What about my right to attend and gain knowledge from a town hall meeting?

[JuniperLea]

Seems to me these loud mouthed idiots are ruining the chance for other Americans to learn, to ask questions, and to decide for themselves. How is that legal? Why can't we just say, hey, write your question down, sit down, and shut the hell up and wait your turn?

They don't represent me. They are denying me my civil rights, imho.

This is Teabaggers all over again. The Teabaggers were screaming about taxes, directly on the heels of a tax break to most Americans. How stupid is that?

Now we have the Disruptors who want Obama to keep his hands off their medicare! How much deeper into the stupid are we going to go?

Why can't we fight these idiots for denying others their right to ask questions and hear answers? They scream about transparency, then when it is offered, they shout over it!

[babylonsister]

1. That's exactly what they're trying to do, deny you your civil rights.

The crazies and their handlers don't want any info getting out, so they're drowning everyone else out.

[napoleon_in_rags]

2. You're right, free speech protects the right of people to speak to those who want to hear.

So for instance if a radio show is protected by free speech, you can't jam its signal and then claim that the jamming signal is YOUR free speech. Its the same with shouting over people in town halls. Rules of order are made to protect the people's rights for this very reason, so the free speech rights of all are protected. So orderly conduct is a part of respecting the constitution.

[JuniperLea]

7. Excellent analogy...

Thanks!

[polichick]

3. To his credit, Specter told one screamer that his right to free speech ends at the point...

...where he keeps someone else from speaking.

[JuniperLea]

6. We need to hear more like this!

This has gone too far.

[SeattleGirl]

8. Whoa, good for him!

[timeforpeace]

4. Thought they were intended for input from constituents. A "listening tour" is what they are called.

[JuniperLea]

5. They are calling them what they are... Town Hall Meetings...

They should stick to it.

Town hall meeting
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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A town hall meeting is an informal public meeting derived from the traditional town meetings of New England. Similarly to those meetings, everybody in a community is invited to attend, voice their opinions, and hear the responses from public figures and elected officials, although attendees rarely vote on an issue. In today's heterogeneous communities with large populations, more often, town hall meetings are held so that people can influence elected officials in their decision making or to give them a chance to feel that their voices are being heard.

There are no specific rules or guidelines for holding a town hall meeting. If the turnout is large, and the objective is to give as many people as possible an opportunity to speak, the group can be broken down into smaller discussion groups. Participants all hear an opening presentation and then group-up to discuss an aspect of the presentation. Each group appoints someone to summarize their group's discussion.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_hall_meeting

[donquijoterocket]

9. listening

That's an original tack. Pretty hard to listen when you're red-faced screaming. Pretty hard for others to listen as well.