Larry, You Are So Concerned About Jesus But, You Are Up Drunk On SUN.

[DistressedAmerican]

morning, shooting off guns to threaten those that seek peace, just like Jesus.

Maybe you should take some of your own medicine (No, not the Keystone. That is piss beer).

And I quote:

"And if this group says they are so much in Jesus and neighbor rights and all they pretend to be, why don't they show it? You gotta it you gotta live Jesus christ and this is not Jesus christ, I see."

I agree guy. This is not Jesus I see either!

Hypocrite!

You got a beef? Take it up with this guy!

[Liberal In Texas]

1. Cool your jets.

Larry was popping too many CL's and is scared and a little intimidated. He fired a shotgun into the air to make himself more important.

THIS IS A MINOR BLIP on the radar.

Now, please, stop posting this hateful stuff.

-LibInTexas

[eleny]

2. "He fired a shotgun into the air to make himself more important"

He implied that he did it to intimidate. I'll take his word for it. And that's something that's going to get under people's skin. He vented with his shotgun and people here vent with words. Try to get over that.

[ugarte]

3. No. The hateful stuff is Larry

From Will Pitt:

They have been jolted with fear when a local resident fired his weapon into the air several times to make them go away. When the shooter, one Larry Mattlage, was asked why he was firing his gun, he said, "We're going to start doing our war and it's going to be underneath the law. We're going to do whatever it takes." It is safe to say, therefore, that their lives have been threatened.

[Swamp Rat]

4. Are you there?

I have been in agreement with you (bring him a jar of honey, flowers etc), but the more I read this evening, the more I see this guy as a real danger.

Some in my family are ranchers, and my uncle is a gun maker. You NEVER fire a gun to intimidate someone who is not a direct threat, unless you mean to kill them.

[Liberal In Texas]

9. To all of you on this thread...

I'm here for a few more minutes before I retire.

I agree and disagree.

I still think the guy was drunk and blustering.

NO it is not a good idea...no, I'll say even beyond that it borders on criminal to take a shotgun to your fence when you know there are people out there and fire it off 2! timees.

Is this some confrontation that we've been holding our breaths for? No.

Just a Larry or a Bill or a Joe Bob with a 12 pack. No more than that and please! Don't make it any more than that.

I have the awful feeling we're going to have more things to worry about, and it isn't Larry.

[Swamp Rat]

11. Nite nite

:hi:

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. that makes two of us Nite

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. I agree with you

and I will repost this... and for thsoe who have no clue read it....

if you do not know truly the situation on the ground, and he does, you really have no way of judging, and neither do I, but I will take his report faster than yours

Now a reasonable person AWAY from the situation may assume that every red neck will show up... to the ranch that border's the ranchette... okay, given how the SS works, they are there to primarily protect their package, that is very unlike. I would not be surprised if the security teams are right now looking for ways to defuse this themselves... after all that IS their job. (worked around security personnel for ten years and can tell you some stories, one of them includes the SS... nice people and very professional by the way, though a tad quick on the trigger if their package should be in trouble.. that is their job)

Now a reasonable person will also look for very basic info on what may be involved so they can take appropriate emergency actions. Quite brutally honest, I have been expecting something far worst than a country boy making statements that from his point of view are very justified and actually also protected by law... here is the classic dilemma of freedom of speech, property rights and where your rights and my rights may be infringing on his, or his rights (property in this case, whether perceived or real) may be infringing on yours.

There is also a lot of stereotyping and assumptions going on. I am not there, so I cannot and do not what is truly larry's position, so I will speculate right now, again having talked to country folk over the years, not only in the US but abroad. He likes his privacy, and we all, coming from this damn cities (city versus country) are getting on his way. He is and has the right to complaint about it, and even if he wants to, to make a point. Now the shotgun may or may not have gone too far. I have no idea what distance he did it, or what ammo he used. He uses guns all the time, you don't, suffice to say that shotguns have a lousy effective range with bird shot or 12 gauge as they tend to spread in the air, and loose velocity quite fast. Hence why they are the proffered home defense and small game weapon. Again I was not there, but if he was far enough nobody was in real danger, but what he did is classic for the country... very classic, and it comes from the way of the country. And if in the judgement of the Sherriff he did it far enough inside your property, they may talk to him and warn him.. that will be the end of it. When we all leave, in spirit or otherwise, well Larry will be still be there... and that is how it works... now if he actually hurt somebody... bad... hence why to a point the portrayal of Missisipi burnign was not off, for the record not only in the US... and he also hates them Feds, btw.

Now a reasonable person may assume that his call will lead to a bunch of committed pro bush people showing up with 22 rifles or even assault rifles, yes a shot gun is scary, a 22 is far more effective as well as an AR... ok... so if this should go south, DUCK as in dive, again a reasonable person will look for cover and you have no training... I hear a back fire and at times I am looking for cover, automatic, so rehearse this in your mind, but don't let this scare you... fear is your worst enemy. Oh and if I could I would be down there, heck I might even take a pecan pie to Larry... and pay for a BBQ just to smooth things over, heck even drink a cold one, and clean after myself. He sounds like a cranky old curmudgeon living in the back country... who really wants his privacy back... and feels you are impinging on his rights, which brings me back to the classic dilemma.

[Liberal In Texas]

6. You know as much as I like DU, you guys get so worked up over

the most trivial things.

I remember well the last week or two about he Space Shuttle. It was in dire straits. Thread after thread was about how NASA wasn't telling us what was happening and how Discovery was going to crash etc. etc. I got concerned because my son works at NASA at Mission Control. (Propulsion systems for the shuttle for USA-United Space Alliance) I wanted to call him so badly because DU'ers had me in a tizzy, but I knew I couldn't do that because he was pretty damn busy.

But with all the hoopla, it didn't happen did it?

Now, this old guy pops too many brewskies on a Sunday AM and shoots his scattershot in the air. (On his own property I might add.) Yes, not a good thing to do. He makes some veild (who could understand that CNN interview?) threats...but the guy is HARMLESS!

But all of a sudden on DU, it sounds like a terrorist attack! THIS IS crazy!

Yes there are things that matter and things we should be concerned about, but not this old rummy firing a shotgun into the air on a Sunday morning.

Like I said before COOL YOUR JETS.

It's not good to cry wolf.

BECAUSE...I firmly believe there will be an incident in Crawford. Just because of the hate-radio influence. (I hope I'm wrong.)

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Oh I agree wtih you and it won't be Larry

[titoresque]

8. maybe this guy

isn't the real threat. People say stupid things. Calling out all rednecks to "put on a good show" after he had already said that "we're going to do this under the law" should be taken seriously.

Some "good 'ol boy" is seeing this on CNN too, and he's seeing it as an invitation! Which it was!

So sure maybe Larry's not going to get more violent than he already did.....(and I think it IS violent to threaten someone by shooting into the air. When's the last time anyone tried to get your attention that way?) but theres a greater chance now that SOMEONE will come...packing and ready for "target practice".......for dove season (wink)

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. In the country side, back country side

how many tines have people used a shot gun to get your attention? ALL THE TIME, just racking the damn thing will get your attention in a jiffy.. no this is not a stereotype, it happens more often than you think, even in countries where there are gun control laws....

:rolls eyes:

Now think, do you honestly believe the Secret Service is going to allow a bunch of people to come that close to the President armed, worst case scenario with a 50 cal sniper rifle? (22 are more likely). Now be honest ok. I mean some of those folks may even be Militia types, some of whom really don't like the President, any President.

Now there will be something happening, but not from larry and not from that property, too close to their package, and security concerns are something they take way, WAAAYYY too seriously... and they are good.

Now you know where you may start to worry... the counter demonstrators, no I am not stereotyping... I just know those guys are lapping RW hate radio all the time... so I am more afraid of those peoole, who so far have kept their shooting verbal (we don't care)

OTOH there has already been quite a bit of defussing, I am sure the Sherrif has a good talk, even maybe a warning for Larry... but Cindy herself has done an anamzing job of defusing some situations.

Waht is more, what is the price you are willing to pay? I know the price I am willing to pay, my life... and no this is not tought talk, I cannot be there, but I have already done things that when and if there is a round up, I expect to be in the first group. So I wish I could physically be donwn there...

[DistressedAmerican]

13. It Is The Invitation To God Knows What Hate Filled Freep That Bothers

me by far the most.

Yes, Larry himself is probably just a blowhard. But, he likely does not know the kind of freakshows we deal with regularly.

I just had to involve police in two states in a situation where another self proclaimed redneck was sending me ongoing death threats and he had found out exactly where I live, etc. So, yes, I have a legitimate fear of "rednecks" that threaten liberals with guns.

Does that make ME the crazy one?

I do not know Larry, nor do I personally know the freaks that he called to join him. But, anyone that does not takes such threats seriously is just not looking out for their own safety.

I am not going to provoke Larry while in Crawford. Nor have I suggested others do. I will likely never meet the guy. However, calling him an irresponsible and drunk asshole that threatens peaceful protesters with guns in an attempt to curtail their free speech is not hate mongering or inflaming shit.

He should be called what he is. Which is patently un-American and irresponsible.

As far as the conflict between our rights and his is concerned, you almost got the the issue when you noted that our rights have run up against hi (real or perceived). The rights he is freaking out over DO NOT EXIST. Our protest is legal and Constitutionally protected. We ARE NOT on his land. He is the person in this equation that is simply dead wrong, both legally and ethically.

I do not care that Larry if countrified and cornfed. I grew up in rural America and could shoot by the time I was 12. The town that I grew up in is only slightly larger than Crawford and it is sure as hell just as redneck. I was and remain a proficient shot. I was also taught in my rural upbringing that guns were deadly serious. That they were not to be used as a threat. I was also taught that getting shit-faced and going shooting were unacceptable behavior.

I do not care if he likes his privacy. We all have temporary frustrations in out lives. Involving guns while drinking with the situation is provocative and threatening. Country boy or not, Larry is simply dead wrong.

Can't I say that without being attacked as somehow provoking this asshole? Does he spend a lot of time at DU getting worked up about what I am posting? This guy has probably never heard of the internet.

What I frankly can not understand is why the hell people are so ready to excuse this attack on free speech. If the local Sheriff had rolled up and started firing into the air and trying to threaten us into leaving, DU would be up in arms. But, let is be a non-lawman, and he gets some sort of pass because he is from the country.

I do not care where you were raise or what you believe. It is simply unacceptable to act in the manner that Mr. Mattlage acted.

[caffeinefwee]

14. kick

:kick: