I've been amused to note that Alex Jones-sponsored gun rights rallies are vastly less likely to be harassed by cops than anything I would be involved in.
I've never been to anything remotely related to Alex Jones, but having organized and attended a number of civil rights rallies, it's probably just an issue of demographics. Cops, Sheriffs and deputies tend to be more staunch second amendment advocates, except in larger cities. Also, and bear in mind this is anecdotal, but second amendment supporters tend to be the most respectful of the police tasked with keeping the peace at the rallies, and go far out of their way to keep from making those cops' jobs more difficult. Conversely (and again, anecdotally, but with lots of experience), anti-second amendment protestors seem to be far more unruly, with a contingent (at least in Maryland) that seem intent on trying to make the cops feel bad for their ambivalence.
With regards to fourth amendment rallies I've attended, the cops are decidedly more hostile, because they likely feel like they're the target of some of the protest. Also, in my experience, most of the cops justify their own fourth amendment violations as justified, or rationalized in some other way. Surely, they trust their own instincts, and they likely don't have any problems violating the fourth amendment rights of someone __if it leads to their arrest__ for some other crime that they initially suspected them of. On top of that, as the fourth amendment is typically violated by those in power, and the cops tend to be in power, the protestors there tend to harbor animosity.
I could go on forever, but I don't think you're far off the mark, except that you drew the line between left wing and right wing, and I think you're undervaluing how much a factor police bias plays in the issue.
I'm an avid civil rights supporter, and unlike the ACLU, for me, that includes the second amendment. I've studied the second amendment extensively, and you're completely right. Gun control has primarily been a tool for oppression, in this country and before.
Maybe (being neither Democrat nor Republican) I just don't think in terms of left vs. right, but I definitely see your point. Having been involved with both left and right-wing protests though, at least a part of it is how the officers are treated. I've been at fourth amendment rallies and had pleasant conversation with cops, despite being there for a 'left-wing' purpose, and without giving any secret Republican handshakes or anything.
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I've never been to anything remotely related to Alex Jones, but having organized and attended a number of civil rights rallies, it's probably just an issue of demographics. Cops, Sheriffs and deputies tend to be more staunch second amendment advocates, except in larger cities. Also, and bear in mind this is anecdotal, but second amendment supporters tend to be the most respectful of the police tasked with keeping the peace at the rallies, and go far out of their way to keep from making those cops' jobs more difficult. Conversely (and again, anecdotally, but with lots of experience), anti-second amendment protestors seem to be far more unruly, with a contingent (at least in Maryland) that seem intent on trying to make the cops feel bad for their ambivalence.
With regards to fourth amendment rallies I've attended, the cops are decidedly more hostile, because they likely feel like they're the target of some of the protest. Also, in my experience, most of the cops justify their own fourth amendment violations as justified, or rationalized in some other way. Surely, they trust their own instincts, and they likely don't have any problems violating the fourth amendment rights of someone __if it leads to their arrest__ for some other crime that they initially suspected them of. On top of that, as the fourth amendment is typically violated by those in power, and the cops tend to be in power, the protestors there tend to harbor animosity.
I could go on forever, but I don't think you're far off the mark, except that you drew the line between left wing and right wing, and I think you're undervaluing how much a factor police bias plays in the issue.
The bias of the police against leftwing issues is part and parcel of the power structure that makes life pretty sweet for mildly affluent white males.
Look into the history of gun control. When the Black Panthers were talking about the second amendment, Ronald Reagan, et al, were for control.
I'm an avid civil rights supporter, and unlike the ACLU, for me, that includes the second amendment. I've studied the second amendment extensively, and you're completely right. Gun control has primarily been a tool for oppression, in this country and before.
Maybe (being neither Democrat nor Republican) I just don't think in terms of left vs. right, but I definitely see your point. Having been involved with both left and right-wing protests though, at least a part of it is how the officers are treated. I've been at fourth amendment rallies and had pleasant conversation with cops, despite being there for a 'left-wing' purpose, and without giving any secret Republican handshakes or anything.