Right to Assemble and Peacefully Protest

One really interesting side element to the convention has been that of protest. The issues, style, and effects of each group's (or individual person's) protest vary greatly. Possibly the most notable though, is the amount of police involved in each occurrence. Day two, hundreds of anarchist teenagers marched through the streets of downtown Denver chanting against the "fascist government" and waving their "fuck police" signs. Directly behind them were paddy wagons, swat teams, cops on horseback, and parades of patrol cars...in the event that anything got out of hand. There were a few arrests, some tear gas used, and the crowd was basically broken up within an hour of the start. It wasn't long before the convention center was literally blocked off by a line of officers clutching their batons, straight-faced and immovable.

An extremely controversial group which seems to always draw a crowd of spectators is the extremist "Christians," condemning passers-by to hell and waving signs such as "Homo-sex is a threat to national security!," and "Abortion makes you the mother of a dead baby!" Though it's obvious these people aren't followers of Jesus Christ, they're extremely effective in getting under people's skin. They're by far the most highly protected group of protesters. The two arrests I've witnessed were of young people infuriated at these men who got a little too close and were quickly taken down by cops.

One of the most peaceful, biggest, and most well-organized protest was that of CodePink, an anti-war group which advocates liberal policy on several issues. They organized a march, brining in volunteers from the crowd, to carry signs, wear costumes, and sing songs advocating their cause.

The protesting group with which I myself had the most fun was the group of McCain supporters standing outside the Convention Center, chanting for McCain and holding signs which read "No Socialist Health Care." I approached one of the young women and asked them how they were doing today, if they had had any success. She said yes. So I told her I'd be willing to hear her argument if she'd offer it. She had nothing to say. In fact, she was so dumbfounded by my approach and curiosity, she basically froze up and pointed to another guy in the group. When I asked him, in the very same non-confrontational way, he told me he didn't want to speak to the media. Despite my pleadings and telling them I just genuinely wanted to hear their argument, I never got an answer. I told the guy who seemed to be the ring leader that he should help his fellow protesters to understand the issues if they plan on recruiting McCain supporters at the DNC.

Along with group protests, there are individuals passionately protesting their own issues. A woman outside the convention on Tuesday, held a large Hillary sign, and warned onlookers of the dangers of Obama, explaining that she'd be voting for McCain. Unlike the McCain supporters I had approached earlier, she had several arguing points to support her cause. I still think she was insane and her plan makes zero sense, but I respected that she was out there by herself, explaining her cause and answering questions of the crowd.

Protesters, while often quite silly in their approach, have made the convention experience really colorful, adding a much needed element of variance to the crowd. Seeing them makes me proud because it reminds be of the free state in which we live. Sure, there were some controversial arrests and a seemingly overdone system of security, but in most other countries, the protests never would have started at all. It's so refreshing to be reminded of the many different opinions and ideologies held in this country and it's a reminder of the kind of place we live in, where no matter how horrible our current administration may be, the public continues to freely express its mind.

MM