The president's journey to Roseburg was shrouded in secrecy this afternoon.  Families and victims alerted at the last minute they were invited to Roseburg High School to see the President.

The press denied access to the event.

Strange and unusual.

Cell phones were confiscated by Secret Service and the visit was generally constructed to be hard to cover.

But why?

The nation would like to see how their leader is consoling those wounded and the families of the dead.

What's wrong with seeing that?

Perhaps the White House is sensitive to those who opposed Mr. Obama's visit.

FEMALE PROTESTER: “I think it’s terrible.  I think he’s using it for his own agenda.  He’s, sure, it’s nice for him to come and sympathize with the victims.  But most of the victims don’t want him here.  Roseburg doesn’t want him here.  Oregon doesn’t want him here.  I think he should just stay away and keep in his 10 mile square area in Washington DC and leave us alone.”

But keep in mind that no one forced the families and the victims to meet with the president.  They went voluntarily.

As Talking Points has stated, all Americans should respect the office of the presidency no matter who is in it.

If the leader of America wants to console the citizenry, that should happen without rancor.

But Mr. Obama made a major mistake in using the Oregon massacre to push his anti-gun agenda.

That upset some folks in Roseburg and their feelings are valid.

The president has also been selective in his compassion.

An illegal alien used a gun to kill Kate Steinle.

No call from Mr. Obama to the Steinle family.

Thousands of guns are on the streets of Chicago, and hundreds of murders are taking place in the minority precincts there.

The president largely ignores the carnage.  If he were to visit those victimized in the Windy City, he'd be there every day.

Fair-minded Americans want good public safety laws and most will support common sense regulations on the sale of guns.

But to deny Americans the protection that comes with the Second Amendment is foolish policy.

If President Obama believes his vision is best for America, he should sit down with the press and answer some questions.  So far he is acting on emotion, not facts.

Only a few hundred demonstrators showed up to greet the president.  Fox News producers report the crowd was evenly divided between those who oppose the visit and those who support it.

The president himself spoke after the high school meeting for about two minutes, just the usual consolation and promise to help.

I wish all Americans were law-abiding and both physically and mentally healthy.

But that is just a wish, a dream.

Reality is much more brutal, and leaving a citizenry without self-protection is simply irresponsible. 

And that's the memo.