The Democrat Thread

[Balta1701]

So that's what we want is a secure and sovereign nation and, you know, I don't know that all of you are Latino. Some of you look a little more Asian to me. I don't know that.

That's, that's a pretty good one.

[NorthSideSox72]

That's, that's a pretty good one.

Even stranger from the same video:

 

What we know, what we know about ourselves is that we are a melting pot in this country. My grandchildren are evidence of that. I’m evidence of that. I’ve been called the first Asian legislator in our Nevada State Assembly."

 

Is she part Asian?

[southsider2k5]

Even stranger from the same video:

 

 

 

Is she part Asian?

 

Bill Clinton has been called the first black President. I am guessing that goes into the same category.

[Balta1701]

Bill Clinton has been called the first black President. I am guessing that goes into the same category.

Except...no one ever called her that.

[NorthSideSox72]

Bill Clinton has been called the first black President. I am guessing that goes into the same category.

Just as weird. I can't remember though, honestly, did he say that? Or did someone else call him that?

 

[Balta1701]

Just as weird. I can't remember though, honestly, did he say that? Or did someone else call him that?

I don't think he ever called himself that. He was originally dubbed that in 1998 by Toni Morrison, writing in the New Yorker.

[BigSqwert]

Tea Party candidate Joe Miller in Alaska had his private security team arrest a reporter for asking too many questions. What the f*** is with this party? Apparently unless you work for Fox news you aren't allowed to ask any of these people questions before you vote for them.

[southsider2k5]

Just as weird. I can't remember though, honestly, did he say that? Or did someone else call him that?

 

I don't think he ever said it, but it was said about him.

[BigSqwert]

I don't think he ever said it, but it was said about him.

^ This

[southsider2k5]

Tea Party candidate Joe Miller in Alaska had his private security team arrest a reporter for asking too many questions. What the f*** is with this party? Apparently unless you work for Fox news you aren't allowed to ask any of these people questions before you vote for them.

 

I guess the rest of the reporters didn't threaten to beat him up like they did the guy trying to question Rahm.

[BigSqwert]

[Balta1701]

I guess the rest of the reporters didn't threaten to beat him up like they did the guy trying to question Rahm.

Without commenting on the appropriateness of the behavior described in your post...would you agree that privately-employed security guards should have some level of legal standard that they live up to?

[Balta1701]

Continuing the parade of fun in this thread...guess who will be dropping by "Mythbusters" this December?

[BigSqwert]

Without commenting on the appropriateness of the behavior described in your post...would you agree that privately-employed security guards should have some level of legal standard that they live up to?

Plus they arrested this reporter in a public school.

[NorthSideSox72]

I guess the rest of the reporters didn't threaten to beat him up like they did the guy trying to question Rahm.

 

I don't remember that. But in this case, it sounds like the reporter also shoved the security guard, so there is probably more to the story than just overzealous security guards.

 

Without commenting on the appropriateness of the behavior described in your post...would you agree that privately-employed security guards should have some level of legal standard that they live up to?

 

Security guards don't have police powers (unless they are off-duty sworn officers, then the rules get fuzzy), but states generally regulate them, as do some localities. So there already should be rules in place to govern behavior. I do not know what those rules or laws are like in Anchorage and/or Alaska (localities in Alaska are a little weird, there are no county governments).

 

[Balta1701]

Plus they arrested this reporter in a public school.

The fact that it's a public school doesn't matter as much as the fact that it was a "public event". You can have a private event in a public school.

[GoSox05]

Tea Party candidate Joe Miller in Alaska had his private security team arrest a reporter for asking too many questions. What the f*** is with this party? Apparently unless you work for Fox news you aren't allowed to ask any of these people questions before you vote for them.

 

 

They are for a smaller less intrusive government. Unless you ask questions than they have you arrested.

 

Maybe they should have blackwater guard them.

Edited October 18, 2010 by GoSox05

[BigSqwert]

The fact that it's a public school doesn't matter as much as the fact that it was a "public event". You can have a private event in a public school.

Good point.

 

 

[NorthSideSox72]

They are for a smaller less intrusive government. Unless you ask questions than they have you arrested.

 

Mybe they should have blackwater guard them.

Let's not jump to conclusions here. As I said, it appears the reporter made first contact with the guards in terms of physical confrontation, so this may not be what it seems.

 

[southsider2k5]

I don't remember that. But in this case, it sounds like the reporter also shoved the security guard, so there is probably more to the story than just overzealous security guards.

 

 

Security guards don't have police powers (unless they are off-duty sworn officers, then the rules get fuzzy), but states generally regulate them, as do some localities. So there already should be rules in place to govern behavior. I do not know what those rules or laws are like in Anchorage and/or Alaska (localities in Alaska are a little weird, there are no county governments).

 

More to the story? NO WAY!

[Balta1701]

I don't remember that. But in this case, it sounds like the reporter also shoved the security guard, so there is probably more to the story than just overzealous security guards.

The initial story basically suggested that the security guards made physical contact with him first.

Hopfinger says he approached Miller to ask questions, but was arrested for half an hour until police arrived.

 

According to Hopfinger, Miller’s security team pushed him and he pushed back because he felt his personal space was being invaded. He says guards detained him and accused him of trespassing, although the town hall was a public event held at Central Middle School, a public building.

 

“At some point I was suddenly surrounded by more guys, more security guards I guess,” Hopfinger said. “They were kind of putting their chest into me, and at one point I put my chest in too -- it got to be too much.”

 

Hopfinger says the incident escalated so fast he barely remembers what happened, and that next thing he knew he was in handcuffs.

The owner of the firm hired to protect Miller, William Fulton with Dropzone Security, said in a statement Sunday that he was responding to Hopfinger’s actions.

 

“The Dispatch reporter repeatedly pushed a camera into the face of Mr. Miller,” Fulton said. “He continued to aggressively pursue him. I told the reporter several times that he needed to stop and that he was trespassing, he ignored me. He then proceeded to stalk Mr. Miller and even shoved an individual into a locker. Based upon this trespass and his assault, we detained him and escorted him from the premises.”

 

In a subsequent interview, Fulton said he didn't know at the scene that Hopfinger was a journalist.

 

“I didn't even know he was a reporter until he told me,” Fulton said. “Normally we would assume that he's just some crazy guy from the audience.”

 

Fulton says he was trying to do his job when he arrested Hopfinger.

 

“After I told him he was trespassing, he said he was a reporter,” Fulton said. “I said, ‘Sir, that doesn't matter: you've been asked to leave, this is a private event.’ At that time, I told him again he was trespassing, then he hit the guy -- he pushed the guy, well, pushed the guy, into the locker. And at that point we decided he had become violent and would effect the arrest.”

[NorthSideSox72]

More to the story? NO WAY!

No way to tell for sure. Seems like the kind of situation that could be a lot of things. Hopefully someone can come up with a video of it.

 

[BigSqwert]

This speaks volumes:

 

Miller has been critical of the Alaskan media, saying that they focus on irrelevant issues and he has instead opted to appear frequently on Fox News.

 

via

[NorthSideSox72]

The initial story basically suggested that the security guards made physical contact with him first.

 

Fulton says he was trying to do his job when he arrested Hopfinger.

 

“After I told him he was trespassing, he said he was a reporter,” Fulton said. “I said, ‘Sir, that doesn't matter: you've been asked to leave, this is a private event.’ At that time, I told him again he was trespassing, then he hit the guy -- he pushed the guy, well, pushed the guy, into the locker. And at that point we decided he had become violent and would effect the arrest.”

I've now read 3 or 4 stories on this, with conflicting reports, but one of them actually quoted the reporters as saying he shoved the guard first, but that he didn't know they were security either.

 

Seems like the kind of thing that will blow over, because no one will have a straight story.

 

[Balta1701]

No way to tell for sure. Seems like the kind of situation that could be a lot of things. Hopefully someone can come up with a video of it.