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The message could not be more clear. A citizen exercising his or her Constitutionally guaranteed right is a scary threat. And even if they don't have bad intent, they're just not competent enough to have guns. Why, at another event in Arizona, someone dropped a gun, Dr. Nancy tells us, the implication being none of us can be trusted.
Chris Matthews ratchets up the hand-wringing to...I don't want to call it "hardball" because it's more like throwing rocks:
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Evidently the only thing Matthews "objectively" thinks should be on a citizen's leg is a "furrowing" feeling. And what happened to this assertion?
I don't question motive...It's the worst thing you can do in journalism is try to figure out motive. There's no way to determine it.
What did he just do throughout this "interview" with gun owner William Kostric?
We see what's going on, right? A supposed "watchdog" press demanding to know why a citizen dares exercise his rights...? With the implication that We the People can't be trusted to be either moral or competent...?
And the further implication that the only ones who can be trusted work for the government...?
Well the times, they are a changin'.
Some gun owners are proud of who they are and they're "coming out of the safe". If "Authorized Journalist" media elites don't like it, well, why should people have to hide who they are and what they believe just because it makes some bigots uncomfortable?
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Facts, not fabrication
I've spoken before about the importance of those who shape public opinion substantiating claims. The speculation presented here about William Kostric being a possible agent provocateur over an earpiece is flat out irresponsible, especially since it took me literally under five minutes to determine the truth of things.
The sign Mr. Kostric was holding in the MSNBC video promotes RestoretheRepublic.com. I called them, identified myself, and they put me right through to National Director Gary Franchi. This is what he told me:
He's not an agent. He is an associate of Chris Lawless of the Free State Project.
Lawless had this to say on Franchi's Facebook page:
I know the guy. There were 4 others also wearing earpieces. They do that to call each other in case of a problem. We also have something called PORC 411 here in NH...
I note the Infowars story now leads off with a correction confirming this. It would be nice if they had taken a few minutes to do that before stirring up all those people who got so outraged in comments because they were "sure" that an earpiece is proof that someone works for the government.
Also see:
- "Obama gun carrier reflects on publicity"
- "MSNBC joins campaign of anti-gun bigotry" by Seattle GRE Dave Workman
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Articles in new Guns Magazine
At the bottom of yesterday's column I had an update on the Guns Magazine contest. I also have two features in the digital issue which can be accessed from here.
My Rights Watch column is on page 66. "This Attack on Gun Rights Shouldn't Fly" looks at attempts to disarm gun owners because their names appear on government watch lists.
Beginning on page 73 is "JPFO Video Documents Racism Behind Gun Control," something I've also talked about here.
If the Flash presentation is too much for your Internet connection or computer, you can also read my latest column here.
Have you read the latest from all the Gun Rights Examiners?
- Atlanta: Ed Stone
- Austin: Howard Nemerov
- Boston: Ron Bokleman
- Charlotte: Paul Valone
- Chicago: Don Gwinn
- Cleveland: Daniel White
- DC: Mike Stollenwerk
- Denver: Dan Bidstrup
- Los Angeles: John Longenecker
- Minneapolis: John Pierce
- National: David Codrea
- Seattle: Dave Workman
- St. Louis: Kurt Hofmann
- Wisconsin: Gene German
Comments
How stupid can you get. You can bet if some one stepped on thier 1st amendment rights they would scream bloody murder. But since it's our 2nd amendment rights, it's ok if they are tramppled into the mud.
Aaah the things that are passed off as "news" in this country. *sigh*
Chris Matthews' so called "coverage" is hot air.
It really exemplifies the low quality "news coverage" that is foisted on this country. However, apparently people consume it (just like reality TV and American Idol).
You don't? Then write MSNBC and tell them what you think about Chris Matthews, his "coverage" of the issues, their network, and what you plan on doing with your time instead of watching this show.
Here's the e-mail address for the producers: viewerservices@msnbc.com
The gun carrier was protected in his right in execising his right to bear arms. I am gratified the police didn't hassle him. Chris Mathews on the other hand, is a complete A-H and a rude dog. I'd love the chance to debate this clown.
The Arizona Republic ran an article about the Gifford meeting incident. Majority opinion among all the commenters boiled down to "this is a non-story... there are 180,000 people with licenses in the state, get used to it."
So this Ron Paulist cretin shows up with a sign that basically says spill the blood of tyrants while carrying a weapon. How brainless can you be to think this is not an implied threat of violence? Chris Matthews went easy on him.
Wait a minute! Leaving a gun unattended at a public event is not cause for worry! That is an amazing assertion.
What if a child had found that gun? Having a constitutional right to carry a weapon does not relieve you of responsibility to safely manage the control of that weapon. I have to imagine that pro-weapon advocates would be equally disturbed by this behavior.
I will echo what I read on another blog last night. Kostric might have been fully in the right but he was strategically unwise.
As MBV says "no Ft. Sumters". I'll add that there's no need to goad the left into another Waco. They'll get there on their own and the less we help them the longer we have to prepare.
Last night, I pained over wording an email response from me to my state senator for his supporting an ammmunition control bill in California. Pointed out how laws have no effect on criminals and how bad it would be to make it harder to protect ourselves with all the violence spilling over from Mexico. All in a reasoned response to his anti-gun position. I concluded by asking him to take a fresh look at his agenda and consider the law abiding citizens before acting.
People "brandishing" weapons in public..yes it is considering the circumstances...do not help us keep our 2a rights.
Engage brain before acting please. Don't give them the ammo to use against us.
Matthews is such a ridiculous clown. He keeps asking if he was aware of the history of guns and the presidency, as if no "only one" could be an assassin. And of course, he's going to ignore the fact that his precious government killed Kennedy. I just want to know why these media morons think that government workers are sanctified? They're generally more criminal and the degenerate than the public at large. Really bizarre.
More fear and ignorance on the part of the anti-gunners. It is legal to OC in NH period. "The Right Of The People To Keep and Bear Arms Shall Not Be Infringed" That says it all.
Without the second amendment these clowns would not have a first amendment. I will never understand why liberals are so scared of everything. They make everything personal to them and then think if it works for them it will work for everybody. It doesn't even occur to them that there is another side to an argument.
I can see nothing about the "circumstances" that qualify his actions as brandishing.
As 2A detractors manufacture ammunition out of thin air already, its hard to say he provided them with significant "ammo."
My initial reaction upon reading the headline yesterday was to cringe. On reflection, this could be a teaching opportunity. We have documented evidence of an armed person in public who didn't leave a blood trail and who didn't threaten anyone. Concerning the provocative sign, I think some folks forget that the watering of the tree referred to in the sign is blood from both patriots and tyrants.
The first question that occurred to me when the story first came out was: How did they (MSM) manage to pick out a single individual out all the people who were going to be on-hand for such an event?
And why is MSNBC makeing such a big deal out of it?
Edin Sac, obviously you are vocabulary challenged. Learn the meaning of words BEFORE you use them. Hint; look up the definition in the law of "brandishing".
Russel, for the sake of argument, let's grant your point, though it is invalid, we will pretend that it is correct. My question is, so what? It might be a good thing for the implication of violence to make its presence felt in the hearts of those who would deny us our rights. Any of our rights, but again, so what? I was once at photo op for Vice-President Mondale in the middle of Nowhere, Ks. I counted more than ten snipers, fifteen on the ground Secret Service agents, all armed, and all focusing on us. All we wanted to do was return to work and finish the powerhouse. We couldn't have cared less about Mondale, but man was death and destruction ever implied that day. So, it may not be a bad them for EVERYONE to consider that violence may not just be a one way street.
However, since some of you here think it is a good thing that people can be denied the legal exercise of their God-given, constitutionally guaranteed unalienable rights, I now invoke your program and order each of you to STFU.
Your idea. Live with it, in silence.
That a$ $hole Mathews got his ass kicked by a Patriot!
Matthews, a seasoned, highly experienced interviewer, word smith, and educated speech writer was cleaned out by an ordinary Joe the CCW holder.
I love the reaction and answer to "was it loaded".
I needed that laugh today.....thanks Shivering leg man.
I came across this site by accident. All I can say is it's hilarious to watch Keith Dolterman's "Meltdown" ....good stuff !!! He and Rachel Maddow need to grow up and stop the lies ! Maybe that's why FOX is kicking their butts so bad !!!!
ROFLOL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MSLSD SUX
Matthews was using every trick in the interviewer's handbook to rattle Mr. Kostrick and he kept his wits about him.
There were numerous opportunities when Matthews was pressing, that Mr. Kostrick could have simply answered, "Because Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution simply does not grant the federal government the authority to engage in such activity."
All in all, though, Mr. Kostrick should be commended for his courage; and his willingness to step forward and say: I will not submit.
Russell says:
So this Ron Paulist cretin shows up with a sign that basically says spill the blood of tyrants
Uhh.. his sign SAID NO SUCH THING IDIOT!
I don't know Mr. Kostric, but if Chris Lawless is speaking up for him, that's good enough for me. Folks outside New Hampshire might not realize how much activism goes on up here, and how many freedom lovers have been arrested or hassled while breaking no laws whatsoever.
If the panty-twisters think that was the only gun in that crowd, they don't know a lot about the "Live Free or Die" state. I'll guarantee you that there were probably hundreds of armed free citizens in that crowd, though I have personal knowledge of only a couple.
As for those decrying what this patriot did... this advice falls under "sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander". If you or your heroes have no tyranny to hide, you have nothing to fear. I see very similar words thrown in my face way too frequently on the subject of privacy, you're just going to have to live with the same advice on this one, sparky.
I wish Mr. Kostric would have thought a little further than just showing up. I admire his courage to do what he did. He should have realized he would be pounced on by the left-wing media. He should have thought about what they would ask and how he would answer. However, The only people that need worry about such a patriot are Tyrants. Are Chris Matthews and the other critics saying that Obama is a Tyrant? I think many people are just in denial about where this country is headed.
I don't understand all of these supposed Second Amendment supporters saying that Mr. Kostric had the right to carry his firearm but he shouldn't have. That is the ignorant kind thinking that has gotten us here. People have become trained that carrying a gun is wrong so when they see a gun they panic. If you don't want to exercise your rights don't but don't tell me I can't or shouldn't exercise mine. If your too cowardly to stand up for the Constitution, that is your problem.
Theaton - consider the VERY strong possibility that Mr Kostric thought through ALL of the points you raise, and carefully prepared himself for just what happened. Like I said, I don't know him, but I know some of the folks he is apparently connected with. They know what they are doing - and I think the results speak for themselves.
How about a little applause for a brother-in-arms that took a big personal risk, put his life, liberty and sacred honor on the line - and pulled it off?
Bawney Fwank:
Mr. Kostric's sign said "The tree of Liberty needs to be watered from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." While he tried to obfuscate that fact, by referencing the quote he said the same thing. You can be in denial of that fact, but not many are. I have no problem with his sign and I think he should have put the whole quote on it. As someone else pointed out here, there were likely hundreds of armed people their, not including the secret service. Many, if not all, of those people were likely thinking about that and other founding quotes. Nobody interviewed or had a problem with them. They had the same mindset, they just chose to hide it. The state motto is "Live Free or Die." Is the state threating Obama because he is taking our freedom? Damn people. Where are you balls?
The Hunter, I do admire Mr. Kostric. I said so in my post. I said I admire his courage. However, when Chris Matthews attacked him he didn't come across very well. Maybe he did think about questions he would be asked and there answer. It could be that the vicious attack from Matthews flustered him. Mr. Matthews gave him very little chance to answer and I think that was the intent. Just think of the response of we all would have had the courage to do what Mr. Kostric did? It would have been an emotional sight to see.
"if we all" instead of "of we all"
oops ;)
Let's add a few more observations to this event.
Every car driven there by a New Hampshire resident had the state motto "Live Free or Die" on the license plate. That's not just an empty slogan. It is frequently invoked in conversations aboutg politics even between complete strangers.
Article 10 of the New Hampshire constitution, entitled "Right of Revolution", was enacted June 2, 1784. Too long to quote in its entirety, will give you a pointer to it - but here's the best part:
(...) therefore, whenever the ends of government are perverted, and public liberty manifestly endangered, and all other means of redress are ineffectual, the people may, and of right ought to reform the old, or establish a new government. The doctrine of nonresistance against arbitrary power, and oppression, is absurd, slavish, and destructive of the good and happiness of mankind.
www.nh.gov/constitution/billofrights.html
Live Free or Die.
William Kostric did nothing wrong yet Chris Matthews did his best to vilify the man. Does that make Chris Matthews a bully, a coward, or both? My vote is for Both.
I'm sure that by now thousands of guns have been carried to town hall meetings by law abiding citizens who were in compliance with the law. Been any shootings as a result? I haven't heard of any....
Hoplophobics should not be reporting the news!
(grin) Au contraire, Butch. Let the bigoted bastard spew his bile on camera. Wanna bet how that one "played in Peoria"? Mr Shakey-Leg may well come across well to a martini-sipping liberal in upper Manhattan, but you get out into the heartland and I think they might not have been all that impressed with him in that interview.
I thought Kostric scored some definite points on more than one occasion during that interview. While I am by no means an objective observer, I think my take on it is a lot more in line with the reactions of middle America than Matthews and his unindicted co-conspirators in the effort to deprive civil rights under color of law are gonna like.
A&H's like this dumb mathews is another reason we are having more gun-control crap. mathews is not smart enough to handle a firearm; except m,aybe a cap pistol for kids.
the showin of some one carrying a gun ,dont bother me one bit, i pack all the time, if some one dont like it ,so what, liberals forget,what freedom is ,and stands for, not all gun owers are out to shoot someone, or tro theyer lives away, but will stand on the second amendment ,for it is what keeps enslavers , commist trash from geting theyer way, the health reform bill ,like bill 1317 is commist trash, to enslave all, msnbc and others dont give a dam about freedom or what it meens or who lost love,ed ones for it, so pack guns , tell them, we will not be giveing up ower guns for free ................
Precisely, Cris. Chris Matthews is far too bigoted to realize it, but he just gave the cause of freedom a BIG leg up. He made enough of a stink that anyone who's conscious will hear that a man legally carried a firearm to an event the President was attending - and NOTHING happened. The world did not end, nobody was arrested, just a buncha unpopular media liars screaming the sky is falling. I wish all the enemies of freedom were that shortsighted.
Wow. I had to stop watching the Matthews clip a little over halfway through... my stomach was churning. He truly has no clue. He kept hounding Mr. Kostric about "the history in this country of people with guns at presidential events", as though *anybody* has an encyclopedic knowledge of all the events in 200+ years where armed people met with the President and nothing happened. (Never mind that Lincoln's assassination was hardly the site of a "presidential event".) And I can't help echoing the observation of others here (hello, straightarrow!) that the threat of deadly violence *was* manifestly clear at this event: there is no doubt in anybody's mind that the Secret Service agents wouldn't have promptly killed *anybody and everybody* they deemed a threat to the President.
Mr. Kostric got the better of him I think, he not only sounded credible, he also matched Matthews with his knowledge of history, which I don't think Matthews counted on! I think Matthews was expecting a whacko, and got a Patriot instead! I think that is hysterical
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