Media Blackout of PA. Town Held Hostage By Militia & police chief

[AgingAmerican]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/08/06/1229194/-The-Town-Of-Gilberton-PA-Has-Been-Taken-Over-By-Miltia#

Welcome to Gilberton, Pennsylvania, where men with loaded guns, propping up a suspended police chief accuse all other citizens of being “tyrants”. It is a place where men with Swastika tattoos claim the “other people” are the Nazis. What, didn't you hear about this on CNN, Fox, MSNBC, or really anywhere else? Isn't NPR even interested in this story? For whatever the reason, no one is touching this. Perhaps the Federal government fears a stand off and doesn't want this to snowball, or inspire other towns with similar demographics to go the same route. Whatever the reason, this is a true case of media blackout.

...

Gilberton, Pennsylvania is a small borough which is currently living under the constant threat of terroristic violence. Armed men block the entrance to public meetings. Public officials openly threaten every member of society who holds a different political view than they do, and councilmen are strip searched and arrested without cause if they don’t fall in line with prevailing opinions.

...

Anyone who tries to fire the Police Chief is be forced to live in fear of retaliation from a militia of armed terrorists. Pennsylvania police chief Mark Kessler is the head of a political organization which refers to itself as “The Constitution Security Force.“ Kessler was recently given a thirty day suspension, for using police property as props in a video where he threatens and insults “libtards,” otherwise known as people who hold political views which differ from his own.

...

So this is what the far right, tea party, libertarians want to take this country. Pennsylvania is a northeast testing ground for far right politics. I'm just waiting for Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Texas, Georgia, North Dakota, etc. to follow. If you think the radical right in those states aren't watching, just wait.

We need to DEMAND that the media outlets start covering this story. This bodes very dangerous if it becomes a trend in the USA.

[MrScorpio]

1. And this is how anarchy starts... nt

[AgingAmerican]

3. This is nazi stuff

Seriously. I can't believe that this is allowed to go on. A police chief basically terrorizes a town, arrests anyone who disagrees with him, even city council members, and has men roaming openly carrying guns threatening people. This is flipping madness.

[freshwest]

16. Brownshirts attacking civil institutions to install their own fascist, nepotist regimes.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

41. Same as when the SA Militias roamed the streets ...

... and terrorized the civilian population.

They say that it can't happen here. Hmm.

[MADem]

126. If this is happening, the state police need to go in

after the state attorney general and governor weigh in, and clear out all the deadwood. Then they need to put a statie in charge of the PD, put everyone on leave, and vet them back in one-by-one.

Heck, they've got those armored vehicles--time to break 'em out.

[jberryhill]

127. Or, as they call it in Arizona, "Tuesday"

[rhett o rick]

6. This sounds organized. Anarchy isnt organized. nm

[Fantastic Anarchist]

48. (Edit in Post) Not to dispute the sentiment, because the OP is certainly not anarchy.

But anarchists believe that anarchy is the natural order of society where people collectively live together and own the means of production and their product. Pierre-Joseph Proudhon famously claimed in "What is Property?", "Anarchy is the mother of order!" Meaning that when the many have control over their own lives, and collectively worked together, that this was the natural order of man, as opposed to the class structure where the elites impose their disorder on the rest of humanity.

Adolf Fischer also states, "A more orderly, equitable and harmonious arrangement of social affairs than has hitherto prevailed. Anarchism is aiming at this; anarchism is seeking a more just form of society. Therefore every anarchist is a socialist but every socialist is not necessarily an anarchist."

Edit to add this quote by Alexander Berkman:

The more enlightened man will become, the less he will employ compulsion and coercion. The really civilized man will divest himself of all fear and authority. He will rise from the dust and stand erect: he will bow to no tsar either in heaven or on earth. He will become fully human when he will scorn to rule and refuse to be ruled. He will be truly free only when there shall be no more masters. Anarchism is the ideal of such a condition; of a society without force and compulsion, where all men shall be equals, and live in freedom, peace, and harmony. The word Anarchy comes from the Greek, meaning without force, without violence or government, because government is the very fountainhead of violence, constraint, and coercion. Anarchy therefore does not mean disorder and chaos, as you thought before. On the contrary, it is the very reverse of it; it means no government, which is freedom and liberty. Disorder is the child of authority and compulsion. Liberty is the mother of order.

Alexander Berkman, in "Is Anarchism Violence?" in ABC of Anarchism (1929)

[rhett o rick]

74. Thank you for the information. I am not a scholar, but it appears that that definition presupposes

that there could be peaceful existence without government. Maybe in a commune but IMO not in a large society.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

77. I actually do not think we are evolutionarily capable yet.

We have some embryonic aspects pertaining to having a peaceful anarchist society, but we have a ways to go. Also, without nation-states, society would organize on smaller scales and be loosely federated - at least in most anarchist literature that I've read.

Thanks for your interest!

[VanillaRhapsody]

128. I have a feeling the reason you don't see too many communes around is because...

the theory has one fatal flaw......humans!

[Fantastic Anarchist]

129. If it's going to happen, it's going to happen because of our better human nature.

As Prince Peter Kropotkin illustrated in Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution, societies who tended to cooperate (over competition) tended to breed more cooperative individuals, and were overall more successful and intelligent societies - based on his observations of intra and inter-species societies.

Kropotkin pointed out the distinction between the direct struggle among individuals for limited resources (generally called competition) and the more metaphorical struggle between organisms and the environment (tending to be cooperative). He therefore did not deny the competitive form of struggle, but argued that the cooperative counterpart has been underemphasized: "There is an immense amount of warfare and extermination going on amidst various species; there is, at the same time, as much, or perhaps even more, of mutual support, mutual aid, and mutual defense...Sociability is as much a law of nature as mutual struggle."[2] However, Kropotkin did consider cooperation as a feature of the most advanced organisms (e.g., ants among insects, mammals among vertebrates) leading to the development of the highest intelligence and bodily organization.

[VanillaRhapsody]

130. and how many tribal societies are around these days?

Human nature WILL win out.....but the bad nature is what will always ruin it..

[Fantastic Anarchist]

132. There are quite a lot, actually.

But I'm not even referring to tribal societies.

There have been in the past, and are current small scale anarchist communities all over the world. As I noted above, in terms of having a worldwide anarchist society, I don't think we are evolutionary ready yet, as a species, but that shouldn't dissuade us from using our better human nature, and nurturing embryonic elements from which a society will have a foundation.

[MynameisBlarney]

18. Nope.

This is how teahadists get mowed down by the feds.

[Volaris]

134. Yeah. This bears the Potential to be Waco North.

and if they think they can hold back the full power of the Duly Elected Federal Government, they aren't going to be very impressed with those AR-15's when they shoot them at the National Guard.
Just sayin'.

[freshwest]

135. One of the reports says 800 gun rights guys have arrived? Feds don't want a bloodbath.

Can you imagine if they really do show up and take these characters's gunz from them? Mayhem.

[MynameisBlarney]

137. Perhaps

But I'm thinkin most will shit their pants as they drop their precious guns and run to the hills.
99% of them are craven cowards.

[Cheviteau]

139. Yep

I do believe you're right in your assessment.

[Hydra]

29. Anarchy would involve some sort of resistance

I think we're seeing just how easy it will be for the RW to simply take over...who would fight it?

[zeemike]

45. Yep, and if it is successful there

It will be coming to a town near you...
I saw a right wing sign a while back that was a picture of a assault rifle with the caption of "Intimidation, if you do it right you don't have to fight"
And that is the game plan and they are convinced that liberals are too scared to challenge them...and now we will see if that is true.

[Mojorabbit]

97. There are a boatload of armed liberals so they would be in for a surprise

Hopefully it will never come to that. The feds have to step in now and nip this in the bud.

[zeemike]

100. And they will fulfill the prophecies of the right wingers.

They are coming to take your guns...it's a dictatorship...ect ect.
The only real question is whether they will intervene or just let the brown shirts do their work...which will suit the hell out of the oligarchs.

[AnnieBW]

109. That's EXACTLY What They Want

They WANT the Feds to storm the town, a la Waco and Ruby Ridge. Then they can be martyrs to their "glorious cause" and the wingnuts will have a new cause celebre.

[joshcryer]

111. These are fat and happy right wingers.

If the feds come knocking they'll whimper and moan and complain on YouTube videos but they won't fire a shot.

Generally. I think maybe a few of the stupid ones might but most will lay down their weapons.

[Mojorabbit]

112. It may be what they want but this cannot be allowed to continue. nt

[heaven05]

114. i

truly hope they TRY.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

36. No, most assuredly, this is not how anarchy starts.

Anarchism as political philosophy is diametrically opposed to these fascist, right-wing, reactionary tactics.

To be sure, I'm not saying that anarchism doesn't have it violent elements, but its usually as a reaction to state oppressive institutions. The Black Army (otherwise known as The Revolutionary Insurrectionary Army of the Ukraine) was a militia led by Nestor Makhno to combat the White Armies and, at times, the Red Army (with which they were also allied). The Spanish Civil War anarchists were fighting fascism. Another case would be the Zapatistas. So, there are times when some anarchists use violence as a means to combat state oppression.

The guys in the OP are nothing but a bunch of fascists trying to impose their tyranny on everyone else.

[diverdownjt]

95. Anarchy is what comes next.....

1st.......a fascist take over of the town.....
2nd......a reaction from someone who wont live like this
3rd......ANARCHY

Media blackout.....where the hell is Amy Goodman?

[Fantastic Anarchist]

103. In that case, fascism doesn't lead to anarchism.

But anarchism would be revolutionary under any regime, whether monarchist, republic, democratic, or fascist.

Good question, where is Amy Goodman. I need to check DemocracyNow! to see if they have anything on this.

[Katashi_itto]

115. Here's Kessler's website. He makes General Jack D. Ripper sound quite sane.

http://chiefkessler.com/

" We have the God-given right to keep and bear arms, to self-defense, etc., etc. Our Declaration of Independence (2nd para) recognizes that our Rights come from God and are unalienable.

In addition, the 2nd Amendment to our federal Constitution recognizes that this God-given right to keep and bear arms is to be free from any interference WHATSOEVER from the federal government.

Our Framers were all for an armed American People – they understood that arms are our ultimate defense in the event the federal government oversteps its bounds. See, e.g., what James Madison, Father of Our Constitution, writes in the second half of Federalist Paper No. 46! The reason the Citizens – the Militia – are armed is to defend ourselves, our families, our neighborhoods, communities, and States from an overreaching, tyrannical federal government.

Furthermore, the federal government is nowhere in the Constitution granted authority to restrict, in any fashion whatsoever, guns, ammunition, etc. Thus, ALL laws made by Congress, ALL regulations made by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, and Tobacco (BAFT), are unconstitutional as outside the scope of the powers granted to Congress and to the Executive Branch by our Constitution. Regulation of arms and ammunition is NOT one of the “enumerated powers” delegated to Congress or the Executive Branch.

Furthermore, all pretended regulations made by the BAFT are also unconstitutional as in violation of Art. I, Sec. 1, U.S. Constitution, which vests ALL legislative powers granted by the Constitution in CONGRESS. Executive agencies have no lawful authority whatsoever to make rules or regulations of general application to The People!

In addition, the President and the Senate may not lawfully by treaty do anything the Constitution does not authorize them to do directly. Since the Constitution does not authorize the federal government to disarm us, the federal government may not lawfully do it by Treaty."

[Samantha]

124. Exactly n/t

[dorkzilla]

2. I just searched the town/state in google news...nothing other than the sheriff getting suspended

This is TRULY disturbing. I never in my life thought this kind of shit could happen in America.

[rhett o rick]

11. The Revolution is waiting for the spark. nm

[Fantastic Anarchist]

54. They will try and intimidate us ...

...

But I like our chances.





That's anarchist and MMA fighter Jeff Monson.

[rhett o rick]

72. I think our chances are bleak but I see no other way. Doesnt mean I will give in.

For the NSA's concern, I do not condone revolution esp. violent.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

78. I understand completely.

Tolstoy, MLK Jr., and Gandhi were all proponents of peaceful anarchism.

[rhett o rick]

80. What I see coming is that to control the revolution, the Ruling Cabal will set the

nitwits with guns after the intellectuals and nitwits, including many posting here, will fight for the Ruling Cabal. It will be like a civil war with the Rulers on one side. I think that's what happened in Rwanda.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

87. We will be fighting automatons.

Most definitely.

[nashville_brook]

106. love these pics -- meme-worthy!

[Fantastic Anarchist]

108. Thank you, thank you!

He's the real deal, too!

Part of occupy, anarchist, and all around badass.

Politically aware and very intelligent. The reactionaries have their weapons, but the Left, even when factionalized, will always have our brains. And we can defend ourselves if need be.

[H. Cromwell]

116. It is NOT Happening..

I live 5 miles from Gilberton...no one is in fear of their lives etc. The council voted to 'suspend' Chief Kessler for 30 days (He is the ONLY police officer in Gilberton, hence he is the Chief). A large consensus of people in the area feel he should have been fired. Here is a link to the local news paper. [link:http://republicanherald.com/| you can read all about him.

[Samantha]

125. I did not see the story at this link, but it is late and I am very tired

Did I just overlook it or has the site changed stories. I would really like to read what was reported there.

Sam

[malthaussen]

143. Reading the comments to that report

Most of which are anti-Kessler, one does not get the impression that the "Militia has taken over the town." I have to be a bit skeptical about these reports. Something seems to have been blown out of proportion, and meanwhile the interesting factoid that Mr Kessler appears to have been buying and selling automatic weapons on Borough time is unnoticed.

-- Mal

[enough]

4. This is an extremely significant story, most of all because of the lack of reaction to date

by law enforcement.

Thanks for the post.

[Posteritatis]

38. Not to mention the lack of coverage

I'm seeing blog coverage, and ten-day-old articles about the original video, but nothing in conventional media about the subsequent behaviour.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

75. How about the lack of response by REPUBLICAN LEADERS????

They should be stepping up to denounce this crap.

[onehandle]

5. Gun culture is racist terrorism. nt

[Safetykitten]

7. Sounds charming. I think some people here would fit right in.

[Mr. David]

8. Time to retake the town

and send every single idiots living in Gilberton to the mental institution and order the water tested for fracking chemicals, then remove all frackers from the United States, ordered to live in a remote island with nothing to extract.

Then order the recall of the entire Republican and right-wing ideologoues and have them spend 250 years in prison, all assets forfeited and permanently ordered not to receive welfare or any benefits.

[JHB]

62. Ironically, it's the larger town ~2 miles away that's named "Frackville"

Gilberton looks t be a quarry town with a population below 1000.

[rhett o rick]

9. Is this story being carried by the BBC, Al Jezzera, or The Guardian? nm

[Fawke Em]

25. But nothing in our own "backyard."

Interesting.

I'll be passing this along to a couple of folks.

[Posteritatis]

44. I haven't seen anything beyond old local news or recent posts like the OP's (nt)

[90-percent]

10. sign the petition

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3413822

Next time I come back here I want to see 60,000 more signatures! (mine is #726, BTW)

-90% Jimmy

[Orrex]

12. Isn't the governor the decider when it comes to mobilizing the National Guard?

Unless Corbett's corporate owners instruct him to act, I don't expect this petition to go anywhere.

[starroute]

23. The president can federalize the National Guard in an emergency

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Guard_of_the_United_States

On September 24, 1957 President Dwight D. Eisenhower federalized the entire Arkansas National Guard in order to ensure the safe entry of the Little Rock 9 to Little Rock Central High School the following day. Governor Orval Faubus had previously used members of the guard to deny the students entry to the school.

[Orrex]

28. Yeah, I was wondering about that

The difference here IMO is that Faubus mobilized the Guard to enforce an illegal policy. I can't imagine that the President today would federalize the Guard simply because an asshole governor had failed to act.


Corbett won't act as long as he fears losing the racist hick vote, aka his "base."

[DissidentVoice]

34. I was in the Guard

I was in the Air National Guard.

Except for natural disasters and out-and-out riots (like Rodney King), governors are increasingly reluctant to send the Guard in on BS like this (even though it is INSURRECTION). Think "Kent State."

Also, the Guard's "state control" has lessened since the Militia Act of 1903, called (so help me it's true!) the "Dick Act."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Act

It's almost a formality now for the President to ask state permission to call a Guard unit into Federal service.

I remember years ago when I went to Air Force Basic Training, my orders read, "With the consent of the Governor of Indiana, you are hereby called to Federal service..." I always thought that was a bit of a joke. Like the Governor would have refused.

Years ago aircraft in the Air Guard could only use "U.S. Air Force" titling when they were called into Federal service (Berlin Crisis, Cuban Missile Crisis):



(F-84 Thunderstreak of my old Guard unit)

Now the reverse is true...all Guard a/c have USAF markings.

The states now have "State Defence Forces/State Guards" whose quality is sometimes questionable...and are often full of these kind of RW types. I don't think Pennsylvania has one.

http://www.sgaus.org/

However, I agree with others that this is serious shit. I'm thinking "Munich Beer Hall Putsch."

[Orrex]

37. Great info--thanks!

[okieinpain]

43. what's really cool about this is the national guard followed orders. n/t.

[meanit]

61. Ah, yes.

Back in the day when some good men actually had GUTS.

[JRLeft]

13. These guys are terrorists.

[Dash87]

14. Because they're a bunch of

demented, out of shape meth-heads that are laughable. The government doesn't need to waste resources on these dweebs - just fire the police chief and the rest will scatter. They have no will no fight anything: not even the Burger King Whopper grease that's destroying their arteries.

[freshwest]

22. He's suspended - same thing as fired financially. Now using his 2nd Amendment solution to keep power

This the true expression of the Libertarian fantasy that it's every man for himself. It always results in them ganing together to become robber barons.

Somalia or Afghanistan, ruled by armed warlords, is the kind of world being promoted by Glenn Beck with Joe Barton as their separate nation.

Or more directly as shown by Rand Paul, banana republican style, in rallies surrounded by armed men with assault rifles in camoflague.

I posted a video of him with them, and he brags police aren't needed, as he had private security. He was really getting off to that scene.

[Recursion]

15. What is this Kos diary claiming has actually happened?

I can't figure out what he is saying the chief and his goons have actually done to date.

[quakerboy]

119. Seconding this question

Theres not much out there for news articles, and the thing linked to in the op doesn't seem to say all that much in terms of specifics

So far as I can tell, the police chief/possibly sole police officer:
Shot a lab for being a dog
Shot himself for being drunk in a bar fight
Strip searched a city council member he didn't like
Shot the air with Guns he had donated to the city so he could use/play with them at work, in persuit of sounding like a dimwit crazy on youtube.

Then got suspended by city council on a 5-1 vote.

Pictures readily available seem to indicate, though nowhere is it conclusively stated, that a dozen, maybe two dozen explicitly armed citizens showed up outside the council meeting, probably in support of Officer crazy pants.

Not sure where the "held hostage" comes into things. If the council was being held hostage, one would assume they wouldn't have felt free to suspend the guy

[KamaAina]

17. What color are their shirts?

[Turbineguy]

19. The new

face of Freedom

[BlueManFan]

20. But As I Was Told By A fellow duer Yesterday--It's Never Been Better Here In Amurica

Move along folks, nothing to see here. Go back to using your phones and interwebs please so we have an electronic record of all your goings on.

[JRLeft]

21. Make sure you catch every episode of the Kardashians and the Bachelor and Bachelorette.

Last edited Tue Aug 6, 2013, 01:15 PM - Edit history (1)

The shiny object continues to work.

[BlueManFan]

63. Absolutely....When I Finally Get A Look at North West Kanye Kardashian

I'll forget I can't afford my medincine copays under our for-profit health care system.

[zeemike]

50. I saw that and started to laugh

But then I realized I should be crying...

[MisterP]

59. 'swhat happens when you get your philosophy from a D-list brain mapper who thinks Israel's too soft

on Them Ayrabs (or maybe ultimately from Comte)

[theHandpuppet]

24. Can you imagine if the chief and his goons were black?

Gilberton would be dodging drone attacks right now.

[Dawson Leery]

26. This calls for and Eisenhower/Kennedy Solution!

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/08/05/we-the-people-petition-calls-for-the-national-guard-to-disarm-pennsylvania-police-chief-kessler/

[Rex]

27. Called this one early on. Fucking monsters.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3326862

[whttevrr]

30. Is this real?

I can't find anything other than the Daily Kos link...

[AgingAmerican]

32. There is local coverage of it here

Watch the video here:

http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-gilberton-police-chief-council-20130731,0,7689619,full.story

[whttevrr]

39. But...

I am not trying to minimize his behavior... But in the article it says this:

In the meantime, state police will cover the borough.

And, the article is dated August 1st. Is this still happening today?

[Fantastic Anarchist]

67. This man is dangerous ...

The most recent video was made last week during his vacation in Texas while news of his previous video went viral. In the most recent video, Kessler shoots a paper target of a gunman whom he describes as a "gangbanger," "New York City thug" and likely Obama voter.
After firing several shots, the target is riddled with bullet holes about the head.

"Here we go. That's gun control," he says in the video. "Right in the face."

From the link.

This man is dangerous.

[enough]

71. In PA, if the municipality does not have a police force, the state police "cover" the area.

This does not mean the state police are actually present in the area in any meaningful way. It just means that if you have to call the police, you have to call the state police.

In my township (rural suburban) in PA, the Supervisors decided to do away with the police force to save money, and rely on the state police. This is not that uncommon around here. It means that everybody knows they can speed on the back roads, and that people who never locked their doors are mostly doing so now. It does not mean we ever see any state police patrolling anything

[randome]

49. TalkingPointsMemo is covering Kessler but no mention of an 'insurrection'.

I tend to not believe something is true unless TPM has something on it.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]You should never stop having childhood dreams.[/center][/font][hr]

[KurtNYC]

94. Here is his "apology" video

[Coyotl]

31. This is real MEDIA: "Gilberton, Pennsylvania Police Chief Mark Kessler" No black out there.

Watch the video. No blackout here:
Gilberton, Pennsylvania Police Chief Mark Kessler
http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2013/07/25/gilberton-pennsylvania-police-chief-mark-kessler/

Emphasis added.

.... If I lived in Gilberton, Pennsylvania, I’d probably start carrying around a gun to protect myself from the police chief. I wouldn’t do that because I love guns or really want to carry one around. I would do so because I consider myself a potential target of Chief Kessler’s, even now, living hundreds of miles away from him. It would be very hard for him to make more clear the fact that he is waiting for the opportunity to kill “libtards” when the opportunity arises, and it is abundantly clear from this video (and his other videos) that Chief Kessler is fully unhinged and should not be trusted with a weapon of any kind.

A little context from Hunter at Daily Kos:

Mr. Kessler has managed to accidentally shoot himself in the past. No, none of us are particularly surprised. Yes, Mr. Kessler has formed his own militia group in the event that federal law enforcement officials may at some point try to take his guns and therefore will need to be shot—but fear not, as he is very clear that you may only murder federal law enforcement officials with “just cause,” and there is nobody better at determining when there is “just cause” to start murdering people than a group of gun-hoarding conspiracy theorists agitated about the perceived power of the United Nations.

.........

[world wide wally]

81. Hey George Zimmerman!... This guy was talking to YOU!.. GO get him!

[Go Vols]

86. I have been around people

with guns all my life.I have never met someone like this.

I now know what a "gun nut" is.

[tiny elvis]

88. begins firing before aiming with all three guns

using them as noise making toys

[wandy]

96. Against my beliefs as it is, I have finally reconciled my feelings as to weponized drones. nt

[Coyotl]

33. No blackout in PA: Pa. police chief suspended after video profanities

Pa. police chief suspended after video profanities
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20130731_ap_18a7ff40bb0e4b8482241461bb091f14.html
Associated Press July 31, 2013

GILBERTON, Pa. (AP) - A small-town police chief who appears in online videos using profanity and shooting automatic weapons has been suspended for 30 days without pay. The borough council of Gilberton voted 5-1 at a meeting Wednesday night to suspend Chief Mark Kessler, saying he misused borough property. It said he used the weapons without permission.

Kessler has said he made the videos to draw attention to the erosion of the constitutional rights of free speech and to bear arms and he increasingly fears a government out of control. He said after the meeting that he wouldn't apologize for making the videos and didn't regret having done so. He said he looked forward to getting back to work after the suspension.

Gun rights activists descended on the community of about 800 people, in Schuylkill County in eastern Pennsylvania's anthracite coal country, to show support for Kessler, some carrying flags and displaying weapons. .....

[Coyotl]

35. Not blacked out: Gilberton officials demand inventory of suspended police chief's guns

Gilberton officials demand inventory of suspended police chief's guns
In letter, Schuylkill County borough also advises Mark Kessler to remove references to his job from the Internet
http://articles.mcall.com/2013-08-05/news/mc-gilberton-police-chief-guns-video-letter-20130805_1_borough-council-chief-kessler-borough-hall

The borough of Gilberton has sent a letter to suspended police Chief Mark Kessler with demands that he stop referring to his job in his online videos.

Gilberton officials want an inventory of embattled police Chief Mark Kessler's firearms registered in the borough's name.

And they want Kessler, who was suspended last week over his profane, pro-gun YouTube videos, to scrub the Internet of any reference to his employment as Gilberton's police chief.

In a letter to Kessler through his lawyer last week, Gilberton Solicitor Karen L. Domalakes said officials have been made aware that Kessler purchased many guns in the name of the borough police department.

"At this time we are requesting an inventory of the weapons currently registered in the name of the Borough of Gilberton Police Department. We also need to know the location of these guns," Domalakes said in the letter dated Thursday.

The letter notes that at the meeting Wednesday where Gilberton council suspended Kessler without pay for 30 days, it also passed a policy barring borough employees from using their affiliation in any public statement, video or document without council's permission.

...........

[Coyotl]

40. More media coverage here: Pa. police chief reviewing suspension with lawyer

Pa. police chief reviewing suspension with lawyer
http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/08/01/3075787/pa-police-chiefs-lawyer-suspension.html
By MARK SCOLFORO — Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A Pennsylvania police chief who posted a profanity-laden video online said Thursday he is reviewing the legality of his 30-day unpaid suspension for using borough weapons and ammunition without prior approval.

Gilberton Police Chief Mark Kessler believes he did have permission to use the equipment he was shown firing, and does not believe he did anything wrong.

"It's a shame that they didn't stand up for the Constitution," Kessler said in a phone interview. "I might use some colorful language, I might have hurt some feelings, but I wasn't out to hurt anybody."

His attorney, Joseph P. Nahas, said Kessler "understands the punishment. He certainly cannot change their mind." While they have not discussed potential litigation, Nahas said, Kessler has an employment contract and state law gives him certain protections as a chief of police.

Kessler said he is worried the borough council that voted 5-1 late Wednesday to suspend him may move to fire him before he is scheduled to return to the job. Kessler is a 14-year veteran of the one-man force in the town with a population of 800 .....

[paleotn]

107. Holy crap, Andy!

....we've got an unhinged, Barney Fife on our hands.

Kessler is a 14-year veteran of the one-man force in the town with a population of 800 .....

[wildbilln864]

42. *** k & r! n/t

[millennialmax]

46. Yeah, the feds need to throw this guy in prison or put him down.

I foresee him becoming a bigger problem if he's not taken care of right away.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

47. Posted a link

To the D-Kos story on Thom Hartmann's Facebook page.
He should run with it. Lets see!

[AgingAmerican]

52. Good

MSNBC is obviously not going with it

[Politicalboi]

51. This is what drones are for

Drone these motherfuckers out of their hidy holes.

[Ilsa]

79. Yeah, he's a terrorist. nt

[Spitfire of ATJ]

53. These hicks believe the 2nd Amendment gives them a right to shoot politicians they disagree with...

They have no clue how this could end.

Multiple small calibre high velocity silenced sniper rounds coordinated by radio comes to mind. Maybe 20 "Pfffft"s going off as one and they're done.

[kentauros]

58. Kind of reminds me of the scene in Ruthless People

where Bill Pullman's character is too stupid to realize he's surrounded by cops with rifles. However, he becomes a believer when they say they're the NRA!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

64. Loved that scene...

[kentauros]

55. So, when is the US government going to issue a terror alert for Gilberton, Pennsylvania?

I mean, this is the very definition of terror, right?

If our government can issue such an alert for an entire country "over there", then why not for a little town in one of fifty states over here?

[AgingAmerican]

56. Obviously it would piss off the GOP

and we can't have that...

[kentauros]

60. What's interesting in this world is how easy it is to fake news.

If I knew how, I'd put out a fake news release, with regard to a terror alert there. Maybe that would get some of the terrorized residents to leave for a while.

[DissidentVoice]

85. What DOESN'T piss off the GOP?!

Other than what's generated out of their pie hole mouthpieces like Beck, Limbaugh, etc.

[The Wizard]

57. In a normal state

the governor would call out the National Guard and restore civil government. But Pennsylvania elected a teabagger governor who approves of domestic terrorism by his fellow travelers. A visit from Seal Team Six is in order.

[dothemath]

123. Overkill

Don't need the entire team. Just one
Seal, maybe a trainee, could dispatch this POS and all his batshit crazy followers.
Just sayin'..............

[Bernardo de La Paz]

65. It's Right Wing Authoritarians removing liberties. Simple thuggery. Exact opposite of Libertarians.

[ananda]

66. The creep factor here is so high.

I can hardly wrap my mind around it.

[warrprayer]

68. have some fun

Go to the Gilberton topix forums site. Most of the residents there are o.k. and think the chief is a buffoon.

[Kees]

70. For the Old School DU - I'm hurting

Guess where this police chief talked about his 2nd amendment rights...none other than the Alex Jones show back at the beginning of the year....

I have skin in the game...in that I just lost a relationship to the bat nuttiness of Jones and other extremists. I couldn't handle the suspension of reality that the person that I love would go to justify the crap she was hearing.

I despise....
Alex Jones
Glenn Beck
Tea Party extremists..
Libertarians (the Ron/Rand Paul variety)...

They are destroying are country...and personal lives and relationships..one at a time...

[LongTomH]

89. +1000

I've mentioned before that there are some wingnuts in my family that I can't even talk to anymore because of their hatred for Obama and anything they think is 'liberal.'

[Kees]

102. Totally understand

It just got to be too much. At first she would ask me to listen to Alex Jones, because she said he had really good ideas...I tried for all of ten minutes before I realized what a hack, shill, self-propagandist, ego-maniac this guy was.

I had no idea how much she was playing into the cultish arena of the InfoWars world...sure I would see a Tee-Shirt or two pop up. I mean really she had every right to support the causes that were important to her...fluoride poisoning etc.. (especially loved the semi-automatic rifle emblazoned on the front apparel...)

But then I realized she was making more significant purchases of higher price items (a gravity centered water purification system - I mean really it's a two fold win...get's the brain eating fluoride out while being able to purify swamp water in case Armageddon was at hand...a feat since we don't live within 700 miles of anything swampy, survival food...

I would never be able to say anything to her that would make her believe that my more progressive, liberal point of view wasn't a threat to her livelihood. It all came to a head a few weeks ago when I walked out of her life...Alex has her now...and my heart is broken...

I despise him...and I'm angry that the woman I thought I would spend my life with has slipped down the rabbit hole forever...

[freshwest]

118. Same here. And am losing my liberal neighborhood and state to the same.

They vote against all levies, public workers, unions, schools, parks, everything.

Just saw a brand new 'Second Amendment Solution' bumper sticker on a new pickup truck by my neighhbor's house, where they meet up; and they've got the Obama as witch doctor poster from Libertarian Republican website in their window. This is all from media, they had all the same advantages as our liberal system afforded, now they are caught up.

We are a blue state now in trouble with this media. They tried to shut down state government with their shenanigans this year, all through this stuff.

Can happen anywhere, so those who mock red states are whistling as they go by the graveyard. It is this media (Jones is JBS, Ron/Rand Paul and now GOP James O'Keefe) and this is all the same.

They control mainstream and alternative media. It's killing us.

[Kees]

147. What a mind bend

I know = it's like sci-fi on cocaine...too unbelievable for words!

I about lost my cookies when I heard that Ron Paul was launching Ron Paul T.V. this year. You couldn't give me a subscription to it...or pay me to watch it...

[pinboy3niner]

131. Welcome to DU!

And you can add the "Constitutional Sheriffs" to your list.

[Kees]

148. Oh boy

Thanks pinboy!

I only needed to read the Google entry...the code words were there that have been ingrained by these zealots...tyranny, globalization (the horror!)...anyway Ding Ding Ding...they're another winning group. Constitutional Sheriff's indeed! They wouldn't know the Constitution if Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Thomas Paine rose from the grave to read it to them verbatim.

[valerief]

73. The 1%'s pilot city. nt

[Brigid]

110. Or trial balloon.

I really do think this needs to be taken seriously.

[valerief]

113. So much does. All people care about is sports. Depressing as hell. nt

[world wide wally]

76. We've heard all the talk from Glen Beck, Sean Hannity, Ted Nugent, Rush Limbaugh, Alex Jones and

the other right wing wackos. Shouldn't they load up and get out there to help this nutcase before the Feds arrive?
I think it's called putting your money where your MOUTH is.

[Iggo]

82. Where's all the goodguyswithguns?

I thought this is what they've been waiting for.

[pnwmom]

83. He's actually been covered on NBC.

But most of the stories have been on the "new media."

When will the mildewy media catch up?

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/24/19660346-police-chief-in-profane-gun-video-uproar-im-not-a-delusional-lunatic?lite


http://www.salon.com/2013/07/29/militia_forming_police_chief_lashes_out_at_critics/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/josh-horwitz/the-town-the-militia-took_b_3694293.html

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/07/23/pennsylvania-police-chief-fck-all-you-libtards-out-there-you-take-it-in-the-a/

http://wonkette.com/524058/pennsylvanias-screaming-parody-of-a-wingnut-police-chief-now-too-radical-for-oath-keepers

[Rebellious Republican]

90. Are those crazy fucking southerners below the Mason/Dixon line or down in Florida at it again?

Oops my bad, Pennsylvania, never mind. Not news worthy!

[AlinPA]

101. PA is controlled by teabaggers.

[JeaneRaye]

91. Although, Randi Rhodes is not mainstream media

she did a segment about this whack-a-doodle, Mark Kessler, just this past week. Just listening to the youtube videos that this guy Mark Kessler shot, was extremely frightening for me.

[Brigid]

92. This is getting really ugly.

People better get out of there while the getting is good. This is not going to end well.

[GiaGiovanni]

93. There are two gun stories in PA today: are you sure you're not confusing them?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023417002

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

98. Here's a letter by our sheriff saying he won't enforce laws

that he personally deems unconstitutional and passed by what he calls, misguided politicians.
He belongs to a group called Constitutional Sheriffs.

http://constitutionclub.ning.com/forum/topics/sheriff-bishop-s-letter

[kelliekat44]

122. Can they even read. Or have they ever read the Constitution?

This is for the Governor to call out the National Guard...remember states rights. Just think if Obama interfered with the dear, dear states rights. Then you would have hell to pay.

[TroglodyteScholar]

99. Mighty Taliban of you, Chief.

Get a grip.

[Faygo Kid]

104. Tools of the Kochs

Storm troopers for the reich wing, they will be enforcers in coming elections.

[DeSwiss]

105. Media blackout?

- Yes, yes, yes. But what did li-lo do today? Hmmm? And how's the new little prince!?!?!

K&R

[blkmusclmachine]

117. Step by step: the POLICE STATE cometh

[blackspade]

120. Unreal.

It's like a really bad movie plot.

[JackInGreen]

121. Can anyone else hear it?

that faint hissing....this is the fuse, lets hope to Gods it can be doused.

[Demeter]

133. WTF?

So, why isn't it a ghost town?

[ancianita]

136. Because people will adapt to anything in the hopes that, in time, it will go away?

[pmorlan1]

138. Agree on more media coverage

I saw the pathetic video of this police chief firing his guns while he said vile things about Democrats and Liberals. I also read a news piece where some of the townspeople claimed they were blocked from entering the meeting where the police chief was eventually suspended by the town council (some of the people opposed to the chief were in the meeting). Some of the people interviewed said they were afraid of him and his friends because of their guns.

Yesterday on Facebook I saw a request to sign a petition to have Obama federalize the National Guard to come and disarm the police chief and his militia friends.

I think the petition is an extreme overreaction to what little we know about this incident so I agree we need more media coverage before things get out of hand. Just because this guy is a jerk and some people are afraid of him and his friends because of their guns doesn't mean he's done anything illegal. Instead of calling in the National Guard I think people should have much more information to see if he's done anything illegal and if so, see if all legal remedies have been exhausted.

If I was living in that town and this man was truly out of control I'd file a complaint with the State police and the governor and actually give them time to investigate. This just happened recently and there couldn't possibly have been enough time to complete an investigation. The article I read said that the State police actually had helicopters hovering over the meeting so they evidently aren't totally ignoring the issue.

[annabanana]

140. go to dkos and see update . . and settle down

On phone so tricky to copy link

[pmorlan1]

141. Knee Jerk Reactions

After I posted my comment about this I read through the comments in this tread. Oh my. With very little information to go on some people are making hysterical comments. Yeah, I get it. The video of this guy shows he's a jerk but jerks have rights just like the rest of us. Jumping to conclusions with little information is nuts. People need to stop letting their political views cloud their common sense. A lot of the comments here are just as crazy as the comments this guy made in his video.

[JHB]

142. Has someone collected the actual news, not 3rd and 4th-hand commenting?

The Kos diary comments on an article from another site, which is mostly based off a HuffPo article.

[Orrex]

144. I'm basing my observations on summaries of 3rd-hand opinions I've read on DU

What could possibly go wrong?

[Blue Diadem]

145. News links: There was a strip search & settled lawsuit and there were semi-automatic weapons being

carried outside the meeting according to the Morning Call. The threats were via the videos the now suspended chief had made.

http://articles.mcall.com/2013-08-05/news/mc-gilberton-police-chief-guns-video-letter-20130805_1_borough-council-chief-kessler-borough-hall

http://www.aclu.org/free-speech/borough-councilman-arrested-and-strip-searched-using-profanity-complaint-police-chief

http://republicanherald.com/news/gilberton-settles-councilman-s-lawsuit-1.1255366

[JHB]

146. Thanks