Fearful of Election Day aftermath, a Woodstock community will lock its gates

Updated at 5:15 p.m. to included comments from Calvin Moss, the Woodstock police chief.

Original: This embarrassing item just appeared on The Caucus, a New York Times blog:

In Woodstock, Ga., about 30 miles north of Atlanta, the president of a homeowners’ association sent an e-mail on Sunday informing residents that the entrance gates would be closed 24 hours a day beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, out of concern over possible civil unrest after the election.

“I feel it is better to take a position of caution to enhance controlled access to the community until we see what (if any) negative repercussions may occur because of the results of the election,” wrote Bill Stanley, the president of the homeowners’ association at the Cottages of Woodstock, a residential community for people 55 and over.

Here you thought zombies weren’t real. On the other hand, it does send an interesting message to the grandkids: “You’re on your own.”

The NYT quotes Stanley as saying that he was ordering enhanced controlled access to the community on the recommendation of the Woodstock police department.

Added: But we just fielded a call from Calvin Moss, the Woodstock police chief, who said that he has had a conversation with Stanley this afternoon — and Stanley denied getting any such information from the Woodstock police force.

“We have no reason to believe that the election and its aftermath will be anything but peaceful,” Moss said. “Certainly we would give no one that kind of information.”

- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider

For instant updates, follow me on Twitter, or connect with me on Facebook.

349 comments Add your comment

raleturn

November 6th, 2012
7:31 am

The reality is we do have 2 certain elements of society that react different when the do not like an outcome. All one has to do is look at the state trial of the officers found not guilty in the beating of Rodney King and the state trial of OJ Simpson found not guilty of murder. While both elements of society did not like the outcome, only one was willing to take it to the point of violence. It reads as if the HOA president in Woodstock is being a prudent individual who has a fiduciary responsibility to the subdivision.

cc

November 6th, 2012
7:49 am

Ga Oldtimer:

You are EXACTLY right!

Ol' Timer

November 6th, 2012
7:57 am

First, the internet commercial with the ol’ folks acting a little raunchy was a joke. Kind of like a SNL skit, but apparently some are not able to pick up on satire and missed the point.

As far as the threat of violence is concerned, I can’t imagine it happening but it has often happened following championship sporting victories — and we didn’t hear about gated communities shutting down.

On the other hand, people should be genuinely pissed at the attempts to suppress the vote with voter registration purges and reduced hours for early voting. Strangely, these extreme measures were not taken in previous elections — and 2000 does provide a precedent for underhanded, Karl Rove inspired, dirty tricks and underhanded dealings.

And, so it goes. . . .and remember, WE GET THE GOVERNMENT WE DESERVE!

cc

November 6th, 2012
7:58 am

raleturn:

Additionally, the HOA president has evaluated those past reactions you mentioned and based his actions accordingly, as any wise person would.

The fact remains that this is a non-story and an editorial written to evoke the basest response from people. This column obviously was successful in that regard, but it will not be in the running for the Nobel prize for literature.

steve

November 6th, 2012
7:59 am

Those Rednecks have nothing to worry about because Obama will be re-elected!!! LOL

How sad in 2012!!

cc

November 6th, 2012
8:03 am

“the attempts to suppress the vote with voter registration purges”

Yeah, imagine that? Those nasty people attempting to remove illegal aliens from the voter roles! Why, the next thing we know, they might even try to remove (gasp!) dead people!

just me

November 6th, 2012
8:03 am

I think its a good idea. If you live in that community then you will be able to access the gate to get to your home. It is to keep the looters out. Ya know the ones that dont work – the ones that think robbing someone who does work is a job,

Moon Mullins

November 6th, 2012
8:04 am

The old folks are worried that if Romney loses they’ll be assailed by hordes of Mormon Missionaries on bicycles! And, that can be a frightening scenario!

Justin

November 6th, 2012
8:05 am

Oh, please…as if anyone would ever want to even go to Woodstock!

Moon Mullins

November 6th, 2012
8:07 am

@cc — And, how many have actually been found? It’s a red hering and anyone with a modecum of common sense knows it. If you’ve read what is actually happening, you’d be concerned too. But then again, maybe you wouldn’t.

Travis McGee

November 6th, 2012
8:09 am

I can’t imagine why the Republicans have gone to so much trouble trying to suppress the vote when they can just go to their Supreme Court, like they did in 2000, and accomplish the same outcome.

cc

November 6th, 2012
8:13 am

Moon Mullins:

Well, Moon, I don’t know how many were actually removed? Do you? Last I heard, the Obama government was refusing to cooperate in making available their records to the state. How convenient! The democrat party would lose half its voters if illegal aliens and dead people were purged from the voter rolls. They would lose an additional ten percent if all fraudulent voter registration were discovered.

woodrow

November 6th, 2012
8:22 am

Actually, I fully understand where this fear comes from. Most of it comes from the media.

Garo Palmer

November 6th, 2012
8:22 am

If they keep the gates closed and locked how will the FEDEX/UPS trucks get through to deliver their tax payer subsidized medications?

starlifter

November 6th, 2012
8:32 am

We have all kinds here, myself I’m putting signage out to help get them in my field of fire. Don’t want to haul all that ammo around.

On My Way

November 6th, 2012
8:34 am

“On day 1 I will privatize Medicare and Social Security.” I’d lock the gates too!

jd

November 6th, 2012
8:37 am

cc is an ah! (ass hole) in case you can’t decipher the script…hahahahaha

Clark

November 6th, 2012
8:37 am

Ignorance at its best. Reminds me of the Conyers and Covington residents that are moving away from the area because of the blacks moving out to the suburbs. They literally printed an article in the newspaper about their ‘white flight’. It may be 2012 but the majority of white people in this country are still racist and will always be racist.

independent

November 6th, 2012
8:38 am

Someone famous once said, if you give up freedom for security – you deserve neither. I wonder what he said about intelligence and credulity?

jd

November 6th, 2012
8:40 am

Unfortunately for the white rascist who want to re-locate to get away from the ‘others’, you can’t afford to purchase anywhere but where your poor ass is located presently. Get for real! You are part of the NEW SLAVERY CREW! hahahahahahahaha

R

November 6th, 2012
8:45 am

You really have to be a complete idiot to vote for obama this time. Good grief the guy has been a disaster on the economy and then you have this libya cover up which the media ignores. Worse than watergate by far and the media doesn’t cover it. Disgusting.

EYRACE

November 6th, 2012
8:49 am

In the worst days of the “Cocaine Cowboys” back in the 1970s in Miami, where the violence got so out of hand there were even shootouts in the concourses at Miami International Airport and many killings in Mall parking lots, the Miami Mayor in public stated that the Citizens mightthink to arm themselves because the Authorities could not really protect them. I have always remembered those words, “We cannot really protect you.” Once one thinks about the concept of Police response time, it is possible to clearly understand why the Mayor is unfortunately right.

Bob the Builder

November 6th, 2012
8:50 am

Yankees: It is horrible down here; bugs, humidity, rednecks. What ever you do, don’t move here!!

Election Game Week - Page 8

November 6th, 2012
9:18 am

[...] are golden): Fearful of Election Day aftermath, a Woodstock community will lock its gates Fearful of election results, Woodstock community will lock gates | Political Insider [...]

Optomistic Thinking

November 6th, 2012
9:20 am

So you look at one profane granny and you stereotype her as the voice of a whole race of people? How ignorant can you be? One thing is for sure, you don’t have to go to Fox news to get the nastiness and outright lies coming from the GOP, it is available in all forms and unfolds right before your very eyes. But the lies will not discourage the will of the people, and your suppression and scare tactics will only serve to encourage even those who may have been struggling with the decision. They will come out in full force for president Obama. After it is over many of you GOP heads will try to blame Hurricane Sandy, and since hurricanes are forces of nature and acts of God, I guess you and blame divine intervention. That will go over well with the evangelists. One thing is hopeful, since president Obama will not be running for a third term, we expect the GOP to once again meet on the night of the inauguration, but this time they need to change the agenda to “how can we work with the reelected president on moving the country forward in order to keep our jobs and do what our voters are paying us to do? “

jude the obtuse

November 6th, 2012
9:35 am

It’s embarrassing to acknowledge that I am the same race as these silly people (and that includes the right wing commentators on this page as well as the sequestered minions of Woodstock). The Michael Moore ad was in somewhat bad taste, but, really, just a silly joke to anyone with any brains. It’s funny that Hannity accuses the Democrats of picking on little things, but has no compunction about attacking this ad as the worst thing that ever happened to humanity. There are real issues in this election and they’re centered on the fact that the Republican party is 100% backing the uber-rich, new aged, robber barons that are almost completely in charge of this country now. The Dems aren’t much better, but they do offer some relief.

Sideline Dude

November 6th, 2012
9:36 am

I agree with Bill. Heck, I’ve got my pistol ready just in case. It’s time for us God fearing, conservatives to take back power from the liberal, socialist, spend, spend Democratic pigs. If it causes the government owes me a living types to riot, so be it. God Bless America.

middle class latino citizen

November 6th, 2012
9:46 am

The GOP is catering to the ignorant and using primitive devisive tactics. I’m not saying all repubs, but the majority are just bandwagoners that are fed by the conservetive media. I have been listening to conservative radio for the last few months, these guys get paid millions to cater to a very primitive instinct in humans. FEAR. And the people are eating it up like candy. But I see the light. I wish for them to get crazier, since this will guarantee they do no see the white house again.

Call a spade...

November 6th, 2012
9:47 am

I can’t remember minorities threatening others after or during elections. It seems in this country’s history that’s been the other way around, especially here in the south.

OBIWAN

November 6th, 2012
9:47 am

If Obozo wins there will be no issues, if Romney wins there will be riots…..Shows the character of the Obozo voters….

AllAmericanColoredGirl

November 6th, 2012
9:48 am

@Jussthinkin’ – are you seriously putting that link up as more than an illustration of democratic creativity? It was a satire, but it’s clear that neither you, nor your candidate of choice, have any imagination — or a clue.

So what?

November 6th, 2012
9:49 am

The right hates the left. And as these vents prove, the left hates the right.

The people who live in Woodstock like it there, and the people who live intown like it there. Get over your righteous selves and stop the childish back and forth.

BOB FROM ACCOUNT TEMPS

November 6th, 2012
9:50 am

Maybe this from the washington times drove them over the edge – KUHNER: Obama backers threaten postelection violence, Grievance politics have set the stage for mayhem

Call a spade...

November 6th, 2012
9:50 am

@sideline dude

Point to the political unrest caused by the minorities. Oh you must be talking about marching for the right to vote. Darn, if they would have just stayed in their place.

Optomistic Thinking

November 6th, 2012
9:53 am

R, wrong again, just reverse what you said to you must be an idiot to vote for Romney. The man when in his comfort zone, where you can really be true to yourself, said 47%, nearly half of Americans are victims and will not take responsibility for their own lives so he could care less about them, he would overturn Roe vs Wade by appointing justices who would, he could not support equal pay for women, he would outlaw abortions and put women in jail if they were caught doing so, he said let Detroit go bankrupt with no private sector investors willing to provide the capital needed to keep them from liquidation, he then came back and attempted to take credit for the car industry success (what an idiot), then said president Obama has a war on women (what an idiot), then lied about the president selling Chrysler Jeep to the Italians who were moving Toledo jobs to China when they are actually expanding in China but also adding 1100 jobs in Toledo (what an idiot), put up ads lying about gutting $716 billion from Medicare, the same $716 billion in savings Ryan had in his budget, said he wanted to cut taxes fro everyone including the 1% then came back in the first debate and said he didn’t say it. Does he think the American people are that stupid we cannot remember what he said from one day to the next? Well apparently he is right. Using his salesmanship of selling a false bag of goods, some, like you, have gotten ROMBOOZLED! How can you honestly look at yourself in the mirror after voting for this idiot?

Carol

November 6th, 2012
9:53 am

At first glance, this fear of “others” is highly amusing;
on a deeper level, this type of delusional thinking is very disturbing.

Moon Mullins

November 6th, 2012
9:56 am

@cc — You’re in the running for The Dumbest Posts of the Day Contest. You shouldn’t have taken P.E. instead of Critical Thinking.

cc

November 6th, 2012
9:56 am

jd@8:37 am:

Rfer my post @ 7:15. You are the PERFECT example!

Your creative writing skills need a lot of work, too.

Have a contented little ignorant life . . .

LawDawg

November 6th, 2012
9:58 am

LoganvilleGuy is good at making stuff up.

rrssc

November 6th, 2012
9:58 am

In and out of the voting polls in less than 10 minutes in Woodstock this morning. I guess all the scaredy cats decided to just stay holed in all day instead of waiting until 6:00 to fortress themselves in.

LawDawg

November 6th, 2012
10:00 am

I cannot wait for this election to be over. I have to assume the average IQ of the posters of the previous 280 or so comments is about 87.

cc

November 6th, 2012
10:01 am

Moon Mullins:

Any insult coming from you is taken as a compliment.

Kris

November 6th, 2012
10:07 am

Leave it to the North Georgia ex-urbs to distinguish themselves yet again! You know, Tennessee would probably let you act that way really close to their cities – where the decent jobs are – check it out!

And the Black Panthers are back in Philly...

November 6th, 2012
10:10 am

Read all the Tweets promising rioting if Romney wins and then tell me who is crazy Gally-boy….

Don't Tread

November 6th, 2012
10:13 am

Seems the people living in there don’t get their HOA money’s worth. Why have the expense of access control if you’re just going to leave the gates open most of the time? There’s enough thugs running around loose (aside from any threats of violence if 0bama loses) to justify always using the access controls that were bought and paid for.

Steve Smith

November 6th, 2012
10:22 am

“We have no reason to believe that the election and its aftermath will be anything but peaceful,” Moss said. “Certainly we would give no one that kind of information.”

Obviously none of you use twitter.
Just google search Twitter Obama Riot. There are more than one or two hits.

Samerin Khai, Doctor of Oncology

November 6th, 2012
10:28 am

We have isolated the cancerous tumor, and it appears to be growing in the Southeastern region.
The core is located at the corner of Capitol Ave and MLK Jr. Blvd, but it has spread out to the far reaches of the state.
So far it just sits and watches Fox News all day and occasionally sends race joke texts to cousins, but we’re keeping a close eye on it.

Woodstock Resident

November 6th, 2012
10:30 am

This has got to be a farce. I live in the same community that this neighborhood is in and there is no talk of anything like that here. This is an upscale golfing community not rednecksville as someone penned. Not sure why some crazy person would even suggest that gates will be locked. That is ludicrous!

Prince of Darkness

November 6th, 2012
10:34 am

Ima go buckwil’ if Romney win.
First Ima go up to Dunwoody and slap some white women and turn their strollers over.
Then Ima go to a Baptist church in Forsyth COunty and hog-tie the pastor and his lover.
Then Ima go to a Christian academy in Cobb County and and break all the windows in the Corvettes in the student parkng lot.
After lunch I’ll probably take a nap before heading out to Marietta Country Club to do doughnuts in the zoysia.
Ima tear it up people. Be very skeered!!!

Oh, wait. Never mind. This just in: Obama will win, and then I’ll just go back to work at my job making more money than you while you sit around whining about Obama for four more years.

Yellow Hammer

November 6th, 2012
10:35 am

Lord Have Mercy On Us All……..