Defending idiocy – and disruptive, sometimes violent opposition (UPDATED: PHOTO MONTAGE OF STARK INITIATING CONFRONTATION)
The closer it gets to election day, the more Dems are completely cracking up.
Last night, I blogged about a scuffle between three staffers for Senator George Allen and a heckler who tried to shove his way through a crowd in order to continue his history of harassing and ambushing Senator Allen. There’s no question in my mind that Allen’s staffers acted appropriately, considering the circumstances, and considering who we’re talking about: one Mike Stark, diarist at the Daily Kos blog.
Before we get into who he is, I’d like to post excerpts of Stark’s expectedly indignant response to what happened:
My name is Mike Stark. I am a law student at the University of Virginia, a marine, and a citizen journalist. Earlier today at a public event, I was attempting to ask Senator Allen a question about his sealed divorce record and his arrest in the 1970s, both of which are in the public domain. His people assaulted me, put me in a headlock, and wrestled me to the ground. Video footage is available here, from an NBC affiliate.
Ok. Now sealed divorce records are part of the “public domain.” Ummhmm. Continuing:
I demand that Senator Allen fire the staffers who beat up a constituent attempting to use his constitutional right to petition his government. I also want to know why Senator Allen would want his staffers to assault someone asking questions about matters of public record in the heat of a political campaign. Why are his divorce records sealed? Why was he arrested in the 1970s? And why did his campaign batter me when I asked him about these questions.
Stark, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, is trying to make himself sound like an innocent constituent who got “battered” (wha??) for merely wanting some quality time with his Senator. Over “matters of public record” that have nothing to do with Stark’s real issue with Allen, which is:
George Allen defends his support of the Iraq war by saying that our troops are defending the ideals America stands for. Indeed, he says our troops are defending our very freedom. What kind of country is it when a Senator’s constituent is assaulted for asking difficult and uncomfortable questions? What freedoms do we have left? Maybe we need to bring the troops home so that they can fight for freedom at George Allen’s campaign events. Demanding accountability should not be an offense worthy of assault.
Got that? The important questions he had for Senator Allen regarding his sealed divorced records from 22 years ago as well as his 1974 arrest for a minor infraction (which I’ll get into more in a minute) have everything to do with the issue of Senator Allen’s stance on Iraq. Afterall, without knowing more about the Senator’s divorce from his first wife, and what that ‘mysterious’ arrest was all about, we can’t be sure what Allen’s position is on the war in Iraq today.
I will be pressing charges against George Allen and his surrogates later today. George Allen, at any time, could have stopped the fray. All he had to do was say, “This is not how my campaign is run. Take your hands off that man.” He could have ignored my questions. Instead he and his thugs chose violence. I spent four years in the Marine Corps. I’ll be damned if I’ll let my country be taken from me by thugs that are afraid of taking responsibility for themselves.
But who is the real thug here? Mike Stark. For a detailed history of how Stark has stalked and harassed Senator Allen at campaign events as well as a look at how he views conservatives, click here and keep scrolling. This post alone speaks volumes.
As you can see, he is not a run of the mill concerned citizen merely wanting to question Senator Allen on policy disagreements. He was not a mere “dissenter” that Allen ‘didn’t want to deal with.’ The man, quite simply, is a maniac. One who the far left is defending as a harmless guy who was “beaten” for merely exercising his right to free speech.
Now, knowing what we now know about Stark, let’s take a look at how a few far lefties have gone about standing up for this guy. First, Alternet played the absolute moral authority card by claiming Stark is a Marine:
Former Marine and first year law student, Mike Stark was asking Republican senator George Allen some questions about the arrest records he refuses to make public and whether he had ever spit on his first wife. (Rumors that the Republican had done so have been circulating). Men wearing “Allen” buttons then assaulted Stark, wrestling him to the ground and forcibly removing him from the premises.
First off, I sincerely doubt any Marine worth his salt would do something like this but assuming it’s true that he is a Marine, that’s not an excuse to aggressively harass someone. Well, ok, it would be if you’re a part of the absolute moral authority Nutroot gang.
Think Progress posted this little tidbit in their “Corrupt Establishment” section:
Stark is not, as CNN reported, a “protester.” He is a constituent who was trying to ask Allen a question
So I just had a longer interview with Mike Stark, the man who was thrown to the ground today by staffers for Senator George Allen for asking their boss a couple of questions.
Ah! See? He was a mere “constituent” who wanted to question Senator Allen on an issue of vital importance to Virginians: whether he (Allen) “spat” on his ex-wife 30 years ago. BTW, here’s what Allen’s ex-wife had to say about constituent Stark’s questions:
Allen’s former wife, Anne Waddell, issued a statement calling Stark’s question “a baseless, cheap shot.”
Back to the defenses of Stark, the nuttiness continued today, this time at the Huffington Post. Blogger and radio talk show host Cenk Uygur wrote this puff piece on Stark:
What this country needs are more journalists willing to ask tough questions. I know one such person – Mike Stark. Mike’s questions are so tough, he gets tackled for them. Senator Allen’s campaign staff assaulted Mike after he asked them perfectly relevant questions about the Senator’s divorce and arrest records.
Yes, questions about Allen’s sealed divorce papers from 22 years ago, and an arrest that happened in the 70s (which I believe the Senator has said happened as a result of unpaid parking tickets), are questions that I would consider “tough.” You?
Senator Allen is a public official – and one who runs on family values. Mike Stark was asking for records that might or might not show whether the Senator lives up to his campaign talk. And I can’t imagine a more relevant question than why a Senator won’t reveal his arrest record. There are far more questions that the Allen campaign has to answer for, let alone every other campaign, and the entire Bush administration.
I call bullsh!t on this one. Mike Stark and Cenk Uygur don’t give a rats behind on whether or not Senator Allen is a family values type guy. This is all about Iraq, which Stark clearly admits and Uygur strongly implies with his bit about “far more questions” the Allen campaign and entire Bush admin should have to “answer for.”
Uygur, who is the co-host of the Young Turks morning radio show on Scare America, and others at Air America were so impressed with Stark’s aggressive nature and hard hitting questions that they, well, I’ll let you read it for yourself:
In light of the fact that Mike has shown an ability to ask questions others are not willing to ask, for the benefit and education of the public, I am proud to announce that “The Young Turks” on Air America Radio has hired Mike Stark to be a reporter for the show.
Who’da thought that harassment could be so rewarding?
I’ve known Mike for awhile now. He is attending the University of Virginia law school and he is a United States Marine. Once a Marine, Always a Marine. Semper Fi means something to Mike Stark.
How insulting to US Marines both at home and abroad. Considering his behavior and unprovoked belligerent and hostile attitude, Mike Stark knows nothing about honor, nor faithfulness to the Marines. That an Air America host would hold him up as some paragon of truth just shows the depths of depravity to which some on the left have sank.
Mike is smart, tough, well educated, dedicated and obviously courageous. This country needs more reporters like Mike Stark. I am proud to be part of an organization that is going to give people like Mike an opportunity to ask more tough questions of our elected officials. The people have a right to know.
And we’re not done. We plan to hire more reporters in the future to cover political events around the country for us. If the mainstream press won’t ask the questions, then we will.
If I were a Republican running for election or re-election, I’d consider that as a threat and a call to be on guard. If Scare America is planning on hiring more such “courageous” nutjobs to “cover political events”, Republican campaign staffers need to be on alert and watchful for people like Stark and other wackos that AAR plans on hiring because there is obviously no line they will not cross, because to them, wrong is right, right is wrong, and the ends justify the means.
It goes without saying that the defenses by these far lefty bloggers of Stark’s actions at the Allen campaign event (not to mention the implied approval of Stark’s other notable disruptive activities) are troubling, but I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised, considering the talk that is swirling out there in the blogosphere about what the far left might resort to if they lose next Tuesday.
The endorsement for harassment – and violence, if necessary, is clear, and is made by people who are as anti-war as they come. Well, anti-Iraq war, anyway. Pro-war inside America, against Republicans, is apparently justifiable. It just all depends on whether or not they get their way, whether it be at a campaign stop, the court of public opinion, or at the ballot box.
Update 11:22 PM: Here are some snapshots (Update: they are here as well) of Stark exercising his “free speech rights” as a “constituent” – by shoving an attendee to the Allen event into a door as he races after Allen. Note the “Allen” sticker on his shirt. This deceptive, lying jerk is now a “reporter” for Air America. Welcome to the Twilight Zone!