It may come as a shock for many of you, but I’m not a constitutional expert. However, I do have a fairly firm grasp on the First Amendment and what it means. To paraphrase, it limits the government’s ability to restrict freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and the freedom to redress your grievances.
We have all been exposed to the limits on those freedoms. For example, you can’t yell “fire” in a crowded theater. The press cannot libel/slander someone. While you can assemble in many places, there are many places where you’re not allowed to assemble — a military base, for example.
This brings me to the curious case of Don Lemon and his fellow “demonstrators” at a recent event in a Minneapolis church. Mr. Lemon and several others invaded a church where they were not welcome to protest God knows what. They were repeatedly asked to leave and they harassed the pastor and several of the congregants for several minutes. I repeat, these people were NOT welcome, were not invited, and were asked to leave repeatedly. In response, Lemon and his cohorts were arrested, supposedly for violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinics Entrances Act, which specifically prohibits interference with people’s desire and ability to practice their religion. As an aside, many on the left cheered when the FACE Act was used against abortion protestors, but that’s another topic.
Now Mr. Lemon and his merry band of agitators are claiming that their arrests are a violation of their First Amendment rights. That the First Amendment to our Constitution allows them to invade a church and disrupt services even when asked to leave because they are members of the press. That is the most comical and absurd translation of the First Amendment that I’ve ever heard of. Using that logic, Don and his church pirates could invade my home and harass me and my family even when asked to leave. They could invade any private home or business and stay there despite being unwelcome and claim it’s their First Amendment rights as members of the press. Being a member of the press, which could be anyone if we’re being honest, does not give you carte blanche to trespass, especially at a church.
To those on the left, please tell me this isn’t the new standard and that you agree that his rights are being violated? I’m quite certain you won’t like the inevitable outcome of such foolishness. Here’s hoping Don and his band of agitators get the book thrown at them.
Brian Richards
Stevenson Ranch
