What Would You Do If This Happened To You?

[sitarro]

A few months ago an incident happened the facts of which I haven't fully discovered but the jist of it goes like this:

Some guy that works in one of our shops was talking about politics and let slip he wouldn't mind it if somebody shot Obama. Now this guy is white and pretty much an idiot. He's got a record of drug abuse and in my opinion he's just about the most worthless worker we have here.

So as usual he's talking smack and he lets it slip he'd like to see Obama dead. Unfortunately for him he chose to say this in front of the wrong person. A guy who I like personally and never have had a problem with. The guy just happens to be black. I'm not saying that's the primary reason, but for some reason he felt the need to report what Mr Worthless said to the authorities. Within days the FBI and the Secret Service were all up in his ass. I don't mind this because the guy is an idiot...but isn't this going too far?

You can't make comments like that and get away with it. It's very stupid. The problem is no one knows who is serious about it and who's not. Threatening the POTUS or anyone for that matter--is wrong and in my opinion should be reported to authorities.

Wrong. He made no threat. As a matter of fact, anyone who would be so cowardly and mean spirited to report a non-threat like that to police who have better things to do should get his ass whooped for wasting everyones time and entering extreme douchebag mode without regard to things such as the person's family, and so on. The point is, use your brain and be logical instead getting off at the chance to RUIN someone's life over a complete non-event.

Obama has the most expensive Secret Service detail ever...... I would imagine if a little 8 year old white boy pointed a squirt gun at a photo of him, he would be investigated.

 

[mudwhistle]

Why do I keep feeling I never want to see the day they have a presidential funeral for Obama?

 

[geauxtohell]

You can't make comments like that and get away with it. It's very stupid. The problem is no one knows who is serious about it and who's not. Threatening the POTUS or anyone for that matter--is wrong and in my opinion should be reported to authorities.

Wrong. He made no threat. As a matter of fact, anyone who would be so cowardly and mean spirited to report a non-threat like that to police who have better things to do should get his ass whooped for wasting everyones time and entering extreme douchebag mode without regard to things such as the person's family, and so on. The point is, use your brain and be logical instead getting off at the chance to RUIN someone's life over a complete non-event.

Obama has the most expensive Secret Service detail ever...... I would imagine if a little 8 year old white boy pointed a squirt gun at a photo of him, he would be investigated.

That's probably not by his choice. Even if it were, you have to admit that his race is an issue to some and enough to drive certain fringes to do something homicidal.

 

[sitarro]

Wrong. He made no threat. As a matter of fact, anyone who would be so cowardly and mean spirited to report a non-threat like that to police who have better things to do should get his ass whooped for wasting everyones time and entering extreme douchebag mode without regard to things such as the person's family, and so on. The point is, use your brain and be logical instead getting off at the chance to RUIN someone's life over a complete non-event.

Obama has the most expensive Secret Service detail ever...... I would imagine if a little 8 year old white boy pointed a squirt gun at a photo of him, he would be investigated.

That's probably not by his choice. Even if it were, you have to admit that his race is an issue to some and enough to drive certain fringes to do something homicidal.

His race should be neutral since he is half white, half black but, he and anyone that feels a need to have a "black" President, considers him black. The whole race thing is such bull shit, the ones most concerned with his race are the dimwits that voted for him.

 

[geauxtohell]

Only if they get a conviction does it ruin one's life.

By default I believe they have to follow up, but as an American you don't have to say a thing much less let them in your house. Of course if you do just be honest and tell the truth or slam the door in their faces, your choice.

He wasn't even charged, let alone convicted. If he'd made an actual threat, it would be a different manner.

I really don't see the hysteria over this. We all know that the secret service takes any perceived threat against he president as very serious. Since they are the ones who jump in front of the bullets, I don't blame them.

You know if just one person hears said threat then it iamounts to no more than hearsay and I can't imagine the SS running house to house everytime some tries to even some score with a report of what he said she said. There has to be a filter somewhere in their process that would weed out the fact from the fiction before an investigation. Seems logical because why pursue a conviction based on flimsy evidence?

What in the hell are you talking about? Conviction? Are you even paying attention? The guy made a stupid comment and the Secret Service let him know that they were aware of it.

That's about the end of it.

Don't fuck with the Secret Service. They take their job seriously. That's the morale of the story. Other than that, the guy had no long term damages other than being the complete asshole that he was prior to getting a knock on his door.

 

[geauxtohell]

Obama has the most expensive Secret Service detail ever...... I would imagine if a little 8 year old white boy pointed a squirt gun at a photo of him, he would be investigated.

That's probably not by his choice. Even if it were, you have to admit that his race is an issue to some and enough to drive certain fringes to do something homicidal.

His race should be neutral since he is half white, half black but, he and anyone that feels a need to have a "black" President, considers him black. The whole race thing is such bull shit, the ones most concerned with his race are the dimwits that voted for him.

And I am sure such logic is playing out well at the local Klan meetings.

Stop being deliberately obtuse. There are people that wish violence on the President simply because he isn't like all the other WASPy presidents we've had for the last several decades.

Yes, some people are that fucking stupid. They don't do nuance when it comes to race.

And you damn well know that.

 

[Cecilie1200]

A few months ago an incident happened the facts of which I haven't fully discovered but the jist of it goes like this:

Some guy that works in one of our shops was talking about politics and let slip he wouldn't mind it if somebody shot Obama. Now this guy is white and pretty much an idiot. He's got a record of drug abuse and in my opinion he's just about the most worthless worker we have here.

So as usual he's talking smack and he lets it slip he'd like to see Obama dead. Unfortunately for him he chose to say this in front of the wrong person. A guy who I like personally and never have had a problem with. The guy just happens to be black. I'm not saying that's the primary reason, but for some reason he felt the need to report what Mr Worthless said to the authorities. Within days the FBI and the Secret Service were all up in his ass. I don't mind this because the guy is an idiot...but isn't this going too far?

Haven't most of the people who've actually managed to shoot a President been crazed losers? Booth was a successful and wealthy actor, apparently, but a bit unhinged by the Confederacy's loss, and his co-conspirators apparently couldn't pour piss out of a boot, since his part of the conspiracy was the only one that went right.

Charles Guiteau was certainly similar to your co-worker. Doesn't appear to have succeeded at anything in life except assassination, and probably wouldn't have succeeded at THAT without help from incompetent doctors.

Ditto Leon Czolgosz.

Lee Harvey Oswald? 'Nuff said.

Richard Lawrence and John Schrank were found not guilty by reason of insanity, so . . .

Giuseppe Zangara was apparently suffering from mental delusions.

Squeaky Fromme was a follower of Charles Manson, which pretty much says it all.

John Hinckley Jr., of course, wound up in a mental hospital.

If I were the Secret Service, I think I'd almost be MORE worried about a crazy loser threatening the President than a logical, productive person.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Why do I keep feeling I never want to see the day they have a presidential funeral for Obama?

Aside from the fact that I don't wish death on anyone (except child molesters), I don't even vaguely want to have to stomach Obama the Martyr. Obama the Messiah is bad enough.

 

[007]

I challenge anyone in this thread to point out the "threat," and be specific. If you're just going to reply with a sensational ration of hyperbole, can it. I want to know where the "threat" is.

I'll wait.

 

[R.C. Christian]

Wrong. He made no threat. As a matter of fact, anyone who would be so cowardly and mean spirited to report a non-threat like that to police who have better things to do should get his ass whooped for wasting everyones time and entering extreme douchebag mode without regard to things such as the person's family, and so on. The point is, use your brain and be logical instead getting off at the chance to RUIN someone's life over a complete non-event.

Obama has the most expensive Secret Service detail ever...... I would imagine if a little 8 year old white boy pointed a squirt gun at a photo of him, he would be investigated.

That's probably not by his choice. Even if it were, you have to admit that his race is an issue to some and enough to drive certain fringes to do something homicidal.

The KKK can't take a dump without an FBI agent crawling out of the toilet, which is why they aren't important. I think the racist element is overblown

Racism only blinds the ignorant to this president's true nature.

 

[rightwinger]

A few months ago an incident happened the facts of which I haven't fully discovered but the jist of it goes like this:

Some guy that works in one of our shops was talking about politics and let slip he wouldn't mind it if somebody shot Obama. Now this guy is white and pretty much an idiot. He's got a record of drug abuse and in my opinion he's just about the most worthless worker we have here.

So as usual he's talking smack and he lets it slip he'd like to see Obama dead. Unfortunately for him he chose to say this in front of the wrong person. A guy who I like personally and never have had a problem with. The guy just happens to be black. I'm not saying that's the primary reason, but for some reason he felt the need to report what Mr Worthless said to the authorities. Within days the FBI and the Secret Service were all up in his ass. I don't mind this because the guy is an idiot...but isn't this going too far?

Haven't most of the people who've actually managed to shoot a President been crazed losers? Booth was a successful and wealthy actor, apparently, but a bit unhinged by the Confederacy's loss, and his co-conspirators apparently couldn't pour piss out of a boot, since his part of the conspiracy was the only one that went right.

Charles Guiteau was certainly similar to your co-worker. Doesn't appear to have succeeded at anything in life except assassination, and probably wouldn't have succeeded at THAT without help from incompetent doctors.

Ditto Leon Czolgosz.

Lee Harvey Oswald? 'Nuff said.

Richard Lawrence and John Schrank were found not guilty by reason of insanity, so . . .

Giuseppe Zangara was apparently suffering from mental delusions.

Squeaky Fromme was a follower of Charles Manson, which pretty much says it all.

John Hinckley Jr., of course, wound up in a mental hospital.

If I were the Secret Service, I think I'd almost be MORE worried about a crazy loser threatening the President than a logical, productive person.

Well said........you just can't take anything for granted.

The guy now has a target on his back and will be a person of interest when the president is in his area.

Thats the way it works

 

[rightwinger]

I challenge anyone in this thread to point out the "threat," and be specific. If you're just going to reply with a sensational ration of hyperbole, can it. I want to know where the "threat" is.

I'll wait.

The "threat" is that he openly stated he wished the president were dead. He did not say he intended to kill him, but he didn't rule it out either. Secret Service heard the facts of what happened and thought they were sufficient to go talk to the guy.

Your rights are not violated when law inforcement talks to you

 

[JakeStarkey]

A few months ago an incident happened the facts of which I haven't fully discovered but the jist of it goes like this:

Some guy that works in one of our shops was talking about politics and let slip he wouldn't mind it if somebody shot Obama. Now this guy is white and pretty much an idiot. He's got a record of drug abuse and in my opinion he's just about the most worthless worker we have here.

So as usual he's talking smack and he lets it slip he'd like to see Obama dead. Unfortunately for him he chose to say this in front of the wrong person. A guy who I like personally and never have had a problem with. The guy just happens to be black. I'm not saying that's the primary reason, but for some reason he felt the need to report what Mr Worthless said to the authorities. Within days the FBI and the Secret Service were all up in his ass. I don't mind this because the guy is an idiot...but isn't this going too far?

Mud, I don't think the report was going too far. Any utterance to commit violence against any person should be reported, certainly the President of the U.S., in my opinion. In our little country town in the south, one always keeps one's ears open. The first warning is "I hate you". The second is "I am going to kill you." That is when one CCs, takes caution, and informs the other person that families are off limits or else. The town has not had that sort of stupidity in some years.

 

[MarcATL]

That's probably not by his choice. Even if it were, you have to admit that his race is an issue to some and enough to drive certain fringes to do something homicidal.

His race should be neutral since he is half white, half black but, he and anyone that feels a need to have a "black" President, considers him black. The whole race thing is such bull shit, the ones most concerned with his race are the dimwits that voted for him.

And I am sure such logic is playing out well at the local Klan meetings.

Stop being deliberately obtuse. There are people that wish violence on the President simply because he isn't like all the other WASPy presidents we've had for the last several decades.

Yes, some people are that fucking stupid. They don't do nuance when it comes to race.

And you damn well know that.

The "One-Drop Rule" certainly was NOT brought into existence by blacks. They know it damn well...they just CHOOSE to ignore it and stick to their asinine RW talking points.

Why do I keep feeling I never want to see the day they have a presidential funeral for Obama?

I'm cuirous. Why would you say that?

Obama has the most expensive Secret Service detail ever...... I would imagine if a little 8 year old white boy pointed a squirt gun at a photo of him, he would be investigated.

That's probably not by his choice. Even if it were, you have to admit that his race is an issue to some and enough to drive certain fringes to do something homicidal.

The KKK can't take a dump without an FBI agent crawling out of the toilet, which is why they aren't important. I think the racist element is overblown

Racism only blinds the ignorant to this president's true nature.

Of COURSE you do!

 

[JakeStarkey]

Of course he does. Mud, come live with us for six months, and you will see an America that you refuse to recognize.

 

[Two Thumbs]

A few months ago an incident happened the facts of which I haven't fully discovered but the jist of it goes like this:

Some guy that works in one of our shops was talking about politics and let slip he wouldn't mind it if somebody shot Obama. Now this guy is white and pretty much an idiot. He's got a record of drug abuse and in my opinion he's just about the most worthless worker we have here.

So as usual he's talking smack and he lets it slip he'd like to see Obama dead. Unfortunately for him he chose to say this in front of the wrong person. A guy who I like personally and never have had a problem with. The guy just happens to be black. I'm not saying that's the primary reason, but for some reason he felt the need to report what Mr Worthless said to the authorities. Within days the FBI and the Secret Service were all up in his ass. I don't mind this because the guy is an idiot...but isn't this going too far?

That's a great waste of money. The fbi investigating some moron.

I lost count of the number of people that wanted Bush shot or dead.

 

[Immanuel]

It's a crime to make threats against the life of the president, irrespective of any present perceived ability to carry them out.

Whoever knowingly and willfully deposits for conveyance in the mail or for a delivery from any post office or by any letter carrier any letter, paper, writing, print, missive, or document containing any threat to take the life of, to kidnap, or to inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States, the President-elect, the Vice President or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President of the United States, or the Vice President-elect, or knowingly and willfully otherwise makes any such threat against the President, President-elect, Vice President or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President, or Vice President-elect, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

18 U.S.C. Sec. 871(a).

About.com: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/871.shtml

I absolutely agree with you that it is (and should be) a crime to make a threat against the President. However, the way MW tells the incident, this was not a threat in my opinion.

Immie

 

[Immanuel]

You are a whining bitch. If all a person says is that he would not mind something, why call the cops? That is not anywhere near as bad as saying if I shoot Reagan Jodie will like me. One is just something people say occasionally, the other is delusional.

The guy is an idiot for wanting it to happen.

Can you people just imagine what would happen to this country if Obama was assassinated.

Good god, you think we are divided now.

Obama is counting on that. It's why he started screaming racism the moment he won the nomination.

It is also why he chose Joe Biden to be his running mate.

Immie

 

[Immanuel]

You can't make comments like that and get away with it. It's very stupid. The problem is no one knows who is serious about it and who's not. Threatening the POTUS or anyone for that matter--is wrong and in my opinion should be reported to authorities.

Wrong. He made no threat. As a matter of fact, anyone who would be so cowardly and mean spirited to report a non-threat like that to police who have better things to do should get his ass whooped for wasting everyones time and entering extreme douchebag mode without regard to things such as the person's family, and so on. The point is, use your brain and be logical instead getting off at the chance to RUIN someone's life over a complete non-event.

The crucial fact here isn't that he got reported, but that the secret service felt it was worth pursuing. So, barring embellishment by the reporter, all of you who are saying that this was a "non-issue" are wrong. Obviously the secret service felt it was.

Furthermore, I think we can cut the histrionics. Getting a visit from the federalies doesn't equate to someone having their "life ruined".

It can... I wonder is the guy now on the "No Fly List"?

Immie

 

[rightwinger]

Wrong. He made no threat. As a matter of fact, anyone who would be so cowardly and mean spirited to report a non-threat like that to police who have better things to do should get his ass whooped for wasting everyones time and entering extreme douchebag mode without regard to things such as the person's family, and so on. The point is, use your brain and be logical instead getting off at the chance to RUIN someone's life over a complete non-event.

The crucial fact here isn't that he got reported, but that the secret service felt it was worth pursuing. So, barring embellishment by the reporter, all of you who are saying that this was a "non-issue" are wrong. Obviously the secret service felt it was.

Furthermore, I think we can cut the histrionics. Getting a visit from the federalies doesn't equate to someone having their "life ruined".

It can... I wonder is the guy now on the "No Fly List"?

Immie

It would be better if he were on the "No Gun List"