via Peter Glickert at HatingNotDebating
This is the only video of what actually happened at the event this afternoon. The news only showed the woman being escorted away by the police. What happened was the women walked in with signs, the crowd booed and yelled at the women. The women rolled up their posters and put them down. A photographer/reporter approached the woman on the end and wanted to see what the poster was. As the woman went to show the photographer/reporter what the poster was, a man from the bleachers stood up and snatched the poster from the woman and photographer/reporter. As the woman went to retrieve her poster the police stepped in and escorted the woman and the man from the building….
One individual decided to take on the physical role of sign enforcer.
…T[hese opponents of health care reform are] pissed that Obama is president. They’re pissed that McCain isn’t. They’re pissed that Jim Talent isn’t their senator. They probably voted for George W. Bush twice (and probably his daddy twice). They’d probably be pissed if you pointed out that dubya is and was a monumental screw-up – it reminds them that they made that particular choice. They didn’t vote for Claire. They’ll never vote for Claire. They’re outraged that their sense of entitlement about calling the shots in what others should believe and even how the open forum should have been run isn’t accepted or catered to…
Outside after the event was over.
Update:
I spoke with Maxine Johnson outside the field house after the event was over:
Show Me Progress: So, what happened? What happened, did, after you sat down?
Maxine Johnson: When I sat down I put my sign in the chair in front of me. It was rolled up. And the reporter kind of, news reporter crawled over there, she was standing up and she asked could she take a picture of the sign. We unrolled the sign laying down in the chair. And she was taking a picture of Rosa Parks. This man comes out of the crowd, snatch my sign, I stood up, they said he pushed me. I don’t remember anything ’cause you know by that time my adrenaline going everywhere…All I’m thinking about is getting my sign back. I got up in…to proceed, go get my sign back. ‘Cause he was crumbling it up. I said, “Give my sign back!” When I said that, next thing I know I had four police officers on me and one on him. I’m the victim here, [laugh] you know. And then as I say, “I’m pressing charges!”…I said, “Obama, Obama!” So, you know what, you know like I said Rosa Parks fought for our freedom back then, now I’m fighting for our freedom now…So we’re fighting for the next generation…
Why is the crowd cheering?
Did they believe Ms Johnson was going to unfurl some sort of “Death Panels” poster and attempt to be disruptive, but she was interrupted?
Are cheering that the man who snatched the poster was also detained?
Or are they actually cheering that a Rosa Parks poster got torn up?
Sadly, it’s probably just a fact that bringing any kind of poster to heated public forum will spark a confrontation, even if it’s a poster of kittens and puppies.
just saw the woman being ejected and went along with the story that she was being disruptive and provocative — which, as this video shows, doesn’t seem to be the full story. Why was the man who ripped up her poster, which she was displaying only to the reporter, not ejected? Why was McCaskill apologizing to the crowd about the woman and not the bully who ripped up her sign?
Shouldn’t we write (email, phone) to McCaskill and tell her that we understand how difficult it is to face down these goons, but why does that fact give her license to disrespect those who try to support her? I personally am getting a little fed up with McCaskill’s lion-tamer act now that she’s been lucky enough to make it through meetings with these hooligans with no major damage.
of confrontations after the event between Maxine Johnson and teabaggers. The latter, of course, blame the victim.
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McCaskill continues to disappoint – it is a shame she is the only ‘choice’ we have. If you are having a public event – especially an outdoor event, you should expect signs. And that would include signs form the opposition also – free speech.
It’s not a “shame”. We have a distinct choice. You could, of course, choose to file to run in six years.
That event was nine years ago. If I recall correctly, the venue was packed at Hillsboro because of safety/threat issues at a previously cancelled town hall. If you read the other posts we wrote about covering those 2009 health care town halls you’ll note that the other venues didn’t have sign restrictions (see Jefferson City, for instance). Having experienced both the tea baggers and the supporters of the ACA, signs didn’t add anything during the town halls. Outside was another matter. People picketed to their heart’s content.