Rocker Ted Nugent threatens to assassinate President Obama

[purplehorseshoe]

... and the cycle of life continues and/or is complete.

[Scumpup]

Originally Posted by Shodan

So you are irritated, and you own a gun.

Yes, but it's not a Chinese gun.

[Bill Door]

Originally Posted by Scumpup

(snip) Further, I will note that Obama has done nothing at all WRT to gun regulations.(snip)

In point of fact, President Obama has signed at least two pieces of legislation in regard to gun regulations. One allowed people with carry permits to carry inside federal parks, and one allowed people with permits to carry on Amtrak trains.

[Gangster Octopus]

Originally Posted by Bill Door

In point of fact, President Obama has signed at least two pieces of legislation in regard to gun regulations. One allowed people with carry permits to carry inside federal parks, and one allowed people with permits to carry on Amtrak trains.

He required permits!! That monster!!

[Shodan]

Originally Posted by Scumpup

Yes, but it's not a Chinese gun.

So you are cheesed at Hu Jin-tao?

Fine, but if you take a shot at him, three hours later you will want to shoot someone else.

Regards,
Shodan

[Scumpup]

Originally Posted by Bill Door

In point of fact, President Obama has signed at least two pieces of legislation in regard to gun regulations. One allowed people with carry permits to carry inside federal parks, and one allowed people with permits to carry on Amtrak trains.

I thought it was implicit that I was referring to restrictive regulations.

[saoirse]

Originally Posted by Bryan Ekers

Well, now I'm curious.... does Nugent mean a re-elected Obama will have him killed or interred? That a re-elected Obama will drive Nugent to criminal activity?

Yes! And then he'll take off, instead of waiting for Nugent to come back out! Isn't that how everyone interpreted those statements?

[Balance]

Originally Posted by Slithy Tove

In all organizations like this, membership falls into two catagories: Cynical Opportunist and Useful Idiot. Guess into which one Ted Nugent fits?

You might consider adding a category for "Useless Idiot".

[LonesomePolecat]

Originally Posted by Whack-a-Mole

Well, gun sales have been soaring recently in fear of an Obama second term.

Cuz you know Obama has spent his whole first term going after gun owners.

The mentality baffles me. Even IF Obama went after guns in his second term he'd need to get past congress and, perhaps, the Supreme Court. Both of which are substantial hurdles. And even IF he could do all that it'd take months to years to sort out. Obama cannot wake up one morning and declare guns are illegal and *POOF* it happens. There'd be lots of time to see the train coming and do something about it.

Rationality seems to be in short supply for a lot of these people.

It's not that they expect Obama to start grabbing guns upon re-election. It's more that they're expecting serious trouble in November if Obama loses in an extremely close election. My nephew, my older brother and his brother-in-law, my step-brother, and my niece's husband are all gunning up.

[Gagundathar]

That was actually funny, Shodan.

[Oldeb]

Originally Posted by LonesomePolecat

It's not that they expect Obama to start grabbing guns upon re-election. It's more that they're expecting serious trouble in November if Obama loses in an extremely close election. My nephew, my older brother and his brother-in-law, my step-brother, and my niece's husband are all gunning up.

So they're paranoid and racist, but somehow that's better than when they were just being thought of as paranoid.

[Euphonious Polemic]

Originally Posted by Scumpup

Life member here here, too. I agree with you on all particulars. Nugent, on his best days, is no more than a bufoon and I've never been happy with his presence on the board of directors.

I appreciate the sentiments from you and silenus as NRA members.

The sad thing is that Nugent taints all of the NRA with his idiotic and sad posturing. He is a caricature of a "gun nut" that seems to like bluster and braggadocio rather than reason - guns really do seem to be a penis substitute for this idiot. He's a figure that the rest of us can (and do) point and laugh at.

The NRA membership votes for the board. Nugent was elected to sit on the board. This means that by definition he is representative of the views of the membership of the NRA. The membership voted him in. The membership approves of him.

It's great that the two of you have disowned Nugent. Sadly though, the NRA as a whole does not share your disgust of this fool. The organization is tainted by it's approval of him, and their elevation of him to a position of leadership.

[elucidator]

At least the tighty rightys have their own rock star. Beach Boys were pretty much worn out.

[Gagundathar]

Originally Posted by LonesomePolecat

It's not that they expect Obama to start grabbing guns upon re-election. It's more that they're expecting serious trouble in November if Obama loses in an extremely close election. My nephew, my older brother and his brother-in-law, my step-brother, and my niece's husband are all gunning up.

What do they mean? Like the armed uprising that we all witnessed back in November 2000? Remember the riots, the bombings, the reruns of My Mother the Car?
The horror... the horror!

My take, such as it is, on Nugent is that the man is an acknowledged popular right-wing noisemaker who is regarded by a significant percentage of right-wing diehards as a leader. When such an individual makes rash and deliberately outrageous statements, they carry more weight than the similar mutterings of a random alcoholic homeless guy in an alley somewhere urban. The homeless guy rarely gets to be interviewed about his opinions on national politics, and yet his opinions are based upon the same solid framework of reality that Mr. Nugent's are. If Random Homeless Guy were to post the same drivel as Ted Nugent on a message board, the former would have much more of a chance of being labelled a troll than the latter. After all, the former never penned the immortal words to Cat Scratch Fever.

"The first time that I got it
I was just ten years old
I got it from some kitty next door
I went and see the Dr. and
He gave me the cure
I think I got it some more "

Pure poetry.
What genius!

[Clothahump]

Originally Posted by Vinyl Turnip

Is any of your trio of neurons familiar with the concept of an implied threat?

Hint: it's what mob extortionists rely on when they say "nice house... be a real shame if something happened to it" instead of "nice house... if you don't pay me I'm going to come back and commit arson!"

Where is there an implied threat in what he said?

By your definition, we should have been investigating Alec Baldwin when he said that he was going to leave the country if George Bush got re-elected. That was very clearly a threat to kill GWB and boogie off into the sunset.

[bup]

Originally Posted by Gagundathar

What do they mean? Like the armed uprising that we all witnessed back in November 2000? Remember the riots, the bombings, the reruns of My Mother the Car?
The horror... the horror!

(I think the implication is that the...people...who...look like Obama...if you get my drift...will...riot...as those people are known to do. Gore was...y'know...white.)

[Happy Lendervedder]

Originally Posted by Clothahump

Where is there an implied threat in what he said?

By your definition, we should have been investigating Alec Baldwin when he said that he was going to leave the country if George Bush got re-elected. That was very clearly a threat to kill GWB and boogie off into the sunset.

[foghornleghorn]Nice boy, but about as sharp as a sack of wet mice[/f]

[Revtim]

Originally Posted by Clothahump

Where is there an implied threat in what he said?

By your definition, we should have been investigating Alec Baldwin when he said that he was going to leave the country if George Bush got re-elected. That was very clearly a threat to kill GWB and boogie off into the sunset.

C'mon dude. It's clear that at least one reasonable interpretation of what Nugent said is that he'd be dead or in jail because of assassinating Obama. Obviously, that's how the Secret Service saw it.

I'm on record saying another interpretation is possible. Can you at least admit Nugent *could* have been referring to assassination as well? Even if he was only joking?

[Vinyl Turnip]

Originally Posted by LonesomePolecat

It's not that they expect Obama to start grabbing guns upon re-election. It's more that they're expecting serious trouble in November if Obama loses in an extremely close election. My nephew, my older brother and his brother-in-law, my step-brother, and my niece's husband are all gunning up.

That fairly busts the community gut, being that the only riots I can recall from the hotly contested 2000 election involved white Republican forming a grassroo... er, being bused in en masse to protest a recount. Granted, Gore was no darkie, so your relations' odds of seeing a holy war against the mud people are slightly better, but I still predict they're in for disappointment. Good news is (since I'm sure they all reside in heavily black neighborhoods) there's always hoodie patrol in the meantime to keep their aim sharp.

Originally Posted by Clothahump

By your definition, we should have been investigating Alec Baldwin when he said that he was going to leave the country if George Bush got re-elected. That was very clearly a threat to kill GWB and boogie off into the sunset.

An excellent example of a statement with no implied threat (unless you're threatened by the idea of Baldwin's emigration). Now print that out, print out the Nuge's statement, put them side by side, and concentrate very very hard while squinting, and maybe it will come to you. Pretend it's one of those "spot the differences" puzzles your grandkids solve for you when you get stuck.

[Sampiro]

Oh, he meant it as a friendly jest, obviously; he's a non violent guy. (It's always fun to see a tough talking coward backtrack.)

[StusBlues]

Originally Posted by Shodan

So you are irritated, and you own a gun.

You must be threatening to assassinate someone, but I can't figure out who.

For the last time, nobody cares that you're a lesbian.

[Vinyl Turnip]

Originally Posted by Sampiro

Oh, he meant it as a friendly jest, obviously; he's a non violent guy. (It's always fun to see a tough talking coward backtrack.)

Yes, in fact when he called Obama a "piece of shit" he was using a regional term of endearment, as without manure there would be no agriculture and we would not thrive. When he told him to "suck on his machine gun" he was extending a friendly invitation to try one of his homemade milkshakes.

[El_Kabong]

Originally Posted by Bill Door

In point of fact, President Obama has signed at least two pieces of legislation in regard to gun regulations. One allowed people with carry permits to carry inside federal parks, and one allowed people with permits to carry on Amtrak trains.

And I for one thank him for that. The shootout on board the last Amtrak train I rode was by far the high point of the trip.

[Shodan]

Originally Posted by Gagundathar

That was actually funny, Shodan.

You know that just encourages me, don't you?

Regards,
Shodan

[Fear Itself]

The monkey won't dance if you don't put a nickle in his cup once in a while.

[Little Nemo]

Originally Posted by Clothahump

Where is there an implied threat in what he said?

By your definition, we should have been investigating Alec Baldwin when he said that he was going to leave the country if George Bush got re-elected. That was very clearly a threat to kill GWB and boogie off into the sunset.

Nugent did say he expected to be going to jail. That does imply he's planning on committing a serious crime.

[Cheesesteak]

Originally Posted by Bill Door

In point of fact, President Obama has signed at least two pieces of legislation in regard to gun regulations. One allowed people with carry permits to carry inside federal parks, and one allowed people with permits to carry on Amtrak trains.

It's called lulling your enemies into a false sense of security. He faked birth announcements 50 years ago, when he was 2 days old, trust me, this dude knows how to play the long con.

[Nuveena]

Originally Posted by Vinyl Turnip

Hint: it's what mob extortionists rely on when they say "nice house... be a real shame if something happened to it" instead of "nice house... if you don't pay me I'm going to come back and commit arson!"

We interrupt this thread to bring you one of my favorite stories on the Dope.

Originally Posted by Hilarity N. Suze

"That's a really nice shirt . . . it'd be a shame if something happened to it."

(Long, slow beat while my husband, who just got home in his nice shirt and is about to cook something, processes what I just said, and comes up with

"Are you threatening my shirt?"

[Truman Burbank]

That's funny! I hope someone can explain it to Clothy...

[Scumpup]

Originally Posted by Euphonious Polemic

I appreciate the sentiments from you and silenus as NRA members.

The sad thing is that Nugent taints all of the NRA with his idiotic and sad posturing. He is a caricature of a "gun nut" that seems to like bluster and braggadocio rather than reason - guns really do seem to be a penis substitute for this idiot. He's a figure that the rest of us can (and do) point and laugh at.

The NRA membership votes for the board. Nugent was elected to sit on the board. This means that by definition he is representative of the views of the membership of the NRA. The membership voted him in. The membership approves of him.

It's great that the two of you have disowned Nugent. Sadly though, the NRA as a whole does not share your disgust of this fool. The organization is tainted by it's approval of him, and their elevation of him to a position of leadership.

I'm not disputing anything you said, but I'd like to clarify how the directors are elected. Firstly, only Life Members can vote. Last time I paid attention to membership figures, the NRA had 3.5 million members. Only a smallish fraction are Life Members, as it costs $500, though they are known to occasionally lower the price to $300. The board is large; usually they have in excess of 70 people. Any one director has little influence and the board, as a whole, does less to steer the organization than do Wayne LaPierre and Chris Cox. Election ballots are sent out as a part of a Life Member's NRA magazine. Each ballot is has a lot of candidates on it and very brief biographical sketch of each. Typically, most of them are people of whom you have never heard unless they are activists from your home state, and often not even then. I suspect Nugent and Robert K. Brown (of Soldier of Fortune publishing fame) secure spots on the board mainly because they are recognizable names in a sea of "nobodies" on the ballot.

[Typo Negative]

Originally Posted by Little Nemo

Nugent did say he expected to be going to jail. That does imply he's planning on committing a serious crime.

Maybe not a serious crime. Maybe he plans on finally getting tying one on and ending up in the drunk tank.

[Bosstone]

Given Nugent's prior statements, it would not be out of character for him to release something like: "I wish to apologize for the ambiguity in my previous statement. I want to clarify that I was indeed talking about putting a bullet through Obama's head if he gets re-elected. AMERICA, FUCK YEAH!"

[Shodan]

I think, as a long-time hunting advocate, Nugent should be compelled to eat whatever he shoots.

I realize this puts Michelle Obama at risk, but it is a matter of principle.

Regards,
Shodan

[control-z]

Originally Posted by Oldeb

So they're paranoid and racist, but somehow that's better than when they were just being thought of as paranoid.

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

I don't see how what uncle Ted said could be construed as a threat to the president. The older generation just seems to get all worked up over ultra-liberal agenda, it's mostly fear of things that in all likelihood wouldn't happen. There are many in that crowd that seem to enjoy misrepresenting things and stirring up fear.

[El_Kabong]

Bah, everyone persists in assuming that some threat of assassination was made. Maybe all Nugent meant was that he was going to show up at a Presidential press conference and throw a shoe at Obama, like that Iraqi guy and GWB. D'ja ever think of that? Huh? Huh?

[LonesomePolecat]

Originally Posted by Oldeb

So they're paranoid and racist, but somehow that's better than when they were just being thought of as paranoid.

Ain't sayin' it's better or worse, just tryin' to give you guys at least a slightly better understanding of why there's been a run on the gun shops lately. I keep trying to tell you guys that there's a large and growing segment of the white middle and working classes who have little trust in the mainstream news, less in the federal government, and don't believe either of the major political parties care much about them. Yeah, there's a lot of paranoia and conspiracy theory there, but their fear and anger isn't utterly baseless. Dismissing them with a sneer or a snarl and refusing to concede any validity to their grievances is a poor way to deal with them. And you guys have worn out the R word. Give it a rest.

[silenus]

When they stop being it, we'll stop saying it.

[Oldeb]

Originally Posted by LonesomePolecat

Yeah, there's a lot of paranoia and conspiracy theory there, but their fear and anger isn't utterly baseless. Dismissing them with a sneer or a snarl and refusing to concede any validity to their grievances is a poor way to deal with them. And you guys have worn out the R word. Give it a rest.

Please, please, tell me what it's based on, if not ignorance and paranoia. What restrictions have been placed on gun ownership recently? Who has been attacking white, middle class Americans? What government agency is oppressing them?

And I'm so sorry having your relatives bigotry pointed out to you offends you. They're called racists because they are racist. It's not a smear campaign, it's exactly what they are.

Why do they think there might be violence following this presidential election when it has never happened before in the history of the USA? They've already lived through the 2000 election cycle, which is quite possibly the closest presidential election that will ever occur. The only thing that's changed is *gasp* the US now has a black incumbent for the first time in it's history. So unless they stock up on guns and bullets every four years, you're just going to have to deal with the fact that your family includes a number of paranoid racists.

[miss elizabeth]

Originally Posted by Cheesesteak

It's called lulling your enemies into a false sense of security. He faked birth announcements 50 years ago, when he was 2 days old, trust me, this dude knows how to play the long con.

There are a lot of funny posts in this thread, but yours takes the cake. Bravo!

[John Mace]

Originally Posted by Revtim

C'mon dude. It's clear that at least one reasonable interpretation of what Nugent said is that he'd be dead or in jail because of assassinating Obama. Obviously, that's how the Secret Service saw it.

Why is that obvious?

[Lobohan]

Originally Posted by John Mace

Why is that obvious?

Why is it obvious that the secret service saw it as a threat? Because they don't question you if you don't threaten the president.

I think your, "Give Conservatives Massive Benefit of the Doubt" circuit is tripping.

[Revtim]

...

[Revtim]

Originally Posted by John Mace

Why is that obvious?

Why else would they question him with regards to his statements? Trading venison recipes?

[Lobohan]

Originally Posted by Revtim

Why else would they question him with regards to his statements? Trading venison recipes?

"Mr. Nugent, we're big fans. Please don't commit suicide if Obama wins the election."

[BigT]

Originally Posted by Shodan

If they had three functioning brain cells, they wouldn't think it was a threat. :shrugs:

Apparently a lot of people on the SDMB can't get an erection unless they are thinking about Republicans. And it's Wednesday.

Regards,
Shodan

Projecting much?

Come on, we all know you are on this board because you get your rocks off telling all us liberals that we are so horrible.

Oh, and nice job calling Bricker a liberal.

[Bosstone]

You know, there's a difference between these two statements:

"I don't agree that Nugent meant he would try to kill Obama."

and

"I don't see any possible way to interpret Nugent's statement as he would try to kill Obama."

The former is a difference of opinion. The latter is either disingenuous or rock-stupid.

[John Mace]

Originally Posted by Revtim

Why else would they question him with regards to his statements? Trading venison recipes?

What makes you think they questioned him? Read the linked article, or read my post #39 in this thread.

[Scumpup]

When the NRA convention was held in Pittsburgh a few years ago, I saw Nugent at his booth selling autographed arrows and similar grot. He looked like any tired, old, grumpy man whose feet hurt and is peeved because he has to piss again because of his goddamned prostate. This kind of public woofing at politicians, I expect, is one of the few ways left to him to feel virile and relevant. I'm glad it backfired on the chicken hawk SOB this time.

[Vinyl Turnip]

Originally Posted by John Mace

Why is that obvious?

Better question: why is it not obvious to you?

The "dead or in jail" thing implies that one or the other will be the consequence of something he's going to do in direct response to Obama's reelection. Is he really going to do anything? No, because he's a pussy blowhard throwing red meat to his fan base, but that doesn't mean we can't possibly glean the meaning from his mysterious words.

If someone said "I don't care if that kid is a cop's son-- if he comes near my daughter again, I'll end up dead or in jail," would the meaning not be clear, or would we all still be sitting around pretending to scratch our heads and straining to imagine what could POSSIBLY by meant by such a statement?

Ted knows what he meant. It was code that was clearly understood by his moronic fans, but vague enough that he wouldn't be arrested and we could enjoy this sham of a debate.

[C3]

Originally Posted by John Mace

What makes you think they questioned him? Read the linked article, or read my post #39 in this thread.

They've said they're going to question him and Nugent says the conversation is set to happen on Thursday.