I flew a gyrocopter onto the Capitol Lawn to save our democracy

WAPO ^ | May 15, 2015 | Doug Hughes

[PROCON]

When I return to Washington for my arraignment in federal court this week, it will be by car, not gyrocopter. My flying days are over, perhaps forever. Accepting responsibility for my actions means I accept their consequences, which I always took seriously. As my freedom rests in the court’s hands, my hope is that Americans will understand why I took the risk to deliver them a message: We the people must pay attention to democracy.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion about my flight over the Mall last month, but I did not commit this peaceful protest thoughtlessly. The most important requirements were met: No one was hurt, no property was damaged and the message was delivered. It was a message Americans agree with.

A poll by the Global Strategy Group indicates that 91 percent of Americans see the corrosive influence of money in our political system as a problem that demands attention. And in a Gallup tracking poll, voters identified frustration with government as their No. 1 concern in recent months, ahead of the economy and jobs.

[PROCON]

Hmmm, interesting, albeit controversial opinion by the gyro pilot. Comments?

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

We are not a ‘democracy’.

[Veggie Todd]

Accepting responsibility for my actions...

Refreshing after the constant barrage from the "I dint do nuffins" crowd.

[Army Air Corps]

The title of the article sounds like the title for some Folk Rock ballad from the 1960s.

[luvbach1]

It’s the Demonrats who insist on calling a republic a democracy.

[sport]

His comments reveal his problem[s], to wit: We do not have a democracy; we have a Republic. There is a difference and him not knowing that difference resulted in his legal problems.

[lee martell]

Mr. Hughes, the majority of Americans may agree with you that big money plays too great of a role in choosing our leaders Howvever, I venture to say that most
of us did not ponder this very cogent thought when we learned of your ‘misadventure’ on Capitol Lawn. The vast majority of us thought this was an extremely stupid and dangerous stunt, which only served to highlight how easily some terrorist could use similar means to invade that very same Capitol Lawn.

Thanks, Mr. Hughes for creating an international advertisement illustrating the inept and porous quality of protection now offered by the Secret Service. I’m sure ISIS, drug cartels, the New Black Panthers and many other fringe groups were ‘agog’ once they realized how very easy this could be done. The worst part about this, or one of the worst parts is you still don’t get it. You still don’t get how harmful and unhelpful your little ‘ice-breaker’ was.

[Cvengr]

Not all liars are criminal, but all criminals are liars.

Criminals who refuse to obey the law, will tend to lie to themselves about their illegitimate behavior. They will justify and rationalize their disobedience to legitimate authority by lies to themselves about their disobedience, and may further degenerate to lie to others about their disobedience.

[doc1019]

It would seem that the Democrats have made our republic a democracy.

[iowamark]

I think that the police and military should have done their job and shot Mr. Hughes down.

[lee martell]

This reminded me of Don Knotts in “The Incredible Mr. Limpett”. The classic absentminded professor, living in a world of his own.

[Bob]

I misread the title as a "gynocopter" and was wondering if the feminists had come up with a replacement for their brooms. :=)

[RginTN]

Bullcrap! Loving this democratic Republic means embracing more speech not demanding govt censor speech which is what Citizens United was all about.

Why do lefties ignore the outrageous decision of the govt to censor Hillary the movie.

[nathanbedford]

One cannot judge the subversive politicking against conservatives being done by Mitch McConnell and John Boehner without concluding that these men have been bought and paid for by big money which now controls the Republican Party. I could cite Trent lot and rest my case. The Democrat party has long been sold out to George Soros and his cronies.

It is crony capitalism which is now the true description of the American free market.

Alas, it is not just McConnell and Boehner who are tainted but elected Rino after elected Rino, and pundit after pundit. Last primary season in which conservative Senate candidate after conservative Senate candidate was destroyed by the well-funded Rino establishment tells me that money is in fact a huge problem.

But just because money is the problem does not mean that any remedy is the solution. Certainly a remedy which favors institutionalized spending on behalf of Democrats or a remedy which allows union spending on elections but no spending by any other faction is not a solution at all.

Even if against all odds we are able to take the direct spending out of electioneering, we would still be left with the off the radar reality that taxpayers are funding leftist propaganda and movements across the board from Acorn and its successors to the faculty lounge at Harvard which are conditioning our culture and costing us elections and, in my view, leading us inexorably into tyranny.

[matt1234]

Is this guy related to Howard Hughes?

[SkyDancer]

Really? Like 0bama is going to be scared or something? Guy was a total fruit cake, with apologies to fruit cakes.

[bluejean]

I flew a gyrocopter onto the Capital Lawn to completely F up my life. P.S. If it meant something can I get some kudos?

What ever.

[Secret Agent Man]

I don’t want anyone saving our “democracy”.

Our constitutional republic is what needs saving.

And if it were easy enough to save by flying a gyrocopter onto the Capitol lawn, I suspect a few hundred thousand patriots would be taking flying lessons.

[kiryandil]

Hillary Clinton and Lois Lerner are free as birds after committing MULTIPLE Federal felonies.

I don't want to hear one PEEP from Fedthugs about "lawbreaking".

[kiryandil]

I flew a gyrocopter onto the Capital Lawn to completely F up my life. P.S. If it meant something can I get some kudos?

I had a private email server to obstruct justice, and to completely F up my life. P.S. What, at this point, does it matter?

Some Merkuns are "more equal" than other Mekruns...