Has anybody heard anything about the Town of Gilberton or Gilbertville?

[TheDebbieDee]

Supposedly they are being held hostage by some Militia and a crazy Sheriff in Pennsylvania and were posting requests to be rescued/freed on Facebook.

Did anybody get through the media blackout and find out what's going on?

[Kingofalldems]

1. There is a post in GD about it somewhere.

[dorkzilla]

2. Here ya go

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3414055

[Tx4obama]

3. Go up to the top right hand side of DU and enter into the search box: Gilberton Kessler

And lots of DU threads will come up.

[johnp3907]

4. It's been blown out of proportion.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/08/06/1229344/-Gilberton-PA-has-not-been-taken-over-by-a-militia

[bunnies]

5. Here:

There is a problem with the police chief in the tiny coal town of Gilberton, Pa.

Police Chief Mark Kessler has been heading up the Gilberton Police Department for several years. To an outsider, his life as the face of law in a small town was about as uneventful as you would expect. That is, until last month. On July 15, Kessler received international attention by posting a YouTube video in which he slammed “libtards,” called John Kerry a traitor, bashed the U.N., and fired off dozens of rounds from an automatic rifle. A few days later, Kessler followed up on his first video by firing off more rounds of ammo in response to anyone who was offended by his first video.

But in Gilberton, Kessler is known for a lot more than YouTube videos. In addition to being the town’s police chief, Kessler is the head of the Constitution Security Force (CSF), a 100-man militia that vows to protect gun rights in the small town. For years, residents of Gilberton have been uncomfortable with Kessler’s antics. Some even feared that he could begin using his militia to police the town. After Kessler’s videos were posted, residents of the town finally had something they could use against him in an attempt to remove him from his post as police chief. A town meeting was called, during which Kessler was suspended for using borough property for personal use. The town council ruled that Kessler used police department guns without permission.

But the meeting was all but uneventful. At the meeting, more than 100 of Kessler’s militia members showed up. The men, all carrying firearms, blocked the entrance to the Gilberton Town Hall and prevented residents from going inside. Few managed to get past Kessler’s security, but those who did spoke to town councilmen about their disdain for Kessler and the position he holds in the town.

more at link: http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/crime/gilberton-pennsylvania-police-chief-kessler-blocks-town-meeting-armed-militia-video#

[Mr. David]

10. The town council should fire Kessler and tell the CSF to fuck off or the National Guard will be

called and arrest the entire members (all 100 of them) for felony menacing which is more than enough to ban those morons from ever owning guns again.

[cherokeeprogressive]

12. No Town Council anywhere has the authority to call out the National Guard.

[TreasonousBastard]

6. Not much in mass media, but...

It's been around here and there. Not exactly a blackout, but I suspect Times or Enquirer reporters weren't able to get in there.

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/crime/gilberton-pennsylvania-police-chief-kessler-blocks-town-meeting-armed-militia-video

http://articles.mcall.com/2013-08-05/news/mc-gilberton-police-chief-guns-video-letter-20130805_1_borough-council-chief-kessler-borough-hall

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/08/06/1229194/-The-Town-Of-Gilberton-PA-Has-Been-Taken-Over-By-Miltia

http://republicanherald.com/news/gilberton-police-chief-defends-his-actions-1.1532568

You can also search DU for some stuff on this maniac recently.

[brooklynite]

9. Maybe there's no coverage because there's no story...

The Police Chief made a crazy YouTube video. He got suspended. He'll probably be fired. Some of his friends showed up and were noisy at a town meeting. Not compelling journalism.

[TreasonousBastard]

11. Could be. I'm kinda thinking of taking a road trip there...

There's a Mother Earth festival in Seven Springs next month and Gilberton isn't that far out of the way.

Methinks the chief will be gone by then, but who knows...

[TheDebbieDee]

7. Everybody: Thanks for the links and the info.

I'm glad the sitch wasn't as bad as I had imagined.

[kelliekat44]

8. Someone will get up enough courage to eventually take him out. It's the wild west there. nt