"We ought to kind of cool it in terms of the publicity of this stuff," Lungren said. "I don't think it serves any purpose other than maybe encourage some nutcases out there because they think they'll get publicity about it."
I really wonder whether the Rain flies upward in Opposite Land where Lungren Lives - but having been to Gold River, It's more likely that Dan is just used to standing on his head too much.
Let me get this straight... in the last few days there have been two arrests of persons threatening the LIVES - not just Shit-talking, but actively describing MURDER - of the Speaker of the House, and Washington Senator Patty Murray, and Lungren thinks their making too much of a big deal about it?
He uses a story from his own experience in Alexandria Va. to help illustrate his point.
On Easter morning in Alexandria, Va., a motorcyclist spotted the license plates on his car, then pulled up next to him and asked if he was a congressman. The Republican from Gold River said yes.
"He started using profanities and telling me how I was a criminal and I ought to go to jail," Lungren said. "Then he pulled the motorcycle to the other side of the car, where my wife was, and repeated the very same thing, to which my wife responded, 'Have a nice Easter.' "
Lungren said he didn't feel any particular need to publicize the harassment. And he wishes more of his colleagues would follow suit.
Seems to me that Lungren just publicized one his own threat here, hypocrite much?
But let's get to brass tacks here, someone saying "you should be arrested" is very different from saying "You Should Die", or worse "YOU'RE GONNA DIE - I'm going to see to it" which is exactly what occured with Senator Murray and Speaker Pelosi.
There's another good reason Dan didn't report it, if he'd whined about being heckled on the freeway every time it happened - he'd be laughed at.
Honeslty, I'm laughing right now.
Contrast that with the guy who was run off the road because he had an Obama sticker on his car.
Hey Dan, since you can obviously tolerate little harsh language let me be blunt- shit like this is called A Crime - and reporting it is a reponsibility, it's not optional, it's not whining, it's doing your civic duty. In this case it was a deliberate Hit and Run. The cutting of the gas line and the home of one Congressman's brother - Was also A CRIME, possibly even attempted murder of the residents of that house either from gas poisoning or a potential explosion.
These are Acts of Terrorism Daniel - and they shouldn't be taken lightly. Publicizing the fact that someone who committed a crime, and act of intimidation and Terrorism just went to jail for it actually does serve a purpose - it's called Deterrence. As opposed to your brilliant strategery which would be like telling a Rape Victim to shut the hell up or else she'll get Raped Again.
But Dan - who used to be California's Attorney General and should bloody well KNOW BETTER - thinks differently, besides apparently thinking that the best way to fight terrorism is to just stop talking about it so they just get bored and give up, he doesn't think the threats and the violence are steadily getting worse (whether anyone talks about those threats or not..)
"I have no evidence at this point that there is a steep rise in threats or that it's a more dangerous situation with respect to members of Congress," he said.
Lungren's assessment was challenged Friday by Democrats on the subcommittee.
"Discussions with members of Congress and law enforcement officials have shown increased incidents of threats directed at members," said House Administration Committee Chairman Robert Brady of Pennsylvania and Capitol Security Subcommittee Chairman Michael E. Capuano of Massachusetts, both Democrats, in a joint statement.
It's difficult to say who's right.
No, it's not that difficult, particularly when this story had an ad which specifically links to another story in the same paper from two days ago that proclaims Growing number of threats target federal lawmakers
Nice crack research staff you Sacbee guys got there, been spending too much too over at The Press Club getting your drink on afterhours guys? (I lived in Sac for 7 years, most of it about five blocks from the Bee - and sometimes worked at the Press Club - which is one block away - doing sound for local and touring bands) Here's some more from your own paper...
WASHINGTON -- The number of serious threats, including death threats, against members of Congress jumped in the past three months during the heated debate over the new health care law.
...
Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Terrance W. Gainer, who monitors security in the House and the Senate, said lawmakers reported 42 incidents in the first three months of this year, nearly three times the 15 cases during the same time last year.
See, that wasn't hard was it? I understand the knee-jerk tendency to create false balance between opposing arguments and therefore not make Rep. Lungren look like a Fracking Idiot in his own hometown Newspaper, but unfortunately Lungren IS a Fracking Idiot and this little attempt at covering that fact up falls flat in one click.
More from the earlier article.
A threat to assault a member of Congress in retaliation for the performance of official duties is punishable by up to a year in prison.
See that Dan, it's not like getting the Hook pulled out on you for sucking on stage at The Apollo - like I said before, and I'll keep saying til it sinks in, it's a CRIME. Are you seriously arguing that members of Congress shouldn't be reporting CRIMES? How's that Rain taste as it goes up your nose?
The most notable police action was the arrest this week of Gregory Giusti, 48, of San Francisco, who police said was so angry over the health care act that he made at least 48 calls to Pelosi's homes and offices. Pelosi told the FBI the caller had used "extremely vulgar and crude language" on two occasions when she answered the phone at her Washington home.
Also this week, authorities in Yakima, Wash., arrested Charles Alan Wilson, 63, on a charge of threatening Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. In a phone conversation with an FBI agent posing as a member of a group opposing health care legislation, Wilson confirmed that he had made repeated calls to Murray and Washington's other Democratic senator, Maria Cantwell, and said, "I do pack, and I will not blink when I'm confronted. ... It's not a threat; it's a guarantee."
The third arrest involved a Philadelphia man charged with threatening in an Internet video to kill House Republican Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia. A court has ruled that Norman Leboon, 38, has multiple personalities and is not currently competent to stand trial.
In an e-mail to the campaign of Stephen Cohen, D-Tenn., one person wrote: "If our tea parties had hoods, we would burn your (expletive) on a cross an the White House front lawn."
Yeah, well - that would just go just fine and dandy with the Swastikas, Crescents, Joker Faces, and Hammer & Sickles you've already got - I think we all get the message loud and clear.
All except for Dan that is.
Pardon me if I sound a little peeved, I am - You should be too.
Vyan
Join the Democratic Non-Violence Project Today and help us contact our Lawmakers and have them to Pledge to take a 100% Stand Against Political Violence or else look as Stupid and Clueless as Dan does right now.
