Shot In The Dark: But Not For The Peasants

January 20, 2005

But Not For The Peasants

Michael Moore's bodyguard was arrested for carrying a gun at JFK Airport.

Filmmaker Michael Moore's (search) bodyguard was arrested for carrying an unlicensed weapon in New York's JFK airport Wednesday night.

Police took Patrick Burke, who says Moore employs him, into custody after he declared he was carrying a firearm at a ticket counter. Burke is licensed to carry a firearm in Florida and California, but not in New York. Burke was taken to Queens central booking and could potentially be charged with a felony for the incident.

Moore's 2003 Oscar-winning film "Bowling for Columbine" criticizes what Moore calls America's "culture of fear" and its obsession with guns.

Moore joins a list of pro-victim-disarmament (or silent on the issue) luminaries, including "Punch Sulzberger, Robert DeNiro, Donald Trump, Howard Stern, Harvey Keitel, Steven Seagal, Winthrop Rockefeller, Bill Cosby, Tommy Mottola, Joan Rivers, Buddy Hackett, Chazz Palminteri, Don Imus, and William F. Buckley, Jr, who piddle on the average schlemiel's right to self-defense - but who feel the need to get a carry permit in New York (and have the connections to get the permit) in New York City. Add to that the celebs like Rosie O'Donnell who tear at the Second Amendment, but who retain armed bodyguards (because with them, it's not a "climate of fear",it's just prudence...)

Posted by Mitch at January 20, 2005 07:48 AM | TrackBack

Comments

And let's not forget Dianne Fienstein who has made it her lifes work to single handedly disarm California (hey wait, maybe that's not such a bad idea..), while she remains the proud possessor of one of about 10 concealed carry permits in SF.

Posted by: swiftee at January 20, 2005 07:55 AM

Ironic that Michael Moore is a lifetime member of the NRA...

Posted by: Just Me at January 20, 2005 07:55 AM

Well, to be fair, Feinswein apparently turned in her permit and stopped carrying her .38 snubbie...

...when the furor over her hypocrisy started causing political problems. But yes, she DID try to revoke all civilian permits, and then had herself issued a "police" permit, when she was mayor.

JM: That's post fodder if I've ever seen it...

Posted by: mitch at January 20, 2005 09:59 AM

You do know that this story is false, right? Check MooreWatch or Little Green Footballs for details.

I agree with the main point of your comment re: the hypocracy of celebrities who take anti-gun positions for the public but hire gun-toters for their own private security.

But you still ought to at least mention the correction. After all, we're the Right. We're the honest ones.
.

Posted by: nathan bissonette at January 21, 2005 02:22 PM

Sorry, man. This one's a fallacy.

1 - Patrick Burk, employed by Gavin de Becker & Associates, is not Michael Moore’s bodyguard. He has never been employed by Michael Moore. He was not accompanying Michael Moore or in any way involved with Michael Moore on Wednesday January 19.

2 - The gun that Patrick Burk was carrying is legally registered to Patrick Burk.

We can try to go to any length to report a story that might disparage the hated Michael Moore but this one is making a connection between Burk and Moore that is tenuous at best.

Posted by: brian at February 21, 2005 04:25 PM