White House press secretary Robert Gibbs answered questions yesterday about people bringing loaded firearms to protest events attended by President Obama, and Gibbs apparently gave the green light to this crazy practice.
Gibbs said, "There are laws that govern firearms that are done state or locally. Those laws don't change when the president comes to your state or locality."
I personally find it hard to believe that the Secret Service is allowing this. The instructions must be coming for the President himself. Certainly his Executive Privilege could handle something like this.
As for the Secret Service, their response to gun carrying protesters yesterday was also strange: "We're well aware of the subjects that are showing up at these events with firearms," a spokesperson reportedly said. "We work closely with local law enforcement to make sure that their very strict laws on gun permits are administered."
Strict gun laws in Arizona? This is the state where two men openly carried assault rifles at a Presidential event and didn't get detained. It's harder to get a job at a fast food restaurant than it is to get a gun in Arizona.
Gun permits? In most cases, people openly carrying firearms don't need permits, meaning that open gun carriers have no requirement to have their criminal backgrounds checked before they carry and no requirement even to have weapons training.
What's your opinion? What do you think these gun-carrying protesters hope to accomplish? Do they think their protesting is attractive to the fence-sitters and the non-convinced? Or are they more like school children, prohibited from doing something, then learning they can get away with it?
What do you think? Please leave a comment.
Flat out lie there by CNN Mike. There were not 2 men carrying assault rifles at the event. There was one guy, the black man pictured.
ReplyDeleteAs for carrying at this protest. He was carrying outside the venue and both the Secret Service and PHX police made it quite clear he was NOT a threat to anyone, including Obama.
In most cases, people openly carrying firearms don't need permits, meaning that open gun carriers have no requirement to have their criminal backgrounds checked before they carry
Oh look, another STRAIGHT UP LIE by Paul Helmke. OC'ers have had the background check done AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE.
This has nothing to do with carrying a gun in a secure zone well away from the prez.
ReplyDeletePaul Helmke opposes carrying firearms ANYWHERE. Paul helmke opposes firearms ownership at every level.
If I'm wrong, you should have no trouble at all showing me where Paul Helmke has endorsed the Right to Keep and Bear Arms at any level, local, state or federal.
Checkmate.
kaveman said, "Paul Helmke opposes firearms ownership at every level."
ReplyDeleteWhat I hear him saying most often is let's keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of dangerous people. I don't think that's the same as you said. I'll look for a direct quote to support that, but you could save me the time and tell me now that you would just call him a liar.
A lot of pro-gun guys think Helmke is a liar and nothing he says would convince them. I don't remember if you've ever said anything like that. Have you?
"What I hear him saying most often is let's keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of dangerous people. I don't think that's the same as you said"
ReplyDeleteHelmke defines all American citizens as "dangerous people" and every weapon, from a flintlock pistol, .22 starter rifle, up to a Barrett .50BMG. He opposes carrying (open or concealed) of ANY firearms, even colonial era flintlocks which are not "firearms" per Federal law.
Would you like some examples of Helmke lying? I know I can find a whole plethora of them.
Hell, the scumbag was on Lou Dobbs a few nights ago and actually stated "I'm not anti-gun." Yeah, the head of the largest anti-gun group in the U.S. saying he's not anti-gun is a LIE. That's like David Duke saying he's not racist.
Mike W. said of Paul Helmke, "Hell, the scumbag was on Lou Dobbs a few nights ago and actually stated "I'm not anti-gun." Yeah, the head of the largest anti-gun group in the U.S. saying he's not anti-gun is a LIE. That's like David Duke saying he's not racist."
ReplyDeleteWhat's wrong with you, Mike, calling Helmke a "scumbag?"
He claims to be anti-gun violence, not anti-gun. I describe myself that way. Can't you understand the difference? Who do you think you are to call people "liars" and worse for something like this?
Bullshit MikeB.
ReplyDeleteHelmke's EXACT WORDS were
"I'm not anti-gun."
Who do you think you are to call people "liars"
ReplyDeleteI watched a man who heads the biggest anti-gun group in the country say "I'm not anti-gun."
Go ahead MikeB, try and spin that as anything but a lie on Helmke's part.
I know it must be hard for you to accept because you love the guy and his cause, but he is a straight up liar, no getting around it.