@tinyfaery: No, actually. You can’t bring a gun to an event featuring the president. I think it’s covered in the Post article that kevbo linked; wherever the president is is considered federal land and guns are not allowed. Across the street or wherever the protesters are allowed is subject to whatver state’s laws apply.
@kevbo: I think openly carrying a firearm near one of these town hall meetings is both a first amendment and second amendment statement, even if that free speech is hate speech. Because let’s face it; it’s racism. It’s a thinly veiled way of threatening. These protesters, these rabble-rousers, these beck-ians and Limbaugh-ites have no productive contribution to make to the health care issue. They aren’t trying to help solve any problems. They feel pushed into a corner because their world is changing and they don’t like it one bit.
Why do we allow them to openly carry a firearm? Because it’s the law. I don’t like it. I don’t agree with it, but to disallow it would open a whole other can of worms.
Frankly, I like the nutjobs out in the open where I can see them.
Some more scary reading from the Southern Poverty Law Center…