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Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Protesters Matter



Protests Matter    (Public Domain)
Whether black, white or shades of gray, protesters matter greatly in the life of a free society.

The United States of America is a country that was conceived in protest against an unjust government, a country that claims
to be dedicated to the propositions of free speech and assembly.  Non-violent protest fits right in with these principles and history.

So why is it that a presidential candidate is so bent upon dismissing those who protest his statements and actions?  Do we want a president who is so leery (and leering) of whom he considers an enemy that he won’t even allow protesters their rights?  Do we
believe a self-professed “good Christian” when he refuses to acknowledge, let alone love, these so-called enemies?

Hardly a month after the country celebrated (well, at least had a day off) Martin Luther King, Jr. and Black History Month, Donald Trump has been embroiled with one protest-oriented controversy after another.  At a victory rally in Las Vegas, he talked about wanting to “punch [protesters] in the nose” and have them carried out in stretchers.  At a campaign rally in Valdosta, his “people” ordered Black Lives Matter protesters out the door.

When someone is doing this as a candidate (with the cheering and blessings of thousands), one might wonder what could occur during such a presidency.  “Wonder,” however, isn’t the most fruitful response.  Historical research can provide far more clues.

Resources
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/02/29/donald-trump-georgia-rally-valdosta/81129964/ 

Copyright March 2, 2016 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved


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