Man with openly carried gun in crowd at Obama townhall

[CathyInBlue]

Ron Allen and Carlos Watson of MSNBC and Ari Melber of The Nation are flabbergasted. Ari and Carlos advocate the violation of the William Kostric's constitutional rights.

YouTube - Protester With A Gun At Obama Town Hall 8-11-09

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0...-n_256614.html

http://www.talkingpointsmemo/archive..._dangerous.php <-- Dangerous?

YouTube - Gun-Toter At Obama Town Hall: 'Who'd Be Silly Enough To Carry An Unloaded Firearm?' <-- "Who'd be silly enough to carry an unloaded firearm?" LOLOLOLOLOLOL Priceless!

YouTube - Chris Matthews Curses & EXPLODES On Gun Carrying Townhall Protester HD Interview Hardball God Dam@ <-- MSNBC kept a bug up under Mr. Kostric's head at all times, "Rage at Home", though he never once lost his temper while Chris Matthews swore at him.

[pianomistro]

I can't believe the responses that the reporters and Chris Matthews had to his carrying a gun. If I lived in NH, I would be standing right next to him with my Sig on my side as well. I think that he's right in that you have to "exercise your rights or you will lose them". And his response about whether or not his gun was loaded was the best thing I've heard in a long time. Why would you not carry it loaded? Even if you don't carry "cocked and locked", but even carrying condition 4 is fine with me. (Cartridges in the magazine, empty chamber, hammer forward) Then at least you have a chance to defend yourself.

And I think that open carry should be an option nationwide. Concealed carry is one subject that is tough to call because of the individual state's requirements on who can carry and what each person must do to be able to. But open carry is a much simpler topic. If you have a problem with people carrying their firearm to defend themselves, then maybe you should take a look at the Constitution again and decide if you want to live in this country or not.

There was recently a bill that made its way into congress (I believe it was shot down by the way) that had a clause essentially unionizing concealed carry in the nation. This bill's provisions would let any person who had a concealed carry license in ANY state, whether resident or non-resident, to carry concealed in EVERY state that allows concealed carry, which would exclude Illinois and Wisconsin. What needs to happen is that such a bill needs to go through in the effect of open carry instead of concealed carry. The problem with the bill that was written was that voters did not like the fact that a person who lives in a state like Alaska or New Hampshire, who have no requirements for concealed carry, could carry in a state like New York or even Maryland, who have some of the harshest gun laws in the nation. For instance, in Maryland, where I live, to be eligible for a CCW permit, you have to have a court signed document saying that your life has been threatened at least once and you REQUIRE, not want, REQUIRE a handgun to be carried. That's of course for the average civilian. Doctors, lawyers, pharmacists and business owners can simply apply and get a permit however, no questions asked.

/rant

[Cobra]

Classic ..... Chris Matthews is the poster child for idiots. Anyone who carries an empty gun is looking for trouble.

[LiveBlues]

That was my first exposure to Chris Matthews. It left a very sour taste in my mouth. Bully is the first word that comes to mind.

[ricbak]

I read something, somewhere that there is a Sentence that gives this Mathews guy the right to say junk like that, It's too bad that ratings are more important that Mr Kostric's rights given to him in the very next set of sentences....

[S&WM&P40]

Well I"m glade to see y'all support our rights to carry up here. Even at town hall meetings with the most powerful person in the country. The cool part that the news will not tell you is that the Chief of police called the local church and asked if this guy could stand on the church grounds. The pastor said yes and being as how the church land is Private property he was all set. I also ask you this how many people do you think had guns that you did not see? I would say more then half the crowd. The other part they are not telling you is that the town hall was a set up and filled only with Obama supporters according to a person who got tickets and was at the event. Why are we being called unamerican for not sitting back and letting our government walk all over our backs as always. We have our elected people ( WHO ARE OUR VOICES ) attacking the vary people who gave them the job. Then they send out their thugs to try and beat us back into our place ( some times they are using the union's to bully us around).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0Tas...layer_embedded

[infntrysuicdekng]

I just dont understand how Mathews can say what is the history with guns at events with presidents, Do you know how many people carry to important politicaly events.... i remember seeing a sign at a ron paul convention that said, "We ask out supporters that if they are armed, that they refrain from drinking and be safe. Thank you" I mean I carry my gun pretty much whereever i go. Even if that includes presidential visits.

[Boomboy007]

Is it just me, or did that guy sound much smarter than he looked?

[infntrysuicdekng]

yeah they probably brought that guy on there to make gun owners in general look like the ignorant rednecks clinging to thier firearms... and when that started spouting good grammer and quote our fore fathers to a "T". We should all thank that guy for giving us a better face. And look he says that wasnt a political tool but how many people on that side of the road got to go one mulitple networks and have there sign zoomed in on multiple times.

[CathyInBlue]

An exchange I would have loved to have seen between Kostric and Matthews:

"Why did you do it?"

"If I hadn't, would I have been able to get dozens upon dozens of you slavering mainstream media Liberal lap dogs to give me nearly so much column space and air time to talk about these issues as you have?"

"..."

Incidentally, I started the wikipedia article on Kostric: http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Kostric . Anything you non-WP-editors want to add, delete, or change?