Yesterday, I went back to the quaint little town of Huntington, NY, a mostly tolerant and diverse neighborhood of good people although Long Island still has significant minorities of repulsive neo nazis, racists, and bigots intermixed within the general masses.
I went to Book Revue, the apolitcal merchant that just sells books regardless of politics, (They've hosted Insanitized Wingnuts, the Detestable/Worst One, and Ann Evil Coulter) and met former President Bill Clinton and purchased his latest book, Giving.
Now some bizarre events occurred that I was unfamiliar with so forgive me.
First many people spoke to President Clinton and even asked him questions. Even I asked President Clinton a question. And President Clinton, the Secret Service, the police, and security did not try to have me or anyone else arrested for asking a question.
Second, nobody from the Secret Service nor the police tried to have someone arrested because of a question they thought the person was going to ask. I couldn't believe it, there was no one at the store that Insanitized or wearing a Mark Levin Stalker Club T Shirt.
Third, the people attending the book signing event were all nice people. Nobody was advocating killing all the Mexicans, bombing the entire Middle East, calling people "faggots" or telling people that they wish their parents never had their children. Instead, the people attending the book signing event made open to the public were thoughtful, kind, ordinary individuals who simply go out there everyday living their lives, raising families, and working hard. These wonderful people came from all walks of life and a wide variety of vocations.
Fourth, there were even a few people at the event who disagreed with Bill Clinton politically. And all these people with their Ron Paul signs were able to display their signs about 50 feet away from where President Clinton was.
There were no Sgt Tim's of unAmericanfamiliesagainst911families on the line saying, "Pop there goes the Ron Paul windbag supporter outside" or Petes from Babylon, Long Island advocating coldcocking Ron Paul supporters for their political views. All the nice people on the line there to see Bill Clinton seemed to share some common values that people of differing views are allowed to dissent, that we don't terrorize the homes, workplaces, or telephone lines of these dissenters, and that implied or overt threats against people of differing political views is unAmerican.
Fifth, Bill Clinton didn't decide to cancel the book event just because I had announced that I would be attending days in advance. I'm truly not that omnipotent.
Now Bill Clinton (who by the way is a VERY impressive, radiant man who emanates likability once you get within 100 feet of him) requires a zillion times more security than some Detestable or Insanitized Right Wing WABC radio talk show hosts who consistently advocates or have friendly guests consistently advocate, murdering, jailing, or torturing hundreds of millions of people because they don't like their politics, religion, ethnicity, race, or sexual orientation.
Now if Dave the law abiding, civil, cooperative, citizen with no criminal record was not deemed a security risk for a former President of the United States, then what are people like Sean Insanitized Hannity and Mark The Worst One Levin afraid of? Oh I forgot, they recognize that right wing conservatism is a fringe philosophy and if they had to debate or discuss politics in a fair forum with someone who isn't a paid patsy like Alan Colmes or in an open media event where mikes can't be cut and video and audio clips disingenously edited, then morons like Hannity and Levin would get crushed, their ideology exposed, and 76-80% of Americans would rally behind other alternatives.
Oh and yes, my offer to debate Hannity from previous diaries (and the terms therein) in exchange for me agreeing not to sue him for his role in trying to have me falsely arrested still stands. But Hannity is a chicken and a coward. Til next time.