illusionofjoy | It's the 2nd Amendment for a reason...

From the AP: Man carrying assault weapon attends Obama protest. An excerpt:

PHOENIX – About a dozen people carrying guns, including one with a military-style rifle, milled among protesters outside the convention center where President Barack Obama was giving a speech Monday — the latest incident in which protesters have openly displayed firearms near the president.

Gun-rights advocates say they're exercising their constitutional right to bear arms and protest, while those who argue for more gun control say it could be a disaster waiting to happen.

Phoenix police said the gun-toters at Monday's event, including the man carrying an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle slung over his shoulder, didn't need permits. No crimes were committed, and no one was arrested.

When George W. Bush occupied the White House, I don't recall any events where anyone was allowed anywhere near him with a firearm if they weren't a member of the Secret Service or Dick Cheney (and I'm sure Bush was a bit sketchy about Cheney and his guns after a certain incident involving a lawyer buddy and a hunting trip). In fact, I can imagine that if anyone tried to show up to a Bush event brandishing any type of firearm - to say nothing of an assault rifle - they would have ended up Gitmoed faster than you could blurt out, "A well-regulated militia..."

Given the fact that the wingnuts are up in arms over what they perceive as "socialism" and the "big bad lefties coming for their freedoms," I'm forced to wonder why the Secret Service isn't being more proactive in keeping angry people with guns and potentially itchy trigger fingers away from the President. I don't see this ending well, honestly.

Americans may have the right to bear arms, but these displays are nothing more than machismo posturing meant to threaten and intimidate others into silence. I'm fond of pointing out to gun-nuts that their favourite Amendment comes second to my favourite Amendment.

And the President does not deserve to be placed in a situation where his own safety is being so glaringly compromised.