Video: Some information on the We the People Organization whose members have brought guns to rallies

A member brings a gun to an Obama event.  AP Photo Joe Page

So far two people have made the headlines by bringing guns to protests outside of President Obama events.  One man, William Kostnic, is seen on the right and was later interviewed by Chris Matthews.  The other man brought an AR-15 assault rifle to an Obama event in Arizona and was interviewed while carrying his weapon.

Now the website Talking Points Memo has revealed that both men belong to the We the People Organization.  In addition to exercising their right to bear arms it seems these men also are exercising their right to assemble.  That the two men have a right to belong to the organization and carry their firearms is not questioned.  What should be questioned is the wisdom of their actions and the intentions of their organization.

For sure the We the People Organization has many worthwhile and innocent goals which can be found on their website here.  According to their own website the group supports "the exercise of popular sovereignty by all possible non-violent means."  No reasonable person would question  that purpose.  However, some other things on the We the People website are a bit more concerning.

In the following video the We The People Organization outlines some of their more controversial viewpoints.  These include a belief that government has no right to apportion taxes and that President Obama has never proven his citizenship.  The group is to be commended for their constant invocation to only use peaceful means of resistance but one must question how peaceful things will remain if their members continue bringing guns to Obama events.

In other places on the website the group celebrates one man confronting a secret service officer in a "V" mask.  For those unfamiliar with the V for Vendetta movie the basic plot line involves one masked man who uses many methods, including violence, to bring down a totalitarian government through popular uprising.  How can We the People consistently advocate non-violent methods while also consistently holding up the "V" example of violent resistance?  The story above even goes as to call one secret service man an "SS officer."  The secret service man's crime was trying to forcibly take plastic knives from the masked "V" figure who approached the White House grounds.

Most violent organizations proclaim a commitment to peace but ultimately turn violent when they claim all other means of resistance have been exhausted.  I pray that the We the People Organization maintains its commitment to peaceful resistance and never resorts to the excuse that they violence is an acceptable means of resistance in a democracy.