Defensive Carry banner

Voter Intimidation Scenario

4K views 52 replies 27 participants last post by  hogdaddy 
#1 · (Edited)
Some of you may remember stories of voter intimidation at a polling station in Philadelphia during the Presidential Election last year. Here is an update:

GOP Lawmaker Wants Explanation Why Justice Dismissed Black Panther Voter Intimidation Charges - Political News - FOXNews.com

This is nagging at me. Voting is a basic freedom in this country. I have read in these forums how so many of us cherish our freedoms and actively work in supporting those freedoms. We certainly say we’d stand against a dictatorial government. Forums affirming our strong patriotism are all over these forums. I know it’s not all lip service. Well, I pose a scenario:

You have your CCW and your gun is with you, perhaps in your vehicle. You go to vote and the entrance is blocked by armed men spouting off about how only certain votes will be allowed. They actually point their guns at people and ask how they are voting before letting them through.

This sort of thing might actually be the sprouting of that dictatorial government we all say we’d oppose. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that it might actually happen if you think about the repercussions of the decision made by the courts in this case.

How do you react?

You could call the police. But maybe they never show. Could it be because the local “powers that be” are willfully turning a blind eye?

Do you then walk up and when they point their weapon at you pull your weapon and tell them you’re voting and it’s none of their business what that vote will be? Do you offer escort service to anyone who wants to vote? Do you call your buddies and suggest you band together and tell these thugs to scram? Or do you shrug your shoulders, say, “I guess I won’t vote this time”, go home and possibly awake to hear election results you don’t like? Write a letter to the editor afterwards?

How would we react? How should we react? What can be done legally anyway?
 
See less See more
#3 ·
Can you carry in a polling place?

Me? I am stupid enough to walk (unarmed) right up to and between two of the ugliest of them, hoping to make that angry man make a move against me. THEN, the police will either have to respond to my actions or their injuries.

This is not what we call "internet muscles" but something my wife complains about all the time. I love all peaceable people (of all colors, faiths and accents) but I'm allergic to angry people who bully. Angry people, for some reason, cause me indigestion.. and the desire to push their buttons.

I would give the shirt off of my back to anyone in need, and I am truly colorblind when it comes to my compassion. However, I haven't learned yet to ignore ignorance from gangbangers, KKK'er, black panther types or rowdy ********. Treat me nice, I'll treat you better. Treat me rough, I'll treat you rougher. (plus, I'm 52 and my kids are grown)

So, to answer your question, I would walk myself and anyone around me STRAIGHT down the middle of the blockade and exercise my right to vote.
 
#4 · (Edited)
If anyone tries to stop me from doing my civic duty in regards to voting I will use what ethical and moral options I deem proper to exercise my Constitutional right to vote.

In my view a United States Citizen has no greater duty than to vote.

Biker
 
#5 ·
If anyone tries to stop me from doing my civic duty in regards to voting I will use what ethical and moral options I deem proper to exercise my Constitutional right to vote.

Biker





I agree, and I seriously doubt that Biker would back off. It might be ugly for a minute or so, but I would rather die ONCE than cower everytime I saw a man with a stick.
 
#21 ·
Joel,

You don't know me well. The last place I want to be is in a gunfight. Maybe I should've put "legal" in there as well, but I didn't.

There are ways to handle this without gunplay. Talking of dying is foolish IMO. I don't cower, but I do pick my battles.

Biker
 
#6 ·
Personally I would try every nonviolent and legal means I can. Call the cops, cops fail, call the sheriff department, that fails call FBI, the FBI fails we have officially gone to WROL. Voting is not going to do much. Also this is not like I call each and wait a few days, I call each of them one after the other til someone shows up and removes them.
 
#10 ·
Exactly



Exactly. And one place you can call is the headquarters of the party that the alleged "intimidators" oppose. You can bet they will have the police out in force before you can hang the phone up.

Philadelphia isn't a third world country. It has a functioning police department. PA has a functioning State Police force. Both have DAs and courts to back them up.

The incident was relatively trivial. I think in an earlier discussion SD
said he would not have felt threatened and would have proceeded to enter and vote--as some did.
_______________________________________________

For the record, despite what we all hear on the news re: Phila, and some horrific big-city incidents, there are plenty of areas where you can safely walk around late evening and at night. There are also some where it isn't safe in broad daylight; especially when school is out.
 
#7 ·
Some may call it cowardly, but given the scenario of armed men outside the polling place, I'm not going to try and enter. 1 armed person against a group of armed people is not a situation your going to win. Back off and call the police. If they do not show up, pick up the phone again and call 911, report a fire at the polling location, also call the local TV station. Follow up those calls with calls to the FBI and the election commission.
 
#8 ·
I have had the option to choose my living places through the years, and I would not be living in, around, or near any area that pulls that kind of crap.:hand1::banned:

I now live in the rural South...those voter 'intimidators' wouldn't last too long down here.:nono::twak::argue::comeandgetsome:

I hope no one is surprised at those in control now, not doing anything about these kinds of actions except for some phony lif service...and it could get worse if the 'true majority' doesn't get out and vote in 2010.
OMOYMV
 
#53 ·
i have had the option to choose my living places through the years, and i would not be living in, around, or near any area that pulls that kind of crap.:hand1::banned:

I now live in the rural south...those voter 'intimidators' wouldn't last too long down here.:nono::twak::argue::comeandgetso
+ 1000 & you can take that to the bank
 
#12 · (Edited)
If "anyone" was blocking my path to vote while holding firearms and initimidating / threatening people or me that entrance depended upon what way I was voting :

I would enter and vote for whomever I pleased. I would not bow down to any threat to restrict me from voting for whomever I pleased. Any attempt to prevent me doing that, would be met with whatever level of action it required. Now that could be accompanied by police officers, state police officers, or bringing 100 people with me, as well as a lot of other options.
 
#15 ·
Hopyard-
The incident was relatively trivial. I think in an earlier discussion SD
said he would not have felt threatened and would have proceeded to enter and vote--as some did.
THIS TIME!!

What happens if the emperor to be has his "Civilian Defense Force" (wonder if they will wear brown shirts) in place for the 2012 elections and they are used to “monitor” the elections.
 
#17 ·
What world do you live in?

Hopyard-
THIS TIME!!

What happens if the emperor to be has his "Civilian Defense Force" (wonder if they will wear brown shirts) in place for the 2012 elections and they are used to “monitor” the elections.
If you really believe that something of the sort is being planned or would actually happen, you sure are living in a different world than I am.
 
#18 ·
Never thought I would see organized interstate voter fraud either

Don't think it is likely, Americans are too disorganized, but then neither did my forefathers in 1930s Germany.
 
#24 ·
I'm going to vote. If they try to stop me, then I'll be on the phone with every alphabet agency I can think of standing right in front of them. If they lay hands on, TN has a defense to carrying where prohibited if you are justified in using your piece in self defense.
I don't intimidate...call it a character flaw. I had a run in with a group of thugs in my old 'hood back in high school. They surrounded me after school and decided beating my butt was going to get this jackhole entry into their "gang"

I smashed his knee with a solid kick to the side of it when he struck the "whats up" pose with his arms straight out to his side.
I kicked his "homie" in the back of the head when he went to his aid...the other two left. I could have been shot, well stabbed back then, but once you back down to a bully...you always will.
 
#25 ·
If the police can't fix the problem, then we must do it ourselves. It would not take long to gather a force impressive enough to cause the trouble makers to get lost. Three of four thugs will not stand up to a dozen or more angry and well armed citizens.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Mistaken



This is a very sad idea. You don't take the law into your own hands.
That is a sure fire way for the members of "the force" gathered up to spend years in jail on a variety of charges.

As has already been pointed out, there are plenty of avenues by which problems of this sort can be legally sorted out. One telephone call to the State's Attorney General's office nearest you would almost certainly suffice.

A phone call to the party headquarters of the side being "intimidated" would solve the problem quickly.

If local police won't respond (highly unlikely) a phone call to the State Police, the FBI, the Federal Election Commission, are all going to get action.

Some of you are talking like we are living in the presence of widespread anarchy and that vigilantism is a legitimate solution to trivial police matters. We don't live in a land of anarchy and vigilantism isn't an answer to anything except getting those who would try it into a world of hurt.
 
#27 ·
Some of you are talking like we are living in the presence of widespread anarchy and that vigilantism is a legitimate solution to a trivial police matters. We don't live in a land of anarchy and vigilantism isn't an answer to anything except getting those who would try it into a world of hurt.
I agree. :hand10:

Biker
 
#28 ·
In Kentucky there is no law against being armed at a polling place (unless it's in a school, courthouse, etc., where guns are banned anyway). So I carry when I vote.

That said, if I saw armed people that are clearly not police I would not approach the building and call the police and voter fraud hotline.

If I somehow did not see the armed people and as I approached the entrance one of the thugs pointed a deadly weapon at me..... I will shoot until the threat is negated. Not because my right to vote is being impeded, but because I am being threatened with grave bodily harm or death. I have the same response whether it occurs at the grocery store, Wal-Mart, my own home or a polling place.
 
#31 ·
In a banana republic, the GOVT has armed officers at the poll and the civilians are unarmed. In a free republic, the government does not retain a monopoly on force. Honestly I don't have a problem with the panthers standing around with night sticks or knives or guns. I worry more when the Govt. does it; though I grant ACORN or other 'community groups' are little different from the govt when they exist solely to perpetuate a socialist regime. No one group should have a monopoly on force which is why all free people should be armed. Freedom exists only because you have the strength to keep others off your back.
 
#32 ·
Another reason why this article kind of got me is that there is a story in my family that we had a relative back in the Reconstruction Era in the South who was shot carrying a ballot box up the courthouse steps (I wish I had details but sounds like there was some heavy-duty intimidation going on by some thugs). It is possible that we can have a "descent into barbarism" in this country. We are not immune and our institutions can fail us. I certainly believe in following the law and in "going up the chain" first with all the agencies.
 
#34 ·
Events during the last election show that in some cases neither the law nor the mainstream media will do anything. And if the intimitdators support the 'right' candidate, their actions are even sanctioned by the Attorney General of the United States.
 
#35 ·
Really?



Really? What makes you think so.

This is yet another story where the exaggerators have taken a minor incident and endeavored it blow it into a political issue.

Show me that what you wrote is real; that the Attorney General of the United States sanctioned voter intimidation. You can't. All you can do is repeat the allegation, but there is nothing behind it.

Too many folks here mistake the rantings of entertainers for real news.
 
#37 ·
Revolution is in the air, whether you like it or not.
This is my biggest fear for this country.

No, I do not like the current president. I did not capitalize the office because the current holder of said office has not proven to my satisfaction that he is qualified to hold said office.

Change is in the air. I just hope it's change that this country can stand. Who knows, maybe the current turmoil will get people educated and involved, but I doubt it. This country has the attention-span of a gnat.

I do not think liberty can tolerate more than four years of this administration, let alone gun rights.

Biker
 
#40 ·
+1 Biker

This is my biggest fear for this country.

Biker
Mine also. I'm constantly amazed by the number of supposedly upstanding law abiding folk who see nothing wrong with talking about rebellion, encouraging troops to sign secondary oaths, and similar things that should put them in jail. There is nothing patriotic about such things and some of it may be downright criminal.
 
#43 ·
Only a corrupt community organizer could assemble a team of liars, frauds, cheats, hypocrites, and criminals as broad and deep as Obama’s cabinet.

The only way the marxist will get re-elected is through voter intimidation (black panthers) and voter fraud (Acorn).

And we haven't even seen how his brownshirts (Americorps) are going to roll.

The only ones who need to take a vacation are the socialists in office and their propoganda machine (the media) who are having a love-fest with the marxist.

I believe we're going to have a big shift...hopefully starting in 2010.

4 years of a failed Carter administration gave us 8 years of President Ronald Reagan.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top