Democrats block me in Wichita

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This afternoon I attended a Democratic party rally at Old Town Square in Wichita. The featured speaker was candidate for United States Congress from the fourth district of Kansas Raj Goyle. I hadn’t expected to be blocked, but that’s what happened.

Democrats blocking in WichitaDemocrats blocking me in Wichita. “It’s freedom, dude” was his explanation as to why he blocked me.

Blocking is when someone who is considered an intruder or spy is prevented from taking photographs or video. Typically the people who might be blocked are “trackers,” people that follow a candidate and record every word they can, hoping to record something they can use against the candidate.

I’m not a tracker. I’ve been to only one other Raj Goyle event. But this afternoon it was made clear that I was not welcome at the Democratic Party event that featured candidate Goyle.

I don’t know if any meaning should be given to the fact that it was a Brandon Whipple sign that was used as the blocking tool. (Sorry for the illegibility of the sign. I’m not quite familiar with the limitations of the HDR processing on my new Apple iPhone 4.) I don’t know if Goyle himself would have approved of the blocking. I’ve been critical of his policies and generally approving of those of his major party opponent, Mike Pompeo. But I don’t think he would have approved of the blocking. We shook hands and said hello before the event started.

For what it’s worth, the Goyle campaign employs a tracker. I’ve not seen him be blocked at any Pompeo events that I’ve attended, although it may have happened. But I’ve seen the tracker allowed to take his video unmolested even at events that took place on private property, where the Pompeo campaign would have been entirely within its rights to remove the tracker from the premises. Today I was blocked on public property.

I’ve asked the Pompeo campaign if they’ve used trackers, and they declined to answer.

When I asked the young man who blocked me if he was, in fact, blocking me, he said “It’s freedom, dude!” Which, I think, tells us a lot about some young people, Democrats, and their warped concept of freedom and liberty.

Update: Someone has told me that the blocker probably committed a crime by attempting — and partially succeeding — to prevent me from enjoying a public event held in a public space.

Comments

15 responses to “Democrats block me in Wichita”

  1. sue c.

    Oh my gosh! This is too funny. “Freedom, Dude!” That is a quote I am going to remember.

    What would Goyle say that is so secret? At a public event, no less? Inquiring minds want to know….

  2. Dammit dems

    Bob, that guy in your picture “Freedom Dude” is an moron. Flat out. I agree with you 100% there.

    Just FYI, Pompeo’s tracker is Craig Harms. I know him. He goes to things like this decked out in about the most idiotic getup I could imagine for “tracking” (think Miami Vice, without talent, intelligence or gravitas; replace with completely unfounded egotism; mix in that d-bag je ne sais quoi. It’s hard to explain, but if you knew him, you’d get it.).

    Again, as a non-conservative, I want to apologize for this guy’s behavior. Freedom (dude) or not, that was stupid, and Democrats should be better than that. Too bad they didn’t live up to it tonight.

    PS–sue c., as usual, you’re a non-contributing idiot. Go back to slobbing on Pompeo. God knows Susan won’t.

  3. Camerade C

    Dammit Dems..you think Sue C is an idiot.. well where do you get”AN” moran???? Th guy holding the Whipple sign is Bobby McGee . Is that too subtle for youD Dems?,,”Freedom’s just another word……….”

  4. Freedom Dude

    “Freedom Dude” really was stupid.

    I’ll try to rehabilitate the phrase. From now on Freedom Dude will reveal how Leftists don’t believe in Freedom of the Press.

    Sorry we can’t rehabilitate the person who commented above as “Dammit dems.” Men who go about personally attacking females clearly have some, shall we say “inadequacies.”

  5. Ictator

    Last week the actor currently called Jon Stewart (aka John Liebowitz (sp?) according to Mark Levin) called the president of our country “dude,” so you are in following in the same company as our commander in chief.

  6. commentatorsoriat

    If a conservative had done to a liberal editorial writer at the Wichita Eagle what the Democrats did to you, would this get shrugged off? I doubt it.

    Another leftist double standard.

  7. FreedomDude

    FreedomDude is right about his assertions that he has every right to be an obstructionist to your view.

    Bob is right that he isn’t a tracker for Pompeo but let’s not pretend that he isn’t a tracker altogether.

    Bob has done the bidding of AFL, the Kochs and big business for years. Weeks may not be a tracker for Pompeo but he certainly is a tracker for far right wing institutions. Weeks isn’t innocent, he is just as guilty as others who proliferate a right wing agenda at the expense of the middle class.

    Tracker or not Weeks has no place at moderate or progressive rallies. He isn’t a journalist, he is a biased, inaccurate and subjective editorialist whose opinion holds no more weight than my opinion on quantum physics.

  8. Anonymous

    Mr. Weeks, I believe that you have harmed your objectivity a little by being obviously pro-Pompeo. I am not voting for either candidate, because they have no clue what limited constitutional government really is!

  9. sue c.

    DD-thanks for the badge of honor. LOL

  10. Anonymous

    Like it or not he was expressing freedom. He had every right to block you. There is nothing warped about what this says about young people and Democrats. But I am sure some one here will point out that he probably is unamerican.

  11. Anonymous

    I think some of the comments here claiming a right to block someone from attending and viewing something in a public square illustrates the immaturity of Democrats. Not only that, but a willful selfishness. In particular, I wonder how Brandon Whipple feels about his sign being used to commit this atrocity? This entire episode is a disgrace to all candidates who attended, most particularly Raj Goyle. Thankfully he will lose in a big away. Then, the only question is how quickly he will leave Kansas.

  12. Anonymous

    Just to give an idea of what a jackass this “freedomdude” is, why didn’t he and the other fascists running this evetn block the Wichita Eagle’s reporter from covering the event? The Eagle didn’t endores Goyle.

  13. Fascists?

    Wait…aren’t you teabaggers the fascists?! Freedom Dude is *clearly* a socialist. Just sayin…

  14. Ann H.

    So what if Bob is a libertarian and Pompeo supporter rather than a progressive and a Goyle supporter? Anyone has the right to attend an event of this nature, whether they want to blog on it or just hear what the other candidate has to say. Any commenter claiming that it was appropriate to block Bob just because of his ideology, or because they disagree with his viewpoints and opinions, shows *exactly* the warped mentality Bob is talking about. “Tolerance and freedom for me, but not those who disagree with me.”

    Sue C–did you notice how DD blasted the Democrats for not being all nice and tolerant, saying “they should be better,” then in his next paragraph resorted to nasty ad hominem attacks against you? Oh the irony, LOL.

  15. sue c.

    Yes, Ann, ironic and hypocritical.

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