Never a dull moment with the Deacons for Defenselessness

As alluded to (here, here, and here) last week, yesterday saw yet another grandstand performance by the Deacons for Defenselessness and Injustice, Jesse Jackson and Michael "Snuffy" Pfleger. This version of their absurd little circus featured the additional element of the civilian disarmament advocating clergymen getting arrested for criminal trespassing.

Jackson, in turn, has tried to press assault charges against shop owner John Riggio, who Jackson claims shoved him. Apparently, Riverdale police who saw video footage of the incident were unconvinced that evidence of the assault alleged by Jackson was sufficient for an arrest.

The encounter between Riggio and the clergymen who wish to cut off his family's income did not, apparently, start off with so much rancor, and in fact Riggio invited the two inside to discuss what is involved in a firearms sale.

Owner John Riggio said he told Jackson and Pfleger, pastor of St. Sabina Roman Catholic Church, that they could enter the store but that he would only let the two in.

"I was going to explain to Jackson and Father Pfleger how to get a gun license and explain to them how the laws work, basically go through a regular sale with them," Riggio said.

Jackson and Pfleger declined the invitation, claiming that their lives would be in danger if they entered (the "gun rights supporters are scary" card seems a popular one to play these days).

In another article, oddly enough, Jackson claims to have been "locked out" of the shop.

"The police believe that store has a right to lock us out and that is not offensive to push us physically," Jackson said.

Only this bunch could claim to have been "locked out," by the man whose invitation to come inside they had just declined.

Jackson and Pfleger accomplished what I imagine to have been their goal all along, to get arrested, and thus bully their way onto the national stage with their strange vendetta against Riggio and his family.

They have already announced that their harassment campaign will continue next Friday, June 29th, at noon. Any Bill of Rights supporters in the area who can get off work are encouraged to be there.

As always, check out The Armed School Teacher's take on this.