"Man carrying assault weapon attends Obama protest" - AP

[SF0]

Good on Phoenix police and Arizona in general.

Originally Posted by AMANDA LEE MYERS and TERRY TANG (AP)

PHOENIX — About a dozen people carrying guns, including one with a military-style rifle, milled among protesters outside the convention center where President Barack Obama was giving a speech Monday — the latest incident in which protesters have openly displayed firearms near the president.

Gun-rights advocates say they're exercising their constitutional right to bear arms and protest, while those who argue for more gun control say it could be a disaster waiting to happen.

Phoenix police said the gun-toters at Monday's event, including the man carrying an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle slung over his shoulder, didn't need permits. No crimes were committed, and no one was arrested.

The man with the rifle declined to be identified but told The Arizona Republic that he was carrying the assault weapon because he could. "In Arizona, I still have some freedoms," he said.

Phoenix police Detective J. Oliver, who monitored the man at the downtown protest, said police also wanted to make sure no one decided to harm him.

"Just by his presence and people seeing the rifle and people knowing the president was in town, it sparked a lot of emotions," Oliver said. "We were keeping peace on both ends."

Last week, during Obama's health care town hall in Portsmouth, N.H., a man carrying a sign reading "It is time to water the tree of liberty" stood outside with a pistol strapped to his leg.

"It's a political statement," he told The Boston Globe. "If you don't use your rights, then you lose your rights."

Police asked the man to move away from school property, but he was not arrested.

Fred Solop, a Northern Arizona University political scientist, said the incidents in New Hampshire and Arizona could signal the beginning of a disturbing trend.

"When you start to bring guns to political rallies, it does layer on another level of concern and significance," Solop said. "It actually becomes quite scary for many people. It creates a chilling effect in the ability of our society to carry on honest communication."

He said he's never heard of someone bringing an assault weapon near a presidential event. "The larger the gun, the more menacing the situation," he said.

Phoenix was Obama's last stop on a four-day tour of western states, including Montana and Colorado.

Authorities in Montana said they received no reports of anyone carrying firearms during Obama's health care town hall near Bozeman on Friday. About 1,000 people both for and against Obama converged at a protest area near the Gallatin Field Airport hangar where the event took place. One person accused of disorderly conduct was detained and released, according to the Gallatin Airport Authority.

Heather Benjamin of Denver's Mesa County sheriff's department, the lead agency during Obama's visit there, said no one was arrested.

Arizona is an "open-carry" state, which means anyone legally allowed to have a firearm can carry it in public as long as it's visible. Only someone carrying a concealed weapon is required to have a permit.

Paul Helmke, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said people should not be allowed to bring guns to events where Obama is.

"To me, this is craziness," he said. "When you bring a loaded gun, particularly a loaded assault rifle, to any political event, but particularly to one where the president is appearing, you're just making the situation dangerous for everyone."

He said people who bring guns to presidential events are distracting the Secret Service and law enforcement from protecting the president. "The more guns we see at more events like this, there's more potential for something tragic happening," he said.

Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan said armed demonstrators in open-carry states such as Arizona and New Hampshire have little impact on security plans for the president.

"In both cases, the subject was not entering our site or otherwise attempting to," Donovan said. "They were in a designated public viewing area. The main thing to know is that they would not have been allowed inside with a weapon."

Representatives of the National Rifle Association did not return calls for comment.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...ooBQAD9A4TG402

[akv]

Wow! It’s common sense you shouldn’t have a weapon anywhere near the POTUS, but imagine the level of frustration it takes for citizens to do that. At best this president is a narcissistic clown, entertaining for 10 minutes at the circus, but sheer liability as our leader in a dangerous world, amidst economic crisis. This might be a hint Americans don’t want the Constitution trampled and Socialism forced down their throats. I can’t think of a more divisive leader, and I thought Hillary was polarizing.

As for the lack of reaction by the Phoenix PD, well Obama has already set clear precedence here, it would be “stupid” of the local police to interfere with or harass law abiding citizens, and we wouldn’t want that….

Originally Posted by Robert A. Heinlein

An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.

On the other hand one could argue that armed citizens bring a calming effect.

[Sigaba]

Originally Posted by HowardCohodas

On the other hand one could argue that armed citizens bring a calming effect.

It all might depend upon one's perspective and one's political objectives, I suppose.

Originally Posted by Sigaba

It all might depend upon one's perspective and one's political objectives, I suppose.

From Heinlein's writings it would seem it is more an observation of human nature than a political objective. In my case, your observation would be deserved.

[Fiercely Loyal]

GOOD FOR THEM!!! I am personally glad to see that they did it. I believe it sends a clear message. Also I am very very happy that the LEO's didn't over react. People are being convinced to vote certain ways with the POTUS using grants and projects as influence. Maybe if this were to happen more often the POTUS would listen more to the voices who are crying out for him to stop on the road he is taking us down.

[wiwarrior]

I'm glad to see citizens using the God given Rights that we have. We must use them or risk losing them!

[Defender968]

Originally Posted by Fiercely Loyal

GOOD FOR THEM!!! I am personally glad to see that they did it. I believe it sends a clear message.

Absolutely couldn't agree more, I just hope our politicians are watching and listening, my fear is that they'll write them off as just a few more right wing extremists instead of seeing them for what I believe they are, average citizens who are being pressed to the limit and who are extremely frustrated with the path the gov is taking us down.

Originally Posted by Fiercely Loyal

Also I am very very happy that the LEO's didn't over react.

Again agreed, and good on the brave men and women of the Phoenix PD, glad to see some good press for LEO's doing the right thing protecting the rights of all involved.

[Richard]

Although I certainly understand the demontrators' intentions and the Constitutional (not 'God given') right to bear arms as they did - I have to question their reasoning in doing so in today's social and political climate.

And ironically, as far as using Heinlein's "An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life." quote from one of his earlier works of science fiction, a reading of Beyond This Horizon might give a different context than that to which it is often used. Does this mean that those who cite this text also agree that easily occurring dueling to defend one's honor (as described in the novel) should be a necessary and acceptable part of society?

JMO - YMMV.

Richard's $.02

[Sten]

I wonder what it feels like to have several sniper rifles trained on you?

[Utah Bob]

I possess two things.

A deep respect for the Constitution and the 2nd Amendment.
Common sense.

I don't think I'd let the first override the second and show up at a political event with an AR.

Just me.

[Team Sergeant]

This is not the socialist state of Massachusetts or Kaliforina, yet.

For every weapon you "saw" there were probably 100 you didn't see.

TS

Phoenix police said the gun-toters at Monday's event, including the man carrying an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle slung over his shoulder, didn't need permits. No crimes were committed, and no one was arrested.

Arizona is an open carry state. http://opencarry.org/opencarry.html

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by Utah Bob

I possess two things.

A deep respect for the Constitution and the 2nd Amendment.
Common sense.

I don't think I'd let the first override the second and show up at a political event with an AR.

Just me.

I think they were just making a few statements and well within their rights to do so.

TS

"Do Not Go Gentle Into that Good Night"
By Dylan Thomas

[Praetorian]

I dont really see a problem here.... The man with the gun was allowed to carry his firearm, but the Secret service kept him a safe distance away from the President.

I'm about as pro- 2nd amendment as one can get, but I don't think the outcome of elections should come down to a daily quick draw contest between the secret service and however many people want to carry guns within inches of the leader of the country.