Gabrielle Giffords Town Hall: Gun Left Behind

Town hall disruptions around the country have led to some outbreaks of violence. Unions participating in town halls have received death threats. At an event held by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) last week, the threat of violence led her aides to call the police after one attendee dropped a gun.

"Yelling and screaming is counterproductive," she told the Sierra Vista Herald at a Congress on Your Corner event last week. There, one visitor dropped a gun at the meet n' greet held in a Douglas Safeway, her staff says.

That has aides, who called police to the event, concerned for her safety.

"We have never felt the need before to notify law enforcement when we hold these events," said spokesman C.J. Karamargin.

One of the callers to the Service Employees International Union said, "I suggest you tell your people to calm down, act like American citizens, and stop trying to repress people's First Amendment rights... That, or you all are gonna come up against the Second Amendment."

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Comments

[lurxst]

07:52 PM on 08/13/2009

Someone who drops or leaves a gun on purpose has demonstrated that they are not a responsible gun owner.

[DesertWarDawg]

01:27 PM on 08/14/2009

just curious, has anyone found out whether this individual was a rep or a dem?

see, this is AZ and out here even a lot of the dems are walking around carrying.

[stevecollins]

03:41 PM on 08/13/2009

Giffords is a afraid to have a town hall in Tucson. The one that she did in Douglas, a city that is on the Mexican border, is extremely friendly territory for the democrats entitlement and social welfare programs. She won't show her face in public in the city where most of her constituents are.

[LostInTheStars]

04:29 PM on 08/13/2009

There are some inaccuracies in this post by stevecollins:
1) This was not a town hall meeting but rather an event where people line up to get help with things like Social Security or documentation.
2) Tucson is the most liberal area of the state, so Giffords was not retreating to "extremely friendly territory."
3) Though there are plenty of Hispanics in Douglas, they do not vote in large numbers (I wish they did.), while the ultra-conservative ranchers (the white, cowboy-welfare types) are very active politically.
4) Let's not forget that Giffords is a Blue-Dog Democrat, who is far from being liberal.
5) Giffords has been very open to meeting with constituents both in Tucson and in the rural areas of the Eighth District, but especially in Tucson.

[DesertWarDawg]

01:11 PM on 08/14/2009

and she has done othing to slow down the media frenzy on the so called gun "issue".

when asked directly she waves it off but she has not told the media to back off it. the guy was a clown but it was an accident. no more than happens in police locker rooms, on the street, in squade cars, etc., etc.


and your reference the white, cowboy-welfare types reflects your own bias. i am a rancher and raise cattle outside the benson area. i am white, conservative and very active poltically. i have never received a dime for anything from anyone for any reason that was not earned with my sweat and hard work.

but then most posters here are biased. you decry bias and then post it.

[BillLaimbeer]

09:42 AM on 08/13/2009

When was the last time a liberal protestor dropped a gun during a protest? Oh yeah, they're preoccupied with getting tear gassed, pepper sprayed and being shot with rubber bullets. The words "Don't tase me bro" come to mind.

[DesertWarDawg]

01:20 PM on 08/14/2009

the perhaps you should just shout instead of turning over cars, refusing to disband under police order, breaking windows, setting fires, throwing rocks at the police ..................


it is amazing how those kind of little things get police attention and btw, you guys are decrying shouting?

[gettingitright]

03:28 PM on 08/12/2009

Many people only get alarmed about the exercise of second amendment rights when it is anyone but a Christian white male (maybe a woman) exercising them. If a black or Muslim man had a gun at a Bush rally, the Republicans would be shouting about the need for civility and about how guns and polite debate at a town hall with families, children and elderly present is a terrible, unfortunate combination.

[DesertWarDawg]

01:33 PM on 08/14/2009

they would?

if that individual were there and carrying legally i would have no problem with it.


i train with a black man and often we work as partners in shoot-no shoot scenarios. occasionally we stop at the bk down the road and have a sandwich together. now, i personally don't know any muslims, but the same would be true if he/she were carrying legally.


can you say stereotyping?

[gettingitright]

10:50 PM on 08/14/2009

You have completely missed the point. And your anecdote does not negate the premise.

[DragonflyChase]

02:46 PM on 08/12/2009

that must be the troll's gun from last week who said I better watch out if I go to a town hall because people will be carrying concealed weapons. I told him, I can only hope to run into him.

Anyways, he wasn't really warning me, he was trying to scare me.

Homeland Security needs to get to work, here.

[DesertWarDawg]

01:16 PM on 08/14/2009

hsa? and do what? investigate every gun owner .......... last approximation @ 90+ million. over 400 million guns and an estimated 8-10 billion rounds of ammunition.

all becasue of ian diot's little gum flapping.

don't worry. i am a white conservative right winger that carries (34 states through reciprocity) and if and i am there and he is there and gets out of line, i will help. just like 99.999999999999999999% of all gun onwers carrying would do.

hsa? will extremes ever stop?

[DragonflyChase]

02:49 PM on 08/17/2009

I just think they need to get out in front of this when these teabaggin, birther, turfers own guns and apparently aren't the brightest bulbs on the tree and full of hate and anger.

It's their job to protect people from the crazies. I hope you will too.

[RIConservative]

12:54 PM on 08/12/2009

I guess these people who supposedly "never witnessed" anything like this should read about Bush's visit to Oregon, where his staff was attacked by left wingers with rocks. His cars were blocked by crazies with "Assassinate Bush" signs (one even had a picture of Bush with a gun to his head)...A bunch of Octogenarians yelling at Congressmen is nothing compared to the violent protests of the left. However, most of you will never read about it because it was not reported in the liberal media.

Read the story here if you can stand the truth:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/12/analysis-press-largely-ignored-incendiary-rhetoric-bush-protest/

[ccpostman]

04:45 AM on 08/12/2009

Obama needs to show up at RAM in LA and visit with Stan Brock.

It would really drive home just HOW badly the people of this country are being neglected under the current health care system. Visual facts the GOP can not dispute!

They also need more volunteers for RAM in California. Get the word out to Socal California Doctors.

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_13001883

[zippywpinhead]

04:23 AM on 08/12/2009

FYI, here's an AZ Republic article from a few days later that fills in a couple details

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/azdc/60019

it appears that it WAS a protester who dropped the gun and it happened at the event.
while Giffords was speaking one on one with various constituents. It appears that this person was also one of the ones being boisterous and shouting. It was also another attendee, not Giffords or her people that notified police. Interestingly, the fact that this particular event drew almost five times the normal attendance for one of these events seems to substantiate reports that agitators have been going to various events to harass her (she also canceled an appearance at a movie screening in Tucson out of fears that protesters would disrupt the event, which was not supposed to be political in nature)- though there's no indication whether or not this individual was a local Douglas resident.

another article from the Douglas Dispatch

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/azdc/60019

[katebask]

03:18 PM on 08/12/2009

Just because it was reported in AZ Central doesn't make it true! More propaganda bull from Giffords. This is how she campaigns. Twist and turn everything to make her weakness appear like a strength.

People in Tucson carry guns everywhere, including concealed guns as our law DOES allow it. Unless someone pulled out the gun and threatened her, this is all just propaganda designed to create a story and feed into the tin foil hats that seem to dominate Democratic politics these days.

She wasn't threatened. She didn't show up for the movie night because she wanted to avoid the Tea Party critics AND her own Democratic critics that don't like how the bill is being watered down. The liberal activists lists were all full of actions talking about "protecting her" from the big bad "tea baggers" like she is some little girl who can't fight her own battles (which apparently she can't!)

Then, C. J., former reporter/ current communications director flat out lied and the Arizona Daily Star knowingly published that lie. He stated she was never scheduled to appear at the movie night when her own campaign sent out an invite signed by Giffords saying she would be there.

http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/303987.php

[zippywpinhead]

06:05 PM on 08/14/2009

just because you are a wingnut, doesn't make it false

she didn't show up for the movie event because you selfish stal.kers think you have the right to shriek and holler at any sort of event no matter how non political and she wisely chose not to attend so that you mo.rons wouldn't ruin it...

[zippywpinhead]

03:33 PM on 08/12/2009

a massive case of projection

along with an overabundance of anger

the GOP is the perfect place for a loser like you...

[Tim303]

02:14 AM on 08/12/2009

Ask the thugs how they would feel if they heard the Panthers saying that they would back up the First Amendment with the Second.

[Glocksf21]

06:58 AM on 08/12/2009

I respect the panthers exercising their second amendment rights. and I respect people exercising thier first amendment rights...... but who said if they bring a k nif e we bring a g u n.

[TheSpecter]

07:17 AM on 08/12/2009

Nobody brings knives anymore.

Our are bigger.

[BitterCling]

01:12 PM on 08/12/2009

You mean like when they intimidated people into "voting right" during this last election?

[Tammie]

02:42 PM on 08/12/2009

no 1 was intimidated on sh*t

[zippywpinhead]

02:46 PM on 08/12/2009

more scary black people stories...

[DSuth]

11:53 PM on 08/11/2009

All of this is ridiculous. Check out this article

NEWS IN BRIEF: Town Hall Healthcare Meetings Prove that Democracy is Retarded

http://sarcasticdbag.blogspot.com/2009/08/town-hall-healthcare-meetings-prove.html

[citizensrus]

07:57 PM on 08/11/2009

Dear HP moderator,
Why is my analysis of the rise of the Republican Party from 1968 to 1980 continually being censored. I've carefully tried to write the history of the U.S. from 1961 to 1968 without using inflammatory rhetoric or words. I've made it as bland as question on the Jeopardy game or as vague as viewing the world through cataracts.
What is exactly I am offending here?

[Khirad]

08:00 PM on 08/11/2009

Has it been scrubbed or sent to pending?

[Khirad]

08:05 PM on 08/11/2009

Regardless, reading your posts below, you have been fanned.

[citizensrus]

08:10 PM on 08/11/2009

scrubbed at least 6 different versions :)

[Issa]

08:34 PM on 08/11/2009

Dear Citizensrus,

Why are you trying to post your analysis of the rise of the republican party from 1968 to 1980 in the comments thread of a blog?
What exactly is the point?

/go outside. ride a bike.

[citizensrus]

09:21 PM on 08/11/2009

The point is the to take us to where we are today. The agitiation on the right is due to the color of the President's skin.
And the increasing threats of violence are similar to the reaction in the South in the Sixties to racial equality.
This won't be posted.

[liberalOrgonian]

06:45 PM on 08/11/2009

The only people holding guns at these rallies, should be the police and FBI. Those entering these town halls should be searched, and asked for ID. Their names can be checked to see if they are a registered dem. If not show these loud mouth nuts the door. They can go to the repub rep meetings where they belong. No one who is a registered repub or someone wearing an insurance t shirt, should, for the safety of all concerned be welcomed.
Next thing you know some nut case will use that gun. Makes me embarrassed to be American. And Shows just how dumb some people are in this country, and in my opinion getting dumber by the day.
Wait till they loose their health care Insurance.
Better yet, let them bitch when their medicare is canceled.
Remember these people DON'T want government programs they are screaming for private Insurance.

[citizensrus]

05:55 PM on 08/11/2009

The Wild West rises again:
PHOENIX — Are you 18? Not convicted of a crime?

"Legislation set for debate today would let you carry a concealed weapon without having to bother with the background check, training and proficiency test now required.

Sen. Sylvia Allen, R-Snowflake, said she believes all Arizonans should have the right to defend themselves. Allen, who does have a state-issued permit to carry a concealed gun, said she does not believe that makes gun owners any safer.

More to the point, she said the law makes Arizonans less safe.




Allen’s proposal, SB 1270, does not do away with the concealed weapon permits. In fact, it actually would give those who do decide to get those permits the right to carry their guns into places now off limits, ranging from school campuses in certain circumstances to various public events and buildings — including, as the measure is now worded, the public gallery of the state Senate."


http://www.svherald.com/articles/2009/08/09/news/doc4a7e79f373f6f555689866.txt

[lurxst]

07:50 PM on 08/13/2009

Allen is the one who was quoted on record as believing the earth is only 6000 years old.

[professionalcynic]

05:02 PM on 08/11/2009

I finally found the printed version of this 'story' buried on page 4 of the Region section of the Arizona Daily Star Sunday edition. I missed it, and nobody else I know read it either. Appearantly, C J Karamargin, Giffords 'spokesman', who was the former political reporter for the Star, pumped up the gun bit to his replacement. Last night I called a friend who is with the Douglas PD and he said "yeah, somebody dropped or left a gun in the Safeway". Nobody even knows if it happened when Giffords was there, or before. Looks like the whole gun thing is a non-story, at least in Giffords own district.

Gabby did make the front page of the Star today... Read "Giffords: Too soon to settle on a plan for health care" http://www.azstarnet.com/dailystar/304422

[zippywpinhead]

05:51 PM on 08/11/2009

what's your point? that's what the original Star report said

People have been following her around and protesting, Many of them have been yelling and screaming and disrupting. At a Douglas meet and greet someone dropped a gun and her staff believed the prudent thing to do was report it to police, which they did.

And yes, today Giffords said she has not settled on which particular version of the various House bills she will support, though she reiterated her position that whichever one it is, it will include a public option. Again, are you trying to make a point, or just passing along this information?

if it's the latter, my apologies- just trying to discern your intent

[professionalcynic]

08:38 PM on 08/11/2009

Just an FYI, that's all... No point.

[Khirad]

08:02 PM on 08/11/2009

Sure, but Fitzsimmons was great as usual:

http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/byauthor/304324

[professionalcynic]

08:41 PM on 08/11/2009

Yeah, today's toon was pretty good...

[DestinationsUnknown]

03:23 PM on 08/11/2009

Americans are Bullies- not intellects!

[citizensrus]

04:05 PM on 08/11/2009

America is in denial, but America still has a race problem. We also have a First Amendment problem, in that the media, is a controlled message and not an independent watchdog on the powers that rule this country.
The Republican party of today arose from the ashes of the Dixecrats. The history of the Democratic Party in the South gives insight into the Republican party of today. The Republican party itself is always remaking itself,because it is the party of industry.
So, what happened? Lincoln was a Republican, a Notherner and the Republican party was the party of the Industrialists.
In the civil war, slavery was the issue, but it was the capitalists of the South vs the Industrialists of the North. The issue was labor, basically cheap labor.
After the Civil War, the issue was Reconstruction. Lincoln was assasinated, Johnson was impeached. Reconstruction was the issue.
The Democratic Party gained strength in the South on the racism of the South. KKK operated with impunity.

[gallon]

04:21 PM on 08/11/2009

Favorite. Fascinating stuff. As I read about Lincoln I encounter this phenomenon of party crossover. Can you recommend any essential reading on how and when the parties switched sides?

One important book of the Civil War era was the scathing indictment of the Southern system by Hinton Helper: "The Impending Crisis of the South." This was a scholarly work, showing how the plantation system and the poor education kept the poor white class suppressed. This was an important book to Lincoln in his formative years just before his presidency. The substance of this book rings true down through so many decades. An aristocratic class controlling a huge impoverished, uneducated sharecropper class. We see the same stuff today, in the same places. The Helper book is online, look under Google books. It was banned in the South, and would be shouted down today.

Thanks Citizensrus for your many contributions here.

[citizensrus]

04:22 PM on 08/11/2009

Then, in 1964,the Democratic Party changed course and became the party of Civil Rights.
Kennedy was assasinated. Unrest was rampant throughout the nation. Race riots and a divided nation. Martin Luther King was assasinated.
Robert F Kennedy was assasinated. However,the Civil Rights Act passed under Lyndon Johnson in 1964. In 1965, the voting rights act passed.
The Democratic Party was now in disarray in the South. Just as the South would not embrace the party of Lincoln after the Civil War, the South was no longer the party of Johnson.
Out of this came several factions..one being the campaign of George Wallace, governor of Alabama. George Wallace ran first as a Democrat and then as a candidate for the newly formed American Independent Party. The most successful third party bid for President.
In 1968 there was an attempt on Wallace's life, in which he was left a paraplegic. Later, Wallace, reversed his racism and even tried to make amends in his life.
In 1980 the Republican party re-invented itself on the issues that divided this country. They found their base in the South. The same Dixiecrat voters and angry white males that ran the KKK and the Democratic Party of the South.
Nothing has changed in the South. Just what party benefits from their ignorance and racist views. The power is still the KKK. The issue is still racism. The violence is coming out in the open now because once again they are losing control of the issue.

[anniecanuck]

12:56 AM on 08/12/2009

America remains one of the most intellectual nations on earth.
And we all owe them a lot for that.
The problem is that America has a large population and the mainstream media keep portraying
idiocy as an alternative argument to sound discussion of ideas.
I still believe some of the best ideas and institutions have come from America.
But being a superpower tends to create a ton of idiots desperately afraid of change and facts.
Look into European history. Superpowers get consevative and irrational.
But America is not an anti-intellectual nation. It goes through cycles though, which tend to have something to do with economic booms and busts.
As a keen observer, America can and should rise with intellectualism as one of its mantras. It's not a dirty word. It usually comes from reading stuff that is written by reasonable people who believe in evidence and progress.