"Right" to protest? Maybe. Right to be heard? No.?

Question

Protestors like the "RNC Welcoming Committee," who describe themselves as an "anarchist / anti-authoritarian group," are already lining up to disrupt, err, make sure their voices are heard at, next year's Republican National Convention in Minneapolis. (I wonder if they’re planning to protest at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, as well. The Democrats took over Congress in 2004 on a platform to end the Iraq conflict and have thus far not done so, alienating even their left-most member, Cindy Sheehan, as well as most of America: the current Congress’ approval rating is lower than the President’s and the lowest in our history.)

Answer 1

The problem like you stated is that everyone cares about themselves and themselves alone how can I make more money how can I get famous ect... ect... This is not just limited to DONT TAZE ME BRO kid. THis applys to lobbiest in DC Senators and congressmen who take the bribes and the weekminded people who sit back and say eh.....

Protesting is illegal simply because the government has taken the purpose of protesting out of it you cant rally screem or get out of line otherwise you will find yourself sitting in an FBI or CIA room being investigated for Anti-american motions you can say what you want in America just dont take action to make it true cause actions speek louder than words and that is what people are realy afraid of in Government.

No one in history ever made history by conforming and caring about themselves they were (in one way or another) trying to do something for a greater good.

The sooner Americans are less greedy and start caring about each other. A revolution will not be far off.

Answer 2

do we have the right to protest still in America ?

I thought that had been done away with.

Answer 3

People don't realize that with their "right of free speech" to say whatever they want, also comes the "right to ignore them" enjoyed by everyone else.

Which is precisely why leftist political groups always try to silence their opposition.  Their own doctrine and propaganda makes little common sense and they don't want the opposite point of view to be heard.  They cannot win the battle of ideas and must resort to name-calling and attempts to denigrate those that disagree with them.  Disagree with a liberal and you will soon be labeled as a "racist" or "homophobe" or "extreme right-wing bigot" just for examples.

Also, look at the Democrats efforts to renew the "fairness doctrine" of the FCC.  Or the global warming freaks to silence anyone who "disagrees" with their agenda.

Answer 4

Hitler had free speech, but his people didn't, the Islamic leaders have freedom of religion, it's their people who don't, China has the freedom of guns - if you are "elite"

Any time the rights of one person or one group is protected above an others right, overall freedom and liberty declines.

People like the RNC Welcoming Committee are dedicated to the destruction of liberty, and their weapon of choice IS liberty.

We have allowed the first amendment to become so liberalized that now it is beginning to destroy the other rights - such as the right to assemble without violence.

These people should be taken seriously as a threat to our freedom as a nation, because while they may not be toting guns, their over -extension of their rights are robbing the rest of us of ours.

Answer 5

The fact that you have to ask what right they have . . . it's scary.

Answer 6

Sadly, too many people think that just because they have a 'right' to do something - this exempts them from things like consideration of others and common courtesy.

Those folks would scream about 'repression' if we protested at one of their events.

Answer 7

(Yes, there are plans to protest the DNC as well as the RNC. Thanks for asking.)

You are forgetting that the Republicans are already violating the rights of the protestors, along with everyone else. Disrupting a criminal organization that is violating your rights in order to prevent them from doing so does not violate anyone's rights.

Good luck to the RNC Welcoming Committee.

*****

There is a great deal of misunderstanding of the nature

of anarchism.

Anarchists (also known as libertarians or libertarian

socialists, in the original sense of socialism as worker-

ownership-and-control of the means of production)

oppose illegitimate authority and hierarchy, and therefore

oppose capitalism and the state; anarchists do not oppose

all organization: anarchists favor voluntary, non-

hierarchical, self-organization. Anarchists do not oppose

all rules and laws; anarchists oppose rules and laws

imposed involuntarily by illegitimate authorities, such

as the state, and favor voluntarily-agreed upon rules and

laws.

"Anarchy 101", an excellent introduction to anarchism,

can be found here:

http://tinyurl.com/2fq4d2

"An Anarchist FAQ", giving an in-depth treatment of

anarchism, can be found here:

http://www.anarchistfaq.org/

News & Views for Anarchists & Activists:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smygo/

Answer 8

That's life.