Montana Bullets and Blades

For weeks, my wife and I have been trying to plan a weekend trip to Bozeman to see my brother. We haven’t seen him since Christmas (he works insanely hard and has little time to travel to Dillon) and I miss him and his wife. Understand that we planned this trip before finding out that President Obama was coming to Bozeman the weekend we were traveling there.

When the plans were announced that President Obama was visiting Bozeman that he would be having a short “Town Meeting” about the “Health Care” issue, I was really excited. As someone that has some very strong views on the issue and has posted a lot about it in the last month, I was finally going to get the words directly from “the horse’s mouth”.

That was, until I attended the Stevensville Creamery Picnic Parade. It seems that the blind rage expressed by many on the right of the Health Care issue spilled over into the Parade. I personally saw both the signs in question and it really makes me sad that this issue - which effects EVERY single American - can’t be discussed in a reasonable and adult fashion. A few have commented on the breakdown of reasonable discourse on the subject Here and Here.

It seems that there is already a protest planned for the Obama visit. Since the event requires tickets to get in, they are going to line the area surrounding the event so that they can be as disruptive as possible. They have even called for support for the protest from right leaning bloggers from around the state. Understand that these are not the professional protestors following around the Congress Critters trying to get a feel for what the public wants - these are actual Montanans who, instead of wanting to actually listen what the PRESIDENT has to say on the matter, they want to disrupt the proceedings, denying those Montanans that can attend the oppurtunity to have a say with our Chief Executive.

When was the last time a sitting President actually visited Montana? Can you remember it? How many times will Montanans get a chance to actually see a sitting President and offer up our views on the Country or how some planned legislation should be handled?

Instead of seeing this as an oppurtunity to do some good (whatever your view of “good” is, this fifth grade rejects have chosen to be as disruptive as possible - not only ruining thier chance for meaningful dialog, but ruining the chances of thier fellow Montanans.

I am ashamed of these people and even more ashamed that they claim to be responcible conservative Montanans. There is nothing responcible about this. If you disagree with the President, fine. It is your right. I disagree with many of the things he has to say about Health Care. That does not inspire me to make an ass of myself and deny my fellow Montanans of a chance for reasonable exchange with the man.

My wife and I have decided to forgo the Obama visit. We do not want to deal with the crowds, the hupla and the protest. Thanks, assholes, for ruining what could have been a once in a lifetime experience.

Moorcat