by Randy Wyles
Executive Editor

I’ve got to say, I was surprised arrests weren’t made in Phoenix when a dozen people with guns, including one man with an assault rifle, showed up at a protest outside the convention center where Obama was giving a speech.  A similar incident occurred in New Hampshire at a town hall meeting that Obama held.  A man carrying a sign that read "It is time to water the tree of liberty" stood outside of the town hall meeting with a pistol strapped to his leg.

Make no mistake about it - I am a fervent supporter of the Second Amendment.  The citizens of a free society must have the right to bear arms.  And I am completely and totally opposed to Senate Bill SB-2099/House Bill HR45 – the Blair-Holt Gun Licensing Act of 2009 (the subject of an upcoming op/ed).  In addition, I know Arizona law allows citizens to carry guns openly, but to see that right outside a convention center where a president is speaking did seem strange to me.

I’ve covered presidential visits and even traveled with presidents going back as far as Gerald Ford.  The Secret Service makes it clear that anyone in the vicinity of the president will be arrested if they possess a weapon.  Makes sense.

I remember one occasion, while I was a reporter in Dallas, I realized I still had my 9mm in my vehicle and I was on my way to cover a visit to Dallas by, then, Vice President George H. W. Bush.  He was expected to appear alongside Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at a function – and, as one would expect, security was high. 

I had left from my home, about 40 miles north of Dallas, and remembered that I had the gun in my vehicle when I was just a few blocks from the event.  Realizing that my vehicle could be searched, as often happens at such high security risk events, I stopped off at my newsroom, which happened to be nearby, and turned my gun over to my news director for safe keeping.  I just didn't want to run the risk of becoming part of the story I was sent to cover.

On another occasion, while traveling in President Carter’s motorcade, the Secret Service stopped a man with a rifle case strapped to his motorcycle.  Now, I ride a Harley and I can tell you that strapping a long rifle to a motorcycle would take some kind of planning.  It certainly wouldn’t make for the most comfortable, not to mention safest, ride.  The biker was ahead of the motorcade and when pulled over by an advance police cruiser, the man acknowledged that he was aware the president would be taking that particular route to an open air speaking event…and that he wanted to get there before the president.  Needless to say, the guy never got to the event.

As for why those protesters in Arizona showed up with their guns?  Well, first of all, because they could; Phoenix police made it clear that the gun carrying protesters weren’t breaking any laws.  And between the ridiculous health care reform bill and the Blair-Holt Gun Licensing Act, a lot of people – particularly law abiding gun owners – think it’s time to make a statement.  In general – I agree on both counts.

But at a presidential address?  Well…I’m not so sure - but that's just me.  Again, I hold no cause with Barack Obama.  But when people show up with guns outside a presidential address, the alert factor among the Secret Service Protection Details rockets.  I can only imagine what the Service must have thought when these guys arrived – even if they were protesters.

I will say that I completely agree with their right to carry lawfully and I agree with their right to protest peacefully…and I think that’s all there was to it.  But if someone is plotting to harm the president - and I'm not saying that was the intent by anyone in Phoenix - but if someone should actually wish to harm the president, then the line has been crossed.

As I’ve said, I don’t agree with Barack Obama at all.  I think he’s a Socialist.  I think he is leading the country down a dangerous path.  I think the country would do well to get him out of office as soon as is allowed under the law.  But no president - NO PRESIDENT - should ever be assassinated or harmed in any way – no matter who he or she is or how lousy of a leader they are.

And that’s what this gun carrying, free speech advocate thinks.

Randy Wyles is Chief Investigator for Hunter Investigations and has worked as a contract field investigator for the U.S. Department of Justice.  He is also the Atlanta Crime Examiner for Examiner.com.