Is this the crazy Crawford shooter guy? -PIX->>>

[Stephanie]

So, why doesn't the caption mention anything about him shooting off his gun?







Ranch owner Larry Mattlage, whose property sits between the ranch of U.S. President George W. Bush and a camp set up by a group of anti-war protesters, posts a no parking sign against his fence to ward off demonstrators in Crawford, Texas, August 14, 2005. Mattlage claimed that protesters have been parking illegally on his property for the past week as they campaigned peacefully against the U.S. military presence in Iraq. (Jason Reed/Reuters

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050815/photos_pl/mdf643598

[Liberal In Texas]

1. That's the guy. Funny, I would expect a little better from Reuters.

But it is a little "headline" blurb and not the full story. Even in the headline blub it would have been possible to be a bit more accurate.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

2. There's a pic on one of the other Mattlage DU threads...

...and it shows a close-up of the back of that pickup truck, where you can clearly see beer, an American Flag, and a box of shotgun shells.

:scared:

[Bucky]

55. "beer, an American Flag, and a box of shotgun shells."

Talk about desicrating the flag!

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

71. Here's the pic and the link to the other DU thread:

We learned something else today: the favored beer of redneck psychotics is "Keystone Light."



http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4348643&mesg_id=4349216

:toast:

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

72. More detail: those are Remington shells

I tried to find the same box, but here are some similar ones. You can see the word "Remington" more clearly, and the lettering style is identical.





"REMINGTON Sportsman Hi-Speed Steel Load Shotshells, 12 Gauge,3" Shell, 1 1/4 oz of #BB Shot."

[onehandle]

3. "Hey you kids, Get off my property!" nt

[Just Me]

4. We are just "sheeples" led to attack a fellow American rather than,...

,...the bastards who GET OFF on dividing their own to exploit any and everyone.

:puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:

Please, FEEL FREE to be manipulated and exploited by attacking a fellow American. :cry:

[PunkPop]

7. Huh?

Maybe I don't understand.

This guy brought out a shotgun and was shooting it up in the air in an attempt to terrify peaceful protestors. I'm all for attacking this nitwit.

[Maru Kitteh]

18. Thats how I feel about it too - Fuck Larry

I am not going to have the warm fuzzies for a guy who goes drunk shotgun shooting near peaceful protesters.

I would have sympathy for him if he made his complaints known in a RATIONAL and SAFE, ADULT manner. As it stands, screw him.

[havocmom]

8. I hear ya. The hate directed toward this man here on the DU is disgusting

Sorta like the generalized bullshit some spout off about 'red states'. NOT the way to win friends not influence elections!

By falling for the trap of really nasty attitudes, we will just alienate people who we could be cultivating as allies. AND we let the junta frame the debate YET AGAIN, pitting citizen agaist citizen instead of against the criminals running things.

When do we wise up and stop stooping to freeper level? Sure we are angry and with cause and yes there is terrible frustration, but when we go flapping our lips and being hateful, we make guys like this even more frustrated, pissed and likely to start complaining to the police about any little transgression. When we engage in the bs, we allow the neocons to get others to fight their battles for them YET AGAIN!

Kill 'me with kindness. Do not stoop to the level of those we are trying to defeat. Rove just laughs his ass off when that happens.

Cindy is winning over the country because she is behaving as a responsible citizen. We harm her when we do otherwise.

edit: typo

[deutsey]

5. Fuck you, Mattlage, fuck you.

I'm done being civil with these pricks.

F-U-C-K Y-O-U, Fascist.

[havocmom]

11. Rove thanks you for playing into his hands

Take some clue from Cindy Sheehan's behavior. She is winning friends and influencing people.

Sinking to the hateful rampages of the morans is not gonna be real constructive.

Anger is good, but directing it accurately is better.

The man lives in a quiet place. Chances are good, he likes it that way. We get frustrated at what goes on, well so does he. Cut him some slack and make friends when ever possible.

Hate gets hate back.

[Maru Kitteh]

21. Oh, poppycock

You think he was looking for friends with that shotgun talking about "dove season".

That anybody would defend that asshat or his actions is just shameeful.

[deutsey]

26. Thanks

:thumbsup:

[havocmom]

49. Not defending him, suggesting some understanding, empathy, willingness

to consider alternatives to just lashing out in anger and stooping to the level of morans... you know, LIBERAL methods

[havocmom]

61. Not shameful at all to extend empathy to others

Always thought it was a trait common to Liberals

[formernaderite]

64. I'd be pissed too if I lived out in the country and people started

disrupting my peace and quiet....that said, he's probably more than pissed that Bush moved next door. Hey, as long as he doesn't actually shoot anyone, I have no problem with the sound effects. He's expressing his first amendment rights....and on his own property I might add.

[deutsey]

24. I meant I'm sick of being civil with unreasonable people like this moran

As someone who has many conservative friends, I'm more than willing to converse with, debate with, and share a few drinks and laughs with people who don't agree with me politically.

However, I will no longer condone or try to play nice with fascist fuckheads.

Let the Democratic appeasers in Congress do that. Or someone like Sheehan can do it, if she really wants to engage someone like that.

I'm tired of us gearing up to play a rough and tumble game of hockey only to be met with fascist Republicans in machinegun nests on the ice, if you get my metaphorical drift.

Sometimes turning the other cheek is right and sometimes it accomplishes nothing more than getting your other cheek bruised and bloody.

In my more cynical moments (which have increased since I've been fighting Bush in 2000), I add this to Gandhi's famous saying:

First they ignore you.
Then they laugh at you.
Then they fight you.
Then you win.
Then they kill you.

And PS: Rove can kiss my ass.

[havocmom]

50. What EXACTLY has the man done to earn you sweet, charming label

of "fascist fuckheads"? Sorta deminishes the words when they get tossed around at anybody you get angery at, then WE all get dismissed as a bunch of hotheads who don't know what a Fascist is.

The guys in power are Fascists. This man is an average guy whose homelife is being seriously disrupted. Make some allowances, I am sure you would be pretty hostile to freepers demonstrating outside your place.

Mrs Sheehan deals with adversity with modulated responses, wisdom, and grace. It might be good to immulate her methods. They do seem to be working better thay hysterical name calling and hostility which is a bit over the top.

[deutsey]

Picking up a gun and using it to voice his opinion

I'm a small "d" democrat. I don't believe in using firearms to express your dissent about anything.

Brownshirts use those tactics.

[havocmom]

59. Makes him many things, but not a Fascist.

Call him what he is. Call Fascists what they are. When you use the term indiscriminately, it loses its power and makes the user appear a bit ignorant of the meaning. Then the pundits use that against us 'Oh, those Liberals, calling everybody who disagrees with them a Fascist...'

Can you not see that is sorta the same thing as Liberals being called 'Commies'? Makes the language meaningless and invites people to write us off as a bunch of whackos. Makes our causes easy to dismiss and just the grumbling of cranks.

Accuracy in communication is a more powerful tool.

[deutsey]

62. I don't believe I'm using the term indiscriminantly, though point taken

He's still a fascist to me, because he's using the means of intimidation that fascists use.

On a larger level, I believe Mussolini defined fascism best (he founded it, after all): "Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power."

This guy supports Bush's brand of fascism, in my opinion, and he's using the classic means of voicing fascist opinion: intimidation.

If anyone wishes me to elaborate on what I mean by calling this guy a fascist and why I think it's an accurate means of communication, I'll be only too happy to elaborate.

[havocmom]

63. Yes, I think Mussolini's defination serves well too.

And the defination does not fit what we know of the man. Please, do enlighten me about evidence you have that he merges state and corporate power! Sure seems like you have him confused with his neighbor, George W.

[deutsey]

66. Using a gun to intimidate people isn't "democratic"

From the AP: "During a prayer service, Mattlage came out and fired his hunting shotgun into the air then put up a no parking sign. Mattlage says that the protestors should go home and he will continue to fire his gun until they do. Mattlage's gun play, although legal in Texas, did get him a visit from Secret Service and local sheriff deputies."

His response to a prayer service was to shoot off a gun.

Hard to have meaningful dialogue with someone blasting a gun off.

Corporate power manipulates and exploits people like this guy to bully and silence dissent, often through violence or the threat of violence. I don't think I'm going out on a limb to point that out. In that respect, as far as I'm concerned, he's willingly participating in a fascistic/corporatist pecking order that helps people like Bush maintain power through intimidating dissent.

I was part of a peaceful weekly vigil in my town that, while in general supported by passersby, was bullied by a group of pro-Bush hawks who were not interested in dialogue or free expression of ideas...by their own admission they wanted to shut us up and did everything they could to hide us from the public by parking their huge pickup trucks and SUVs in front of us and making it so that people could not see us.

In a few instances, until police intervened and kept us separated, some on their side actually got up in the faces of some of those in our vigil. Some of those on our side were intimidated and actually stopped coming out to the vigils. One on their side made the mistake of getting up in front of a WWII vet on our vigil who, while he opposes Bush's militarism, isn't a pacifist. The guy from the the other side backed down when this vet made it clear that if it came to blows, he was ready to take him on.

For better or for worse, I'm on the side of this vet. I oppose Bush's militarism but I'm not a pacifist. And I'm not about to let people like this continue getting away with trying to intimidate people through violent gestures (a fear upon which fascism feeds).

Too many peaceful people I admire are gone as a result of this "power from the barrel of a gun" crap, and anyone who thinks they can come out and shoot off firearms as a viable retort to peaceful protest sure as hell is not on my side, and is aiding and abetting the other side, as far as I'm concerned.

Disagree with me all you want. If he came out and said "Get the hell out of here" or simply posted "No Parking" signs, I'd be more sympathetic than his coming out and shooting off a weapon that is, by its very design, meant to intimidate through exerting deadly force.

[DistressedAmerican]

68. But He's A Murkin And He Demand's His Rights.

Forget the fact that no one is on his land.

He pays taxes on the road bwcause he drives it year round. That does not give him ownership.

Maybe he sould talk to his neighbor about getting it paved. At least he's be getting his money's worth!

[deutsey]

70. God...it's 11:20 pm...I had no idea it was this late

I have to go to work in the morning. If I have time, I'll resume this interesting debate (sans firearms) then.

:hi:

[havocmom]

75. Thank you for dropping the Fascist term

now you are giving a more accurate and, therefore, valid arguement of your opinion.

Now that you are framing your arguement in a rational manner, allow me to say, I do agree with most of it.

[deutsey]

76. Well, actually, I've not dropped the "fascist" term

I still think the guy is a fascist and I still call him that. Sorry I didn't make that clear in the previous post.

But I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on this. It seems like we are nit-picking over this admittedly loaded word (as loaded as this guy's shotgun) while we are in agreement on much larger issues.

:hi:

PS: the edit was to add "not" in the subject line.

[DistressedAmerican]

67. Here Here! I Agreed With It Each time You Posted It!

[deutsey]

Deleting...don't know what happened with all these messages

[deutsey]

52. delete

[deutsey]

53. delete

[deutsey]

54. delete

[Bucky]

57. Ppiicckkiinng uupp aa gguunn and uussiinng iitt ttoo vvooiicce hhiiss

N-n-n-nothing c-c-can poss-ossibly g-go-go-go worng.

[deutsey]

58. Long hair, short hair, what's the difference so long

as the head's blowed off.

--National Lampoon's "Lemmings"

[zanne]

77. The Republicans have done very well with hate..

Especially when we sit by and "wait our turn" to speak. Being "nice" has not helped the Democratic Party during the last five years. Are we supposed to be "polite" while these idiots take over the country?

[Straight Shooter]

6. He's not crazy. He just went temporarily nuts due to frustration.

Some people don't know how to cope with extreme situations.

But this is what I got out of the article: "as they campaigned peacefully against the U.S. military presence in Iraq.

Now, that's worth mentioning!

[johnaries]

27. I agree with you, HavocMom, and JustMe. Cindy has proven the best

way to deal with these people:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4344582

and also:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4348244

"He did not agree with this protest, he said, but wanted to know if his son’s name was on one of the crosses in the Arlington West cemetery... Later, the man shared a beer with Cindy Sheehan and told her he loved her. That is a victory, one that surpasses any sort of mean politics."

[DistressedAmerican]

44. That Person Was Not Drinking And Firing Off Guns.

Neither did they incite others to join them in doing the same.

When I see Cindy hugging this man and him telling her he loves her and is sorry for his threats, I will consider what you are saying. Right now that is not happening.

[deutsey]

46. I'm with you.

Gandhi wisely recognized that his peaceful protests would mean nothing if the fascists won WWII.

I think those of us in the peace movement need to remember that.

[havocmom]

56. Thank you! I was fucking about ready to give up the fight for American

democracy if all the posts today are an indication of the team! Jesus H. Chreeeest! What is with all the hateful shit going on around here? I thought I landed in some alternate DU Universe or something!

Thank you, johnaries, for letting me know not everyone has decided to do Rove's work for him!

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[liveoaktx]

16. A high percentage of the people at the rally yesterday were Texans

It's insulting, frankly, for you to describe some redneck as a "Typical Texan". It's as much a form of ignorance and bigotry as me saying that all Massachusetts people are "tea sippers".

[ChairmanAgnostic]

31. damn straight. at least 1/2 of Mass guzzle their tea

The real arguments are whether they use lemon or milk.

HEY, let's be realistic.
This guy lived there for years, and all of a sudden some pres-wanna-be builds a 10,000 sq ft "ranch" next door. Do you really think that he had any peace at that point? with all the SS Officers peering up his anal cavity?

From total quiet to total madness. Heck, the man can't even drink beer and shoot his shotgun off at night without being harassed anymore.
He has probably never seen a librul in his life, nor does he know the issues facing the country that are being played out in his front yard. It is not his fault that he reacted badly. He just wants everything to go back to the way it was.

In a way, we are no different. We want everything to go back before Bush was elected, if truth be told. If it did, there would not be an Osama problem, for the warnings before 9/11 would have been taken seriously, AND we would have concentrated on finding him and stopping his organization.
Totally contrary to the mess we find ourselves in today.

I don't blame him, and I am very greatful that he did not shoot anyone. He is what he is - a proud member of a red state.

[DistressedAmerican]

45. "It is not his fault that he reacted badly."

Who's is it? the peaceful and lawful protesters that ARE NOT ON HIS LAND?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

48. I do not accept his shooting of guns, but

look at the material you are working with.
A simple, drunken sot, with a gun. He is doing all he knows. Fear has pervaded his existence and he ain't happy with it. It is as though Cortez, STDs and all, just invaded and he hasn't a clue.

Do i support him? heck no. Can I understand his weaknesses and where he comes from? absolutely.

[jedr]

36. lighten up a bit:,

the pay-off line is about his neighbor. you're reading in a lot that wasn't said.

[Texasgal]

47. Typical Texan?

That's bullshit and you know it!

Thank you for painting all of us "typical Texans" with such a broad brush.

Signed,
TYPICAL TEXAN.

[jedr]

74. your welcome,

now get on your horse and ride off into the sunset...Texans apparently don't have much of a sense of humor.

[Texasgal]

78. Your a dumbass...

How about that?

[Lars39]

10. Also doesn't mention the opened case of beer in the bed of truck.

[havocmom]

13. which is probably legal

:shrug: your point?

[Lars39]

20. Probably contributed to his attitude.

[havocmom]

51. I know liberals who drink. Shall we string 'em up?

Beer on his property is his business. He looks to be of age. If he gets onery, it's the sheriff's call.

[Lars39]

60. I drink beer, too. I also don't take my shotgun and threaten people

because I'm frustrated with them. :shrug:

[DistressedAmerican]

73. These Apologists Have Lost Their Nimds. They Will Work Up Any Excuse

to say that this asshat is not out of line. That he somehow is justified in getting drunk and threatening people with guns.

That quite simply is total bullshit.

[Placebo]

12. There is nothing wrong with what this guy did/said.

It's not his fault that hundreds of people have descended on his property and he can't even go about his business because of it.

It's nice to see so many people here hating him, from thousands of miles away, not knowing what he might be experiencing.

[DistressedAmerican]

17. Bullshit! He Invited "Every redneck in Texas" to come shooting on his

property in an attempt to frighten and intimidate peaceful protesters out of their right to free speech.

Now, if you think that "there is nothing wrong" with that, you are dead wrong.

[Placebo]

19. Did he say it was to "frighten and intimidate protestors"?

I don't think so.

He was only practicing for the hunting season, get a grip.

[DistressedAmerican]

22. Do Yourself A Favor And Read This. Listen To His Own Words.

It was a clear act of intimidation followed by demand that we leave. Did you think he was just opening a hunting lodge for "rednecks"?

You don't sound like you know nuch about what he said or did. Yet, you insist there is NOTHING wrong with it.

Please go educate yourself!

Link:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4348643

[PunkPop]

65. Hah! Yeah, he was only 'practicing for hunting season'

and I have some oceanfront property I'd like to sell you.

[Bluebear]

34. "Let the President have his vacation like everybody else!"

That's what the guy said. Only 'everybody else' doesn't have five weeks off. And everybody else didn't start this war and is now inattentive to it.

[zbdent]

14. Signs, signs, everywhere a sign

Bet his sign is unenforceable, since Sheehan & CO are on the highway land, not his land . . .

[DistressedAmerican]

15. This Is Too...

[zippy890]

23. There it is DA!

These galdarned porta-potties-- git em' offin mah property! Its the dang War Of th' Porta Potties 'round here!

:rofl:

love that graphic

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

28. o sh*t

Here's what else comes to mind...

[DistressedAmerican]

30. Off My (Public) Land You Protesters!

"I'm talking this whole damn country. Our neighbors and friends and this is our country."

[ohio_liberal]

33. Oh fuck

That's priceless! :rofl:

[DistressedAmerican]

38. Think I;ll Make A Shirt to Wear While I Am There!

Hi Larry!

Have a cold one on me!:toast:

[liveoaktx]

25. Did you have empathy for the hospice that was inconvenienced by Schiavo?

All those nuts in front of the hospice that made it difficult and uncomfortable for those who wanted to visit patients to do it. It's the SAME DAMN PRINCIPLE.

On his land, he can shoot guns. He can drink beer. He can post no trespassing signs on his fence to make sure no one parks on HIS LAND, which doesn't include the frontage. He can want peace and quiet in order not to scare off doves that he hopes to hunt next month in Dove season. He can rent out his land to media companies to use in order to make a buck if he wants.

[ovidsen]

35. Common sense.

It's so nice to see some damn common sense here. Larry Mattlage may lack tact, but he didn't do anything illegal. He didn't overtly threaten Cindy or her supporters. He expressed understandable frustration. It's a safe bet he's not living there to enjoy the constant, inevitable noise and ruckus being generated by hundreds of strangers, and the reporters with them, and their trucks, their generators, their lights. Cut him some slack. Be open-minded and forgiving. His critics should find better windmills to rush. Slam Chimp, or Rummy, or Condi or Rove, but not this guy. Take the high road, or take the highway.

[sarahlee]

42. Great analogy

Thanks!

[deutsey]

43. Yeah, but I don't recall any hospice patient or family member

shooting off a gun either.

I'd be as pissed at them as I am at this idiot.

[Hubert Flottz]

29. Deleted because of UGLY!

.

[DanCa]

32. Woah he looks like my next store neighbor. (nt)

[hippywife]

37. Regardless of what he did or said

this doesn't mean we need to react in kind. You are not responsible for someone's response to you...only your response to them. I don't agree with how he responded but I can understand he misses his peace and quiet and ability to get around without so many cars on the road.

I live out on a quiet country road and I'm not all too happy about the country music concert they have out here a few miles away every year that draws hundreds of people. But I learn to live with it and reroute to avoid it. I can understand his frustration at wanting it all to go away.

All of us who support Cindy are all his neighbor at the moment. He doesn't like it and there are some of you that may not like it. But if people are going to be out there until the 31st then everyone is just going to have to learn to deal with it.

I say draw him in. He doesn't support the war as it is. It isn't his fault or ours that Bush moved in down the road. We all need to act like neighbors in this small example of the kind of peace making that should be going on around the world.

[Bluebear]

39. Hippywife, with all due respect:

And I mean that.

You don't like the music concert but you don't go out firing Pappy's Pride in the middle of it. Civilized people do not threaten to shoot during the night. He wants people to go home so Bush can enjoy his vacation in peace, he said so.

[deutsey]

40. Exactly.

Sorry, but stuffing a flower down the barrel of a rifle doesn't stop the rifle from blowing your head off.

[DistressedAmerican]

41. Sorry He Is Threatening Peaceful And Lawful Protesters With Guns.

There is simply NO EXCUSE for that type of behavior. This situation is HIS making.

He is a grown man and rather than act like one, he gets busy on 10 AM beer and goes shooting to get attention for his problem. Not acceptable. Then he encourages others to join in his gun nut fun. Also not accpetable.

He invited "every redneck in Texas" to join him in his gun threats as well.

Keep apologizing for his behavior. But, it is simply unacceptable.

"Regardless of what he did or said"? Are you serious?

[otohara]

69. Bush Could Put an End To This

but nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo - he don't care what Cindy thinks or his neighbors.