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151 Comments
- westboy3, on 10/12/2007, -13/+79"Things like that happen..." What a jack@ss.
- rationalist, on 10/12/2007, -6/+70@skyshock21,
Please don't judge other people by your own low standards. I spent four years in uniform, so I probably know a lot more about violence than you do, and I would never, ever respond to a verbal insult with a fist. That is a coward's response.
Being a man does not mean using your fists, it means using your head. A mature adult resolves matters like this in a civilized way, otherwise we are no better than animals. Particularly an elected representative of the American people doesn't act like a thug.
From the biography his sister wrote, Allen has always been a thuggish bully, brutally assaulting his brothers and her, holding her over Niagra Falls giving her life-long fear of heights, breaking his younger siblings bones when they refused to obey him. Like most bullies, he is fundamentally a coward, picking on those weaker than him, preying on the powerless. That has characterized his political ideology and career as well.
I'm not impressed by your bluster. Macho posturing is rather hollow when you do it here, behind an anonymous screen-name. - drawkbox, on 10/12/2007, -5/+53When you are a public figure you have to expect questions like that. It was the man's right to know who is representing him.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances - Dgen_X, on 10/12/2007, -4/+50everything everyone does ends up reflecting their entire party....it's not just republicans
- heff66, on 10/12/2007, -17/+59Had enough? Vote Democratic!
- seanthebond, on 10/12/2007, -13/+56People in this world have to learn to be less violent.
- Artifez, on 10/12/2007, -4/+41Assault and battery
- Hurshai, on 10/12/2007, -5/+42@ Skyshock
True, but Sen. Allen is a Senator, a representative of the public. If he didn't want his private life to be of any consequence he should remove himself from office. This man was asking a question, be it risque or a deliberate assault of character. He wasn't telling (though obviously insinuating) the senator that he spit on his wife or had an ugly past, he was asking him. Sen. Allen was not the involved in the incident, but those in your company often reflect your character. I don't want to live in a country where this behavior is worthy of forceful action by those who will not tolerate it. Politicians should not be protected from those who made them politicians, they should be at their mercy. Sorry for the rhetoric.
kthxbye - bury, on 10/12/2007, -4/+30I think this is why people are angry with Allen:
Allen: 'Things like that happen...' - spsnomad, on 10/12/2007, -5/+30Unbelievable - and as you can guess, the other news outlets are all running footage of the manufactured outrage about Kerry instead of someone asking a question and being beaten down by a bunch of thugs.
- irateVpirate, on 10/12/2007, -3/+29Its hard to be proud of your country when it is this out of control.
- monkeyrun, on 10/12/2007, -11/+34unless the republican party cancel the membership of Bush & Co. otherwise being a republican equals you agree with everything (the good and bad) Bush & Co.'s doing.
You can't take credit when Bush & Co. rating's high, and pretend that you don't agree with him when the GOP boat sinks. - mikalveli, on 10/12/2007, -11/+33@skyshock21
you are a dick. - adml_shake, on 10/12/2007, -11/+29Don't be such an ass, while I'm not a member and don't vote for them some of my friends are Republicans and they are really great people. (and yes they don't like bush right now either). Don't generalize a whole group based of a few people.
- brutalentropy, on 10/12/2007, -2/+18@Kujila
No, it just makes you a jackass. - tomdurkin, on 10/12/2007, -4/+20Things like that happen?? Stark is lucky he isn't black-- or Felix Allen's first wife or sister.
- reddevil3, on 10/12/2007, -7/+23Maybe you should have said "Republican politicians."
Still, the people who vote for jackasses should be considered jackasses too. Bush represents America to the rest of the world. Or at least 50% of America. - bitcloud, on 10/12/2007, -5/+20"Things like that... yknow.. like spitting on my wife... these things happen"
- celopes, on 10/12/2007, -1/+14Convince people around you of that and let's change it to prouder times.
Change, BTW, doesn't necessarily mean "Vote Democrat". It means "Vote on REASONABLE PEOPLE!".
If you keep voting for any crackpot or any crook that will cater to the crackpots, we will be in this misery for a long, long time... - mugenkeiji, on 10/12/2007, -6/+18lordthor:
The notion of responsible government requires it. The government should be *collectively* accountable to the people. - mulling, on 10/12/2007, -4/+13So did George Allen really spit on his wife? Open those divorce papers!
- letterten, on 10/12/2007, -8/+18public figure is allowed to be approached by public and ask *anything* they want. in the clip, the man made no overt action towards allen and was tackled. clear-cut assault and battery. just imagine if the man that approached sen. allen was a) a woman, or b) black, c) arab-looking, etc. this is NOT how people working for elected officials (rep, dem, indy, whatever) should be treating the public.
- celopes, on 10/12/2007, -4/+14He could also have said: "STOP! Leave the man alone!". But I didn't hear him saying it...
- Clbck, on 10/12/2007, -3/+13@skyshock21
Yeah, but we're supposed to be a CIVILIZED culture, not a barbaric society where violence is the only solution. Throwing someone down, while not too harmful in most cases, is a far cry from the higher level of civilization our country should have. - dime, on 10/12/2007, -3/+12He said the "did you spit on your wife?" after they put him in a headlock.
Somehow, I think if there were rumors Clinton or Kerry spit on their wives, you'd be the first in the knuckledragger parade screaming for a congressional investigation. - carpespasm, on 10/12/2007, -5/+14First, dupe.
Second, from what I can tell the guy was being an ass (though if he was right in being such remains to be seen)
Third, it's assault and battery, and if "things like that happen" around him then what the hell is he doing in office? or at least what are those thugs of body guards doing employed by him? - siszam, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11They fight and die for America and freedom but they can't have freedom of speech. The people who get freedom of speech of the ones who bash dead soldiers mothers. This country is nothing to be proud of anymore.
- dBLiSS, on 10/12/2007, -4/+12I don't know about you Americans, but if a politician did something like that in my country he would be crucified in the polls/election, regardless of the party he was in. I would also imagine his party would as him to pull out of the election.
- MurderMystery, on 10/12/2007, -5/+12But he could have stopped it.
- caramelhoneys, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9As Chuck D said " Don't believe the Hype", most of our so called Representatives are so far removed from the average American it isn't funny. Most of the clowns in D.C. grew up rich,just like their father and grandfather. So what you have is a group of people that have only known wealth and privilege, they really feel like it is a divine right for them to LEAD us average folks. If any of you have ever worked around a bunch of extremely wealthy people you know that a great many of them have a superiority complex and feel as though they are indeed better than most. It doesn't matter what party they belong to, it doesn't matter what race they are, they are all in the same boat..this is just another example of Americas transformation to a country completely ruled by out of touch elitist..
- tpodr, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10What Mike Stark had to say this evening:
http://www.digg.com/politics/Mike_Stark_assaulted_by_Sen_Allen_s_staff_writes_a_letter
"My name is Mike Stark. I am a law student at the University of Virginia, a marine, and a citizen journalist. Earlier today at a public event, I was attempting to ask Senator Allen a question about his sealed divorce record and his arrest in the 1970s, both of which are in the public domain. His people assaulted me, put me in a headlock, and wrestled me to the ground. Video footage is available here, from an NBC affiliate.
"I demand that Senator Allen fire the staffers who beat up a constituent attempting to use his constitutional right to petition his government. I also want to know why Senator Allen would want his staffers to assault someone asking questions about matters of public record in the heat of a political campaign. Why are his divorce records sealed? Why was he arrested in the 1970s? And why did his campaign batter me when I asked him about these questions.
"George Allen defends his support of the Iraq war by saying that our troops are defending the ideals America stands for. Indeed, he says our troops are defending our very freedom. What kind of country is it when a Senator's constituent is assaulted for asking difficult and uncomfortable questions? What freedoms do we have left? Maybe we need to bring the troops home so that they can fight for freedom at George Allen's campaign events. Demanding accountability should not be an offense worthy of assault.
"I will be pressing charges against George Allen and his surrogates later today. George Allen, at any time, could have stopped the fray. All he had to do was say, "This is not how my campaign is run. Take your hands off that man." He could have ignored my questions. Instead he and his thugs chose violence. I spent four years in the Marine Corps. I'll be damned if I'll let my country be taken from me by thugs that are afraid of taking responsibility for themselves.
"It just isn't the America I know and love. Somebody needs to take a stand against those that would bully and intimidate their fellow citizens. That stand begins right here, right now." - aristotle1990, on 10/12/2007, -14/+21I don't mean to be a dupe Nazi, but this same story with the same video was on the front page on THE SAME DAY.
http://www.digg.com/politics/Virginia_GOP_Senator_George_Allen_staffers_tackle_assault_man_at_press_conf
Anyway, SecondGuesser's comment still holds true:
I have to be honest with yall here. There are a few reasons why think that this guy probably deserved what he got.
1. He was shouting and interrupting (AP story). He wasn't called on to ask his question. He just blurted it out - most likely repeatedly. Being interruptive in that forum is not called for.
2. It was a personal question. If we are led to believe that Bill Clinton's sexual acts with an intern INSIDE the Oval Office is a privacy issue, then whatever happened between George Allen and his wife is also a privacy issue. Or the opposite. But this must be applied consistently.
3. He has been chasing Allen around the campaign trail with the intention of embarassing him (as this event demonstrates). He's not asking him about the issues, his voting record, etc. He's simply trying to be a nuissance. Before yall go and get huffy - I know that BOTH sides are engaging in the politics of personal destruction and I don't like either - from either party. But if neither side is willing to act like civil people, then we can never expect it to change.
4. I'm guessing that George Allen did not order the tackle in a pre-meditated fashion. Lapse in the security detail's judgment? Perhaps. Not totally unexpected when you jump up and start shouting at a senator during a conference or town hall event or whatever. In fact, I'd wonder how it is that he hasn't been tackled yet considering how he's acting and around whom.
Just my opinion. Feel free to digg me down now, yall. (I expect that when posting here. See how that works?) - monkeyrun, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10Being "Republican", "Thief" is something you could choose.
Being "White", "Black", "Asian", "Hispanic" is not something you choose*.
*unless you are Michael Jackson
Thanks for your creative "analogy". - MurderMystery, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8Yea! So you should put them in headlocks and wrestle them to the ground! Yea!
- mrnukem, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Who knows what happened before hand. Perhaps it was a security issue at the point things got to where they were. I think the public has a right to know whats going on in the past of our elected officials but I also think security staff also has a job to do and perhaps they made a judgment call that this fella was getting out of hand before we saw what was filmed. And those who ask "whats the country coming too" when things like this happen may not be old enough to remember the Democratic National Convention circa 1968 in Chicago. Now that was a throw down brutal event.
- Mist0r_Wiggles, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8@ Skyshock
so you are saying that every political representative in our country should stop representing the people and answer their question and just kick the ***** out of the people that want an answer.
If that is the case then I guess you wouldn't mind if Bush or some other future presidents just decide to kill of any one in the media that was asking them questions. Since your philosophy is that our government should beat us up for asking questions. I'm pretty sure we don't need our freedom of speech any more.
You say that we are all on our high horses and we would of done the same if we were him. You're right, I probably would punch a ***** out if he just randomly came up to me and started to ask me if I still rape me sister or some crazy *****. That's because I'm not a representative of the people, I'm don't have to be responsible to anyone, i don't have to give a ***** because no one voted for me. If I was a senator or something when this happened I'll probably walk away, and ignore the question at the most.
Hey but if you are happy with governments beating people down just for asking questions, then I suggest you move to Cuba, at least you'll be getting feed over there. - LarianLeQuella, on 10/12/2007, -5/+11Why the inflamatory title? How about:
"Some ***** assault another guy for calling them *****"
I could care less if they are republican or democrat. The whole political party system here has gone into the *****. As soon as I retire from the AF, I'm moving to ***** New Zealand. You guys can have this mess for all I care. - jimmiss, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10Right wing people beat down anyone who openly says things they don't like, and use disgusting smear advertising. Left wing people don't.
"So what you have is a group of people that have only known wealth and privilege, they really feel like it is a divine right for them to LEAD us average folks."
-caramelhoneys
Caramelhoneys, we are no more average than they are. We are exactly the same as them, the only difference between them and us is the power their families have and an inflated ego. - gmerin, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10The reason you don't hear about these sort of incidents happening with the Democratic party, is that these events usually require coordination, planning, and consensus of purpose and methodologies. These are organizational skills with which the Democratic party has yet to achieve any proficiency; they are usually too busy tackling each other to the ground to notice an outside troublemaker. (and I consider myself more of a Democrat than a Republican supporter...)
- rationalist, on 10/12/2007, -3/+9As long as Republicans are 100% lined up to defend this kind of behavior (including the self-titled Republicans commenting here), then, yes, this is a commentary on Republican values in general.
All I hear from the Right is justifications for this kind of authoritarian goon crap. No integrity at all. - dime, on 10/12/2007, -4/+9"It's interesting that he doesn't actually state what his question was. If his arrest is public record, why can't he just look it up?"
Because most of the court records are missing, and his divorce records are sealed.
Coincidence, no? - yakski, on 10/12/2007, -4/+8@skyshock21
Intelligent non-violent people do not attack anyone unless threatened or attacked... obviously you are fall into the category of people that should be locked up for the safety of society. - webXL, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Oh, that's an educated remark.
- Clbck, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6I could be missing something here, but...
http://dailykos.com/special/about - Markos Moulitsas Zúniga
The Marine - W. Michael Stark
The dailykos guy was in the army, but he's not Stark.
Maybe I'm misunderstanding? (Not trying to flame, I'm just curious) - pawchikapawpaw, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5You stay klassy, Virginia!
- jenk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Well I felt some sympathy for the guy before watching the actual footage, but after seeing that I don't fault those guys for physically removing him at all. He can stand and wait his turn to ask his question like all the other reporters standing there being civilized, and not acting like an ass hole charging toward a public official like that. It's called security.
- farther, on 10/12/2007, -4/+8"The only difference between them and us" is their lack of a soul: they're like vampires who want to suck us dry to perpetuate their petty empires of wealth and excess.
- JonForTheWin, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6When criminals are in charge. When it's being dissolved into the north american union. When the federal reserve run by private banking cartels is still there. When The Constitution and The Bill of Rights have officially been overturned. When the borders are wide open. When the military has been practicing gun confiscation with the police. When the police terrorize children.
. . it is hard. - dextroz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3CNN was quick to judge him a heckler! Snide bastards!
- LizardSlayer, on 10/12/2007, -7/+10Stark had been following Allen around his confrontations weren't new. The wing nuts that jumped him weren't Allen staffers. (False reporting)
Allen should just say that it wasn't handled very well. I'm disgusted by all of it. -
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