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Earlier today MSNBC aired a segment showing a man with a loaded gun waiting for President Barack Obama to arrive at a town hall on health care reform at a high school in Portsmouth, N.H., and reportedly the local chief of police had no problem with it.
The man is carrying a sign that says, "It Is Time to Water the Tree of Liberty." That's a reference to a Thomas Jefferson quote: "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants." It was a favorite slogan of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, who was wearing a T-shirt when he was arrested with a picture of Lincoln on the front and a tree dripping with blood on the back.SOURCE: Gawker
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How could this be allowed to happen, given this country's history with presidential assassinations -- not to mention the slayings of black leaders?
[William] Kostric said police asked him to move back from school property, but because the gun was in plain view, he wasn't breaking any laws. There are federal laws about how close a firearm can be brought to a school, but Kostric got permission from an official at a church to stand on its property.
Reportedly police kept the Secret Service "in the loop" once Obama had arrived at Portsmouth High School across the street from the protesters, and the matter concluded without incident.
Later, MSNBC's Chris Matthews grilled the man, William Kostric, about the weapon and the sign.
The segment grew more and more heated as Matthews repeatedly asked Kostric why he came to the meeting wearing a gun. "Well, why did you bring a gun to a Presidential event today?" "That's not even a relevant question," Kostric said, shrugging. "The question is, why don't people bear arms these days." "Okay, you bought a sign that said 'The tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants' and you're carrying a god damn gun at a Presidential event. I think those things make people wonder what you're about."
Check out the heated exchange in the video above, then weigh in below. Should the police have let this man stay while carrying a loaded gun?
President Obama Pictures
A Uighur protester wears a rubber mask of President Barack Obama during a demonstration in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, July 12, 2009. The demonstration in downtown Tokyo Sunday ended peacefully with Japanese protesters calling on China to end the violence in Xinjiang, where at least 184 people have died in rioting. Those demonstrators waved blue flags with white crescents representing what they call "East Turkestan," their name for the region from where they come. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)
AP
U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama return to Washington with their daughters Malia (L) and Sasha off Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base July 12, 2009, following their visit to Russia, Italy and Ghana. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES POLITICS)
Reuters
US President Barack Obama, alongside daughter Malia descends the steps of Air Force One after arriving at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, July 12, 2009. Obama returned from a week long trip abroad that included stops in Russia, Italy and Ghana. AFP PHOTO / Saul LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
US President Barack Obama, alongside First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia descend the steps of Air Force One after arriving at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, July 12, 2009. Obama returned from a week long trip abroad that included stops in Russia, Italy and Ghana. AFP PHOTO / Saul LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
President Barack Obama, second right, first lady Michelle Obama, second left, and their daughters Malia , left, and Sasha, right, arrive at the White House from Ghana, early Sunday, July 12, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
AP
President Barack Obama walks down the stairs with his daughters Malia, Sasha and firts lady Michelle Obama from Air Force One upon their arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Sunday July 12, 2009, returning from their trip to Europe and Africa.(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
AP
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wave before boarding Air Force One after they participated in a departure ceremony at the airport in Accra, Ghana, Saturday, July 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
AP
WASHINGTON - JULY 12: (AFP OUT) U.S. President Barack Obama (L), First Lady Michelle Obama (R) and daughters Sasha (2ndL) and Malia (2ndR) exit Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House July 12, 2009 in Washington, DC. Obama and the first family returned home to the White House in the early morning after a trip overseas to Russia, Europe, Africa and a G-8 meeting. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski-Pool/Getty Images)
Getty Images
President Barack Obama greets audience members as he participate in a departure ceremony at the airport in Accra, Ghana, Saturday, July 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
AP
President Barack Obama greets the crowd at a departure ceremony at the airport in Accra, Ghana, Saturday, July 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
AP
Comments: (125)
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By: Rory on 8/21/2009 2:21PM
Umm, what about the black guy that showed up with a gun to protest Obama out in Arizona? Give me a break about this BS about white people, your the frikkin racists. How about when the 15 Black Panthers protested the 2000 GOP convention in Texas armed with rifles, shotguns and pistols. Yea, give me a break. If the law allows you to carry legally, why shouldn't you be allowed to. If the Secret Service thought it was a risk they would deal with it, Im sure they wouldn't let the messiah outside anyway.
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By: HERNOT VERSAINT on 9/21/2009 2:33PM
About the health care reform, I do believe that the precedent presidents didn't go too far to result it, because they were all worried just about their re-election; Otherwise, if this president sees the facts differently, nothing will stop him to get it done! Now, about the GUNS case, definitely, the secret service headquarters must say something to the public on the reason that anything has been done to make people secure by seeing this kind of unusal image. And why now??
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By: oiaah on 9/02/2009 12:19AM
Why didn't Chris Matthews interview the black guy with the ak at the Arizona town hall?
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By: ProudLiberal on 9/01/2009 9:22PM
Funny ain't it. Some white folks don't like President Obama because he is Black.
I dare say that some Black folks wouldn't like him if he were White.
The fact is that he is neither, but is in reality a bit of both. You'd think that would come close to satisfying racists on both sides.
Go figure.
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By: Mrs. Poole on 10/08/2009 8:33PM
I don't think it is such a big deal. If he did anything aggressive, he was in plain sight and would have been shot instantly. Worry about the people that are carrying hidden guns, not the ones standing out in the open with them. Honestly, do you think any fool would think that if they planned on attacking the president, they could get away with it while showing a gun in plain sight? If he even so much as walked toward or looked cross-eyed at the president, he would have been taken down.
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