Is it time to start doing airport type security at town hall meeting?

[Cleita]

Well not as extreme as TSA but some kind of screening of attendees at political events. It seems that the time has come to use scanners at those events to screen for firearms and weapons before people are allowed into an event. Many office buildings do this already for people entering from the street. This will, of course, put the stop to outdoor events, but it seems that for public safety and for the safety of the elected officials who could be targeted the time has come.

[T Wolf]

1. Only where Democratic politicians are appearing. The pukes do not need protection.

At least, not from the left.

You can never tell when a teabagger will go off on a RINO for not hloding true to uber-reich views.

Naw, that'll never happen. Accountability is only for Democrats.

[GSLevel9]

2. That would be prudent. Nt

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

3. The problem is that this event was outside of a SafeWay Foods market...

it was pretty much a public venue... not a securable private venue where the public is welcome to join.

[Cleita]

4. I know. It would seem that this type of event is

no longer viable. Too bad, really.

[SharonAnn]

34. But still, there could've been armed security there near Gifford. Even

in uniform.

Here in TN, when the Governor's wife visits for an event, she is driven by State Troopers in a special car and has at least two with her at all times. They may not be in uniform, but they are armed. And she's not the elected official!

Recently, due to the deranged behavior of a resident in our community who nonsensically rants, raves and threatens at our monthly Home Owners Association meetings, I asked the chair to consider having a sheriff's deputy on stand by. If not actually at the meeting, then just outside. And to have a marked car parked outside the building. I noticed at the last meeting that there was a patrol car in the area, just cruising the neighborhood. They do that anyway, from time to time, but it was specifically driving around the area near the building. And, I noticed that a person sitting next to the chair had a radio that looked like a police radio.

I had told him that I was frightened that she could pull out a gun and start shooting people and that I was not alone. But that I didn't think I should stay home and not participate in our association meetings. But I am afraid of her. She's clearly unbalanced. I know, it's unusual for the unbalanced and frightening person to be a middle-aged woman, but that's the case here.

[Cleita]

35. A middle-aged woman can damage as much

as any other gunman or gunwoman in this case. It doesn't take a lot of muscle to use a gun and the insidious thing about guns is that you don't have to get that close to the victim like you would have to with a knife.

[MadHound]

5. Good God, NO

This is how this country always responds, not with courage, but with an imposition of even more authoritative measures. What's worse, those authoritative measures don't work in the long run, because no matter what you put in place, if a person is determined enough, they can and will kill somebody no matter what precautions are taken.

For once can we respond to a tragedy not by whimpering and crawling under the blanket of authoritarian measures, but with courage to step out into the light of the freedoms that we've received from our founding fathers.

[Cleita]

8. Protecting people from those who would do them harm

really isn't authoritarian, IMHO.

[MadHound]

11. That's the excuse given for every new security incursion at airports as well,

That's the same excuse given for the See Through Scopes, the grope downs, the increased security at public events etc. Same excuse, same cowardly sheep response.

[Cleita]

13. Would you rather have no security at the airports then?

As much as I agree with you that we are going about it in the wrong way, I believe there would have been more incidents of bombings and hijackings if there was no security.

[joe the nerd]

6. kinda goes against an open society

doesn't it?


nothing like capitulating to the thugs.

[Cleita]

7. We really don't have an open society but Democrats

do believe in keeping society as safe as they can. I will hesitate to attend political events any more because of this if I didn't feel that an effort had been made to protect every one.

[mmonk]

9. How about banning them from meetings like Bush banned non ass kissers?

[Cleita]

10. Were those non ass kissers carrying weapons?

I think not.

[mmonk]

14. Nope. But he banned them. We have a reason to ban armed tea party members.

[Cleita]

16. Yes, we do. If they are unarmed let them attend.n/t

[TBF]

12. That's it, I'm buying stock in the xray machine company. They are

going to be everywhere now.

[Cleita]

15. When did a suggestion of metal scanners jump to

X-Ray machines? Hyperbole much? Actually you pretty much go through metal scanners much of the time while shopping, not to mention surveillance cameras and floor walkers.

[TBF]

19. It's scary how fast folks jump to fascism. nt

[Cleita]

21. Believe me this isn't fascism.

Fascism is arresting reporters for pointing cameras at politicians in a public venue like happened at the Republican National Convention when Amy Goodman and other journalists were arrested for doing that. That's real police state style fascism.

[derby378]

17. HELL, no - we're only afraid if we choose to be afraid

Let's put this Chicken Little notion to be right now.

[Cleita]

18. So what about the elected representative and his/her

staff? Don't they deserve to be safe as possible? We have a choice of not attending but they don't.

[derby378]

24. Focusing on safety instead of freedom got us in the mess we're in today

We have to retrain ourselves to welcome openness in government and access to our public officials - the ones who are supposed to represent us.

[Cleita]

27. But should they be harmed and murdered in the process?

I don't believe so.

[kestrel91316]

20. No, but it IS time to start prosecuting RW terrorists AS TERRORISTS.

[Cleita]

22. That's after people have been killed.

That little nine year old girl might be alive today if some basic security and protections had been in place.

[kestrel91316]

36. The meetup didn't have to be held outside in an unprotected area.

I would prefer a policy of having these things indoors (with some screening of entryways) as opposed to regulation of what and who can do what in a store parking lot.

[kctim]

23. Fear

it does the body good!

[Cleita]

26. This isn't fear. It's being practical.

We have locks on our doors for a reason. By the anything goes reasoning, we wouldn't lock our doors at all because it would be fascist. Sure let the thieves in to take what they want.

[kctim]

33. It's nothing but fear

Fear of 1 muslim out of a million blowing up a plane.
Fear of 1 armed American out of a million going nuts.

By all means, IF a Rep wants to lockdown the meetings with voters, have at it. I guarantee that I will never vote for a Rep who fears his or her voters or their Rights.

[fishwax]

25. no, I don't think that's necessary

It wouldn't surprise me if some congress people started doing things like that, though.

[Cleita]

28. They will start doing it because they now realize

how vulnerable they are. We don't have access to the President in public like we did sixty years ago because of one assassination and a couple of attempted assassination, not to mention how many thwarted one that we don't know about. I believe this is going to be extended to congress people. However, screening for weapons could still give us access to them in public or we may not have any public access to them at all in the future.

[fishwax]

32. I think that would be unfortunate

because I think open access is a good thing, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if you're correct in many cases.

[KansDem]

29. A new kind of TSA? "Townhall Security Administration"

It's a tragedy that it might be coming to that...

[Cleita]

30. They do it in Washington. You don't get into Congress

or the White House without going through security. I think it's coming any way.

[Xenotime]

31. We have to do it for the children. How many more have to die?