# Disrupting Town Hall Meetings **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 3, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176 "2009-08-03T16:17:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Captain\_Awesome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Captain\_Awesome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Awesome)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/161 "2009-08-12T18:05:16Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Honestly, in some little twisted part of my brain I almost _want_ something terrible to happen. The fever pitch of the fanatics reaches a high, they finally take it from words and shouting to something far worse, and the nation, as a whole, looks at that and goes “Holy shit, what the hell are we doing?” And everyone takes a couple of deep breaths and starts _thinking_ again. > > I know it’ll never happen, of course, even if that “something terrible” does come about. Be careful what you wish for, [Protester at Obama healthcare town hall carried 9mm pistol - legally](http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/aug/12/barack-obama-new-hampshire-gun) Also as an aside, and as a Brit, please could the Republicans pissing all over the NHS with outright falsehoods, please stop. Not that Rush Limbaugh reads much of the Straight Dope, I’d imagine, but I can’t let it go uncommented on from this side of the Atlantic. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/162 "2009-08-12T18:38:57Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > BTW, next time somebody brings up the 1960s in connection with all this, bear in mind that there was more RW than LW mob violence in the '60s. See [_Nixonland,_](http://www.amazon.com/Nixonland-Rise-President-Fracturing-America/dp/0743243021) by Rick Perlstein. Speaking of the 60’s, this is what I suppose irritates me about the latest round of Tea-Baggers. If you criticize them for their protestations, they’ll be the first to whip some hippy-judo on you and claim that they’re just employing the same 1st Amendment protected right to protest … yada yada yada … as the left employs. On the surface, I can buy that. I’m all for protests. The difference is, in most of your really good 60’s protests, getting arrested was part of the process. If you went to a Stop the War rally and you didn’t get arrested, you weren’t doing it right. I’m just saying, if you’re going to loudly, belligerently, obnoxiously protest something … hike up the skirt and be willing to be taken in over it. But could you imagine the shit-storm we’d be assailed with by Fox ‘News’ if some of these TeaBaggers got hauled out of a town hall meeting in handcuffs? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/163 "2009-08-12T18:50:44Z")
I think you’re onto something, **Jack**. The point of getting arrested during a protest was to raise awareness in a very vivid and outrageous way. The idea was to say “Look at these protesters being arrested! The government is awful and wrong for doing this!” It’s the same situation today. I bet you the people screaming their fool heads off at the town halls _want_ to be arrested. FOX _wants_ to be able to shit their pants at Obama’s totalitarian abuse of power. I’m willing to bet a lot of these disrupters were protesters back in the 60s. If they were 20-something in the 60s, they’d be in their 60s and 70s today, and that’s consistent with the videos I’ve seen of the town hall disruptions; all older folk at least 50 years old and easily above that. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/164 "2009-08-12T18:54:42Z")
Good points. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/165 "2009-08-12T18:56:45Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > I think you’re onto something, **Jack**. The point of getting arrested during a protest was to raise awareness in a very vivid and outrageous way. The idea was to say “Look at these protesters being arrested! The government is awful and wrong for doing this!” It’s the same situation today. I bet you the people screaming their fool heads off at the town halls _want_ to be arrested. FOX _wants_ to be able to shit their pants at Obama’s totalitarian abuse of power. > > I’m willing to bet a lot of these disrupters were protesters back in the 60s. If they were 20-something in the 60s, they’d be in their 60s and 70s today, and that’s consistent with the videos I’ve seen of the town hall disruptions; all older folk at least 50 years old and easily above that. Bullshit. These protesters belonged to [Young Americans for Freedom](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Americans_for_Freedom) back then. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/166 "2009-08-12T19:23:12Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Bullshit. These protesters belonged to [Young Americans for Freedom](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Americans_for_Freedom) back then. Could be. I don’t think that changes the idea that they want to get themselves arrested and martyred for the cause. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/167 "2009-08-12T20:02:58Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > I’m willing to bet a lot of these disrupters were protesters back in the 60s. If they were 20-something in the 60s, they’d be in their 60s and 70s today, and that’s consistent with the videos I’ve seen of the town hall disruptions; all older folk at least 50 years old and easily above that. Well, I don’t think that’s a matter of generational culture, it’s just that they have more time for this sort of thing than younger folks do. You’ll also see a lot of q-tips at city council meetings (based on my past experience as a local newspaper reporter). ---
**Author:** ![jakesteele](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@jakesteele](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jakesteele)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/168 "2009-08-13T16:26:13Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > I see the Houston Tea Party Society has published the town hall meeting times for Gene Green (D) and are inviting members to come to the town halls with > these instructions: > > "Wouldn’t it be a nice surprise if he were to hear from > conservatives in his district? For too long, conservatives > in CD-29 have written off any chance of getting one of their > own elected. But..what if? What if conservatives started > questioning his support of legislation that will destroy the > Houston economy? Or his support for health care reform that > reduces the quality of health care? > > If you do attend and have the opportunity to ask a > question, it is important to state your name and address. > Elected officials always pay more attention to voters that > live in their districts. But even if you don’t live in > their district, letting them know your feelings, > passionately but respectfully, is a very good thing because > fundraising isn’t limited to their districts." [http://houstontps.org/](http://houstontps.org/) > > This combined with this leaked memo from the groups Americans for Prosperity and FreedomWorks (as reported by > Politico and Crooks and Liars) that instructs followers to…: > > " – Artificially Inflate Your Numbers: “Spread out in > the hall and try to be in the front half. The objective is > to put the Rep on the defensive with your questions and > follow-up. The Rep should be made to feel that a majority, > and if not, a significant portion of at least the audience, > opposes the socialist agenda of Washington.” > > – Be Disruptive Early And Often: “You need to > rock-the-boat early in the Rep’s presentation, Watch for > an opportunity to yell out and challenge the Rep’s > statements early.” > > – Try To “Rattle Him,” Not Have An Intelligent > Debate: “The goal is to rattle him, get him off his > prepared script and agenda. If he says something outrageous, > stand up and shout out and sit right back down. Look for > these opportunities before he even takes questions.” " [Teabaggers Want A Voice In Health-care Forums -- One That Disrupts, Attacks, And Distracts | Crooks and Liars](http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/teabaggers-want-voice-health-care-fo) > > …And added to news reports of Democrat only disrupted town hall meetings in other states leads one to believe that some people are intent on eliminating intelligent discussion and acess to lawmakers. > > I find this all very distasteful and almost fascist in flavor. Young PC liberals on college campuses invented the modern day “shout downs” where no conservative voice is allowed to speak. Remember the Minute Men? Liberals have become the new facists. If you can’t take it, don’t dish it out. Turn about is fair play. The pot calling the kettle black. If you live in a glass house, don’t throw rocks. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/169 "2009-08-13T16:28:24Z")
And if you don’t have an argument, string together a bunch of platitudes. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/170 "2009-08-13T16:35:55Z")
> [@jakesteele](#): > > Young PC liberals on college campuses invented the modern day “shout downs” where no conservative voice is allowed to speak. Remember the Minute Men? Liberals have become the new facists. If you can’t take it, don’t dish it out. Turn about is fair play. The pot calling the kettle black. If you live in a glass house, don’t throw rocks. I’ll take clichés for $1000 please Alex. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/171 "2009-08-13T16:37:45Z")
> [@jakesteele](#): > > Young PC liberals on college campuses invented the modern day “shout downs” where no conservative voice is allowed to speak. Remember the Minute Men? Liberals have become the new facists. If you can’t take it, don’t dish it out. Turn about is fair play. The pot calling the kettle black. If you live in a glass house, don’t throw rocks. Didn’t you just post the same thing in another thread? Trying to earn extra credit at Bible college or something? ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/172 "2009-08-13T16:37:53Z")
That’s what they ALL do. All protestors shout essentially meaningless platitudes to make their point as salient as possible, even when it’s obviously not. Just because the tactics used by left wingers are now being adopted by the right wingers, doesn’t make either of them right. Nutjobs are nutjobs and free speech is free speech. If you’re calling for an arrest of someone under the ‘disorderly conduct’ laws for speaking out at public meetings, you’re broaching that are of the law under which H.L. Gates was hauled into the Cambridge gray bar bed and breakfast. Although it would be neat to have it both ways, it ain’t possible. Frankly, the republicans are desperate, it’s showing, because they’re taking a classic democrat stance against that with which they do not agree. It may work, it may not, but this is little more that boisterous civil disobedience, at least for now. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/173 "2009-08-13T16:43:45Z")
Its just about the only power they got right now, and even that is a fake out, they don’t really control these people, they just provoke them and hope it works out. ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/174 "2009-08-13T16:45:56Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Its just about the only power they got right now, and even that is a fake out, they don’t really control these people, they just provoke them and hope it works out. Yep, and any hope of power keeps getting dashed on the rocks with each new scandal. Unless of course they can get just enough of a toehold. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/175 "2009-08-13T16:53:33Z")
> [@jakesteele](#): > > Liberals have become the new facists. :rolleyes: That’s even stupider than [this.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=11434197#post11434197) ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/176 "2009-08-13T16:55:21Z")
> [@jakesteele](#): > > Young PC liberals on college campuses invented the modern day “shout downs” where no conservative voice is allowed to speak. Remember the Minute Men? Liberals have become the new facists. If you can’t take it, don’t dish it out. Turn about is fair play. The pot calling the kettle black. If you live in a glass house, don’t throw rocks. I think you forgot something about sauce and geese. But seriously, you seem to be saying that it’s perfectly OK to use a tactic that you yourself apparently deem objectionable and counterproductive, simply because your opponents have used that tactic, correct? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/177 "2009-08-13T17:37:05Z")
And speaking of tactics that seemed to be the norm that aren’t now … why aren’t these TeaBaggers in government authorized Free Speech Zones like the fascist liberals had to be in during Iraq war protests? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/178 "2009-08-13T17:55:28Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > And speaking of tactics that seemed to be the norm that aren’t now … why aren’t these TeaBaggers in government authorized Free Speech Zones like the fascist liberals had to be in during Iraq war protests? Excessive body odor. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/179 "2009-08-13T18:11:14Z")
> [@Captain\_Awesome](#): > > Also as an aside, and as a Brit, please could the Republicans pissing all over the NHS with outright falsehoods, please stop. Not that Rush Limbaugh reads much of the Straight Dope, I’d imagine, but I can’t let it go uncommented on from this side of the Atlantic. Get used to it. Republicans have been pissing on Canada and it’s health care system for decades. So long that most of us have passed through indignation, beyond outrage, and into weary cynicism and wry amusement. Reality-based arguments have never changed their minds and never will. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176/180 "2009-08-13T18:44:55Z")
Keep talking like that and we raise your rent. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disrupting-town-hall-meetings/505176.md?page=10)