Rutherford Institute founder responds to rally violence

CBS 19 News ^ | Aug 15, 2017 | Courteney Stuart

[KeyLargo]

Rutherford Institute founder responds to rally violence

By Courteney Stuart Posted: Tue 7:01 PM, Aug 15, 2017

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- In the days since the violence of the Aug. 12 Unite the Right rally, anger has mounted, some of it directed at the civil rights organizations that represented rally organizer Jason Kessler in his legal fight to keep the rally in Emancipation Park.

The Rutherford Institute founder John Whitehead said he doesn't regret taking the case and notes that it's about defending the First Amendment, not supporting the mission of the rally.

"If you're going to believe in the Constitution, you're going to believe in the Constitution," said Whitehead. "If you don't believe in the Constitution, you should just take it and shred it and throw it away. The Constitution is for everyone."

The Rutherford Institute and the ACLU of Virginia took Kessler's case after the city, citing expected crowd size and online threats of violence, revoked the rally permit and said the event would have to be held in McIntire Park.

Whitehead said he wouldn't have objected to the city moving the rally if it had also moved counter-protests that had received permits for McGuffey and Justice parks. Moving only the Unite the Right event violated the First Amendment, Whitehead said, by targeting the content of the speech being expressed.

[KeyLargo]

"All the city had to do in my opinion was go ahead and deny all three permits and move them all to McIntire Park and put in a good buffer, the police between each group," said Whitehead. "Let the so-called Unite the Right speak and move 'em out of there."

"...and put in a good buffer, the police between each group,.."

But that is not what the Democrats wanted. What they wanted was what they got by ordering the police to stand down and let the melee take place.

[aspasia]

The Rutherford Institute and the ACLU

Uffda.

[Lopeover]

All Americans have the right to peacefully assemble under the Constitution. How, when and where are dependent on local government regulations.

The local Charlottesville city government is culpable for the violence, deaths and failure to manage the exercise of civil rights of each group equally under the Constitution.

The local government failed to govern, failed to lead and failed to understand their duty under the law for public safety. That was their greatest mistake.

[robroys woman]

This case is starting to remind me of the case where John Adams defended the British troops that opened fire on citizens.

[Nifster]

Not at all

It was a first amendment issue. Just like the ACLU defending the Klan’s right to march in Skokie

[aspasia]

No uffda? Well, I’m no friend of the ACLU . . . so it’s an odd couple. But I suppose their heart is in the right place sometimes.

[Nifster]

I agree at first blush....it may even be Fi da. In this instance it is the exception that proves the rule

Friends don’t let friends eat lutefisk

[joshua c]

Not at all
It was a first amendment issue. Just like the ACLU defending the Klan’s right to march in Skokie

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That was in the 60s. They have not done many similar things lately. Which seems to suggest Kessler is a Lefty plant if the ACLU is backing him. They are in on the scheme.

[Nifster]

To be more precise it was 1978 that the KKK marched in Skokie

The Rutherford Institute also was involved in this most recent case. They are hardly a lefty group

The law suit was pure first amendment constitutional....the rest of what went on was a classic anarchist clown car