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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described the practice of drowning out political views at town hall meetings as "un-American," but is placing such a label on Americans expressing vocal opposition to the Democrats' plan crossing the line?
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I am very concerned that the town hall meetings have not been democratic. I would like to hear valid questions and answers about healthcare and I don't think that most people have been able to learn anything about the plan in these meetings. Most people that really want a rational discussion are staying away from these meetings. I certainly don't see any use to attend a meeting where people are shouting down the speaker and all those who want to ask questions. This can certainly backfire and we may wind up with a plan that we really don't know anything about due to the lack of dialogue at these meeting. I also think that this is a very dangerous turn in our country. Freedom of speech has been damaged greatly and it sets a dangerous precedent for further issues that need discussed. It's a shame that a good forum to inform the American people has turned into a way for uneducated and narrow minded people to use against our 1st amendment rights. I also am concerned that it is going to turn into a dangerous free for all where people get hurt. President Obama should cancel all of his town hall meetings because I fear for his safety. What a sad state of our country!!
#1 - Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:29 PM EDTI'm worried for the same reasons. I can see these protests turning violent, and what's worse, most of the people attending the protests aren't even there to talk about the healthcare bill, nor do they know anything about it. The fringe elements need to be educated in what the bill ACTUALLY proposes, and fast. I'm genuinely worried for the safety of the officials speaking at these functions, especially the President.
The right wingnuts have effectively shut down rational discourse in the debate on national healthcare, for the moment. The fake "grassroots" uprising is obviously funded by conservative PR firms. These firms cater to the whim of the extreme right and are being given massive amounts of money to rally those left As in the case of anything of substance, the idea has always been, follow the money. The left has many options available to them to thwart the noise from the right, but the pressure from above has subdued any meaningful response to the right's mission of disruption at community forums. I'm sick of the appeasement of the right. The will of the electorate shouldn't be hindered by conservative knuckle-draggers that refuse to accept the reality of a black democrat as President by impeding progress. The republican party is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Insurance Lobby and sees the coming legislation as an incursion into it's monopolistic territory. A last frontier of
#2 - Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:30 AM EDTYes, what these right-wing nut jobs are doing to shut down dialogue is unamerican. It is the american way to be able to assemble with our elected officials to discuss policy. It is not the american way to have people who oppose or agree with the policy to shut down questions and answers so that no one has the so-called freedom of speech.
It is ironic that one of the "Tea Party" members who went to the Town Hall meeting to oppose it, ended up getting hurt, he had no job and no insurance. Now, he needs medical care and can't afford it.
He is the last person who should be trying to shut down the discussion about Healthcare Reform that is attempting to insure all Americans.
Talk about people who don't have a clue that they are self defeating.
#3 - Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:16 AM EDTWhat is with these people? They are the first to attack the other party with shouts of "UnAmerican" for legitimate concerns, and the first to abuse the privilege of open government and scream "UnAmerican" when basic courtesy is requested at a Town Hall. The more they speak, the more they represent their god with hatred. They are just too smart. The real story here is not that they speak out at town halls, which we all know are rigged to steal media attention to enforce the pretense that people are upset about the option of having healthcare for once; the real story here is that the media keeps giving them attention and promoting their agenda for them. The true story here is who is promoting them? Who is organizing them? And why are their brains so small and evil? Maybe they need more healthcare.
#4 - Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:06 AM EDTYoly,
Their brains are small and evil? Represent their god with hatred? The media is promoting their agenda? Like NBC/MSNBC? The town halls are rigged? Like the president's town halls with planted and pre-selected questions? Good grief, don't you think it’s possible for some folks to disagree with the president for legitimate reasons?
The speaker calling protesters un-American is ridiculous. People are frustrated, tired of the lack of debate and transparency the president promised and they don't trust the Democrats after they were lied to about the stimulus bill. Up until the end of July the most important goal on the health care agenda was to get a bill on the president's desk before August. Getting it right is more important than getting it fast. Everyone but the diehards who blindly support the president learned that from the stimulus debacle. Remember what Chris Dodd hid in that one? Why don't they want to give people time to read the bill? Why won't they take time to read the bill themselves? That is their job and we pay them damn good money for it. Why does it have to be so complicated? What are they hiding? When our congressmen, excuse me, congresspersons try to cram something down our throats without telling us the whole story some people will fill in the blanks in the worst possible way. That’s human nature. Who is responsible for the anger and frustration? Perhaps it’s the leader the majority of the American people don’t trust. Look in the mirror Madam Speaker!
Protests in themselves are not un-American. But the Town Hall Meetings have been hi-jacked by a group of loud mouths. And I submit that their behavior is un-American.
While they screech Freedom of Speach, they deny others Freedom of Hearing.
While the screech out their slogans, they deny other the right to ask questions.
The are not only un-American they are a rude and ill mannered. I wonder if they would allow their own children to behave in such disgraceful manner
#5 - Tue Aug 11, 2009 4:32 PM EDTWhat's left when they don't take anyone's calls or emails or in any capacity listen? Being nice just doesnt' work, they blow it off. What else is there?
Are you listening back? Do you even remotely care what they have to say? Or would you rather listen to yourselves?
You ask questions and they try... try to answer. You scream "NO!" and "LIAR!" because you aren't willing to listen to their point of view. That's not debate. It's treason.
Is voicing your opinion on an issue un-American? No... quite the opposite. But screaming your opinion and drowning out anyone with real questions? You may as well set a flag on fire.
When we liberals set out to protest something, do you know what we do? Homework. We read the bill we're protesting against. We learn who the key players are and we find legitimate issues to fight against. We don't need make-believe issues of birth certificates, or death panels, or mandatory abortions, or any other clinically-insane talking-point rhetoric. And when we organize, our numbers are in the thousands, not the dozens. Do you know why? Because we actually have a point. And above all else, we listen to the responses of those we protest. Do you know why we do that, Michelle? Because our protests are meaningless if we don't. These are all things that these town hall protesters need to learn. Until they do, no one, and I do mean no one, is going to take them seriously.
I pity those conservatives with genuine concerns regarding the healthcare bill. These would-be protests are interupting their opportunity to get their points across. THAT is un-American.
Matt
And another travesty is the blatant lies that are being perpetuated via e-mails. A person can respond with the truth and a couple of days later another e-mail will appear with yet another lie. It seems like they have an aversion to the truth.
Very much so, unfortunately. This stuff is born out of thinly-veiled hate speech piped through Rush Limbaugh, Michelle Malkin, and the staff at Faux News. People get their hands on myth and rumors, and then push things further with emails and blog posts that build on those initial half-truths, until the snowball effect leaves you with birthers, deathers, and other conspiracists who have less data supporting their stories than the people who claim they've been abducted by aliens. At least with the alien abductees, there's a slim possibility that they're telling the truth. The same can't be said of the lunatic fringe. I don't know for a fact that aliens haven't visited us. I do, however, know for a fact that President Obama was born in the United States. Just don't tell these psychopaths that!
Since when is free speech un American? And then they wonder why people are scared as hell of them? Anyone half way aware should be. The Congress running things into the ground are too accustomed to the actors that are paid to pretend they love them. They are used to hand picked fanatical yes men and butt kissing flattery.
This is actually the first time ever that Congress has faced people like this, that I have seen. They are acting like rotten royalty, not representatives...
There's no reasoning or empathy or admittanace of mistakes on Obama His Majesty's part. We are not to question the Illustrious One.
#6 - Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:31 PM EDTMichelle,
Sorry, I have had contact with the same type of people that you are defending. The minute they are confronted with a reasonable question, they come off with the same rhetoric that you have just posted. And I might add that those same people are now the source of conflict in churches, homes, neighborhoods and civic organizations. And you want to know a true story? With out exception it is not about health care, or anything that President Obama is trying to accomplish they are against. They are against the president because of his race. And they assume that since I am white and live in a red state that we are on the same page. Silly people, should be careful who they talk to.
It is amazing to me how many Americans are so confused about the health care reform. Not only are they confused but they are distrusting of the President. They are also more eager to listen to ridiculous facts concerning health care. Sometimes I think they have been so misled by their own party for so long that they are blind to the truth. They can't see when something comes along that will benefit them. I'm just sayin' ... this is sad!
#7 - Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:25 PM EDTRead the bill. 1000 pages. Can you handle it? Aapparently Congress can't, and that's why we pay them 100,000 a year each with our tax dollars? And get 300 million dollar airplanes for themselves? Too busy being social butterflies to do their jobs, I see... And it is their jobs, to READ and DIGEST bills that they foist unto us. You're aware of this no? At your work do you clock in to work, or screw around? Why are the people reading this thing, and telling those @!$%#s about it? Shouldn't it be the other way around? Can you spot what's wrong with this picture?
Kros
Today I received an e-mail from David Axlerod. The e-mail has addressed each and every bit of miss- information concerning Health Care Reform and as a grandparent I am relieved to know that no one is going to pull the plug on me. How about that?
It's the belligerent protesters who are crossing the line, carrying guns, signs suggesting Obama is a Nazi, and most importantly, most are really not just local citizens but bussed from rally to rally by lobbying groups such as Freedom Now. Their talking points are scripted and some are so uninformed that they don't even realize that Medicare is a govt run program and a very well run one at that. Some of the best media coverage of these "lobby groups" is carried on Rachel Maddow's MSnBc program. I feel sorry for some of the folks who are benefiiting from the hated big govt but are still vitriolic in their comnments.,
#8 - Wed Aug 12, 2009 2:42 PM EDTIt's the belligerent protesters who are crossing the line, carry guns, signs suggesting that Obama is a Nazi and most importantly, many are not just local citizens but people bussed from rally to rally by lobbying groups such as Freedom Now. Their talking points are scripted and some are so uninformed that they don't even realize that Medicare is a Govt. run program and a very well run one at that. Some of the best media coverage of these lobby groups is carried on Rachel Maddow's Msnbc program I feel sorry for the folks who are benefiting from the "hated govt. " but are still vitriolic in their comments.
One more comment then I must get off of this computer.
For the life of me, I don't see how anyone can equate President Barack Obama to Hitler. Don't these morons know that Hilter hated the black race as much as he hated the Jewish community?
Many years ago I read the Rise and Fall of the Third Riech. If is the brown shirts in this scene it would be the very people who calling President Obama a Nazi. I suspect many of these same people have some white sheets at home with some eye holes in them.
You referred to Rachell Maddow, and yes, she is doing a terrific job.
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