How the President's advance team tries to eliminate the constitutional rights of "peaceable assembly" and the right "to petition the government for a redress of grievances"
I have a copy of the Presidential Advance Manual that instructs staffers responsible for preparing presidential appearances around the country to deter “potential demonstrators” from attending such events as “speeches, rallies, roundtable meetings and tours.” (The manual was obtained by subpoena in an ACLU lawsuit by two arrested demonstrators.)
Can this be the message we want to send to the world about our democracy in action? The advance manual’s answer to that impertinent question is to urge that when the president is speaking before “larger rallies,” these “rally squads,” including “college/young Republican organizations, local athletic teams and fraternities/sororities,” should get in front of the stage and “immediately in front of the main camera platform.” Thereby the cameras will focus on truly right-thinking Americans instead of the rabble expressing themselves.
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