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I went to a Hockey Game and a Town Hall meeting Broke Out
The first Amendment reads like this, “
“ Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
via First Amendment to the United States Constitution – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The provisions that jumps out at me is, abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
I am not seeing the ‘yelling’ clause anywhere in the amendment, but then again I am a strict constitutionalists or an originalist as coined by Judge Antonin Scalia. This is a belief that the constitution should be interpreted as its founder originally intended. I am not so sure the framers wanted two factions of an issue gather in a acoustically unforgiving room and yell our grievances in unison . Maybe a little organization and dialogue could go a long way here.
Now the left leaning groups, armed with their eighties playbooks, are sending their screaming elites for a big primal therapy fest. I am sure that type of treatment came a long time after the framers of the constitution.
While our right wing rants whining about being shut out of the process is making the twenty four hour news cycle, I am sure that our goal is a bit more sophisticated that a ten second sound bite. A good defense is a great offense. My favorite Martial art, Judo, uses ones opponents power against them to defeat them. Not a bad tactic for a weakened Republican Party.
Allow the presenters to share their great insight and have your questions in hand to show they haven’t even read the bill. Yelling after all for the multitude of seniors could cause a health care crisis during a town hall. Who wants to yell, “is there a doctor in the house”? to Congressman playing doctor.
A health care town hall meeting in Florida on Thursday dissolved into bouts of heckling and violent pushing and shoving among attendees.
The meeting in Tampa, which featured Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor and Florida State Representative Betty Reed, was another example of the tense battle lines that have been created in the passionate health care debate.
Hundreds showed for the meeting at the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County, some carrying signs railing against President Obama’s proposed health care reforms. Hundreds more were not able to get into the meeting room.
As Castor first began to speak, scuffles broke out as people tried to get into the meeting room. Parts of the congresswoman’s speech was drowned out by chants of “read the bill, read the bill” and “tyranny,” video of the meeting showed. Video Watch protests erupt at meeting »
At one point, an event organizer told the crowd, “If pushing and shoving continues, we will have to clear the room. The police will make the decision if it is still safe.”
At times outside the meeting, people tried to drown out pro-Obama chants of “Yes we can” with chants of “Just say no.”
Democrats have complained about similar demonstrations recently with White House spokesman Robert Gibbs accusing Republican groups of “manufacturing” public anger. Video Watch controversy over ‘orchestrated’ protests »
Liberal groups have also started sending supporters detailed instructions on strategies to counter what they call organized disruptions of congressional health care town hall meetings.
Crowd Power
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politisite
Columbia, South Carolina, United States
Recommendations (40)
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Roy C
Vancouver, Washington, United States -
Rhonda J Mangus
North Tonawanda, New York, United States -
Paschen
Narita, Chiba, Japan
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everchanging
Phoenix, Arizona, United States -
René
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States -
Spydermonkey
huntsville, Alabama, United States -
Jordan Yerman
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada




Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (14)
at 05:38 on August 7th, 2009
It is a good Opinion post, the question would be what can be considered disruptive and there for break the first amendment since it would no longer allow free speech not peaceful assembling of Citizens?
at 06:04 on August 7th, 2009
I think that portion of the 1st Amendment is often ignored. Peaceful assembly has lost its meaning I think. While it is ok to be angry with the government, it is probably best to present that outrage in a question and answer format. What is happening here, I think, is the speakers are no more informed on this issues then the attendees. Americans don't trust government. Nixon helped us with that. Today, Government is scripted to the letter. I know that, because I was a Political PR for 6 years before I turned the tables and began asking the tough questions armed with the skills I was tought by the those in PR. If you are interested in political PR, May I sugust Ira Basen, "Spin Cycles" on CBC. It is a 5 part series on the subject in mp3 format. You will be surprised of the theatrics lieken to a hollywood production.
Having said all that, The folks are upset that they can get stright answers and the anger just flows
at 05:59 on August 7th, 2009
Good question, Paschen.
Frankly, we should let them speak. But we should react. On college campuses the left has been shouting down conservative speakers for years.
Now the independents and the right are using Saul Alinsky's playbook against the left itself, isolating and mocking the congressman of the left who seem to have no knowledge of what is actually in the health care bill.
at 06:09 on August 7th, 2009
Roy, You are right. The Minutemen thrown off the stage, Ann Coulter gets pies in the face, Michelle Malkin gets assulted in Denver, the Left says the Global warming debate is OVER and Michigan has a 67 year low month in July. All the MSM does is giggle. During the conventions there was violence and cars burning... Code pink screams at congressional hearings....but a bunch of Senior citizens concerned about their health care are called Mobs. No bias in the media... C'mon
at 06:22 on August 7th, 2009
We have cut off the elites' narcissistic supply and their withdrawal from a hypomania that was based on being a member of an elite group is about to go South, very, very, deep South.
The primal therapy comment is super-relevant.
Wilhelm Reich once said that one Ivan the Terrible could not enslave forty million Russians, but ten million Russian mothers could.
What is going on now is that average people who used to go along to get along realize that that attitude, of submission, of accepting the rules and rulings of elites, is over.
This all started under Bush with Dubai Ports, Harriet Myers, and two attempts to push through amnesty for illegals, the second one being a particularly vexing betrayal of protecting the country.
This is the beginning of real democracy that we used to have in the beginning when most issues were local and taken care of by real townhall meetings and the states did the heavy lifting, not the federal government.
This is the beginning of accountability.
This is a rollback on the whole FDR vision of how to proceed.
at 10:25 on August 7th, 2009
One of the biggest problems I see is that 98% of the 'objections' coming from "The Right" are absolute fabrications and distortions.
at 11:16 on August 7th, 2009
Al, you quoted the Constitution, in part, as stating:
... the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
I submit that arriving at a planned event, where many who have chosen to attend are awaiting information from elected officials, shouting down representatives as they attempt to speak on issues of concern to all is not an effort to " .... petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Any who are engaged in such actions are engaging in anarchistic tactics, depriving all who have come to the townhall meetings the opportuniy to hear, with disruption being the goal, as laid out by some Conservative/Republican forces with ties to the insurance industry, who are being organized and asked to attend meetings solely for the purpose of disruption, as has been revealed by several news entities.
at 11:39 on August 7th, 2009
quote " ........as laid out by some Conservative/Republican forces with ties to the insurance industry, who are being organized and asked to attend meetings solely for the purpose of disruption..........."
That would be funny, if bubbleheads didn't believe it to be true. The hypocrisy on the part of the of supporters of Ombamarama/Health Care is absolutely hilarious!!!
Coming from the same folks that demonized Bush for years? The same ones that shout down Republicans? Fantastically amazing!
Yet, you believe it to be true. Even more amazing.
I switched from being a registered Independent to Democrat about 20 years ago. I'm fairly certain i won't be voting that way again. I will not be associated with a party that behaves the way the current administration has been, in regards to health care.
Bush made lots of mistakes, but go ahead, find a president that hasn't. At least i felt that at heart he was a honest man. I had high hopes for Obama when he took office......but that hope is fading fast.
at 08:27 on August 11th, 2009
A link to a video that uncovers the ties of some Conservative Right Wing Republicans to the insurance industry, as they work to hi-jack control of townhall meetings across the United States, to disrupt any constructive discourse at the meetings.
These organizations have distributed literature instructing meeting attendees to interrupt speakers and attempt to rattle U.S. representatives so they can't speak or get their point across to those assembled.
at 23:43 on August 7th, 2009
I agree with you and thought that I pointed that out.
at 07:02 on August 9th, 2009
Yes you did, Al!
Unfortunately, sometimes, my typing doesn't keep up with my thoughts and I was rushing!
The first word in the last paragraph of my previous comment should have began with the word "Indeed, .... ".
at 01:37 on August 11th, 2009
Just to be clear Karen, I am opposed to screaming at Health Care rallies. Nothing gets accomplished in this way. The word meeting is not defined as a boxing match. President Obama did say during the campaign that the health care proceedings and debate would be televised on C-SPAN. I think some of the anger comes from folks not understanding the process. Then there are those who just like to be disruptive. My mind goes faster then I type as well. With age, I have noticed my thoughts and fingers are coming into sync... this is evidence that you are not old.
at 08:39 on August 11th, 2009
Well, bless you, Al, for the age comment!
But, as I'm pushing up on my sixth decade, I have those days when ....!
at 19:29 on September 4th, 2009
I believe the disruptiveness is a tactic of desperation. Why prevent the flow of knowledge other than because it enables control of the American mob? Intelligent discourse is the only way to find a solution. Each side demonizing each other is inevitable. This must change-- we must learn to talk to each other instead of at each other. Myself, at times, included.