I scheduled my vacation to Hawaii a long time ago. Unknowingly, I put myself in the middle of the security preparations for the APEC Leaders Summit. Apparently this is a big freaking deal. Amongst other important foreign dignitaries, the President will be staying in a (much nicer) hotel 1/2 mile up the beach from mine. The entire island is readying itself . . .
It’s been amazing to watch many work crews moving cement barriers, placing fences and screens where they were not present before. All this movement directed by fit, clearly non-local guys casually dressed in concealment garments with radios. Blackhawks and F22s fly overhead routinely.
Out to sea, I see a Navy destroyer and Coast Guard cutter—lest anyone assault the beachfront from the ocean. I am sure there will be SEALs and other sea/ground forces present.
It’s been very interesting to be close to the so-called presidential bubble. I leave the day before anyone arrives for APEC. I’m glad about that.
No matter who you are, you’re going to be pretty inconvenienced by the security presence—unless of course you are the President. The President’s day will go along exactly as planned with no concern or probably even a thought for the literally thousands of other folks inconvenienced for his safety.
I explained this to my ten-year-old son. He remarked: “Why all this for just one person?He’s no more different than anyone else.” I thought about that and remembered Animal Farm. “Son, everyone is equal. Some are more equal than others.”
I honestly don’t begrudge the President his security bubble (at least until it inconveniences me personally). He is absolutely a prime target for violence. His office represents a nation hated by more than a few.
I do think, however, that being inside of this bubble could make one totally out of touch with the security concerns of the average individual. One could fail to understand why an average American would “cling” to his or her gun for the safety and security of themselves and their loved one.
We are humans, equal in the value of our lives—no matter what position we hold. We all have the same right to self-defense.
I laugh every time I see that Croatian abortion plastic with old glory painted on it. I think I may be the last person under the age of 30 that cares where my stuff is made.
Well then, it looks like the goal of eradicating racism is nearly complete.
Does a Eastern European country count as a race?
Racism and Xenophobia (fear of foreigners) are essentially the same thing, so I generally save time and bundle it all under racism – especially since the people that they’re normally complaining about making things are non-white.
I think its pretty ridiculous when a politician sugests that “assault weapons”(neutered military rifles) have no legitimate purpose, when they have dozens of actual assault weapons protecting them 24/7.
Gun control is class warfare. There’s no country in which rich people can’t get legal guns.
I don’t begrudge him security, after all President Biden is a scary thought, but I don’t think he and the family should go to resorts and other fancy places where providing security is hard and very expensive. Camp David is just fine. If that sounds cruel, well sacrifices have to be made. He lives well enough as it is.
Really? Was it is soo inconvenient? I understand you’re on your vacation but it is not that big of a deal. Were you harassed? Did you get frisked? I understand that some people fee like it is hypocritical for people who oppose gun ownership to have a full time security detail, but then again most people who bristle at these politicians don’t need a security detail because they are not the targets of violence, nor are they likely to be. If you want your own security detail there is an easy fix, shell out the money and hire one.
Maybe if those politicians didn’t go out of their way to try to trample others rights, people might not want to take a shot at them?
To put it more simply, how many decent people do you know that have a lot of enemies? Now think about how many people wouldn’t feel bad if that guy you know who’s a total jerk took a dirt name. The same applies here.
The security detail is to remind you that you are a peasant and that your “master” can do anything he damn well pleases. You may gladly bend over and say “Thank you sir, may I have another?” when you’re being sneered at by incompetent politicians and their army of thugs, but that doesn’t mean the majority share your view.
I’m fairly sure that the security detail is present to prevent him from being shot at, not to remind you that you’re a “peasant” and he’s your “master”. If he wanted to do that, he’d raise your taxes. And I think that any decent, hardworking persone who somehow managed to become President ( I know, never gonna happen), would incur the emnity of persons or nations just by representing the United States. Plenty of good, honest people have been killed just because they took a stance others disagreed with.
Maybe because they weren’t allowed to own guns to defend themselves.
I am pretty sure Lincoln and Kennedy would both have served out their terms had they been carrying.
Those are two exceptions – Lincoln was surprised from behind and never saw it coming. Kennedy also didn’t see it coming since it was long range and even if he saw it coming, a gun wouldn’t have done any good.
I guess I see it differently because my father was one of those “thugs” for many years when he was a Marine. It is also possible I don’t see myself as being subjugated, and it is more likely that I don’t see things your way because I don’t go to sleep at night cradling my pistol and wearing a tinfoil nightcap after searching the net for links to Ron Paul, the Masons and his college fraternity as proof that he is a pawn for the New World Order.
Because you see yourself as a servant and that he has a divine right (or whatever term you choose to use) to rule you. The same logic is uses when justifying monarchies.
I go to sleep at night knowing that there’s no hope. We have the people like Mike and Obama who want to disarm us and subjugate us and then we have people like Romney and most of the Republicans who want to subjugate us as well, only they want to claim that it’s “the moral thing” to be an obedient servant. Neither option is what the founding fathers of this country intended.
I get to know that because I dare to read and make informed decisions, I’m villified by both sides. That because I dare to work hard and get a good education to improve my career, I’ll be demonized by the left – and that because I dare to think that we should let people make their own choices and not try to recreate the Roman Empire, I’ll be demonized by the right. It’s all one big joke where people who actually believe in freedom and justice get screwed.
Im not saying they shouldn’t have a security detail, I just think it reveals a flaw in there logic when they think I dont need a handgun to defend myself but because there so special they need a team of people to protect them
Not targets of violence? 80% of americans will have a violent encounter in there life, it seems quite reasonable to prepare for one should it happen. I guess you think you think good drivers dont need seat belts because they are less likely to get in an accident.
If you worried about it and think you need a private security detail you can always hire one . I am not saying that there isn’t an inherent hypocrisy behind it, or that you shouldn’t carry or even that the outside world isn’t big and scary, if you feel like carrying keeps you safe then carry. If you want the same treatment as Big O or Hilldog then get elected and have the government protect you or hire a private security firm yourself. My point is they are much higher security risks than your average internet user. They take the steps they need to to protect themselves because it is warranted . Most people are not going to be the victims of violence everytime they leave the house.
“If you want the same treatment as Big O or Hilldog then get elected and have the government protect you or hire a private security firm yourself.”
It’s much easier, cheaper, and fair for them to have the same level of security as anyone else would. People like Bill Gates are much smarter, wealthier, and more important to our country (due to philanthropy and the jobs provided by their businesses, as well as the things they / their companies invent and add to the world) than any politician, yet you don’t see them walking around with several dozen guards or shutting down entire sections of town just so they can go shopping.
I would really like to know how you got that ‘Merican flag put on your xdm.
Photoshop?
I dunno, I’ve seen pics of it before from other angles though.
Guys, here is the story of the Liberty gun.
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2010/09/robert-farago/ttag-announces-liberty-gun-project/
and you can search for “Liberty Gun” in the search box, for additional pics and info. Make sure you put “Liberty Gun” in quotes or you will get way too many hits.
Thanks