Brothers Caleb, 21, and Joshua Brimmer, 19, waiting for President Barack Obama to arrive in Roseburg. "I think he (Obama) should listen to the American people." Posted on 10/09/2015 11:15:41 AM PDT by TroutStalker
It's little more than an hour until wheels down in Eugene for President Barack Obama. He is meeting with the families of victims of the Umpqua Community College shooting, then flying to Seattle for Democratic National Committee roundtable.
Gov. Kate Brown will accompany Obama on his visits. Neither are expected to speak publicly. Yet, many see Obama's meeting the grieving families as a maneuver to push gun control laws in Congress.
Especially after Obama's impassioned speech, saying mass shootings could be prevented with stricter gun laws.
Already, protestors are in position to greet Obama when his plane lands in Eugene.
Conservative leaders in Douglas County say they expect at least 2,400 to show up among three different protest sites.
Meanwhile, another college shooting was reported Friday morning in Flagstaff, Arizona. At Northern Arizona University, a freshman killed one student and injured three others before surrendering to police.
The incident has fueled social media activity on both sides of the gun control debate.
The Oregonian's political team, Ian Kullgren and Jeff Mapes, are in Roseburg today, so you can follow their Twitter accounts by clicking their names.
We'll also be updated this blog all day with news from the ground. So, check back early and often.
11:11 a.m.
Brothers Caleb, 21, and Joshua Brimmer, 19, waiting for President Barack Obama to arrive in Roseburg. "I think he (Obama) should listen to the American people." 11:07 a.m. Read: Protesters turn out for Obama in Roseburg
It's the first Oregonian/OregonLive dispatch from on the ground today.
The group suggests demonstrators bring water, snacks and firearms if they feel the need to, but only handguns and to keep them holstered.
"Show the world that American gun owners are responsible patriots," a post by the group reads. "Look out for each other."
10:53 a.m. Not everyone is mad at Obama's visit. Oregonian reporter Rebecca Woolington said some people are gathered at the Roseburg Airport in support. She reports:
"I am embarrassed of what's going on up there," said Bryony Allenby, pointing up to the other protesters."
Allenby, who lives in Winchester, said she and family wanted to move away from the protesters who don't want Obama to visit.
Allenby said she went to UCC, is still very connected to the school and lives nearby. She heard gunshots last week.
"It's a very rare privilege to be able to be that close to the president of the United States of America," Allenby said.
Nkenge Harmon Johnson, CEO of the Urban League of Portland, also appreciated his visit.
Steve Mims, the Ducks football writer for the Eugene Register-Guard tweeted: "Politics aside, just can't believe there are people who don't welcome a president to console those who lost so much."
10:48 a.m. Photographer Beth Nakamura is talking to some protestors. Rick Halle, who is with about 10 other people, said he wants to have a peaceful protest that gets across the message that they don't want Obama "pushing political agendas on us."
"We're upset that literally within moments of this tragedy Obama was using it to force a political agenda," Halle said.
TV stations have been showing the crowd slowly grow in size since 9 a.m.
10:12 a.m. While we wait for Obama's plane in Eugene, let's start with some relevant reading.
This morning, Oregonian political reporter Denis Theriault published a story about how researchers and psychologists have made strides in identifying people who might be moved to rampage to stop them before they start.
"You're not going to be able to look at someone and say, 'Two years from now, he's going to be the next school shooter,'" said Mario Scalora, a psychologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who consults nationally on how to thwart mass shootings and other targeted violence.
But Scalora and others said listening — and speaking up when something isn't right — can stop such crimes. A burgeoning field of study called risk assessment is also making a difference.
Mass shootings "are very preventable," Scalora said. "In a lot of cases, there are warning signs."
Read the story: Stopping mass shooters: Experts share lessons since Thurston
That story reflects on an Oregon school shooting in 1998. Read about that one and other in this list of mass shootings in Oregon.
How do authorities determine what constitutes a mass shooting? We have your answer: How many U.S. mass shootings? Why it's so hard to pin down
-- Molly Harbarger
Nice! Group Effort, big sign, clear message. Hopefully home is Kenya.
Live stream Roseburg Airport
This idiot should stick to writing football. He doesn't understand that Obama cares nothing for 'those who lost so much'. It's ALL politics and it's ALL agenda with him.
Thanks for updating. Had to go fix a tool.
Impressive
Not as snarky as I’d like, but this conveys the essential message.
Obama Now arrived in Roseburg.
Obama is flying in on such an exalted moral high ground (he thinks) that when he gets off the plane, he may have to cover his face with a veil, like Moses did, in order to keep his shining visage from scaring all the unclean people.
And the Earth cries out against the pollution of his foul footsteps ...
A rose.
No kidding.
Obama is in The Beast, and the motorcade is underway. There’s speculation that he’s headed to the local high school to meet with the families.
Small number of protesters at the high school.
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
-Francis Scott Key
‘Orgegon’?
The presidential motorcade has passed and is on its way on Interstate 5. Roads are closed around Roseburg for security. Today's meetings are closed to press. But, our reporters will be monitoring the crowds of supporters and protestors for any other activity.
There is some speculation he will go to Roseburg High School and the hospital, Mercy Medical Center.
Thanks! More is better!!
Pres. Barack Obama's motorcade leaves the Roseburg Airport as he leaves to meet with the victims' families of the Umpqua Community College shooting.
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