White Males w/Gunz destroying American democracy Send them back where they came from

Judge orders armed group away from Arizona ballot drop boxes
[apnews.com]

PHOENIX (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday ordered armed members of a group monitoring ballot drop boxes in Arizona to stay at least 250 feet away from the locations following complaints that people wearing masks and carrying guns were intimidating voters.

U.S. District Court Judge Michael Liburdi said members of Clean Elections USA, its leader and anyone working with them are also barred from filming or following anyone within 75 feet (23 meters) of a ballot drop box or the entrance to a building that houses one. They also cannot speak to or yell at individuals within that perimeter unless spoken to first.

The temporary restraining order was requested by the League of Women Voters of Arizona after Clean Elections USA, encouraged people to watch 24-hour ballot boxes in Maricopa County, Arizona’s most populous county.

“It is paramount that we balance the rights of the defendant to engage in their constitutionally protected First Amendment activity with the interest in the plaintiffs and in voters casting a vote free of harassment and intimidation,” Liburdi said.

A second set of defendants in rural Yavapai County — groups known as the Lions of Liberty and the Yavapai County Preparedness team, who are associated with the far-right anti-government group Oath Keepers — were dismissed from the case on Monday after they pledged to stand down their operations.

Local and federal law enforcement have been alarmed by reports of people, some armed, watching 24-hour ballot boxes in the two counties as midterm elections near. Some voters have complained alleging voter intimidation after people watching the boxes took photos and videos, and followed voters.

Sheriff’s deputies have been providing security around the two outdoor drop boxes in Maricopa County after a pair of people carrying guns and wearing bulletproof vests showed up at a box in the Phoenix suburb of Mesa. The county’s other 24-hour outdoor drop box is at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center in downtown Phoenix, which is now surrounded by a chain link fence.

ps- The 250 foot perimeter around drop boxes also applies to group members wearing body armor.

"their operations"

wtf?

@#$%& these @#$%&.


I think a mob of normal people should just go and stand around them and hold up big signs on sticks and block their view...and then also kick their @#$%& asses..old school..send them home crying and with some scraped knees. Sick of this crap.

Want to scare them away? Tell them they have to wear N-95 masks.

Yeah, a bunch of armed yahoos taking pictures and video and in some cases, harassing folks dropping off their ballot.

What could go wrong?

The Trump-appointed judge was initially “hey, my hands are tied; can’t do nuttin because Constitution.” (I somehow missed that armed yahoo protection clause in Civics class).

But to his credit, he did an about-face pretty quickly when reality intervened and the inevitable started happening.

A lot of people in the Magasphere believe - because they have been repeatedly lied to and it's what they want to believe - that there really was cheating going on at the drop boxes. One way to make sure there isn't - and catch the cheaters - is to monitor the boxes. But monitoring the boxes takes a considerable amount of time and commitment. It seems likely that only the most committed to "the cause" will have that commitment. And among those with a lot of commitment are guys with guns.

Of course, if you are not a Maga believer and just going to drop off your ballot, seeing guys with guns and vests makes you concerned about what their intentions are. You have no idea what their motives are. And the not knowing makes them feel like a much greater danger to you. It's natural to not trust their motives.

It's all because Trump made up The Big Lie and gaslighted his faithful into believing the lie. It has broken trust. The Maga drop box monitoring people are showing ballot box drop off voters their lack of trust in them by their monitoring activities. Many of the people dropping off ballots don't trust the people monitoring them. Unfortunately, this is only one of many such actions Maga believers are taking because of distrust because of The Big Lie.

Bannon is gleeful about it.

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e pluribus unum

Quote
Ted King
A lot of people in the Magasphere believe - because they have been repeatedly lied to and it's what they want to believe - that there really was cheating going on at the drop boxes. One way to make sure there isn't - and catch the cheaters - is to monitor the boxes. But monitoring the boxes takes a considerable amount of time and commitment. It seems likely that only the most committed to "the cause" will have that commitment. And among those with a lot of commitment are guys with guns.

Of course, if you are not a Maga believer and just going to drop off your ballot, seeing guys with guns and vests makes you concerned about what their intentions are. You have no idea what their motives are. And the not knowing makes them feel like a much greater danger to you. It's natural to not trust their motives.

It's all because Trump made up The Big Lie and gaslighted his faithful into believing the lie. It has broken trust. The Maga drop box monitoring people are showing ballot box drop off voters their lack of trust in them by their monitoring activities. Many of the people dropping off ballots don't trust the people monitoring them. Unfortunately, this is only one of many such actions Maga believers are taking because of distrust because of The Big Lie.

Bannon is gleeful about it.

So is Putin.

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The arts are not luxuries but assets that give way more than they cost.
--Ronald Tucker on YouTube

A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open.
--Frank Zappa

my ballot came with pre-paid postage. I returned it by mail about 2 weeks ago. There was no one armed in my driveway watching my mailbox.

Messages come directly from Dear Leader.

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Hurts like a bastid...

Quote
Don C
Want to scare them away? Tell them they have to wear N-95 masks.

Stephen Colbert: ”I think it's fair to say, democracy is in danger when ballot boxes take out a restraining order.”

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A priest, a rabbit and a minister walk into a bar.
The bartender asks the rabbit "what'll ya have?"
The rabbit says "I dunno. I'm only here because of Autocorrect.


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As of July 16, 2022, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now available by simply dialing 988. The previous number, 1-800-273-8255, will remain active.

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

Quote
gadje
my ballot came with pre-paid postage. I returned it by mail about 2 weeks ago. There was no one armed in my driveway watching my mailbox.

Here I had to pay for the stamp but it was so much more convenient than driving to a place where I'd otherwise never go to vote in person (early or on Election Day)

I doubt I'll ever vote in person again.

In Cal we get prepaid ballots that are tracked. My votes have been received and are already part of the vote count.