Red, I know you are a virulent supporter of gun rights, maybe or maybe not beyond the reasonable limits of  foreseeable self-defense proportional to a threat.  (Let's leave recreational gun uses out of this discussion for now).  But with a high likelihood (a near certainty) of angry, volatile behavior at an event, there is absolutely no justification for citizens bringing weaponry, especially when political leaders are present.  This _should_ warrant anger, regardless of the state, the event, or the law.  This is outrageously dangerous and irresponsible on its face, and the message it sends is even more dangerous and irresponsible.  If this person had a vat of acid or a stick of dynamite, would that amuse you when people were upset by it?  If you are an advocate for "safe, responsible gun ownership," you tremendously undercut your case by believing that a person bringing a gun to a rally whereupon he and hundreds of others have a mortal grudge against and terror of the President--that this is safe or amusing.

Within the next 6 months to a year, if the current trend of hysteria, terror, rage and lawlessness continues among a very significant portion of the Right wing of this country, the odds are strong that a major political figure is going to be assassinatned.  Or more than one.  The odds are strong that a major race riot (or more than one) is going to be sparked in a major American city.  The odds are strong that a major cry for armed revolution or seccession will be heard from a quarter of the country.  Obama's presidency and our democracy will be utterly overtaken by riotous lunatic violence and domestic terrorism.  When can I start getting angry about this?  This is not some silly NRA case about someone's right to shoot ferret mannequins in Idaho.  This is the inevitable next step in the boiling radicalization and dissolution of all civil, sane discourse in this country.  I don't care if you don't like Obama's job thus far.  I don't much care for it either.  But YOU ARE FUCKING RIGHT THAT I AM ANGRY ABOUT STOKING AND ENABLING VIGILANTEISM IN A MOB FULL OF RACIST IGNORANT CONSPIRATORIAL THUGS WHO ARE VIOLENT ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!