David Long of the Four Corners Free Press (not online) in Cortez, Co attended a July 20 meeting of the Four Corners 9-12 Project (a la Glenn Beck) at the Elks Hall.  Approximately 100 people attended; the subject was health care reform.  All who spoke were opposed.

Other topics were addressed at meeting.  "9-12 Project member Roger Hazelwood, well-known locally for his advocacy of unfettered gun rights, stated that defeating immigration reform was crucial.  "If they get it passed, then there is not going to be a two-party system in this country, because if you are an illegal who comes into this country and you're offered freebies by the Democrats, who are you going to vote for? '

Many of the comments echoed the sentiments of such right-wing luminaries as Coulter and Limbaugh and Ingram ...and the packed house was advised to visit the conservative internet sites News Max and World Net Daily for accurate, objective reporting.

"Hazelwood invited the participants to an upcoming seminar put on by the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners head Dudley Brown 'to make politicians do what you want them to do, or, failing that how to feel a lot of political heat when they don't do it.  It's not going to be about playing fair--it's about winning,'"

"Toni Gurnea, Chairman of the Montezuma County Democratic Party said she attended the June meeting put on by (Senator Michael) Bennet's regional representative, Ann Brown, and was aghast at the behavior of the 9-12 group.  'Roger Hazelwood stood up--they were all nodding their heads and agreeing totally--said they opposed the hate-crimes bill because it is about gays.'  She said 'Hazelwood said that he'd done research that showed that all gays are pedophiles and the bill would prevent people from defending children against sexual assaults and in fact would protect child molesters...Ann tried to explain...but they went on and on yelling. (Another staff member to Bennet) said she felt threatened.'  At this point, one source reported, one of the 9-12ers assured the staff member that she didn't need to be afraid because four of them were armed and would protect her.

"'They're calling us a bunch of communists, socialists, anyone who believes in Obama, because he's a Nazi and going to take over the world.'

De facto local head of the group, Bud Garner, denied having personal knowledge of any 9-12ers carrying weapons at the June meeting (with Brown).  'I didn't frisk them, and it doesn't matter anyway.  That is a perfectly legitimate function of a citizen of the United States.  If anyone there was carrying a weapon, they are constitutionally authorized to do so--that's no big deal.'

Garner went on to speak for the group about the unconstitutionality of Medicare and Medicaid, and said 'If the Constitution does not specifically authorize the government to do something, it cannot do it.  Nowhere in there is there (sic) authorization for the federal government to be involved in health-care issues...Social Security is a ponzi scheme, it makes Bernie Madoff look like a kindergartener.

(He addressed critically ill people being denied access to care): 'They should not expect taxpayers to help them.  Where did that unfortunate situation gain the authority to steal from other people to pay for pay for their health care ...to steal from me to take care of you? 

'That's what welfare is--you're stealing from one to give to another.  And the vast majority don't need it if they would get off their butts and go to work.

I wonder if it's possible that the fact that Colorado is 48th in per capita spending on education has any bearing on these comments?  Cortez RE-1 school district has not passed a school bond issue for decades.  Thanks to David Grant Long for his coverage.--wendy.