At least not to the extent some are speculating.
At the same time, I feel conned. When I saw the photo yesterday, my blood boiled. I was prepared to belive Parlock was Joe Citizen, naively exercising his right to peaceably demonstrate in a public place. Now, it appears he's a veteran of counter-demos, has been knocked down in the past, and involved in other altercations. That means he should have known not to bring a three-year old, and it appears she has been put in harm's way as a prop. Sure, nobody should have to deal with aggressive dogs, either, but if you dangle your three-year old in front of a pit bull, you bear some responsibility for the consequences.
This does not excuse the union thugs who did what they did. But I'm not prepared to exonerate Phil Parlock.
It was a public place! It was a public airport. It was not an official rally. He had as much right to stand where he stood as anyone else. He was not interfering with a campaign event. Edwards was there to board a plane, not give a speech.
Being a Democrat does not give one the right to physically attack someone else for holding up a sign. Period.
Are you for real?
It's a sad day in America when a father cannot take his children to a PUBLIC airport to deliver a message-quietly and legally-- to a vice-presidential candidate.
The union thugs did not own that space. They sure as hell do not own the First Amendment.
Mr. Parlock is trying to teach his children what freedom of speech means in America.
Unfortunately, Kerry's Kommie Thugs do not share the same definition of Constitutional Rights that we do.
I must beg to differ - are you saying that his rights to free speech are limited by the rudeness of others around him? I applaud him for being politically involved and for standing up for civil discourse. Not knowing what words were exchanged, if any, I can only say that he and his family had every right to peacably voice an opinion there and the thug(s) were 100% responsible for this and 100% wrong.
Oh, so he shouldn't show up at all??
C'mon........... that's accepting intimidation.. That's laying down.. This man had courage to show up, and did nothing to provoke them, other than showing up..
Hmmmmmmmmmmm.. Turn the tables would you. If dems showed up with kids and pubs attacked their children, and said, hey you asked for it by showing up.. that's fine right?