Michigan Cancels Legislative Session to Avoid Armed Protesters

[brooklynite]

Source: Bloomberg

Michigan closed down its capitol in Lansing on Thursday and canceled its legislative session rather than face the possibility of an armed protest and death threats against Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

The gathering, meant to advocate opening the state for business despite the coronavirus pandemic, followed one April 30 that resulted in pictures of protesters clad in military-style gear and carrying long guns crowding the statehouse. They confronted police and taunted lawmakers.

The shutdown was done with little fanfare at the end of Wednesday’s State Senate session. About 4:30 p.m., lawmakers in the Republican-majority chamber simply adjourned until Tuesday rather than call the next previously scheduled meeting for Thursday morning at 10 a.m. The Michigan State Police are closing the buildings due to the coronavirus, said spokesman Lieutenant Brian Oleksyk.

For the past week, lawmakers have been debating how to safely enable lawmakers to work and vote in session while the state’s laws allow people to bring firearms into the capitol building. The debate grew more tense in recent days as some lawmakers read about threats to the governor’s life on social media, which were published in the Detroit Metro Times.

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-14/michigan-cancels-legislative-session-to-avoid-armed-protesters

[truthisfreedom]

1. Whoever's idea it was for open carry there

Should be the spokesperson out on the street calling the crowds. With no body armor.

[Eliot Rosewater]

2. GOP are terrorists and killers

[Newest Reality]

3. What concerns me...

What concerns me is that intimidation tactics by armed groups require avoiding them in the first place.

To extrapolate that, if those armed groups, (who may feel emboldened by that) were to then intimidate and attack civilians is the response going to be to avoid them? Is that going to be what citizens are told to do when threatened.

It sets a very bad precedence and is starting to remind me of something in the last century that did not turn out well.

[Bradshaw3]

5. True, caving to bullies rarely ends well

They probably will be emboldened. What's next, intimidating voters because they don't like pre-election polls?

[Newest Reality]

6. Yup.

That's one implication. Don't forget the conspiracy groups molding the reality around these actions, be they delusional and of smack of a religious devotion.

This is part of a much bigger picture.

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. Trump is egging it on, he loves chaos, it makes him feel powerful

and anything that helps destabilize the country is good for Putin and his gang.

plus there are Repub. strategists supporting this crap.

Wonder how many lawmakers have to be killed before we finally end up banning guns.
When those Republican state Congress. critters all fled from the Capitol to avoid/void some vote, we began the slide.
Tho for Oregon, the Bundy thing was a match, even if it seemed to flicker out for a bit.

[DENVERPOPS]

14. They are Domestic Terrorists

and what's frightening, is that they are winning. A small group of men brandishing weapons and the Detroit government caves in....... AND they encourage Trumphumpers all over the Nation to do the same. Makes you kinda wonder if we are even going to make it six months to the election.........
Or, will the RepubliCONs just declare the U.S.A. a Corporate Fascist Tyranny and steam roll their Coup into place..........

[sarisataka]

21. The Detroit government...

[DENVERPOPS]

25. Sorry

Michigan Gov't.......

[msongs]

4. totally coward republicans. running from guns they love so m uch nt

[hibbing]

7. Let's fix that headline

Armed terrorists force Michigan to cancel legislative session.

Peace

[Newest Reality]

22. That sounds...

That sounds far more accurate.

The original is more of what I call, "soft" journalism for its own sake. What, are they alleged or something?

[Bengus81]

8. And people think a regime like Hitler had could never happen in the US?? MY ASS

Right here is PROOF of it. What's next, the media shutting down unless only printing articles kissing Trumps ass because of fears of being killed or the building blown up? No...the Gov should have called in the GD National Guard and went back to business as usual.

Trump and his NAZI followers are high fiving over this.

[Wuddles440]

15. 100% correct....

and the reason that we're going to experience an even greater escalation of these armed demonstrations. Not only do they generate tremendous media attention but, more importantly, they are an incredibly effective tool to intimidate public officials and the citizenry in general.

[Miguelito Loveless]

9. And how long will you stay closed?

I mean, it's not like they are going to withdraw their threats, so have you just given up on democracy?

[cab67]

10. I'm sure the answer is "no," but I'll ask anyway.

Is it possible to charge legislators for harm caused by legislation they promoted?

I understand it's probably not possible, but it ought to be. If my unarmed kid was killed by a yahoo claiming "stand your ground" on the mistaken theory that she's a threat, I'd want to bring manslaughter charges against the idiots who thought such laws were a good idea.

If some open-carry whistleass harms my wife for no good reason, you can bet I wouldn't just be going after the whistleass with the gun - I'd do what I can to bring accountability to the whistleasses who made open carry possible. And I don't think working toward their defeat in the next election would be nearly enough.

[llmart]

12. "lawmakers in the Republican-majority chamber simply adjourned until Tuesday"

Keep in mind that our legislature is filled with GOP'ers (remember the a**hole with the confederate flag mask?). They're afraid of their own constituency. NOW who's the snowflake?

[Newest Reality]

23. Really...

Get enough of them together and they will become a snowball.

[Evolve Dammit]

16. This is insane. A couple hundred frothing knuckle draggers and you're shutting down gov't.??

Surround the place with the fucking National Guard and conduct business. If they become violent, arrest them or shoot them. They are inciting the violence and if it happens, there is no mistake to respond accordingly. With lethal force if necessary.

[TheFourthMind]

17. What about the next time? And the next time? And the next time?....

That's a one-sided win/win/win for the "protesters."

[Hekate]

18. Whatever happened to the National Guard? This is an armed insurrection, emboldend by cowardice

.

[Tbear]

19. Big Gretchen Will Win the Day! So the Republican-led Legislature in Michigan Shut Down and Went Home

Home when their own (couple hundred?) trumptribe came to town with their guns.
Clean up on aisle five, looks like some weak-kneed toughies peed themselves.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

20. They don't have something like Zoom up there?

Is there some other law that requires them to appear in the building to debate and vote?