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Originally Posted by Guest
Just a bit of a different perspective on WHY they are there. Does not seem to be a protest against, as you say "object to the free speech provision.."
From the Boston newspaper...sorry, you were not covered..
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BOSTON -- Thousands of left-leaning counter-protesters marched through downtown Boston on Saturday, chanting anti-Nazi slogans and waving signs condemning white nationalism ahead of a rally being staged by conservative activists, just a week after a Virginia demonstration turned deadly.
Police Commissioner William Evans said Friday that 500 officers -- some in uniform, others undercover -- would be deployed to keep the two groups apart on Saturday. Boston's Democratic mayor, Marty Walsh, and Massachusetts' Republican governor, Charlie Baker, both warned that extremist unrest wouldn't be tolerated in this city famed as the cradle of American liberty.
Walsh said at a news conference Friday that the city has spoken to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which provided guidance on how to handle conflicts with white supremacists, CBS Boston reported.
Organizers of the midday event, billed as a "Free Speech Rally," have publicly distanced themselves from the neo-Nazis, white supremacists and others who fomented violence in Charlottesville on Aug. 12. A woman was killed at that Unite the Right rally, and scores of others were injured, when a car plowed into counter-demonstrators.
Police confined the "Free Speech" rally to the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common as they blocked off the massive protests, CBS Boston reports.
The Boston Police Department announced at 1:30 p.m. that the "Free Speech" rally had ended."
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Boston "free speech" rally ends after counter-protesters take to streets -- live updates - CBS News
Nothing is quite as simple as you post it.
I honor and respect the first amendment, but as most decent Americans do, am hesitant to support white nationalism, although it is also protected.
Just think, under the current circumstances, without perspective, you post could be inflammatory.
Or...do you support "white nationalism" ? I am on the record clearly as opposing any such thing as a Nazi movement (see white nationalism)
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I will address the three points that I have highlighted in yellow.
1. OF COURSE the point of the counter-demonstration is to suppress Free Speech. The counter-demonstrators use the threat of violence, and actual violence, to break up the group they are demonstrating against.
2. The organizers of the rally distanced themselves from the White Supremacist groups.
Note that the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. appeared on TV before the rally in support of the rally. She is
not a White Supremacist.
Having said that, if some event (not this one) was the most virulent, disgusting, White Supremacist rally to ever be seen, it is still protected by the First Amendment. They still have the right to speak under the provisions of the First Amendment as decided by the Supreme Court. The Court has said that the First Amendment’s tradition of “protect[ing] the freedom to express ‘the thought that we hate’ ” includes the right to express even “discriminatory” viewpoints.
No "counter-demonstration" should be allowed to prevent the Free Speech of another group with a different viewpoint. That's why the Police show up.
3. You make a grave mistake when you equate my support of the First Amendment with support of White Nationalism. Actually, I know that you know better. You are just trying to make me angry by insulting me.
As in other cases, I wonder if you would be equally rude if you were speaking to me in person, or are you capable of exchanging ideas without sinking in the mire of personal insults?
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Carl in Tampa
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