Brad Miller(D-NC-13), a sometime contributor here, will not be hosting a town hall
meeting on health care. Some of his conservative constituents are upset about this
(because they will therefore not get a chance to disrupt it).
Some more conservative constituents are so upset about it that
they are claiming that his refusal is actually based on fear for his life
(much though I hate to dignify the hometown McClatchy rag by linking).
Whether this threat is coming from themselves or from others, they do not say;
nonetheless, their mere insistence on relaying it has been sufficient to
get the matter referred to the Capitol Police, because Raleigh is the state capital
and the State Capitol is in Miller's district,
as was the Health Care town hall meeting held by President Obama last month
at nearby Broughton High School.
The implication here seems to be that this town is so chock full of conscientious objectors
to health care reform that you cannot even host a meeting proposing it,
with less than a PRESIDENTIAL level of security.
One would think that in most congressional districts, the local congressman
would be closer friends with more people and would be safer than the President --
back during Bill Clinton's first term, the notorious Jesse Helms commented that
he'd "better bring a bodyguard" if he were coming to North Carolina.
But I don't think this bodes well, frankly.
I have been acquainted with Brad Miller since 1984 and
while it is not my life that is potentially on the line,
I do not find discretion to be the better part of valor here.
If a congressman can't host a meeting IN HIS OWN district then
something is WRONG.
The 1st amendment talks of the right of the people "peaceably to
assemble, to petition for redress" of grievances. I would say that
the teabaggers are denying OUR right to assemble to petition FOR
healthcare reform: WE HAVE a grievance (against the current paradigm).
To the extent that health care has NOT been reformed (yet), they don't (yet)
have a grievance TO petition-for-redress OF! What, they are "aggrieved"
that the government would dare CONSIDER "socializing medicine"??
Some could say (OK, the link is saying it) that any
congressman who is reacting as Miller is,
is RUNNING SCARED.
Well, OK, agreed, this is scary.
But if we play it this way, don't THE TERRORISTS WIN ??
I'm not personally renowned for foolhardy championing of the masculine virtues (that's a VERY red/bitter personality trait), but, GOOD GRIEF, you have to NOTICE when something CORE AND IMPORTANT is being LOST!!
My personal vote in the poll is for the first or last alternatives.