Frommer says, "I will not personally travel in a state where civilians carry loaded weapons onto the sidewalks and as a means of political protest."
Of course, what he is referring to is a few people doing open carry while they were at a political protest near (but not in) President Obama's visit with the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Whether or not the people carrying openly was meant as a "means of political protest" or just how these people, like many others, choose to protect themselves is not clear.
"The continued tolerance of extremists carrying guns is a frightening development which strikes at the heart of the political process and endangers the ability to carry out a reasoned debate," Frommer contends.
Acceptance of people exercising their First Amendment rights to petition the government and their Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms does, indeed, strike at the heart of the political process. It is the heart of the political process. Frommer and others' hoplophobia should not be allowed to shape the debate.
The debate that the people were engaging in was about health care reform and what shape it would take.
The debate that Frommer and others want to have is about restriction of Civil Rights.
If Frommer feels that extortion of a State until it restricts its citizens Civil Rights is appropriate, it says more about Frommer than those carrying the guns.
Would Mr. Frommer refuse to travel in his city on his way to a voting booth knowing that members of the New Black Panther Party were assembled outside that polling place in jack boots and military style clothing carrying clubs?? Kinda' "strikes at the heart of the political process" doesn't it, Mr. Frommer??
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