Anthony Man
Sun Sentinel
January 12, 2011
Congressman Allen West said Tuesday the response to the Arizona shootings that wounded one of his colleagues and left six dead shouldn’t result in so much security that people live in fear in a “police state.”
“The worst thing that we can have happen in the United States of America is take away the freedoms and the liberties that we have in this great nation, that all of a sudden we’re living in a very fearful almost police state,” he said at a West Boca Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting.
West, who started his first term in Congress last week, said he wouldn’t let legitimate security concerns make it difficult for constituents to interact with him or prevent him from interacting with them.
“We cannot allow these events to separate us from the constituents, separate us from the people,” he said.
He told about 50 people at the breakfast that “the events that occurred on Saturday were absolutely horrific, absolutely tragic.”
But, he said, “This is not going to deter me from being out here to speak with you."
Several uniformed and plain clothes Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies were in the room at the Boca Lago Country Club. Barry Epstein, a leader of the West Boca chamber, said he phoned Sheriff Ric Bradshaw on Monday who said he’d “take care” of arrangements.
West said he’s been in touch with the sheriff’s offices in Palm Beach and Broward counties, and all his future events would have an appropriate level of security. He said that was more for the security of people attending events, such as planned town hall meetings, than for himself.
West, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who served in Iraq and as a military contractor in Afghanistan, is used to danger. Before his remarks, he told reporters that he has a concealed carry permit and sometimes carries a handgun.
The congressman didn’t dwell on the weekend events during his Chamber of Commerce appearance. He said his No. 1 concern in Washington is economic recovery.
And most of the questions from people attending the event concerned business, taxes and economic development.
