Is This Still the U. S.?

To the Editor,
This may seem to some to be irrelevant to Cape May County, but I submit it is a disturbing trend, that if left unchecked, will ultimately erode our freedoms as enunciated in the Bill of Rights. We have all heard, I am sure, of the rogue pastor from Florida, Rev. Terry Jones. The very same that threatened to burn a Quran resulting in a major panic from the media, even involving the FBI.
This is not about whether we agree with Jones but whether or not we cherish our freedoms as defined in the constitution. It appears that Jones and an associate went to Dearborn, Mich., the most populist Muslim state and the seat of many mosques, which are proponents of establishing Sharia law in the U.S. Their intentions were to protest in front of some of the more radical mosques against the establishment of Sharia as inconsistent with American law and specifically the constitution.
As they went to apply for a permit, they were immediately arrested and charged with “potentially sparking violence.” Subsequently they were ordered to post a peace bond and incarcerated upon refusing to do so. Ultimately they did and were released. but ordered to stay away from the mosques and denied the permit. I must ask: is this still the U.S. where we have the right to freedom of assembly under the First Amendment to the constitution?
Has this pandering superseded our rights to where we can be arrested for what might potentially happen? Who would be the perpetrators of the violence? I doubt it would have been Jones. Would the permit be denied if it were some leftist or anarchist group protesting some cause? I doubt it. Why are our courts treating protests against Islamic centers that want to spread Islam and its totalitarian ideology throughout the U.S. any different? That question begs to be asked. Our very freedoms may depend upon the answer.
DAN McNEILL
North Cape May
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