Trump counter-rally planned in Hagerstown

By Ryan Miner 

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is set to hold a rally this Sunday at Rider Jet Center at the Hagerstown Airport. The rally will begin at 4:00 p.m., and Trump’s campaign is requesting that interested attendees order tickets in advance through Trump’s website, DonaldTrump.com.

But the real show won’t be the business mogul’s typical bloviating fake populism act wrapped up in yet another goofy speech; it might be worth showing up early for the counter Trump rally being planned.

“Democratic political labor activist” Ethan West, a Cumberland resident, created a Facebook event  “NoTrumpinMD Counter-Rally, Hagerstown.”

Here are the details of the event:

DONALD TRUMP is coming to Western Maryland, and we need to show him, his campaign, and his supporters that Western Marylanders will not tolerate his rhetoric of hatred, bigotry, misogyny, and the rest of it here.

His campaign has confirmed an event at the Rider Jet Center on the airfield at Hagerstown Regional Airport. The doors for this event open at 1:00 pm, with the event starting at 4:00 pm. We would like to meet up somewhere (details TBA), and be at our protest location at 11:30 am.

This is still a developing situation, and details will come as they arrive, but please bear with us and plan to attend. We need as many people there as we can get! Thanks so much!

Here’s my take:

Good on West for organizing  this counter Trump protest, or whatever you want to call it. Just as long as the group peacefully assembles and presents a coherent counter message, I support the cause.

I’m a libertarian Republican and a constitutionalist. Incidentally, Mr. Trump’s grasp of our Constitution’s Bill of Rights is about as bad as his approach to immigration (building a wall and making Mexico pay for it), eminent domain, water boarding, civil liberties, and reducing our national debt. Have you seen his tax plan? Yeah, it’s a disaster.

Trump (I’ll use his sentence structure here) is a total policy lightweight. Most of his positions aren’t even remotely plausible. The Trump campaign has tapped into some of the worst elements of American populism. And if you call yourself a “conservative” and support Mr. Trump, you’ve been had. Stop being taken for a fool.

Moreover, I don’t support presidential candidates – or any political candidate, as a matter of fact – who disparage women, minorities, and disabled Americans.

I’m a libertarian; we actually support individuals (and individual rights) who advance the cause of liberty. Donald Trump has done and continues to pledge quite the opposite.

I early voted for Rand Paul in Maryland’s primary. I’m affirmatively in the category of #NeverTrump. He does not represent our Republican Party in a way that makes me proud. Moreover, Donald Trump will never win a general election against Hillary Clinton. Should the election come down to Trump and Hillary, I will vote third party – likely for Gary Johnson, should he win the Libertarian Party’s nomination next month.

Libertarians believe in exercising our rights to peacefully assemble and protest. And for what it’s worth, Trump’s entire candidacy is worthy of protest.

Is it any wonder Maryland’s fantastic Republican Gov. Larry Hogan wants nothing to do with Donald Trump? Count me in the same category, Governor.

Protest away, protestors. Just don’t act in a manner that is worse than Trump’s own behaviors. But then again, that would be a difficult task.

Good luck and have fun.