Protests, passions roiling town hall meeting on health care (Tampa, FL 8/6/09) - FR Mentioned

Tampa Bay online ^ | August 6, 2009 | William March

[onemiddleamerican]

What was supposed to be a town hall forum on President Barack Obama's health care reform plan this evening turned instead into a shouting match, complete with shoving and scuffles.

The forum featured Tampa legislators U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor and state Rep. Betty Reed and was scheduled to start at 6 p.m. It ended about 7:15 p.m. with Castor only able to say a few words, most of which were inaudible because of the shouting from protestors.

A crowd of about 250-300 people made it inside the Hillsborough County Children's Board office at 1002 E. Palm Avenue before the door was closed. A couple hundred people wound up outside. Tensions were high and the meeting was extremely noisy.

Chants were popular. When Castor first tried to speak, the crowd drowned her out by repeating, "You work for us.'' Other chants included "Tyranny, tyranny,'' and "Read the bill, read the bill.''

A crowd of 200 or more moved from the building's entrance to the windows outside the room where the meeting was being held. They held up signs and chanted. Some of the messages on the signs were: "Read the bill'' and "No to socialist health care.''

Several of the protestor's signs bore an image of Obama with his face painted as the Joker, an image that drew protests of racism locally when it appeared on a Web site thought to be associated with the Pinellas Republican party.

There were at least two scuffles between protestors trying to enter and organizers manning the doors. One of those involved in a scuffle, Randy Arthur, of Oldsmar said he was injured by those manning the doors and said he would file a police report.

He and his wife, Kathy, were outside the meeting room when organizers tried to close the doors. Randy Arthur and others tried to stop them "and he didn't give up,'' Kathy Arthur said.

Randy Arthur, who owns an air conditioning service company, later talked to police officers, his knit shirt ripped and a few scratches visible on his chest. "They slammed him into the wall,'' Kathy Arthur said.

A minority of the crowd, perhaps a third, were health care reform advocates, some associated with the local Democratic party or the staffs of Castor or Betty Reed, and some with Organizing For America, an organization that grew out of the Obama campaign.

After her short talk, Castor left at about 6:40 p.m., sparking much of the rest of the crowd to leave as well. Some jeered Castor as she left.

"They're hiding from their constituents. She works for us and needs to listen,'' said Karen Jaroch, a Tampa homemaker and organizer for the 9-12 Project, set up by rightist TV commentator Glenn Beck.

Ellen Gedalius, a Castor spokeswoman, said the Congresswoman left the meeting because she had accomplished what she came for.

"We said all along our role was to come and give an update on the bill in Congress,'' Gedalius said. "That's what Betty Reed asked us to do. It's her meeting and that's what she did.''

Gedalius noted that Castor will have an telephonic town hall on Aug. 13 and that her office has been receiving hundreds of comments on the health care issue.

Some protestors accused organizers of stacking the room with those sympathetic to the president's health care plan. Reed denied that, saying those who were there early were organizers setting up the room.

In recent days, disruptive protests like tonight's is turning out to be have erupted at town hall meetings on health care held by Democratic Congress members.

Democrats including White House spokesman Robert Gibbs have said the disruptions were organized attacks aimed at Democrats by conservative, anti-health care reform interest groups.

Some pro-health care reform groups have responded by instructing their members in how to counter the opponents.

Reed said she set up the town hall with the help of Service Employees International Union, a large, politically active union that represents nursing home workers, among others.

"I represent a number of people who ask questions about what's going on with health care, so I thought it would be good to put on a meeting and have the congresswoman come in and give an update," said Reed.

Asked earlier today about possible disruption at the event, Kim Diehl of SEIU said, "We're prepared. We have strategies to deal with it if it should come up." She said the event was important because of disinformation being spread about the health care reform plan.

The Tampa and Pinellas chapters of the 9-12 Project said on their Web sites they expect 120 or more of their members to attend.

But those web sites instruct members to act respectfully: "Be courteous while anyone is speaking, including Castor. We don't want to sound like an 'angry mob,' " advises the Tampa group's site.

The Free Republic conservative site, meanwhile, told its members that Castor "will be surrounded by union goons from the SEIU" who will "do their best to pick fights with you so they can get video for TV a proof that you guys are a mob. Don't let them win, but get your questions asked."

[onemiddleamerican]

True to their union goon reputation, the Tampa local SEIU thugs were working their magic for BO tonight.

[Frantzie]

http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=111086&catid=8

Go here to post messages and freep comments because the SEIU goons are posting about this Tampa scam/sham meeting.

[Jeff Head]

Obama is calling out his followers not just to snitch on anyone opposinfg his plans, but to physically attend and contest the townhall meetings. Like a bunch of brown shirts.

Right now, the dem and RINO reps fear their constituents because they are upset over the trashing of America and a destructive health care plan. So, they are coming on their own, in droves, to let their feelings be known.

While trying to paint this grassroots, individual reaction as somehow contrived, the marxists contrive their own response.

Well, it is time more and more Americans rise to this challenges and run these people out of town on a rail.

MY LETTER TO THE WHITEHOUSE AND OBAMA ABOUT FREE SPEECH

Sides are being drawn. The President has come out and urged his supporters to "turn us in" if we speak out against this monstrosity health bill, while at the same time telling them to take to the streets in support of the Health Plan monstrisity.

So be it.

This is getting to a stage where we have to stand up straight. We're not like the Jews in Germany and Poland, we're not like the Russian farmers or Chinese peasants.

We know our rights, we will not be cowed into submission, and are willing to fight and die for those rights if necessary...and we are armed.

I love this country, I love the constitution and the rule of law based on it...but this is the opposite of all of that and is the fast road to tyranny unless we stand and stop it.

So, what I will do now is speak up all the louder, redouble my efforts, and challenge them straight to their marxist faces.

If they want to curtail my free speech, they are going to have to literally fight me over it.

EZEKIEL EMANUEL (MENGLE) AND THE OBAMA-CARE FINAL SOLUTION
(Must Read)

---

A PETITION ON FACEBOOK FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RESTORATION

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OBAMA CARE - READY OR NOT

[mnehring]

Just received an email, I cant’ confirm if it is true or if my friend was BS’ing (but he is a lib who fears Obamacare)- he works for a dem congressman I won’t name said he overheard his boss basically say that ‘it doesn’t matter what they say now, people’s memories are short and as soon as the new American Idol season is back, they’ll forget what they are angry about.’

[GVnana]

[AU72]

as the new American Idol season is back, they’ll forget what they are angry about.

I'm willing to bet "American Idol" viewers are big Obama supporters.

[bayliving]

"We're prepared. We have strategies to deal with it if it should come up." She said the event was important because of disinformation being spread about the health care reform plan.

So where is the "DISINFORMATION?"

I have yet to see where there is ANY disinformation. They say we are lying but don't produce PROOF! I want to see where it is that we are not telling the truth about this crime against America.

Oh, and Good Job FreeRepublic!

Any press is good press!

[Road Warrior ‘04]

Damn! Becuse of prior commitments, I couldn’t get there. My commiments are now over and I’ll be at the next and the next and the next, until these bozos, that work for us, begin to listen!

[Babsig]

Tell him to tell his “boss” that it will matter when the ppl do remember and fire their butts in the next election.

And the American ppl will remember b/c they are unemployed and taxes are going to be raised. ppl are hurting and the Dems are pour salt into the wound w their socialistic crap.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

people’s memories are short and as soon as the new American Idol season is back, they’ll forget what they are angry about.’
________________________________________________

That’s what they’re counting on, people. Don’t let it rest!!!!!!!11!1!1!!!!!

PERSEVERE!

[Road Warrior ‘04]

commiments = commitments

[bayliving]

‘it doesn’t matter what they say now, people’s memories are short and as soon as the new American Idol season is back, they’ll forget what they are angry about.’

So they are trying to run out the clock?

Is it 2010 YET!!

Please God hurry!

[Paige]

As I was driving home tonight, I was listening to Mark Levin. Everyone who attends these meetings, VIDEO TAPE them with the SOUND ON....the media, the union mobsters, and ACORN are being sent in to instigate and setup all Tea Party AMERICANS.

Keep up the GREAT WORK BUT KEEP PROOF AROUND...we’re going against real SLIME..... never play their game and DOCUMENT everything!

[RightGeek]

Here come the union thugs:

There were at least two scuffles between protestors trying to enter and organizers manning the doors. One of those involved in a scuffle, Randy Arthur, of Oldsmar said he was injured by those manning the doors and said he would file a police report.

Randy Arthur, who owns an air conditioning service company, later talked to police officers, his knit shirt ripped and a few scratches visible on his chest. "They slammed him into the wall,'' Kathy Arthur said.

Reed said she set up the town hall with the help of Service Employees International Union, a large, politically active union that represents nursing home workers, among others.

[Road Warrior ‘04]

Folks, from an attendee in Tamps:

Folks, When you see the news reports tomorrow just remember...There was over 1,000 people outside who were opposing government run healthcare. I want to tell you that we must keep up the good fight and don't let our guard down. August is going to be a busy tea party month. The other side has decided that we "right-wing extremist" are not going away, so they have called in the Service Employees International Union. aka: goons

[Road Warrior ‘04]

Tamps = Tampa

Fingers not working!

[Brad’s Gramma]

clickit

clickit

clickit

[onemiddleamerican]

I am pretty sure Greta just had video from this protest. I wasn’t quick enough to catch it. I’ll have to watch again when she repeats.

[Guenevere]

BTTT!!!!