Trump, the Protestors and the U.S. Constitution

The United States Constitution explicitly provides for 'the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and exercise their right to free speech in the First Amendment.

Common constraints on the right to assemble are a class of time, place and manner regulations. A second type of constraint is the requirement to obtain a permit, where coordination may be needed to ensure public safety.

I support the right of the Trump Political machine to hold their Presidential rallies and I support the right of those who dislike Trump to protest. What I do not support are anti-Trump protestors who are intentionally disrupting the Trump rallies with the express intent of depriving Trump and his supporters their right to assemble and conduct free speech. The protestors are legally obligated to get a permit to assemble “outside” the Trump events, presumably at a safe distance as determined by the police in order to avoid a confrontation - then that is fine with me. Going inside the events covertly with the express intent of denying thousands their civil rights is illegal and should be dealt with in a court of law.

What perplexes me are the actions of the political establishment on both sides of the aisle:  President Obama joined the fray of the mob-attacking Trump by justifying their “illegal behavior” because “Trump was asking for it”. It’s like blaming a rape victim for being raped.  Obama rushed to judgment on the side of rioters in Ferguson, Missouri. He called the justice department in to protect the rioter’s right to assemble (even though it was actually a criminal mob). Obama could have used his position of moral authority to make this a “teaching moment” (a term he uses often) – to chastise the radical left for making a mockery of our constitution and the first amendment. Hillary and Sanders were chiming in with the same Obama “Trump asked for it” logic, which says to me that they think that the constitution should be interpreted in political terms and not for all people.

The Republican establishment? Romney, Cruz, Rubio and Kasich have all chimed in that “Trump was responsible” for the protestors rioting. They are using, much like Obama and the Democrats, the constitution as a thin wall of veneer to obscure a lame attempt for personal political gain. How can anyone have respect for the Republican establishment?

People see in their Presidential candidate what they want to see, inflating their positives and overlooking their faults subconsciously. Conversely, people see what they want to see in their political adversaries, overlooking their strengths and inflating their faults subconsciously. The constitution protects us from ourselves and gives our country structure. Unfortunately the Constitution is only a paper document. We can’t look to President Obama for moral leadership at this time, and he won’t bring in the Justice Department to administer the law. Who does American turn to when the right too assemble has been taken away from the people and the authorities do nothing?