Exactly how have the photos been taken out of context???

And despite Swiftee's claims of physical intimidation... the people who witnessed the events and commented on Dump Bachmann have maintained that there was never any such actions. Two constituents did followed Bachmann into the bathroom to ask her questions... but maintain they never harmed her or threatened her in any way.

And while Bachmann ran from the bathroom screaming... I find it funny that she did not involve police and file any charges if these individuals did indeed make some kind of threat to her.

If Bachmann files a complaint with the police department and they have reason enough to charge individuals for criminal actions... by all means prosecute. That type of action should not be tolerated. But the individuals maintain no such threat occured, and Bachmann did not file any sort of police report as far as I am aware of.

"Exactly how have the photos been taken out of context"

You - and everyone - are assuming she's "hiding" behind the bushes. Not tying her shoe. Not picking up a dropped handful of quarters. Not looking at something. No, there just HAS to be some wierd explanation.

" the people who witnessed the events and commented on Dump Bachmann have maintained that there was never any such actions."

Like they're going to come out and say "hey, we committed a misdemeanor simple assault!".

"Two constituents did followed Bachmann into the bathroom to ask her questions... but maintain they never harmed her or threatened her in any way."

So they maintain.

"And while Bachmann ran from the bathroom screaming... I find it funny that she did not involve police and file any charges if these individuals did indeed make some kind of threat to her."

Think about it. Your word against a slew of opposition; what does she gain from it, if no physical assault took place? You don't have to be a lawyer to know it's a piece of crap case that'll just be spun against you in the local press.

I don't know the details - but I worked in bars long enough to know that no matter what ghastly stupid thuggery people do, they're ALWAYS perfectly innocent.

I think it would be intimidation enough to be followed into a single-occupancy bathroom by ANYBODY. 'Course, Carson probably doesn't think so....

“Two constituents did followed Bachmann into the bathroom to ask her questions”

What kind of freak follows someone into the restroom to ask them questions?

Whether you’re their “constituent” or not – you wait OUTSIDE or you try to talk to them later.

On the admitted facts they committed false imprisonment, a crime and a tort (though in these cicumstances not a very lucrative tort).

If they'd have done the same thing to me, only one of us would have left that bathroom.

And they would have needed an ambulance.

And a wet-dry vac.

And dental records.

LF

Thorley and Foot:

No kidding. I completely spaced on that whole matter of simple etiqutte (is it from raising kids or from dealing with the rabid left? Nobody knows).

When I worked in bars, there were three reasons you followed someone into the bathroom; exchanging fluids, money for contraband, or ire. I think we can rule out the first two.

LF’s right that this does sound like a slam-dunk case of false imprisonment. However, because Senator Bachman is a public figure and the sort of creeps who do this sort of thing thrive on publicity, it’s probably not worth her while to sue or file charges.

However, politically the Bachman haters have just shot themselves in the foot because this behavior is just creepy enough to push a few more undecided voters into the anti-Dump Bachman crowd since this is the sort of behavior that they engage in and publicly endorse.

Colleen, you are absolutely correct.

This is one of the more disturbing incidents I have heard of in politics. Nobody deserves to be put in that situation.

Carson, do you realize the disservice you do your cause by not forcefully condemning the incident in Scandia. (I am talking about following Sen. Bachmann in the bathroom and not allowing her to leave). Do you really want to stick by your point that "no police report, no problem!"?

Until I ready your response (and the post on the incident on the DumpBachmann blog), I assumed that incident in Scandia was a couple of people who went too far. Goodness knows that there are people on both sides of the political spectrum who go to far. However, when people like Carson, MNDFLer and Nick Coleman go so far as to condone and encourage this, what is that saying about you?

Carson, and I mean this absolutely sincerely, I hope you NEVER have to face a situation you find threatening. I hope you NEVER find yourself alone with people who hate you, blocking your passage. If you ever do, I hope that you find compassion and understanding, not ridicule and snickering. If you ever do, let me know, and I will be the first to stand up next to you and condemn their actions, whether I agree with your politics or not.

Patrick-
Here is your reply.
http://dumpbachmann.blogspot.com/2005/04/step-back-to-evaluate.html

Was this a single occupancy bathroom - or a bathroom with multiple stalls? There is a big difference.

Funny that Eva would show up to put her two cents in.

Here's a bit of information that her fans might like to know before getting too involved in her latest creative enterprise.

Ah, no hyperlinks eh? Very well.

http://restraininorder.blogspot.com/2005/04/is-senator-michele-bachmann-in-danger.html

I have been posting on the topic since Friday, and the moonbats have found me too. Not that I mind the readers, and it is so much easier to respond to the stupidity they leave as comments. This bathroom thing is another case and point that if you don't agree with them they're gonna shove it down your throat. No pun intended.
OK, that was intentional.
Anyone remember the two cubans on Seinfeld that Kramer was terrified of? They wore the ribbons and all, know what I mean?
They got their way by scaring the begeebers out of Kramer.
That seems to be the tactic of the moonbat left today, intimidation and bullying!

Remember, it was Swiftee who made the single occupancy bathroom claim. That wasn't in the story as written by one of the witnesses.

As I wrote to Craig Westover - who commented on Swiftee's blog:

"I noticed you commented on Swiftee's (Tom Swift's) blog on this whole story about Michele Bachmann running shrieking from a bathroom in Scandia. Here's the original story - which was published on Dump Bachmann last night.

I did not hear Nick Coleman's show for myself - so
don't know who called. If Bachmann really was
threatened, she should press charges against those who supposedly threatened her.

Swift wasn't at the Scandia meeting. So he's going from his own filter of listening to Nick Coleman's show. That's third hand - but isn't reporting."

So Mitch - why repeat the item about this being a single occupancy bathroom without making any effort to check this out?

This is what the article said:

Senator Bachmann retired to the restroom and residents began moving toward the exit. Less than a moment later, piercing screams were heard from the ladies' washroom. "Help!!!! HEEEELLLLLLPPPPPP!!!!!" With everyone's attention riveted on the door, Senator Bachmann emerged in a crouching run, crying, "I was being held against my will!" Two women were seen standing behind her, one tall and elderly, the other young and petite, both unassuming and bewildered.

The women reported afterward they had followed the senator into the restroom to continue to question her about education. One had her hand on the door handle, ready to open it, which she immediately did when Senator Bachmann became frightened and began screaming.

EY: To me this suggests a multiple stalled restroom - NOT a single occupancy bathroom. However, I wasn't there.

I wonder if either you, Mitch - or Swiftee - attempted to contact Michele Bachmann and fact check this story.

The size of the bathroom comes from this (near) verbatim quote from the woman who called Nick this morning to give her first hand account:

"There was just enough room for the three of them in there, so one of the women had her back against the door and her hand on the knob."

Doesn't sound like a large bathroom to me.

And if it was, why according to "Jan" did:

"One [have] her hand on the door handle, ready to open it, which she immediately did when Senator Bachmann became frightened and began screaming."

What the hell was her hand doing on the door handle? Why would she think that Michele was incapable of opening it for herself?

Keep digging Eva, keep digging.

So it is ok to hold some one against their will if it is in a multiple stall bathroom?

Ahhhh. America, what a country.

If Sen. Bachmann SAYS she felt threatened, isn't that proof enough that she felt threatened. I would offer that same respect to anyone else, no matter how real I personally thought the threat was.

I think of it as if I told a joke at work, and a coworker found it offensive, even if I didn't think it was. I would be guilty of offending them.

Eva, I can't believe you really think there is a difference if it was a single stall or multi-stall bathroom. Doesn't she deserve the respect of a fellow human being?

On fact checking, did MNDFLer fact check his post on your blog?

According to Jan Hogle, on of the stories writers attributed at the top of the story, six different witnesses have verified its accuracy.
Here is the link to her comment about this on Dump Bachmann- http://www.haloscan.com/comments/lloydletta/111319142275320459/#177425

Since Swiftee is bringing up the USQueers story again, I sent the following to Rep Trovillion (who was one of the people listed on the page that was wishing death on "christohet supremacists").

I've been criticized for being involved with the US Queers website. I never was involved with the site. I wrote the email appended in November of 2001. I did sign up for the usqueers elist after reading about the site.

Here's the article attacking me on this: (It's the first thing that pops up when you search on "Eva Young Log Cabin Republicans")

http://www.cultureandfamily.org/articledisplay.asp?id=3875&department=CFI&catego\
ryid=cfreport

Peter LaBarbera had interviewed me for this "story" - and I told him that I'd condemned the sentiments expressed on this site at the time on the queerpolitics list - and he asked me the archives were still available so he could check for this. The archives are not.

Here's my response - a letter to Worldnet Daily:

http://lloydletta.blogspot.com/2003/11/letter-to-worldnet-daily-since-tom.html

Eva

From: Eva Young
Date: Wed Nov 28, 2001 12:47 pm
Subject: Fw: Homosexual Hit List Targets Leaders For Death (fwd)

Dear Rep. Trovillion:

While I disagree with your position on homosexuality, I am appalled to see that you are listed on the "usqueers.com" website which was brought to my attention by an article in the Conservative News Service.

See the text appended to this message to see what the page says, and how you are listed on the page.

I have signed on to a letter which is appended which asked Ross to take down this hateful site.

Eva Young
Minneapolis, MN
Log Cabin Republicans Member

Appended:
1. Text from site, and your listing on the site.
2. Text of open letter by many gay activists condemning the violent sentiments expressed on this site as well as asking the site owner, B.
Allan Ross to take the site down.

1. Het Supremacists Who Have Earned A Horrible Death (Soon) Really, They Deserve It

usQueers.com does not authorize, ratify, or
directly or indirectly threaten or encourage acts of violence toward the people or organizations on this list. Our sincere wishes -- that these viciously anti-Queer crusaders die soon -- stop at wishes. Wishes have no power.

For those visiting this list who don't "get it,"
follow the link below to More Info and read. From that page, you can visit The Nuremberg Files for yourself.

Still stumped? Read the entire three pages that list the people killed since Matthew Shepherd (Murdered Queers), whose names you've never heard. Read the whole list, and look at the faces of our
murdered family members. You still don't get it? Or you get it but are still more outraged at this one page full of bad wishes toward certain powerful, very public people than you are at three pages full of murderous reality? Can't help you.

Following the example of The Nuremberg Files, if
a person on the following list dies (preferably a horrible death), a line will be drawn through their name (and they will probably be added to our Good Riddance! list.)

If a person on this list is merely wounded or
debilitated in some way, we will change the color of their name to brown.

NOTE (this section inspired by this page's "How You Can Help"): The type of information we might be listing here (if it comes in -- none has since this page went online in March 2001) includes Home Address, Home Phone, Office Address, Office Phone, Studio Address, Church Address, Girlfriend's Address, Boyfriend's Address, Favorite Hangouts (restaurants, etc.), Family Members, details about automobiles, just about anything which could be useful in spotting these dangerous christohet supremacists when they are wandering around loose.

Allen Trovillion, 74
Florida State Representative (R- Winter Park)
Capitol Office: Room 210 House Office Building
402 S. Monroe St, Tallahassee FL 32399-1300
District Office: *********deleted************
Email: ********deleted***********

Serves as the chair of the Florida State Tourism
Committee. He verbally attacked a group of Queer high school students during a previously announced "Lobby Day." This scum publically humiliated them and instilled within them a fear of their own representatives to the U.S. government.

2. Text of letter condemning the site. I have signed onto this letter.

We the undersigned cannot remain silent in the knowledge that a call for violence against certain opponents of civil rights for gay people has been issued. We find it abhorrent that a page on a web-site hosted by B. Allen Ross, www.usqueers.com/commentary/die_soon.html is a
thinly veiled attempt to motivate queer people, frustrated at the slow movement towards full equality in this society, to the commission of violent acts against those perceived as "enemies" of our community.

We as individuals and organizations represent many diverse and sometimes opposing views as to what path of action is most effective toward the goal of full equality for queer people. While we may have our disagreements and political differences, we all agree on one principle; there is no room in this civil rights struggle for hatred and violence. We urge all queer people not to lower themselves to the level of our most extremist foes who preach and practice violence against us. To resort to violent acts against those who do not agree with us is not only counter-productive, but is as morally wrong as that violence which all too often is aimed at members of our community.

To Mr. Ross we say please take down that offensive web page before blood is spilled. You are doing the community you claim to want to help a great disservice by displaying that message of hate where it is likely to be seen by someone naive enough or mentally unbalanced enough to act on it.

To those individuals who are targeted on the web site we apologize. While we may strongly disagree with your ideas and viewpoints, we most emphatically wish you and your loved ones no harm.

From the author and witness to the events in Scandia:

Just to be clear: the women's room in the Scandia Community Center, where this took place, has multiple stalls. 10 or 15 people could stand in there without stepping on anyone's toes.

Wow. You guys have your own blog version of Fox News going here.

I didn't see either Mitch nor Swiftee in Scandia on Saturday. Stop making up details about something you have no knowledge of. I was the person who wrote up what happened at the meeting. I did indeed send the article out to 6 others who were there and asked them to correct or edit as needed. Not to be weird, mind you. I'm a researcher--a trained observer--and that's how people in my profession do things. I did not send out the information until other witnesses confirmed that I had accurately portrayed the event.

Many are wondering about the size of the bathroom in question here: it has two stalls and it is not uncommon when 40 people are at this community center (as was the case Saturday) for more than one person to enter the ladies' room at the same time without anyone exchanging fluids, contraband, or thinking twice about the multiple occupancy. It also is not uncommon for someone to absent-mindedly lean on whatever is near them while talking to someone. There was nothing further to the "hand on the doorknob" issue than that. And that frail elderly woman who was involved? She tried to apologize to Ms. Bachmann for the apparent misunderstanding and the oddly perceived threat, but the Senator would not acknowledge her.

The so-called "mob" folks referred to here was polite and respectful. Maybe some do not understand this, but it doesn't qualify as disrespect to disagree with an elected official and a group isn't a mob just because they hold a different opinion than yours.

Patrick, there's an enormous difference between this story being about two women following Bachmann into a single occupancy bathroom, and following her into a women's restroom.

I'm not disputing whether Bachmann felt threatened or not. I have not talked with her about this story. I'm disputing some of the facts of this story as reported on this blog - and on Swiftee's blog. I find it rather interesting that neither Berg nor Swiftee seemed to do some elementary fact checking with Michele Bachmann before reporting on this story. Instead, they just seem to be going into full spin mode.

I believe MNDFLer is a she, not a he. Jan Hogle sent the story to the dumpbachmann contact email, and to a number of area papers, as well as the 6th congressional district elist. The story as posted by MNDFLer was signed by the two women authoring the story. As Jan stated, she sent this story to 6 other witnesses before sending it out. This is more than I do when writing up a report on an event I've attended.

Jan Hogle was there at the event. Swiftee made up the part about the bathroom being a single occupancy bathroom. Mitch repeated it.

Jan responded to the rest of what Swiftee said about this.

Oh, for the love of pete. I've gone and crated another evalanche.

(Whacks self on head).

"Was this a single occupancy bathroom - or a bathroom with multiple stalls? There is a big difference."

It makes no difference at all. YOU DON'T FOLLOW PEOPLE INTO BATHROOMS, especially not as groups. I don't know what the etiquette is in women's rooms, but in men's rooms as a general rule you keep the conversation outside; the bathroom is sacred and not to be profaned by business.

The very least these people should be charged with is grating moronism.

As to pressing charges - in what world would that be a good idea, politically? Bachmann is many things, but she's not stupid.

As to calling Bachmann - one never knows what'll happen.

Eva will, as usual, leap tall rhetorical buildings and jump in front of speeding rhetorical locomotives to justify herself.

"I didn't see either Mitch nor Swiftee in Scandia on Saturday."

Yes. Amazingly enough, I'm NOT everywhere. Certainly not at a speech that is not in my district. Guilty as charged.

"Stop making up details about something you have no knowledge of."

According to Tom, he's reporting what someone said on the Coleman show. We'll see soon enough.

"I was the person who wrote up what happened at the meeting. I did indeed send the article out to 6 others who were there and asked them to correct or edit as needed. Not to be weird, mind you. I'm a researcher--a trained observer--and that's how people in my profession do things. I did not send out the information until other witnesses confirmed that I had accurately portrayed the event."

Fine, but you're not the only one who observes. In years of working in bars, i never once observed anyone, singly or collectively, who started a fight through pushing things too far to ever cop to it voluntarily.

"Many are wondering about the size of the bathroom in question here"

But they shouldn't. It is irrelevant. You don't follow people into bathrooms on business. That you, the 'trained observer', don't get that implies that your training must have veered short of simple etiquette.

"it has two stalls and it is not uncommon when 40 people are at this community center (as was the case Saturday) for more than one person to enter the ladies' room at the same time without anyone exchanging fluids, contraband, or thinking twice about the multiple occupancy."

Right, but they're not following each other in there in groups to carry on business that had theretofore been hostile. That's a crucial difference in the real world.

" It also is not uncommon for someone to absent-mindedly lean on whatever is near them while talking to someone."

BZZZZZT!

Right there, I call bullshit.

That's the kind of obtuse rationalization that fourth-graders use. "I just *happened* to be leaning on the fixture. It's not *my* fault she couldn't get by.

Up to there, "Jan", I was willing to give you the benefit of a doubt. That last phrase was what we who observe human behavior call "Weasel words".

" There was nothing further to the "hand on the doorknob" issue than that."

Had it been a man, in any room, and the victim had complained, it would have been enough to put him in jail on a domestic abuse charge.

"The so-called "mob" folks referred to here was polite and respectful."

I'll find out.

Let me put this succinctly:

Eva: DO NOT REPOST EMAILS ON NON-GERMANE TOPICS IN MY COMMENT SECTION.

Disagree with Swiftee's take on the USAQueers flap? Post a link to your own site, and use your own bandwidth.

I don't know or care about the specifics of that rhubarb. I don't know if you behaved any more ethically then than when you circulated my email address two years ago, but I'd certainly hope so.

Actually, I'd just as soon both Swiftee and Eva dealt with the USAQueers flap elsewhere.

There's plenty of stuff to talk about here.

Gee, now I'm all confused Jan. So, were you lying about the story on Nick's show yesterday morning, or are you lying now?

'Cause the story you were peddling yesterday is just exactly as I've reported it.

And again, as everyone else has noticed, either way we have two nutcases that according to your carefully crosschecked story followed a state Senator into a bathroom and kept her from leaving until she screamed for help.

The size of the bathroom is irrelevant.

Mitch is right. If you keep someone (generally a woman) in a room against her will even for a moment, it's abuse (in a domestic situation). It's no better when it's over politics.

As to pressing charges, give me a break! The cops will come out, see there's no damage, talk to everyone, and leave it at that, leaving you people with more snickering points.

You people are getting desperate, aren't you?

I'm curious. If a conservative or religious group held a rally, followed a gay-rights activist into a small bathroom, slammed the door shut and imprisoned their prey....how long do you think it would take the moonbat libs to howl, call the ACLU, and file charges?

5 seconds? Maybe 10?

Here's what happened.

One hour was scheduled. 10 - 11. Bachmann wand Vandeveer arrived nearly 10 minutes late. 35 minutes were spent discussing education. At 10:45'ish, several constituents raised the issue of the gay marriage amendment.

Bachmann was asked directly how two men or two women getting married harms or even affects traditional marriage. She babbled incoherently for a few minutes and never answered the question. She then went on to explain that a child raised in a household with a biological mother and biological father were better off than children who are not. She then stated that study after study has shown this to be the case. She was challenged to cite a specific study - ANY STUDY to verify her position and she ignored the challenge.

She was challenged several more times to answer the question and it was at this point that Mr. Vandeveer stepped in to save Michele Bachmanns ass.

The session ended and Bachmann and Vandeveer stayed several more minutes talking with individuals then everone began moving toward the exits.

Bachmann, 20 feet ahead of me entered the public restroom. In the time it took for me to say goodbye to several neighbors and reach the exit, there was a scream of help from the bathroom and immediately the door opened and a crying Senator Bachmann emerged chutching her paperwork and ranting about being held against her will.

The entire meeting was civil although - yes - there was tension in the room.

That tension started when the first comment about funding for K-12 EDUCATION was raised.

Bachmann freaked out and made a complete fool of herself. I suggest that Michele change her name to Omarosa.

The characterization that this was a mob is completely ridiculous.

And for the record, it's a three stall public restroom at the community center. After reading some of the crap being posted, the reader would think that Bachmann was dragged screaming into a broom closet, handcuffed and gagged.

To tell you the truth, more troubling than the incident itself is some people's response.

Whether or not you think Bachmann over-reacted is not the point. She felt threatened. She dealt with what she perceived as a threatening situation the way most people should.

Violence and intimidation, especially against women is a serious issue. You don't know what someone is going to do. Tensions were high, and she had no possible way to predict what was going to happen. For years, people have spouted off some of the most hateful rhetoric about Sen. Bachmann. How could she know that these two did not have other motives?

As I said, more disturbing is some people's reaction. She sees a threatening situation, many see a punch line. I can almost hear the drool coming out of Wendy Wilde's mouth as she anticipates kicking Sen. Bachmann over this incident on her radio program. Nick Coleman apparentally thought this was great fun.

Further proof that Democrats are VERY opposed to abusing women - except for the WRONG women.

You people are worse than hypocrites. You are filthy animals.

Just wondering; Jan says there were two stalls in the rest room. Dan says three.

Odd inconsistency aside, Dan - how would you know how many stalls were in a ladies room?

If Bachman had been shot in that bathroom, the story would have been all about how awful guns are, and how we need to keep them out of the hands of citizens.

It would not have been about how escalating threats against a public figure had come to its logical conclusion.

And some commenters on this post would be happy she were dead, and raising funds to defend her killer.

Heh. Pious:

"The killer couldn't help it that their hand just 'happened' to 'absentmindedly' be holding a gun, and their finger just 'happened' to be on the trigger. These kind of misunderstandings just kind of, you know, 'absentmindedly happen.'

And yes, Jan, I'm making fun of you.

Ever notice how everything Eva Young gets involved into turns into one of these vapid he said she said catfights?

Reading her blog is like going back to junior high.

Walk away, Mitch! Walk away!

Josh: Amen.

You all are missing the bigger picture here. Bachmann CRIED! Doen't you want her out of politics? She's too weak to make important decisions.

Jeez, you'd think you people forgot about Pat Schroder or something.

So, Rew: remembering that it's feminist activists that have moved the line for "assault" and "violence against women" to the point where speaking sharply to someone is "abuse", and that we have a generation of domestic abuse counselors who consider cutting off someone's exit from a room to be actionable under abuse and battering laws, and we are *always* supposed to take these kinds of things seriously, doesn't that make you a sexist for giggling at what happened?

Or are conservative politicians not really women?

I was in Scandia on Saturday. I think folks are being sidetracked by the emotional vampirism of a few...the important point is being overlooked. No one who was at the event in Scandia can honestly say that anyone was behaving in an intimidating manner. No one was held against their will anywhere; in the hall, in the bathroom, in the parking lot. Anyone who maintains otherwise is lying.

The important issue here is that anyone who works in a public forum can reasonably expect even polite forms of confrontation. If a person is not emotionally capable of handling differing views or requests for answers to questions about public policies, then that person is not qualified to hold that position. That was the point of the Jan's posting. The only relevance of the confrontation ocurring in the bathroom is that it becomes a "she said, she said" situation as to what occurred between the two women and the senator. How Conveeeeeenient for the senator.

I was in Scandia on Saturday. I think folks are being sidetracked by the emotional vampirism of a few...the important point is being overlooked. No one who was at the event in Scandia can honestly say that anyone was behaving in an intimidating manner. No one was held against their will anywhere; in the hall, in the bathroom, in the parking lot. Anyone who maintains otherwise is lying.

The important issue here is that anyone who works in a public forum can reasonably expect even polite forms of confrontation. If a person is not emotionally capable of handling differing views or requests for answers to questions about public policies, then that person is not qualified to hold that position. That was the point of the Jan's posting. The only relevance of the confrontation ocurring in the bathroom is that it becomes a "she said, she said" situation as to what occurred between the two women and the senator. How Conveeeeeenient for the senator.

"..doesn't that make you a sexist for giggling at what happened?

Or are conservative politicians not really women?"

Can I giggle at that? Because that was way funnier than mine.

Webster: "The only relevance of the confrontation ocurring in the bathroom is that it becomes a "she said, she said" situation as to what occurred between the two women and the senator. How Conveeeeeenient for the senator."

Or, by the same token, for the people who followed her into the bathroom.

Rew: Permission granted.

Mitch...Five weeks ago I had never seen your site before nor any other blog. You took much offense at my views of Senator Bachman. You set me straight and told me how similar she was to Abraham Lincoln.I mistakenly thought that a blog was a site were people exchanged their views and dissenting opinions. How totally foolish of me. I guess (at least on your site) you want people to agree with and reinforce your genius. You said I presumed too much about you and your views. You were right. Now I have read you for five weeks...have seen first hand how sloppy your reporting is and have come to the conclusion that your views are irrelevant to any but the bigots that populate your site.

"...the bigots that populate your site".

In liberal speak, "biggots" = "people that don't agree with me"

Speaking for the "bigots" on this site: blow me.

"Corbett"

"Five weeks ago I had never seen your site before nor any other blog. You took much offense at my views of Senator Bachman. You set me straight and told me how similar she was to Abraham Lincoln."

You still haven't learned "pithy", more's the pity.

"I mistakenly thought that a blog was a site were people exchanged their views and dissenting opinions."

What self-pitying bilge. For starters, the blog is *my* site. I allow comments - and with a very few limits, welcome all comers, both brilliant and deluded. But the "excehange" exists purely at my sufferance.

" How totally foolish of me. I guess (at least on your site) you want people to agree with and reinforce your genius."

Quick. Show me where I've stifled anyone's "dissent" in this space.

" You said I presumed too much about you and your views. You were right."

And I still am.

"Now I have read you for five weeks...have seen first hand how sloppy your reporting is"

Whoah. I'm no reporter. I passed on a quote which may or may not have been accurate (and which came from someone who heard it, he says, on the Coleman show. However, I will bet that any reporting I DO is at least as accurate as any of my detractors'.

" and have come to the conclusion that your views are irrelevant to any but the bigots that populate your site."

Well, there's a big fat shock!

Mr. Johnson, you would seem (from your presence here) to be what we call a 'turd polisher"; you slap a veneer of civility and (above all) self-righteousness on what is underneath a pretty nasty, intellectually thuggish core. You're the name-caller, the one who resorts to the easy pseudo-intellectual cheapshot. Your opinion of me is worth less than what I paid for it.

Have a nice day!

Two stalls versus three stalls... Wow. what an odd inconsistency...

I said three because I asked my wife how many there were. She said three.

There are two womens bathrooms. One in the front where the attempted abduction and kidnapping took place and one in the back where Senior citizens meet on Thursdays to cook up Meth.

I heard today that Omarosa Bachmann had filed a complaint with the Sheriffs department.

This is getting REALLY good.

Hey... Does anyone remember when the Bushies took over the White house and there was allegedly millions of dollars in damage, pornography on the Computers and human feces on the desks?

Turn out it was just the beginning of a long line of lies and gross exagerations and distortions.

First it's poop on a desk. Then WMD's. Now it's poor Senator Bachmann attacked in a bathroom by a white haired senior citizen and a foaming at the mouth crazy liberal.

Come on you Bachmann supporters... Run with this story!

Hey Michele... If your reading this, answer the question,

How does a man marrying a man or a woman marrying a woman threaten a traditional marriage?

Scandia bathroom: I was just over there. There are two regular stalls and one handicapped stall that runs along the back wall so it isn't exactly memorable if someone doesn't use it on a regular basis. There are also two sinks. First, if one is standing by the sinks and two other people are standing there talking to you near the door, there isn't a lot of room, exactly as Jan said. However, it is ALSO true that 10-15 people could easily stand in there with the stall doors open and not step on anyone's toes. The two statements are not inconsistent to anyone who has actually entered the room.

More important: one of the women who allegedly held the Senator against her will is a 70 year old retired nun. Now, I have to say, if God sent a 70 year old nun to attack Michele, then maybe the senator isn't as favored by the Almighty as she believes.

"More important: one of the women who allegedly held the Senator against her will is a 70 year old retired nun. "

Right.

Now about the other ones?

WOW! I just mentioned to my son that Senator Omarosa attacker was a nun and he asked if the woman was armed with a ruler.

Still...in all this smarmy, smart-ass liberal diarrhea is there an answer to what would have happened if this had been a gay person "confronted" in a bathroom by anyone on the "other side" of the issue. Hmmmmm????

Mitch,

It's time to kill this thread.

But not before saying: perhaps it's conclusion jumping about what happened in that bathroom. Or perhaps not. The lefties have a history of this type of beligerant behavior (I don't see Jane Fonda getting any pies in her face).

So I'd just like to say to all you moonbat activists out there: Please, OH please please please please, if you're going to get belligerant, do so with me, and not some 5-foot-nothing middle-aged woman.

Please.

Hey LearnedFoot, Try to get it through your thick head... There was no "this type of beligerant behavior".

Bachmann is an unstable looney and she freaked out. Period.

I've had several little run-in's with her over the last several years and while her bizarre ticks used to be funny, now they're just scary. When she starts accusing people of crimes, she's crossed the line.

And now, I understand she has filed a complaint with the Washington County Sherrif.

Add this little episode to the hillarious photos of Michele hiding in the shrubs and you've got a real winner there folks.

"Hey LearnedFoot, Try to get it through your thick head... There was no "this type of beligerant behavior"."

Well, we may have to see what the sheriff says, right?

"Bachmann is an unstable looney and she freaked out. Period."

Ah. "Period". Well, as long as it's "period"...

"I've had several little run-in's with her over the last several years and while her bizarre ticks used to be funny, now they're just scary. When she starts accusing people of crimes, she's crossed the line."

Unless, of course, a crime was committed.

"And now, I understand she has filed a complaint with the Washington County Sherrif."

Right. And I'm sure she's aware of the consequences of filing a false complaint, assuming it's true. Time will, of course, tell.

"Add this little episode to the hillarious photos of Michele hiding in the shrubs and you've got a real winner there folks. "

Yeah. Next thing you know, a Minnesota congressperson will close up a DC office out of theatrical fear...

Hey Mitch, One woman was a 70-something retired nun, and the other was a woman who was petite compared to Michele, about 3 inches shorter and much lighter. So, Senator Bachmann was attacked by a nun and an elf.

Right.

Actually, there was a crime committed. If the Pioneer Press is right, Michele filed a false police report. Bye, Michele! (Maybe she'll get a gay cell mate!)

Well, we'll see, won't we?

"I've had several little run-in's with her over the last several years . . . "

I'm assuming she hasn't been stalking you, since she's the public figure.

Right?

And you wonder why she might react badly to "activists" (who openly speak about killing her) pursuing her with hostility? Jesus, man, get a damn grip on rational thought. You think she overreacted? I'm guessing she has security from now on, and your oh-so-fun "little run-ins" may well get your nose broken next time.

And I'll understand her position when it happens.

Senator Bachman alleges she was held against her will by a nun and an elf.

Some perons would call that overreacting. Or staging a political maneuver. Or, emotional instability. None of which particularly qualify her for her position.

I have every sympathy for anyone, including Michele, being fearful of extremists, esp. those who openly speak about killing her.

However, there were no extremists at Scandia and no one openly spoke about killing her. No one acted in a hostile manner. Such accusations are lies or confabulations. I think several would like to figuratively kill some of her policies, but that is hardly the same threat.

I've wandered throughout the various local poli-blogs and bb's wherein the anti-Bachmans roam, because, frankly, on many subjects, the discourse is better there than elsewhere, but on the Bachman-centric topics, I've seen many, many casual mentions of how she should die.

Read that again - of how she should die.

So, yeah, maybe they're lying when they type that. But I'm not lying when I witness to it. So take your "lies and confabs" and . . . . well, you know.

I repeat, since you misread what I wrote.

No one acted in a hostile manner in Scandia on Saturday at the event we are disussing. Such accusations are lies or confabulations.

I have no doubt that someone, somewhere, has written something evil on a web page or blog. I agree that is terrible, regardless of the recipient. But I stand by my statements about what happened in Scandia.

face it, she's a stupid, cowardly bitch.

Cowardly? I think taking a contrary position to what gays in the Minneapolis/St Paul area want is anything but cowardly.

Black: "No one acted in a hostile manner in Scandia on Saturday at the event we are disussing."

So you were in the restroom?

"Such accusations are lies or confabulations."

Perhaps the sheriff or the WashCo attorney will have a opinion on that soon.

"I have no doubt that someone, somewhere, has written something evil on a web page or blog. I agree that is terrible, regardless of the recipient. But I stand by my statements about what happened in Scandia. "

Well, fair enough.

Nova: "face it, she's a stupid, cowardly bitch."

That means a lot coming from an anonymous commenter.

"Hey LearnedFoot, Try to get it through your thick head... There was no 'this type of beligerant behavior'".

Hey dumbass Dan: following someone into the bathroom to "talk to them" while blocking egress is per se belligerent behavior.

Jerk.

Ok I don't know the etiquette on these blogs so I hope you don't mind someone you don't know making a comment but can I point out some things. Sheriff Frank was quoted in the Star Tribune as saying he doesn't see anything to investigate. The report filed alleges "no threats or physical contact." I was outside the restroom door on my way out of the building and the senator and the two women weren't in the bathroom long enough for the door to completely shut on the pneumatic hinge and I could see through the gap as it was shutting. It wasn't blocked. It's one of these doors that doesn't have a latch, it just slowly swings shut. And these women in question, the "nun and the elf," they were talking about educational funding as they went in the restroom. They weren't talking about gay marriage.

Some of the posters here admit you don't know the etiquette of women. We do things that men don't, as you must realize. Women not only follow each other into bathrooms routinely, we do it in packs, and we talk to each other in restrooms. I know the men in my family have thought this odd for a long time and I've heard a lot of comedians make fun of the behavior. And be real about this, it wasn't some bar it was a community center in a reserved, well-mannered township. There is a difference. And if you don't know the difference, you should come up and visit us. Scandia is a nice place.

According to our election judge, who was the gentleman on Wendy Wilde Tuesday (that was Gary-he's also a local softball umpire. He's a straight-laced, observant, rule-following guy) the folks in attendance were a mix of conservative farmers and professionals from the community. They weren't a mob, unruly or otherwise.

The important point is that our senator showed what seemed to the observers in Scandia to be bizarre, unstable behavior. Now, I don't doubt that the senator is getting threats from elsewhere. This is a volatile subject and people can be stupid. I'm not hearing anyone who was in Scandia condoning threats of any kind, whether it be intimidation or throwing food or anything uncivil.

Those of us who were in Scandia are just saying that there was nothing about the situation Saturday that was intimidation; nothing that would have made a reasonable person behave the way the senator did. It was newsworthy because the behavior was so inconsistent with the situation. It certainly appeared to indicate a need for some sort of attention, whether by her constituents or perhaps by a psychiatrist.

Maya,

Thanks for a civil, level-headed sounding appraisal of the situation.

Hey Mitch,

What side are you going to be on if the county determines that a false police report was filed?

Hey Mitch,

What side are you going to be on if the county determines that a false police report was filed?

I was at them meeting in Scandia too. It was mostly about education but the gay marriage thing came up toward the end. It seemed that the majority of the crowd didn't agree with the legislators. But the discourse was always civil.

After Ray V. ended the meeting, some people went to the restroom. Three women were in the large restroom together: Michelle Bachmann, a silver-haired ex nun and a tiny woman who did look like an elf. I know the two Scandia women--they are idealistic, pacifistic and sincere. To consider them threatening is laugheable.

Mitch writes:

Oh, for the love of pete. I've gone and crated another evalanche.

(Whacks self on head).

"Was this a single occupancy bathroom - or a bathroom with multiple stalls? There is a big difference."

It makes no difference at all. YOU DON'T FOLLOW PEOPLE INTO BATHROOMS, especially not as groups. I don't know what the etiquette is in women's rooms, but in men's rooms as a general rule you keep the conversation outside; the bathroom is sacred and not to be profaned by business.

The very least these people should be charged with is grating moronism.

As to pressing charges - in what world would that be a good idea, politically? Bachmann is many things, but she's not stupid.

As to calling Bachmann - one never knows what'll happen.

Eva will, as usual, leap tall rhetorical buildings and jump in front of speeding rhetorical locomotives to justify herself.

EY: I'd encourage those of you who were at this event to send a letter to the editor at the star tribune at opinion@startribune.com.

Mitch uses his experience at a bar as a way to appraise the situation. That's nonsense - this event wasn't at a bar - it was in the morning at a local government building. Very different behaviors can be expected in those settings.

I could use my experience working in a group home with Mentally Ill/Chemically Dependent Adults as a way of putting context into this situation - but I don't think it's comparable.

I'd encourage Mitch to correct his post in the section where he repeats Swiftee's allegation that this was a single occupancy bathroom. It clearly was not that.

Also, Mitch - rather than address the arguments, you do the ad hominem personal attack. You never did answer my question - did you check with Bachmann to see if she agreed with Swiftee on the allegation that this was a single occupancy bathroom?

Mitch writes:

Oh, for the love of pete. I've gone and crated another evalanche.

(Whacks self on head).

"Was this a single occupancy bathroom - or a bathroom with multiple stalls? There is a big difference."

It makes no difference at all. YOU DON'T FOLLOW PEOPLE INTO BATHROOMS, especially not as groups. I don't know what the etiquette is in women's rooms, but in men's rooms as a general rule you keep the conversation outside; the bathroom is sacred and not to be profaned by business.

The very least these people should be charged with is grating moronism.

As to pressing charges - in what world would that be a good idea, politically? Bachmann is many things, but she's not stupid.

As to calling Bachmann - one never knows what'll happen.

Eva will, as usual, leap tall rhetorical buildings and jump in front of speeding rhetorical locomotives to justify herself.

EY: I'd encourage those of you who were at this event to send a letter to the editor at the star tribune at opinion@startribune.com.

Mitch uses his experience at a bar as a way to appraise the situation. That's nonsense - this event wasn't at a bar - it was in the morning at a local government building. Very different behaviors can be expected in those settings.

I could use my experience working in a group home with Mentally Ill/Chemically Dependent Adults as a way of putting context into this situation - but I don't think it's comparable.

I'd encourage Mitch to correct his post in the section where he repeats Swiftee's allegation that this was a single occupancy bathroom. It clearly was not that.

Also, Mitch - rather than address the arguments, you do the ad hominem personal attack. You never did answer my question - did you check with Bachmann to see if she agreed with Swiftee on the allegation that this was a single occupancy bathroom?

Sorry about the double post....

"Mitch uses his experience at a bar as a way to appraise the situation. That's nonsense - this event wasn't at a bar - it was in the morning at a local government building. Very different behaviors can be expected in those settings."

Duh. I fully qualified my explanation - I noted it was from working in bars, among other experiences.

However, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that following people into bathrooms is dumb, the kind of thing people with dubious social skills can probably rationalize but most of us don't.

"I could use my experience working in a group home with Mentally Ill/Chemically Dependent Adults as a way of putting context into this situation - but I don't think it's comparable."

And if you qualified such explanations accordingly, we could all be the judge. As, indeed, I did.

"I'd encourage Mitch to correct his post in the section where he repeats Swiftee's allegation that this was a single occupancy bathroom. It clearly was not that."

The commenters corrected that impression fully adequately.

"Also, Mitch - rather than address the arguments, you do the ad hominem personal attack."

I don't have much regard for your style, Eva. You hound and badger and, when you step outside the bounds of basic ethics, rationalize like a fourth grader who got caught shoplifting. You seem to have boundless time to spend on pointillistic dissections of infinite blogs, websites, speeches, news sources - not only the content, but the comments! - and to demand same.

"You never did answer my question - did you check with Bachmann to see if she agreed with Swiftee on the allegation that this was a single occupancy bathroom? "

WHO FUCKING CARES? EVERYONE WHO MATTERS NOW KNOWS what type of fucking bathroom it was! It was explained in the comments, everyone who cares (which would be you, pretty much) knows.

If it means so fucking much to you to win the "Battle of the Bathroom Size", then toddle off to your blog and report to your legions of fans that "Blogger Berg Admitted He Had the Bathroom Size Wrong!"

Make sure you copy the full text of every single comment in this thread, and annotate every one of them, too!

"You seem to have boundless time to spend on pointillistic dissections of infinite blogs, websites, speeches, news sources - not only the content, but the comments! - and to demand same."

Mitch, didn't you know that Eva is a public employee? What the hell else is she going to do all day..every day and all night..every night.

Check your traffic, how many times does she show up every day?

Domain Name: umn.edu
IP Address 160.94.113.#

To the point though, I'll be damned if I can figure out how so many barking moonbats managed to spontaneously converge at the same place at the same time.

Scandia is anything but a bastion of the fruit-loop crew; kind of makes a guy wonder if there wasn't a concerted effort to turn out the lunatics, ya know?

Representative Vandeveer asked during the meeting who was from Scandia and nearly everyone raised their hand. One or two people were from Marine.

So either Scandia IS a "bastion of the fruit-loop crew", or your categorization of us as "barking moonbats" is way off.

By the way, what the hell is a barking moonbat and am I supposed to be offended by your sophmoric taunts?

Also, by my count, there were 4 gay or lesbian attendees there. 35 minutes of the 45 minute meeting was focused on education funding primarily for the Stillwater school district and about the Governors no tax pledge. Your sides need to try to frame this as a GLBT focused event is a complete red herring. It's no different that what Senator Omarosa Bachmann is doing... When there are real issues to address and deal with, break out the Gay and lesbian distraction.

AND for anyone interested in continuing these discussions about education funding in this state, there is another townhall meeting:

Date: Sunday, April 17, 2005
Time: 6-7:30 pm

Place: Trinity Lutheran Church, 115 N. 4th St., Downtown Stillwater

Yes, Bachmann is scheduled to attend...

"Representative Vandeveer asked during the meeting who was from Scandia and nearly everyone raised their hand. One or two people were from Marine. So either Scandia IS a "bastion of the fruit-loop crew", or your categorization of us as "barking moonbats" is way off."

Well, we'll find out sooner or later.

"By the way, what the hell is a barking moonbat and am I supposed to be offended by your sophmoric taunts?"

Probably, but then calling Sen. Bachmann "Omorosa" hardly cements your cred in the civility department. I'm just saying.

"Also, by my count, there were 4 gay or lesbian attendees there. 35 minutes of the 45 minute meeting was focused on education funding primarily for the Stillwater school district and about the Governors no tax pledge. Your sides need to try to frame this as a GLBT focused event is a complete red herring. It's no different that what Senator Omarosa Bachmann is doing... When there are real issues to address and deal with, break out the Gay and lesbian distraction. "

Just curious - what "real issues?" The No Tax pledge? It's a winner with most people, especially in CD6. Education funding - there's a whole subject there I need to get into, but suffice to say Bachmann is no weaker on this than all the opposition...

"AND for anyone interested in continuing these discussions about education funding in this state, there is another townhall meeting:

Date: Sunday, April 17, 2005
Time: 6-7:30 pm

Place: Trinity Lutheran Church, 115 N. 4th St., Downtown Stillwater

Yes, Bachmann is scheduled to attend..."

Yeah, I wish I could do that. It's a school night, and I live in CD4 anyway.

It'd be interesting to see firsthand.

"Representative Vandeveer asked during the meeting who was from Scandia and nearly everyone raised their hand. One or two people were from Marine."

Actually, there were two others who weren't from Scandia: two muscular shills who were planted in the audience to ask questions. We don't know where they were from, but they weren't local, and they left in an entourage of vehicles just before and after Ray and Michele. Really. Planting shills in the audience to ask the right questions. Ironic in light of Vandeveer's most frequent response, "You are from Scandia, right?"

Webster, you must be refering to the guy in the black shirt that spoke with Ray privately before the session started and the tall guy that Ray refered to as a good conservative.

I just assumed they were friends of Bachmann and Vandeveer but the idea that they were plants wouldn't suprise me a bit.

I can see why Bush is so terrified of legitimate townhall meetings... Some crazy liberal queer might ask a real question and scare the poor man.

and Mitch, I think refering to Senator Bachmann as Omarosa is prefectly legitimate.

I refer to men who cheat on their second wife with their soon to be third wife as Newts.

Men who can't seem to hold their marriage together are Rush's and gay men who marry their longtime partners while campaigning for Republicans who are trying to amend the constitution to keep gay men from marrying their longtime partners are now refered to as Finkelsteins.

"I just assumed they were friends of Bachmann and Vandeveer but the idea that they were plants wouldn't suprise me a bit."

I don't imagine any base claimes about Bachmann would surprise you, though. Right? I mean, I'm reading lots of anger between the lines.

"I can see why Bush is so terrified of legitimate townhall meetings... Some crazy liberal queer might ask a real question and scare the poor man."

Huh?

"and Mitch, I think refering to Senator Bachmann as Omarosa is prefectly legitimate."

Er, right. I'm assuming this is an "Apprentice" reference. I've never seen ths show, and doubt I ever will.

"I refer to men who cheat on their second wife with their soon to be third wife as Newts...Rush's...Finkelsteins."

Wow. An entire rage-based taxonomy.

"I don't imagine any base claimes about Bachmann would surprise you, though. Right? I mean, I'm reading lots of anger between the lines."

uh... ok... What ever floats your boat.

"Huh?"

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,153720,00.html

"Er, right. I'm assuming this is an "Apprentice" reference. I've never seen ths show, and doubt I ever will."

Then you fail to see how funny and accurate the lable is. Here... let me paint a picture for you...

In one episode, Omarosa visits a townhome being remodeled. a four inch piece of drywall falls on her head. she hails a cab and goes to the emergency room and spends the rest of the show complaining about her imaginary concussion and crying about the HUGE piece of plaster that fell on her.

"Wow. An entire rage-based taxonomy."

Nope. It's a small section of a much larger hypocricy influenced taxonomy. Thanks Republican Party!

The ip number you posted isn't mine. That's not my ip number, Swiftee - work or home.

Mitch, if you had any cojones, you'd put a correction on your post. But it's not surprising, you won't.