I , like so many of you, watched in dismay as the Trump Rally was postponed this past Friday night because of the clash of protesters and rally supporters in Chicago. It was troubling watching an uninvited protester grab the microphone on the stage, screaming into it while security guards tried to pull him away without “beating him up.” I watched as protester and Trump supporter traded punches on the floor of the arena. I watched as protesters claimed that they had shut down Trump, while Trump congregants raised their voices and their posters for their candidate ever louder and higher. I watched each of the news networks as each started to spin and analyze what was happening in front of their eyes, and ultimately what it would mean to this election. I watched as the Media told us what free speech was and was not depending on what side they supported. Finally, when I could watch no longer because I was so disgusted, and dismayed, I turned to a show on The Food Channel where all I would have to do was sit back away from the noise for a moment, and choose what Diner, Drive In , or Dive I might someday visit.
But, now it is Monday, and time to dive back into the muck of this election, and try, like so many of you, to figure out what is going on in this country. Why is America burning ? There is no intent here to be “the final word” on what is happening, but as a citizen like you, let me just offer one point of view, as objectively as I can. I wrote a few thoughts on facebook about free speech on Friday night, and watched as a fervent conversation was waged on both sides with some steaming passion. From “Protesters have the right to free speech, too” to “this is shutting down Citizens’ right to hear someone engage in free speech,” the verbal battle went all the way though to Sunday, and continues today. First of all, I think we have to start to decide what the right of Free Speech means. As do all of our rights, free speech, as guaranteed in the First Amendment , comes with responsibilities. Your free speech ends when it encroaches on my right as a citizen to do the same. Outside the venue in Chicago, the right to protest peaceably should never have been infringed upon, and from what I could tell, it wasn’t. Inside, it was a different story . Here you had an arena that had been rented by the candidate so that of his “supporters” could come and hear him without interruption by protesters. In other words, he had the right to offer his views in a facility that for the moment was his. Trump’s supporters had the right to expect that they could come and rally inside with him. They were denied that right to exercise their free speech, and the right to peaceably assemble , because protesters decided that their right to free speech was more important. It was in this case , but it shouldn’t be, and maybe therein lies the answer as to why America has become a burning , steaming cauldron of passionate debate.
Many Americans who do not fancy themselves as activists, who are all different colors, races, religions, persuasions, and who hold different political points of view, have gone off to work for a while now just trying to do as well as possible and be left alone, hoping that they can trust the leaders of the country to do right by all of them. What they have seen in return is a slap in the face from their representatives time and time again. Don’t believe me? Let’s list just a few things that have upset them. They have watched cities burn in Ferguson and Baltimore while supposed protesters against injustice looted and ransacked legitimate businesses in their communities, then had to listen while a Mayor told police just to stand back and let the protesters “blow off steam.” They have watched as all policemen have been indicted all over the country; some for doing their job, and others for abusing, and yet blanket blame was stereotyped out for all. They have watched as a President issues Executive orders to allow illegal people to come into the country without doing it in the proper way, and have received more consideration than they have been given as citizens. They have watched as they have been called “Islamaphobes” if they express an ounce of concern over what ISIS and other would-be terrorist groups are doing in the name of their religion around the world. They have seen welfare rolls grow, and food stamp recipients double , and are told that it is their job to take care of themselves and others who could be supporting themselves. They have watched as the political representatives have screamed about the importance of minimum wage being raised for no extra work, so that there would be a better “living wage” while those that are trying to “live on their wages” have seen stagnation on Main Street. They have been told that the economy is getting better, while their buying power lessens annually. They have watched as Veterans Affairs has let the health and care our heroes’ who served slip through the cracks, and in some cases die. They have watched as states, like Arizona, who passed a law to help the Justice Department identify illegal aliens, get sued by that same federal government, while a blind eye is turned away from sanctuary cities like San Francisco. They have watched the Supreme Court tell them that they must purchase the health coverage, while listening to a president who has told them they could , “Keep their doctor and insurance” only to find out that it was not the case. They are then told that 9 million people who weren’t covered, are now covered, and that they should feel better about that while they pay higher premiums. They have watched as they voted to change policies after waging protests and tea parties, only to see the very people elected to fight back, blend in with the ruling class crowd. They watch as a president says, “They cling to their guns and religion,” or “You didn’t build that” in talking about their small businesses. Americans are tired of being told that everything they believe in or did is somehow archaic, and more importantly, WRONG!
So, with just this partial list, one wonders why Americans are burning with passion. Those who have been silent, and have heard about all of the injustices that groups around the country supposedly have had inflicted upon them, now feel as though they have been the ones who have been abused. Their rights are far less important than the rights of those who make the loudest noise. Now they are making the noise with their votes which might explain why there is a 67% increase among Republican voters, and a 23% decrease among Democratic voters. No, it’s not just about Democrats and Republicans, because both Trump and Sanders have seen great numbers of people at their rallies in search of solutions and answers. It is indicative of the fact that many Americans are tired of being called names, told that things are better when they don’t see it, and are told that their rights don’t mean as much as other groups in this country. America is fed up, and they are burning inside to express it. Those who want to keep things as they have been are appalled in both parties, and in the so-called ruling class , because people are storming the gates asking to be heard. Their standard bearers are far from perfect, but are there nevertheless. They may have rallies shut down from time to time, but their voices are gathering, and they are demanding that it is time for them to count, too! Where will it go? Stay tuned America!…Gary Sutton
