarm him? The President wasn't even off the ground from Washington yet.