What I did tonight.

"Gun Violence in America: What Can or Should Be Done in Media, Politics and Mental Health"

This was a town hall meeting held at an independent bookstore, Quail Ridge Books & Music, in Raleigh. It's the first thing of that sort I've been to. Basically, the panel got to answer a question from the moderator and then there was a moderated Q&A. It wasn't exactly reasoned discourse, but there was no debate with the guests. The format seems to be there for us to hear what the panel thought than the panel, and David Price, to hear what his constituents thought and at times I really wanted to tell questioners to ask a damn question as much as I wanted to tell the guests to answer them.

The panel included: WRAL anchor David Crabtree, psychiatrist Dr. Assad Meymandi, Congressman David Price. Crabtree struck me as the stereotypical clueless news anchor. Meymandi was a nice counterpoint to Price. Meymandi didn't address gun violence at all but improvements in mental health. That I can support. Price on the other hand brought with him all his tired old prohibitionist bullshit. Lets see...gun owners are an "intense minority" and don't represent the views of most Americans. Manchin/Toomey was a moderate measure on background checks, no to standard capacity magazines, no semi-automatic weapons, individual rights are all subject to some control,blah, blah, blah. I finally got to see Price in person and confirm what a worthless, arrogant and typical liberal politician/academic he is, but the highlight of my night was when someone commented on what a statesman Price had become. Hell, I'd be satisfied if he were just an ex-politician.

All in all, the trip to Raleigh wasn't a total waste. Gun owners showed the flag, and Quail Ridge Books and Music is actually a nice little bookstore. If it weren't in Raleigh, I'd go back.