The right to peaceably assemble is an indispensable feature of our republic. But protesters in this time of pandemic should do so safely, reasonably, and responsibly. If not for the safety of their community and out of respect for those waging the front-line battle against COVID-19, then at least out of practical concern for the effectiveness of their efforts.
This article is from The Editor’s Corner, with insights, short-posts, links, and general ramblings from Editor/Owner Justin Stapley.
“Congress shall make no law…abridging the right of the people to peaceably assemble.”
The right to peaceably protest is transcribed on the soul of our Republic, not only by the words contained in the first amendment, but by the spirit of a nation built on the foundation of resisting a tyrant.
Even in times such as these, I rejoice to live in a country where the people can bring their grievances to their government and assemble as a check upon any new authority claimed by a governing officer. No matter the crisis or threat our nation faces, there must always be those who stand athwart the crisis and holler stop, wait, and hold on just a second.
I tend to agree with the stay-at-home orders and directives now in place in all the states, to one degree or another. But I also find value in having those willing to lift their voices to ensure state and federal governments are taking only the steps necessary to deal with the crisis effectively.
Such patriots are indispensable in checking the tendencies of those who can never let a good crisis go to waste and inevitably seek to accrue additional power and authority that often proves challenging to reel back after the crisis has passed.
But to those who choose to engage in such worthy efforts, I offer several earnest pleas:
- Bear in mind the difference between a peaceable assembly and an unlawful assembly. Be mindful of the consequences when protest takes the form of civil disobedience and noncompliance with the law.
- Be safe and respect the safety of others. Don’t place yourself, your families, or your communities in more danger. By ignoring the reasonable warnings of medical professionals, you would not only be disrespectful of the sacrifices made by so many to combat this terrible virus, but would be doing considerable damage to your efforts, both by angering the public against you, as they come to believe you are insensitive to the nation’s plight, and by risking new rounds of infection and granting the government added incentive to extend lockdown orders. If you’re going to protest, protest for change and not just as ineffectual virtue signaling.
- And remember, facts don’t care about your feelings. Get out, make your voice heard, be a part of the process of free government, but as you do so, don’t become a clone of the Left-wing emotional rage machine you claim to despise, marching based on emotions and passion and ignoring the facts of cold hard reality.
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