Should people use the second amendment to enforce the first amendment

[Texashiker]

Let it be known that I oppose the use of force by either the protestors or the police.

But, when the police start arresting people who are peacefully protesting, should protestors use the second amendment to enforce the first amendment?

At what point do protestors have the right to use force to protect their rights?

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/morning_call/2011/10/man-with-ak-47-big-reason-reed-ordered.html

When a man showed up at the Atlanta protest with an AK47, the Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed tried to end the protest.

It seems to me that 1 armed man is more worrisome to a government then 1,000 unarmed protestors.

~~ EDIT ~~

Related video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S880UldxB1o

 

[monovillage]

Do protesters (not just Occupy, but all protesters) have the Right to break any law at any time for any reason whenever and wherever they want?

 

[bfdd]

when the state gets out of control and so far it hasn't. when they really start cracking down, yeah.

 

[monovillage]

I wonder what would happen if the 53% counter protested against the protesting 99%? Since they're both protesting maybe we could have a shootout at the O.K. corral on a truly epic scale.

 

[xBiffx]

You really want the Occupy crowd handling guns? That's the scariest thing I have heard in a while. Now Tea Party crowd with guns, what's the worry?

 

[Texashiker]

You really want the Occupy crowd handling guns?

In case you have not noticed, there are veterans mixed in with the civilians.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/26/scott-olsen-iraq-war-veteran-injured_n_1034003.html

 

[thraashman]

Didn't someone at a Tea Party gathering show up to an event that the President of the United States was at carrying an AK a couple years ago? I remember seeing video of the police talking to the man to determine his mindset before walking away because he wasn't violating any state laws there either.

This is the problem with living in a conservative state. A right winger carries a loaded gun into vaccinity of the President, no problem. A left winger has a gun at a protest, omg NO! Hell the OWS movement is actually more non-partisan than the Tea Party. Even if the right wing news is portraying it as leftist because it's not super pro rich.

 

[thraashman]

Though I did used to work downtown not too far from Woodruff park and I it's not that big of a park and really close to Ga State campus. I do bet this was becoming a hassle to deal with. Olympic park seems like a better location simply for size, however you also tend to see more families in Olympic Park.

 

[xBiffx]

In case you have not noticed, there are veterans mixed in with the civilians.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/26/scott-olsen-iraq-war-veteran-injured_n_1034003.html

And? I still wouldn't want to see one of their guns getting loose down there.

 

[cubby1223]

But, when the police start arresting people who are peacefully protesting, should protestors use the second amendment to enforce the first amendment?

I'm curious to what your boundaries of "peaceful protest" are. Anyone doing anything without a gun in hand, is that a peaceful protestor? Anyone who is doing anything towards an end you agree with, is that a peaceful protestor?

 

[cubby1223]

Didn't someone at a Tea Party gathering show up to an event that the President of the United States was at carrying an AK a couple years ago?

Certain liberal media outlets and blogs thoroughly trashed the man for being racist against the black President... except they failed to display the full picture of the man showing he was also black...

There was no opportunity to be outraged or not outraged over the presence of an assault rifle, the liberals got to the story first and made it all about skin color.

 

[Texashiker]

I'm curious to what your boundaries of "peaceful protest" are.

Someone standing on public property holding a sign, that is an example of a peaceful protestor.

There have been several examples of people being peaceful, and being arrested. One such incident happened in Dearbone Michigan.

http://www.answeringmuslims.com/p/dearborn.html

There several examples during the occupy protest of people standing on the sidewalks, and the police arresting them.

http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowl...-wall-street-protest-pretty-terrifying_b43729

The above link goes to a reporter that was arrested while trying to interview a police officer.

 

[PokerGuy]

People are allowed to protest all they want, provided they abide by the laws. Protesting doesn't mean you don't have to follow the law. When these idiots break the laws (trespassing, littering, loitering), they should be arrested and put in jail like anyone else who breaks the law.

And no, the 2nd amendment gives you the right to bear arms, it has nothing to do with using them in a particular situation. There are plenty of mechanisms already in place for preserving civil liberties. The cities around the country have bent over backwards to let those idiots protest, it's time to toss them all in jail (the ones breaking the law of course).

 

[thraashman]

I'm sure some of the more conservative members of this board would be thrilled if an OWS protest turned into a Kent State.

 

[piasabird]

I guess in Texas you can walk around with a six shooter strapped to your hip. What does that have to do with freedom of assembly or freedom of speech. Trespassing and disturbing the peace are also laws. Also there are laws concerning exposing yourself in public and people that cause unsanitary conditions that can lead to spreading disease from Human Waste. Most cities may also require a permit to hold a demontration on public property. People are not allowed to just hold a public parade down mainstreet any time they want. There are laws you know???? In most public parks it is illegal to camp out overnight.

Blocking the path on a public sidewalk is illegal unless you have some kind of permit or something. It could be construed as disturbing the peace.

 

[piasabird]

So I guess I can just protest in the middle of the local High School any time I want? It is public property. This is the kind of stupid response you should receive.

 

[cubby1223]

Someone standing on public property holding a sign, that is an example of a peaceful protestor.

There have been several examples of people being peaceful, and being arrested. One such incident happened in Dearbone Michigan.

http://www.answeringmuslims.com/p/dearborn.html

There several examples during the occupy protest of people standing on the sidewalks, and the police arresting them.

http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowl...-wall-street-protest-pretty-terrifying_b43729

The above link goes to a reporter that was arrested while trying to interview a police officer.

Just forgive me if I don't take the word of internet sites, even media outlets anymore, concerning events these days. Everyone has an agenda to push in these matters, and entities in the media are trying to be the first one to report on anything, regardless of accuracy. I mean, take my example above of the gun-toting racist, who was actually of the same race as the person he was accused of being racist against.

And sometimes in the middle of chaos, the only option to protect the peace is to arrest now and sort it out away from the chaos.

In your link, the guy says the incident was terrifying, but nothing at all in his descriptions, would lead me to believe he actually was terrified. If he were terrified, he would never have approached the officer for an interview in the first place.

You describe the situation as "a reporter that was arrested while trying to interview a police officer."

I describe the situation as "a reporter that was arrested while trying to interview a police officer in the middle of crowd control." The officer shoots pepper-spray at someone, do you *really* think that is the most convenient time for an interview? Put yourself in the shoes of the officer, who has no idea what the true intentions of an approaching person is.

 

[MagickMan]

Do protesters (not just Occupy, but all protesters) have the Right to break any law at any time for any reason whenever and wherever they want?

Well, most of them are already trespassing, so what do we do about that?

 

[QuantumPion]

Well, most of them are already trespassing, so what do we do about that?

 

[MagickMan]

Personally, I've always liked watching water canons. Now that it's getting colder, getting hit with all that water would really suck.

 

[MomentsofSanity]

Given the sheer volume of comments I see from people in forums and comments on blogs bitching that their freedom of speech is being stifled on those sites, I'd recommend a First Ammendment refresher for all before anything else.

 

[halik]

Do protesters (not just Occupy, but all protesters) have the Right to break any law at any time for any reason whenever and wherever they want?

This.

 

[JulesMaximus]

You really want the Occupy crowd handling guns? That's the scariest thing I have heard in a while. Now Tea Party crowd with guns, what's the worry?

No worry...as long as you're white and agree with their politics.

 

[PokerGuy]

They need to just take a big truck with a water cannon and use water blasts to disperse the trespassers. That should take care of the problem.

 

[Texashiker]

They need to just take a big truck with a water cannon and use water blasts to disperse the trespassers.

Can we do the same thing to illegal immigrants?