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Originally Posted by rivethead  There are a couple issues here. This isn't the first time a weak threat against the President has been investigated at this level and made the news. Anyone with any common sense/understanding of the government knows what happens when you initiate something like this. Volkmann was a fucking moron for saying what he said. |
I disagree, he just got all kinds of publicity over this. No body outside of the MMA community knew who this guy was and now he's a national news story.
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That's an interesting perspective, and I can understand why you feel like it's an infringement, but I disagree.
Volkmann wasn't arrested, he wasn't detained, he wasn't charged or financially burdened. He got to pop off and get his 13 minutes of fame--minutes that transcend his ability to achieve fame as a fighter--and he's none the worse for it.
I could see where the government might feel justified in presenting him with a bill [to save the taxpayers] for the fees involved with investigating and resolving the concern as a non threat. He initiated it, he's at least theoretically responsible. But they didn't, because that's not what the constitution is about.
And I'm comfortable with whatever contribution I've had to make as a taxpayer to ensure there isn't a threat against the President [I'd have felt the same if it was Bush, and I had even less respect for him as a person and a politician] while simultaneously upholding the tenets that made this country great. Despite having an African American in the Oval Office, we're more conservative and closer to a police state than at any time in my adult life, and I'm pleased that nothing else happened to Volkmann--even if he's a moron--besides a short conversation.
rh
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I just think the time and money spent to send someone to "interview" this guy over this is dumb. So now, if someone hears me say, I'd like to slap Obama upside his head, they should send someone to interview me to see if I'm going to follow through?
I think they could have easily got everything they needed by watching the video. There are millions of people who say similar things every day. It doesn't make them threats and they shouldn't all be investigated.