Tea Party Evolves
Instead of the People going to Rallies the Town Criers take the Rally to the People…..
For the past three weeks, the Town Criers have been engaging the public in the historic district of St. Augustine, Florida, addressing the Second Amendment issue. The Crier experience on St. George Street this weekend was little different from the previous two outings. The public, which represents the diversity of our country, continued to show a defiance to government attempts to infringe on the Second Amendment.
One notable conversation today, with three City of New York police officers, revealed that they would not comply with the registration of their own personal weapons. They went on to say, “There will be widespread non-compliance with Gov. Cuomo’s recently enacted law. In his rush to control guns, he will make criminals out of vast numbers of the population of New York.” Something new this week is the addition of the ‘Molon Labe’ flag pictured in the slide show.
After concluding their activities on St. George Street, the Town Criers decided to go to Castillo de San Marcos for a ‘photo op’ with the new flag.
Second Amendment meets First Amendment……
Going to the Castillo de San Marcos is a change of governmental jurisdiction. The City of St. Augustine has seen fit to permit the Town Criers to avail themselves of their First Amendment rights under the Constitution of the United States. However, the Federal jurisdiction is a different matter. The Town Criers, over a period of time, have been confronted by Park Rangers for carrying flags and signs onto Federal property. Even though, today, there were only two people and two flags for the ‘photo op’, the park authorities were quick to point out that ‘free speech’ was only allowed in their designated area. According to the Town Criers, it should be noted that free speech is not allowed on any of the paved sidewalks in the park. These severe restrictions on the First Amendment are offensive to the majority of the general public. Accompanying the two Town Criers was a member of ‘Oath Keepers’ who wishes to remain anonymous.
Having never experienced a direct assault on free speech before, the Oath Keeper, while maintaining respect, pointed out to the Park Ranger that the imposition of these regulations was a violation of his oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. The dialogue between the Oath Keeper and the Park Ranger lasted for about five minutes. During that period of time, spectators who were present clearly sided against the Park Ranger. One man shot a video which, he announced, he was going to place on U-tube.
"The right of the people to free speech and to peaceably assemble is not something that is to be given by government when it is convenient," according to the Town Criers.
There are Supreme Court cases giving some credence to the federal authorities action. It is clear that the Supreme Court is complicit in undermining the American people’s inalienable rights as expressed in the ‘Bills of Rights. Nothing in Article III of the U.S. Constitution gives them this authority. Conversation with witnesses to the event, after the ranger left, revealed a deep anxiety among the people.
The challenges to the emotionally charged First and Second Amendments are clearly awakening the American people, the Town Criers reported.
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