Merteg said:
Cerebreus said:
Merteg said:
It's so stupid!
Bush arrested people who had Bush crossed out on their T-Shirts, now his supporters expect to bring fricking assault rifles?!
These people are messed up.
It's probably to defend themselves from Obama supporters...
Nah. I know not all Obama supporters are violent, but I doubt all Bush supporters are like the person who brought the assault rifle either.
When have Obama supporters ever been violent at a rally?
First off, a correction. I shouldn't say Bush/Obama supporters, since some members of both affiliations are on both sides on the debate.
Now, there's about three-four reports (some are questionable, but shouldn't necessarily be ruled out or believed). They are:
1. Pro-healthcare reformers (not sure which kind) prevent a disabled woman from being seated in her chair that they were blocking. She tries to push them with her walker before she falls, and one of them steps on foot.
There's no concrete proof to my knowledge, so it is debatable (again, might have happened, might not have happened)
2. Some form of violence is enacted on a man, possibly by a member of the SEIU.
I didn't research that this one. Number 3 should explain why.
3. A woman with a camera alleges that an SEIU member attacked a man. While confronting the union member, the woman is apparently attacked by the one she was accusing of violence.
There is a reference to a previous attack, but this one is given more prominence because it happens afterwards and because it was "caught on video". It's said that the attacker hit the camera, which hit the woman. It's hard to tell, since the footage is not too good from what I can see.
4. A conservative black man is apparently attacked by SEIU members and is hospitalized.
There is some debate about this one.
---There was a video, but it was taken near the end of the alleged scuffle, so it doesn't show the whole incident.
---The man was also walking around after his alleged attack. While this would seem to indicate the claim was bogus, this could be explained by adrenaline. I've heard stories about people walking around despite being seriously injured. Once it wears off, the pain becomes apparent.
---Near the beginning of what was recorded, there was an SEIU member (and minister) who was the only lying on the ground. Also, apparently with the "victim" on top of him. While I am tempted to dismiss this as well, this could also be explained. The union members could have been pulled off the conservative who could have gotten up, full of adrenaline. The minister could have been knocked down and the conservative could have gotten on him then, possibly as revenge. The minister could have been an innocent bystander, he could have been an attacker. I don't know, but I felt I should have listed this theory, since anyone can come up short of their ideals. I'm not saying it happened, I'm saying it's possible.
Any or all of these claims could be real or bogus. I don't know.
That said, just the appearance of violence perpetrated by "the left" makes people fearful of being attacked. The four claims I listed would not be the whole justification for worry.
Unfortunately, the SEIU has some history of being violent (just as some other groups, left or right, do), and given what Andy Stern was quoted as saying, people have some reasonable fear (note: some).
There is also some alleging that those "on the right" have been violent as well, but those events are probably as questionable as these, and I think all definitely don't reflect on any groups as a whole.
No matter who is violent, order should be kept. That'd why I'm for official security to be present at these things so that people don't have to bring their own weapons.
