When recently watching a movie I was reminded of one our important basic political rights as Americans – and just at the right time: Our right to peaceably assemble. This right is expressed in the First Amendment to the Constitution and was clearly aimed at protecting political speech and protest though it certainly applies to other assembly.
In the movie, people were depicted as being rounded up, arrested, beaten, harassed and even killed by British authorities for violating the Defense of the Realm Act in the first quarter of the Twentieth Century in Ireland because that Act of Parliament banned public assembly including something as simple as playing a sports match.
Earlier this year I remarked on how Muslims had a right to assemble in Garland at the school district’s facility and how disturbed I was by how many objected publicly to their right so to do saying the school district, government, shouldn’t allow the Stand with the Prophet conference to be held there.
I also remarked that the planned “Muhammad Art” contest counter-event in Garland was promoted in a manner rudely mocking the religious beliefs of others. I also pointed out the hypocrisy of some who opposed the one gathering but supported the other. We either have the right to peaceably assemble or we don’t and, protecting that right often means doing so for those with which we disagree.
I wrote in February that “Liberty is hard and Muslims who support religious Liberty in this country would do well to demonstrate such by ignoring AFDI’s purposely provocative art contest.” Maybe those Muslims did but others, who do not support Liberty and assembly rights, appear to have taken the AFDI bait. And, the two who opened fire paid the proper penalty – alert Garland police sent them to the eternal dirt nap within seconds.
Garland, Muslims & the Right to Assembly
Robert Pratt
When recently watching a movie I was reminded of one our important basic political rights as Americans – and just at the right time: Our right to peaceably assemble. This right is expressed in the First Amendment to the Constitution and was clearly aimed at protecting political speech and protest though it certainly applies to other assembly.
In the movie, people were depicted as being rounded up, arrested, beaten, harassed and even killed by British authorities for violating the Defense of the Realm Act in the first quarter of the Twentieth Century in Ireland because that Act of Parliament banned public assembly including something as simple as playing a sports match.
Earlier this year I remarked on how Muslims had a right to assemble in Garland at the school district’s facility and how disturbed I was by how many objected publicly to their right so to do saying the school district, government, shouldn’t allow the Stand with the Prophet conference to be held there.
I also remarked that the planned “Muhammad Art” contest counter-event in Garland was promoted in a manner rudely mocking the religious beliefs of others. I also pointed out the hypocrisy of some who opposed the one gathering but supported the other. We either have the right to peaceably assemble or we don’t and, protecting that right often means doing so for those with which we disagree.
I wrote in February that “Liberty is hard and Muslims who support religious Liberty in this country would do well to demonstrate such by ignoring AFDI’s purposely provocative art contest.” Maybe those Muslims did but others, who do not support Liberty and assembly rights, appear to have taken the AFDI bait. And, the two who opened fire paid the proper penalty – alert Garland police sent them to the eternal dirt nap within seconds.