To be quite honest, I think that Mr. Corcoran was a tasteless stupid
I think most would agree, it was pretty tasteless and anyone putting that out for the public to see had to have been a stupid asshole person to have done so - and I think a pretty nasty asshole person being he did so right after so many were wounded and killed. Well anyway, that's my personal opinion of him and his writings - I think him a tasteless and nasty asshole person relative to this issue.
Since he wrote that, his firearms have been confiscated by the police in his state of Massachusetts. I almost do not blame the police for having confiscated his firearms. Note I said almost. I understand why they did it but I am of the personal opinion that they went to far to fast. They have not accused him of a crime, have not charged him with a crime, yet the have seized his firearms and stripped him of his liberty to keep and bear firearms in MA. Had Mr. Corcoran written or uttered fighting words that were actually meant to incite others to violence against Congressmen, then I would have understood the actions of the police and probably condoned them. The thing is though, he probably did not truly attempt to incite anyone and note I said probably. Probably is the key word here because it goes toward Probable Cause. The police had, as I see it, no Probable Cause to believe he was inciting violence and therefore no Probable Cause to seize his firearms. The police though are saying that Mr. Corcoran made a credible threat and that they will consider it such until they have proven otherwise. I refer to this quotation:
“We certainly take this as a credible threat, and credible until we prove otherwise,” said Arlington police Captain Robert Bongiorno.
Well, isn't that a bit off from what the police usually need to do. Aren't they supposed to determine if an allegation is credible by way of developing Probable Cause and then provide evidence to help prove an allegation beyond a reasonable doubt? In this case, based on the quote, it certainly seems to me, they have assumed it credible and have gone from there, instead of investigating, to determine it indeed was credible and remains credible until they say otherwise. That quote can be found in this online news report. The news report goes on to say that the police are not planning on charging Mr. Corcoran with anything. If that is the case then what was his crime that gave police probable cause to seize his firearms in the first place?
Mr. Corcoran having said something, that was in my opinion tasteless, and nasty, is no reason to seize his firearms or curtail his liberties. If that was the case then the great majority of Americans, most probably myself included (heaven knows some others consider me and my writing much as I consider Mr. Corcoran), would either be in jail or have their liberties somehow else denied them.
I will not go into it in much more but if you want to read more on this subject then go to the below links to the blog posts, on this issue, by the person who apparently started a support group for the 1st & 2nd Amendments by his creation of the 'I Am TJIC' movement, and that is what is seems to be becoming - a movement among bloggers who support the 1st and 2nd Amendments.
http://borepatch.blogspot.com/2011/01/just-words.html
http://borepatch.blogspot.com/2011/01/we-are-tjic.html
http://borepatch.blogspot.com/2011/01/i-am-tjic.html
BorePatch says it pretty well, better than I could say it.
All the best,
Glenn B
5 comments:
I share your upset about the over reaction but I still feel uncomfortable about taking the step of "I am Spartacus" about this. The post was over the line and in times of hysteria, this is not good for any of us. Certainly, this kind of thing can backfire against us. Still, I don't like Big Brother coming and getting his guns.
It's things like this that can become a fuse for something far worse. If there must be a fuse, I just hope it's worthy of what would follow. I just don't know if this is worthy.
I do not think that Mr. Corcoran is worthy of any support from me, I think the cause of justice is worthy. I think I expressed myself pretty well about how I feel about him and his statements. I hope I expressed myself as well on why I think the police did not have just cause to seize his firearms. This was a tough call for me to make, I think I see both sides more than many who have thrown their whole hearted support behind this jerk. And jerk is calling him nicely. I am throwing my support not behind him but behind doing things the right way under our legal system and by saying I am TJIC I do not mean I would be crude, rude, obnoxious or an asshole as I believe him to have been. I do mean it could just as easily have been me or you or someone else who said something that the police did not like and then they swoop in and seize your firearms. I really do not think they had enough on this one. I could later be proven wrong, maybe they did have enough, maybe they have much more they have not divulged, but I doubt it very much with the past record of the state of MA and the authorities within that state. They are a far cry from what they were at the start of this nation.
I respect your decision though, maybe it is the smarter one to make. I thought about this pretty in depth before making up my mind and still think it was the right thing for me to do but it was only after some hard thinking and soul searching on this issue. if I was wrong then I'll eat my words. It is not like I have sold my soul or bet my home on this, or put the whole cause in jeopardy by showing support for free speech and the RKBA just because the case involves a seemingly obnoxious asshole (my personal opinion). You have to remember, just because he said something that was reprehensible does not necessarily make it okay for his firearms to be seized and his liberties curtailed - not unless it is determined that he actually intended for someone to harm others by virtue of what he said. He would have been or should have been arrested by now had that been the case.
All the best,
GB
Just one other thing, while I am not on the fence now, I am still not that far from it. If this guy is shown to actually be a whacko who was planning to kill or incite to kill congress people, then god for the cops for getting it right. The thing is though, right now it sure does not seem that way, it seems much more like abuse of authority and abuse of the Constitution. Believe me, it was not easy for me to arrive at this viewpoint. And as I said, if I am wrong, I will step back and admit it. Then life will go on. If i was right, same thing, life will go on and hopefully some changes will be made. It is just a shame this guy had to be such a flaming jerk (personal opinion) and come out with a statement like that right after the shootings in Tucson (or at any time for that matter).
All the best,
GB
I know what you mean completely Glenn. I think we are on the verge of either retaining our freedoms or losing them well and truly.
Part of me feels the pull to do the same thing as you about this but another part remains dubious.
As you say, there may well be information that we are not privy to yet. But probably not. Otherwise, charges would have been brought.
I have seen a lot of the blogs I read take this on including some that are reasonably temperate. I can see the pull to join in. Don't take this as a criticism of your doing this. It's just that I am not convinced this specific case is where we draw the line.
If ATF crosses a line to create another Waco or Randy Weaver then I could see a fuse lit. Frankly, I think it's just a matter of time before that happens anyway. I think it will come sooner than we think as they would like to discredit gun rights and the Tea party. This time is different than Waco or Weaver. Much different. This issue has some elements that bring ambivalence and I would prefer not to have such ambivalence if something is going to matter to the point that something will happen...
after continuing to mull this over, I decided this morning that I am with you on this move. I think this is where a stand must begin to be made. If we don't stand up and DEMAND our rights we will lose them.
If someone can arbitrarily confiscate your guns for such a lame reason as that, then your right to bear arms is meaningless if it is so easily voided in practice.
Like in New Orleans when they were taking guns from people. They would not have taken mine. If more people took the stand I know most LEO's would think real hard about trying it. Most LEO's support the 2nd Amend. anyway.
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