White House: Town Halls Should Not Be Violent

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was asked at his daily briefing this afternoon about recent disruptions by a small number of Americans who have screamed and chanted as members of Congress have tried to discuss health care reform with their constituents.

"The president believes and has always believed that town hall meetings are a very useful place for the discussion of issues, to talk about the decisions that are facing him and the American people," he said. "They ought to be able to be conducted without shouting and shoving and pushing and people getting hurt."

Added Gibbs: "I think we can have honest policy disagreements without being either disagreeable or certainly without being violent."

(AP)

Addressing the question of whether the president believes the Republican Party is behind the disruptions, Gibbs said, "I think you've seen specific groups brag about being able to coalesce and manufacture the anger."

"We talked about one of the guys in here who happens to hold the title of running a health care company and having it be fined the greatest amount, $1.7 billion, ever that the federal government has levied against a health care company," he said. "I'm not entirely sure what -- what part of his role he wanted to brag about."

Gibbs was referring to Rick Scott, the former head of Columbia/HCA, who formed the group Conservatives for Patients' Rights. That group, which opposes the president's efforts at health care reform, has posted the locations and times of town hall meetings on its Web site.

5225587The press secretary went on to say that "anybody that has a strong opinion should come to a town hall meeting, but also respect that others may have -- may want to also take part in the town hall meeting or, you know, may just want to listen to the debate."

"And if somebody is yelling or somebody particularly is being violent, I'm not entirely sure that helps the entire process for anybody involved," he added.

Later in the briefing, Gibbs said he knows "the president believes strongly that we can discuss these issues without personally maligning the person that we're discussing this issue with; that we're doing so in a way that respects the dignity of each individual."

[mattcat25]

If all these people have adequate Healthcare what is there concern?

And, if it is just the cost of government where were they during the Bush Years and The Conservative Agenda dwindling the surplus and increasing the deficit for their OIL WAR on Iraq?

Where were they?

[cs4466]

Looks like the right wing neocons are growing increasingly desperate. As the economy turns around and starts to improve and they see the inevitable 7.4 years of President Obama ahead of them, they'll probably become even more violent. The Christian Taliban are a dangerous group, and will only grow to be more dangerous over time.

[babooph]

Did the attackers wear BROWN SHIRTS??

[hakushaku]

The Rules for Kindergarten:

- Wait your turn.
- Raise your hand when you want to speak.
- Do not interrupt.
- Do not speak over others.
- Do not disrupt the conversation.

We send children to time out for disobeying these basic rules of interaction, but somehow it's okay when hecklers force a meeting to be canceled--as happened in my home state this weekend--because they refused to let my representative speak? They are not ignoring you. You are killing the conversation before it even has a chance to begin.

If you can't follow the kindergarten rules, please: leave.

[mattcat25]

Congress needs to end the Corruption and Immoral practices of the Wall Street HealthCare Industry and their Red Flagged Accounts, Rescission, Fear tactics, and of course Republican TeaBag Goons!

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07312009/watch.html

[xlib]

Well here's a tip for you barry, don't send in your union thugs. How's that for a simple answer.
You were the one who made statements like "not taking a knife to a gun fight", "we'll punch back twice as hard", "step in if one of your minions is criticized". Yea, barry, your Chicago way may just well backfire on you.
BTW barry, there's a protest outside your SEIU headquarters in St Louis tomorrow to protest the beating of a BLACK conservative. Yea, barry, you threw the glove down, now face the consequences.

[brooke50]

Congress and the President are not listening to Americans - We call, we write and eventually we will get this nice little form letter that says absolutly nothing (does not even mention what they are actually responding too) and ends with thanks for writing.

They are ignoring us, just as the fake Town Hall Meetings -

I will agree, they should not be violent, but then again, I have not read nor saw any police reports to support the articles claimm of violence.

Obama tell your minions to stop trying to manipulate Town Meets to "Bar-room Brawls" - Gibbs statement (which follows)can only be another attempt to mis-lead, mis-inform and cloud issues.

"Added Gibbs: "I think we can have honest policy disagreements without being either disagreeable or certainly without being violent."

[antoniof123]

Dude the majority are not these wing nuts they are being imported form other areas.

So please these are wing nuts if they would go and speak by raising their hands and acting in good faith with others then they would be listened too. But instead they try to bully and scare well that is not working any more and the more I see it the more I say they are wrong.

But hey what do I know I only vote at each election and that is how I as a swing voter will show my disaproval.

[pasmalltown]

To Brook50 -
Your comment, "Gibbs statement (which follows)can only be another attempt to mis-lead, mis-inform and cloud issues.", does not mis-lead, mis-inform, or cloud any ISSUE or issues. Mr Gibbs is expressing HIS OPINION about town meetings and HOW THEY SHOULD BE RUN. Now you can disagree with his OPINION, but please don't cloud the issue by saying that Gibbs was clouding an issue.

AND Gibbs further clarified his opinion with the following comment: ""And if somebody is yelling or somebody particularly is being violent, I'm not entirely sure that helps the entire process for anybody involved," he added" Again it is your right to disagree with this statement, but it seems the only thing Gibbs is trying to say is we can all agree to disagree on AN ISSUE, but respect those who share a differing OPINION on that issue.

[stn_sage]

It's real simple; if harassed, confronted, or attacked by right-wingers at Democrat party town hall meetings, defend yourself, until the police arrest and take these hoodlums away!

[xlib]

Yea, defend yourself against all those old people. Hey A hole, have you see the MOB at these meetings?
So, anyone who has the AUDACITY to question, criticize and shout down one of the thug's minions to stop them from telling the central government BS has a right to be arrested?? I see where you're going her libtard. How about your thug's minions just answer our questions instead of talking over us and lying?
re

[mattcat25]

The Democrat Party is not merely allowing for the Republicans to derail Healthcare and everything else that is desired by the American Middle Class in efforts to return complete power back to the GOP knowing that they will reinstate their same detrimental Conservative Agenda back against the American Working Middle Class as they have done during the Cheney Presidency, to insure a sweeping return to power in 2012, or 2016?maybe 2020. The Democrat Party playing to Republicans isn't folding, or cowering to their agenda but a strategic political plan.