"The right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances," is constitutionally protected by the First Amendment. Thank goodness. The Tea Party rallies of this spring and the townhall backlash this summer on health care exemplify that sacred right in action, liberal slurs and conspiracy theories notwithstanding. The petition is not negated by strong words, nor the assembly by raised voices. Self-government in a free society is inherently raucous and messy. The stakes are too high for it to be otherwise. ** "Patient power" advocate Amy Menefee and Colorado Tea Party organizer Brian Campbell, now running for Congress, join me on Backbone Radio this Sunday.
** Plus Marvin Hutchens on national security issues and Amy Cook & Marty Neilson with a minority report from inside the state task force targeting TABOR.
** Plus homegrown Colorado novelists Allen Harris & Jason Gray on their fevered imagination about coffee shops, cancer cures, and college basketball.
And finally, while I seldom agree with Pelosi and Boxer, I've taken to heart their warning about this sudden rash of un-American, well-dressed protesters. From now on our show will entertain ill-dressed protest only.
Your voice of the rummage-sale right, JOHN ANDREWS