The U.S. has often been regarded as the pinnacle of good in the world. It replaced fascist rulers, it aided starving people and it promoted the democratic notion that all people were inherently equal. Yet this presidential election, pessimism has enveloped the country, tainting the view of American life at home and abroad. Fighting and degradation run rampant and the concept of “an eye for an eye, hand for a hand” has become dogma in the political game: The U.S. moral code is broken.
The most recent political violence in the U.S. came this past weekend in our home state of Arizona. In Fountain Hills, radical Democratic protesters blocked a highway to prevent Donald Trump supporters from attending his rally. Far on the other side of the state, in Tucson, a Donald Trump protester was brutally beat up in another rally, with cameras capturing every gruesome detail.
The issue that arises from this situation is the concept of the right to assemble and petition, a component of the First Amendment. Some say that what they did was unconstitutional, others strongly support its constitutionality.
The Supreme Court has often dealt with the concept of First Amendment restrictions and how it should be handled. Numerous examples such as Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District and Texas v. Johnson illustrate the staunch protection of the First Amendment. However, there have also been cases of First Amendment restriction such as Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, which introduced the “Fighting Words Doctrine,” essentially barring hate speech or slander that could invoke a riot.
Regardless of whether or not these rallies and protests are indeed constitutional, the core message is perhaps the biggest issue I have with these events: a message of violence rather than positivity for America. The presidential election has shifted from political issues or a collective U.S. mentality. There is no longer a mutual admiration for the other party. Instead, an intense ideological mob fight is occurring with both sides trying to take out the other through un-American means.
Blocking off a freeway, no matter the amount of traffic, is dangerous and foolish. Police officers, the rioters, the rally attendees and bystanders are all put into a dangerous situation on a road where emotions can rise and cause violence.
I am well aware of the ASU students who attended the highway protest this weekend and their actions are not commendable. The event called for the end of supporting Donald Trump, the GOP front-runner, when the only outcome resulted in antagonizing moderates going about their day. The Democrats who participated in this event were foolish and, in the end, they lost the political battle because it ultimately disenfranchised voters and galvanized the Trump supporters even more.
I am also severely disappointed in the GOP electorate and their retaliation. The day after these protests, a protester — who was already being kicked out — was attacked in the crowd to roars of thunderous applause. The question must then be asked, how far has democracy devolved in the U.S.? To see someone not allowed to voice a differing opinion and beaten for it: the embodiment of authoritarian rule, which the U.S. so hardly fought against.
Enough is enough. This political election has been full of these violent or danger-prevalent assemblies and they need to be stopped. It is perfectly acceptable to have peaceful protests that advocate for policy change and a bipartisan approach to the issue, but this isn’t happening. Instead, beating people up or insulting someone’s ethnicity is apparently the norm.
We, the people, must come back together once more and realize that the men and women being brutally assaulted are fellow citizens. They want what is best for the U.S., too, even if they may see the solution in a different way. Work with them, because that is what democracy is: a combination of different voices trying to find a reasonable solution.
Related links:
When and where to see your favorite presidential candidate in Arizona before Tuesday
Donald Trump protestors, supporters face off outside Fountain Hills rally
Reach the columnist at jeffery.brooks@asu.edu or follow @abrooks14 on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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