Man carrying a assault rifle attends Obama protest

YoteSackbuster

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PHOENIX (AP) - About a dozen people carrying guns, including one with a military-style rifle, milled among protesters outside the convention center where President Barack Obama was giving a speech Monday—the latest incidents in which protesters have openly displayed firearms near the president.
Gun-rights advocates say they're exercising their constitutional right to bear arms and protest, while those who argue for more gun control say it could be a disaster waiting to happen.


Phoenix police said the gun-toters at Monday's event, including the man carrying an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle slung over his shoulder, didn't need permits. No crimes were committed, and no one was arrested.

The man with the rifle declined to be identified but told The Arizona Republic that he was carrying the assault weapon because he could. "In Arizona, I still have some freedoms," he said.

Phoenix police Detective J. Oliver, who was monitoring the man at the downtown protest, said police also wanted to make sure no one decided to harm him.

"Just by his presence and people seeing the rifle and people knowing the president was in town, it sparked a lot of emotions," Oliver said. "We were keeping peace on both ends."

Last week, during Obama's health care town hall in Portsmouth, N.H., a man carrying a sign reading "It is time to water the tree of liberty" stood outside with a pistol strapped to his leg.

"It's a political statement," he told The Boston Globe. "If you don't use your rights, then you lose your rights."

Police asked the man to move away from school property, but he was not arrested.

Phoenix was Obama's last stop on a four-day tour of western states, including Montana and Colorado.

Authorities in Montana said Monday they received no reports of anyone carrying firearms during Obama's health care town hall near Bozeman on Friday. About 1,000 people both for and against Obama converged at a protest area near the Gallatin Field Airport hangar where the event took place. One person accused of disorderly conduct was detained and released, according to the Gallatin Airport Authority.

Heather Benjamin of Denver's Mesa County sheriff's department, the lead agency during Obama's visit there, said no one was arrested.

Arizona is an "open-carry" state, which means anyone legally allowed to have a firearm can carry it in public as long as it's visible. A permit is required if the weapon is carried concealed.

Paul Helmke, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said people should not be allowed to bring guns to events where Obama is.

"To me, this is craziness," he said. "When you bring a loaded gun, particularly a loaded assault rifle, to any political event, but particularly to one where the president is appearing, you're just making the situation dangerous for everyone."

He said people who bring guns to presidential events are distracting the Secret Service and law enforcement from protecting the president. "The more guns we see at more events like this, there's more potential for something tragic happening," he said.

A call to a Secret Service spokesman was not immediately returned Monday.

The National Rifle Association also did not return a call for comment.
 
it takes some marbles in the sack to do that
I'm amazed he wasen't arrested! He just brought that along to make sure he wasen't assualted buy union thugs or acorn
homo's
 
Originally Posted By: sweatybettymaybe you guys should read the 2nd ammendment. it is a CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT.

Which means nothing at all to liberal Obama loving wackos. Never has, never will.
 
like the man in NH said,"if you don't use your rights, then you lose your rights" i agree 100% with that statement
 
A lot of states have restrictions on carrying weapons to and into "Public Meetings" and while I agree that criminals don't respect the law, that kind of display is really counter productive to the goals of most firearms owners...

It's too bad that our national situation has reached the point that citizens feel they have to make a point by such actions..
 
Maybe its time to push the envelope with these Obamamites
more power to the guy, if only 30 more guys did it with him.
maybe they would relize they were pushing a bit to hard and Back off.. It was good eneough for the black panthers in Oakland back in the 60's Its good enough for us now
 
But Oldturtle, is it only "counter productive" because the liberal media makes it so?
I don't know about anyone else, BUT if I were at one of those gatherings and saw a guy carrying an AR, I'd be standing right beside him.
 
Not sure if I would do the same thing, but I certainly feel he has the right. Plus, I can't see where it's hurting our cause, the people who hate guns don't need a reason.
 
If we can push back with out pushing we can win, our voices are drowned out by the media only reporting what the crazy left has to say, pictures speak 1000 words and a picture of a couple hundred people carry guns and doing so peacefully speaks volumes

The BB should be shaking in their boots

It's time to take stand and if you have to carry to do so then by all means do so.
 
Originally Posted By: songdogBut Oldturtle, is it only "counter productive" because the liberal media makes it so?
I don't know about anyone else, BUT if I were at one of those gatherings and saw a guy carrying an AR, I'd be standing right beside him.

I'm w/ you on this one TR, but I think I see OT viewpoint. It's our constitutional RIGHT, but the media spin doctors are going to twist this into rationale for more gun control I sincerely hope less educated Americans see this and ask "can he really, legally do that?", do their own research and learn that this is guaranteed by our constitution. A few will and become educated and fully understand the statement that was being made had very little to do with guns. I'm afraid the vast majority will be sheep and follow our medias lead.
 
Originally Posted By: falfanNot sure if I would do the same thing, but I certainly feel he has the right. Plus, I can't see where it's hurting our cause, the people who hate guns don't need a reason.

I do hive the guy credit for having more guts/balls than me !!! But like you i don't feel he hurt anything and proved his point about us being able to fight for our rights . LIBS don't want us to be able to do that OR hear that . TOUGH !!!
 
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Originally Posted By: larrlike the man in NH said,"if you don't use your rights, then you lose your rights" i agree 100% with that statement

+1
 
Originally Posted By: YoteSackbusterit takes some marbles in the sack to do that
I'm amazed he wasen't arrested! He just brought that along to make sure he wasen't assualted buy union thugs or acorn
homo's

I bet you if he had been white he would have been arrested !!! Nice to see SOMEONE with guts to stand up for what he believes . He's a dying breed for sure !!!
 
Originally Posted By: sweatybettymaybe you guys should read the 2nd ammendment. it is a CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT.

Displaying and using his CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT, HOW DARE HIM !!!

What have we come to in this country !!! LOL .
 
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