Protest has been a tried-and-true way to create change for centuries – and these days, more and more people are making their voices heard by marching in the streets. We love to see people exercising their First Amendment rights like this!
The right to join with fellow citizens in protest or peaceful assembly, after all, is critical to a functioning democracy.
But lately, we've been subjected to escalating threats to our free society. We are up against a coordinated assault on the constitutional right to free speech and political dissent that has sustained American democracy for the past 238 years.
Alarmingly, we're also witnessing the intrusion of military force into civilian life. Earlier this summer, the Trump administration deployed Marines and National Guard units to crack down on protests in Los Angeles and has thousands of Guard members patrolling the streets of Washington, D.C. The administration has signaled that this is just the start, with plans to deploy more troops onto American streets in Chicago and possibly elsewhere, including South Dakota.
The need for legal observers is critical to deter unlawful governmental intervention at protests and document potential abuse of power during domestic military deployments. By completing this training and joining the volunteer legal observer team in your part of the state, you can do your part to uphold the First Amendment. Will you help us defend our free society?
