Protester brings gun to Obama rally!
EDITOR’S COMMENTARY
PROTESTER WRONG FOR BRINGING GUN TO TOWN HALL MEETING, by Wayne Hodges 08/11/09
PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Given the violent history of our nation as it pertains to a lengthy list of U.S. presidential assassinations, protester William Kostric inexplicably chose to attend President Barack Obama’s Town Hall health care meeting with a loaded firearm. “I am just exercising my right to bear arms,” explained Kostric to an irate Chris Matthews on “Hardball with Chris Matthews.”
“I’m not advocating violence in any way. I want people to remember the rights that we have, and the rights that we’re losing in this country.” Hell, what about the right to speak at a public forum without a civilian toting a loaded handgun around in the crowd? Seriously, has it come to this? Folks, it’s obvious we, the people, just don’t get it. Really, we don’t. Our economy’s in the toilet. The job market is awful. Real estate is selling for $5 and a bag of Cheetos. And consumer confidence has reached an all-time low. Yet, Kostric found it helpful to equip a loaded, dischargeable weapon at a presidential health care function. You’ve got to be kidding me?
President Obama shows support at Town Hall meeting
For those of you unfamiliar with the history surrounding U.S. presidential assassinations, I’ll brief you. On April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln a.k.a. “Honest Abe” was shot in Washington D.C. by John Wilkes Booth. He died a day later. On July 2, 1881, President James Garfield took a bullet from Charles J. Guiteau in Washington D.C. And later died. Oh, I’m not done. On September 6, 1901, President William McKinley was on the receiving end of gunfire from Leon Czolgosz in Buffalo. He passed away 8 days later.
On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was brutally murdered by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas, Texas. And, finally, on March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan took a bullet in the left lung from John Hinckley Jr. in Washington D.C. However, he did survive. And countless others, including Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman and Gerald Ford, were confronted with assassination attempts but were lucky enough to escape.
This alone explains why Kostric’s actions are completely unacceptable. And please, I don’t want to hear this “it’s within our constitutional rights” crap. Geez, at some point morals and ethics has to kick in, right? Kostric knows this. He’s just one of millions of ticked off citizens upset at federal taxation policy. But, carrying loaded firearms to political demonstrations is certainly not the answer. If Kostric is allowed to get away with this, what’s to prevent others from performing a similar stunt in the future?
Wayne Hodges, an MBA from St. Mary University, is the editor of “Mass Appeal News.” He is also an adjunct professor, MPA at Kansas University, and legislative intern with the Kansas Senate. Wayne welcomes your comments at whodges@massappealnews.com
To see William Kostric’s explanation, please click the play arrow.
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August 11th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Hodges, I agree with you 100%. The “Right to Bear Arms” from what I understand has more to do with self-defense and domestic security than anything else. With this being the case, what the hell was this protester defending? As a society, if we are willing to stand put and allow morons like this to abuse the constitution, we deserve everything we get.
August 11th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
Clearly this guy did not do the right thing. I think the only thing on his mind was an assassination attempt. I feared this would happen sooner or later, but you are never really prepared for it. For the most part President Obama is doing the best he can with the cards he has been dealt. He as well as the rest of us know that he will be scrutinized no matter what he does. We must remember he didn’t create this mess the economy is in. He inherited it and the responsibilities that go along with it. He is our President yes but he is also a man with feelings and flaws of man. He is not perfect and no one is except God.
August 12th, 2009 at 12:24 am
Wayne, I saw “Hardball With Chris Matthews”,and it really ticks me off when some moron does something really stupid just because they have “The Right” to.There is a huge difference between having the right,and having the wisdom to exercise that right. But then these same morons believe that America is being destroyed by a Kenyan who stole the presidential election,is in league with some Nazi movement (as if the Nazis would prefer Barrack Obama over an idiot who would be stupid enough to show up at a political event with a loaded firearm!),wants to kill old white people,and that he wants to shred the constitution.Of course if he were to suffer the same fate as Plaxico Burress with that gun,well it would’ve been good for a laugh! Oh yeah, I think Chris Matthews should’ve reminded that moron that he’ll probably wind up on the terrorist watch list,and that the earth is not flat!
August 12th, 2009 at 6:31 am
Just goes to show you that some yahoos are against positive change in America. I’m sure this guy is aware of the history of assassinations in this country. He just wanted to ’shake’ things up. Well congratulations sir! You just set this country back another 30 years.
August 12th, 2009 at 7:04 am
This man is not stupid. He knows what he’s doing. I can’t remember a civilian bringing a gun to President Bush’s meetings.
August 12th, 2009 at 7:06 am
No one showed up with arms to anything Bush went to and he did a lot more than Obama is doing! Obama is trying to fix the crap Bush has been messing up in all the 8 years he was in office. And no one REALLY protested until Obama made reference to Healthcare and adding abortion to the list of services.
August 12th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Hello Everyone,
I say that Obama let the Healthcare stay the same and see what happens. I am so tired of all this hatred for change. They are glad as HELL that I am not the President because I would have told them, “I HAVE GOOD A** HEALTH COVERAGE. I AM TRYING TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS COVERED BUT DUE TO THE HATFUL RESPONSE TO EVERYTHING I TRY TO DO, HELL WITH THE HEALTH REFORM. DO NOT WRITE ME OR CALL ME IN A FEW MONTHS WHEN EVERYTHING IS GONE CRAZY. LOVE YOU PRES!”
One day we are going to really just love and get alone. People have not came to grips that we all are one. It is no superior or majority. We all as one because when the world comes to a end, we all will meet our makers. There is NO white or black heaven. The hatful people will not be divided up, they will just be in a fire burning HELL. The devil loves all kinds of people to join him, he is lonely right about now.
August 12th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Lady Lynette is right. The days of us not getting along are numbered. Either we will work together to solve our differences, or all of us will go up in smoke. The mentality that one race is better than the other is bull****. Let’s support or president and make this thing work. If not, all hell is gonna break loose on U.S. soil.
August 12th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
The Prez better watch his back…there’s people out there tryin to get him. He needs to take these fools more seriously
August 12th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
Wayne, you go boy!!! Good work!!!
August 13th, 2009 at 12:45 am
Let me ask, if Kostic had legally carried concealed instead of out in the open like he did, would he still be wrong?
August 13th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Sean, if Kostric’s weapon had been concealed; this wouldn’t be a story today. I understand where you’re coming from. And there’s no question Kostric had the legal right to bear arms. Nobody’s disputing that. However, given the long list of U.S. presidential assassinations, I thought Kostric acted in very poor taste. And should’ve demonstrated better decision-making.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:00 am
I am a supporter of the second amendment… but this idiot Kostic, just jeopardize us gun owners rights with his stupidity
August 16th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
I believe we should have the right to bear arms but this dude was way out of line. His act deserves some discipline.
August 25th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
I agree with Jay. The second amendment is legit, but Kostric screwed up BIG.