Update: We missed this last week, but there’s a whole conspiracy theory about the mano vs. mano handkerchief and water bottle throwdown that occurred at the GOP rally in Parma a few weeks ago. Cleveland.com delves into the mystery of whether these were actually two strangers who let their inner political fires bubble over into a semi-innocent fray, or whether it was staged.
It’s long but interesting. And whatever side you come out on, we can all agree ‘Murica stands to benefit from distractions like this. Who needs substantive debate and discussion when you can go deep into the issues courtesy of a Three Stooges skit? Where’s the seltzer bottle?
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Gather protesters, Romney supporters, and add a dash of good ole Parma, and you have the recipe for something delicious and nutritious.
While President Obama was busing his way around Northeast Ohio, presumptive GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney dispatched Tim Pawlenty and Bobby Jindal to Parma to lay the groundwork for his campaign. A mixed crowd gathered to enjoy/decry the event, which is how the little brouhaha got started.
At one point, Romney supporter Richard Brysac of Parma confronted protester Al Neal of Canton, who attended with a handful of members of a group called Fight for Fair Economy Ohio.Brysac, 77, attempted to hush Neal by emptying a bottle of water into the 25-year-old union worker’s mouth.
“He seemed thirsty, so I tried to shove the bottle in his mouth,” Brysac said. “I thought it was wrong to interfere with [Pawlenty’s] freedom of speech.
“I acted out of character and I apologize if I offended anyone.”
When the bottle didn’t work, Brysac pulled out his handkerchief and gagged Neal.
Neal removed the handkerchief and continued chanting until the group of protesters was escorted from the rally.
Video of the handkerchief portion of the old man vs. young buck “fight” is below. Pics of the water bottle incident are at the Cleveland.com link.
Parma, America: home to civil, high-minded debate.
This article appears in Jul 18-24, 2012.
I also find it ironic that the Republicans, who are so worried about small business, planted their huge bus in the parking lot and disrupted the ability of customers and clients to reach the businesses in that small plaza. They took up the entire parking lot and all the parking spaces. Clients of the pet grooming parlor and the animal hospital in the plaza, which included many elderly people, were being instructed to park at churches across the street and haul their pets over. So much for their concern for business and the elderly!
33 seconds of freedom of speech in Parma. There are so many agitators that the FBI and CIA don’t know who to have killed for being a commie and a socialist…I am sorry…that was forty years ago. Today’s republicans are far more civil and tolerant of minorities and liberals and workers and poor folks. Louis E. Lomax would feel so comfortable in todays USA after we became a more united and loving society.
Sigh…only in Parma.
What’s the point of interrupting something like this? Do you really think it rattles someone or messes them up? When will dems and repubs just let each other have their own rallies and stop trying to interfere?
072212–1045am
There was no story (yet) about the terrible Colorado mass-killing on Scene, so I am using this political story to report. By now everyone knows a little about James Holmes…very little. When very little is known many see this as an opportunity to blame parties and organization for the violence. First, The Tea Party was blamed by the left, and now the right has blamed the OWS movement and all occupy movements.
And how does this involve Cleveland? Well, a PI named Bill Warner has claimed that the Occupy Black organization is involved with James Holmes (not to be confused with Johnny Holmes), and that the five guys from the Bridge blow up’ plot in Cleveland’ is part of the anarchist movement in which Holmes was involved.
James Holmes may just end up being the most intelligent mass-murderer in our history, so it does not surprise me that he would have been involved with our five gifted young men.