Time to ban fingers?

C

Coinneach

Staff Alumnus
This just in from Ron Gunzberger at Politics1.com:

Sunrise City [FL] Commissioner Roger Wishner has requested that the city police install metal detectors in the City Commission chambers and provide him with a personal bodyguard ... because fellow Sunrise Commissioner Irving Harlem shaped his hand like a gun and pretended to shoot Wishner with his finger during a recent commission debate.

Harlem -- a senior citizen -- told the Miami Herald yesterday that he "was upset" at the time and admits "it was in poor taste."
Wishner was not satisfied, telling the newspaper that he fears that Harlem -- who has a concealed weapon permit -- was serious. "I consider this a threat to my personal safety," Wishner wrote in a formal memo to the city manager demanding special protection and increased security measures.

Police Chief David Boyett was at the meeting when the incident occurred and considers it harmless, but jokingly added: "I think I may have to ask Commissioner Harlem to check his trigger finger at the door." City Manager Pat Salerno also found humor in Wishner's request, saying: "I am taking this so seriously that I am asking Commissioner Harlem to put a lock on his finger [because] I don't think there are any metal detectors that detect fingers." Mayor Steve Feren
quipped that he may require Harlem to wear bullet-proof gloves.

The police do not intend to provide Wishner with a bodyguard. Wishner tersely responded that "it's pretty sad that in light of a serious event that took place they are making a joke out of it."

Wishner has long been at the bottom of many 4-1 votes on the City Commission.

[This message has been edited by Coinneach (edited July 01, 1999).]
 
They can have my FINGERS when they pry them off my cold empty guns ! ;)
For the time being though, I'll let the Govt. have just one.
Raised defiantly, standing alone, erect & proud ! (The finger that is) :D

------------------
"The Gun from Down Under !"
http://www.para1911fanclub.w3.to/
 
Well, Wishner is overreacting. On the other hand, I think that gesturing as if to shoot somebody makes for a bad impression of concealed carry permit holders. Since obtaining my CCW, I've been very concious of that sort of thing. I also don't use expressions like "he/she should be taken out and shot" or anything similar.

Chuck
 
Chuck, I agree with you. I do think he overreacted, but for your own safety, you have to assume that it is a real threat on your life. I doubt Harlem would have given such a callous threat if he thought Wishner was armed. All in all, I think the one-fingered salute would have been more appropriate.

Does it disturb anyone else that these are two elected officials acting like this?



------------------
Beginner barbarians probably had the idea that every house they broke into would be full of untouched loot and frightened, unarmed victims. It just doesn't work that way, my friend.
 
DD,

You mean like a couple of kids kicking dust in the playground? I'm used to that.

As far as the Universal Salute, didn't Nelson Rockefeller catch hell for doing exactly that some 20 years ago?
 
Coinneach,

Yes, I'm used to it too. I've been around politicians all my life, but it still bothers me. Why do we settle for these kind of "leaders"?

I don't recall the "Rockefinger" incident - I wasn't even a teenager 20 yrs ago... I think it's more acceptable these days.

Of course, I guess the pistol threat is just a modern version of the old English two-fingered salute (first two fingers raised with the back of your hand towards the "target"). It's a throwback to the days when the Welsh longbow ruled the battlefield. It was drawn and fired with the first two fingers...

------------------
Beginner barbarians probably had the idea that every house they broke into would be full of untouched loot and frightened, unarmed victims. It just doesn't work that way, my friend.
 
Rockefeller flipped the bird at hecklers during a campaign stop in 1976. Some quickwitted photog snapped it, and history, as they say, was made.

<a href="http://www.users.uswest.net/~coinneach/nelson-finger.gif">Click here</a> for the pic.
 
To make Wishner feel better maybe he should make sure in the future that Harlem is 'disarmed'. Or better yet maybe Harlem should just 'give him the finger'. :) :) :) :)

------------------
Anarchism: The radical notion that I am the sole authority when it comes to deciding what's best for me.
 
Slack0,

Shouldn't that be "dis-armed?"

There's a scary thought. In Muslim nations, they cut off the hands of thieves. What are the odds that we'll get around to cutting off trigger fingers?
 
Coinneach, that's how the backwards Victory salute 1st came about !
The peasants of England would give the 2 fingered salute to the Saxons in the meaning of "we've still got ours" as captured Longbowsmen had their pulling fingers chopped off.
Not pullin' your finger - I'm serious ! :)

------------------
"The Gun from Down Under !"
http://www.para1911fanclub.w3.to/
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top