The Republicans will gather in New York next week for their national convention. But unfortunately - and with the help of the national media - much of the focus will fall on the hundreds of thousands of organized and financed protest groups planning to wreak havoc on the city. If you want to know why much of the world has little respect for America, take a look at how we will present ourselves next week.
Protest is a part of the fabric of this nation. It's one of those freedoms that we hold dear and also one of the freedoms most abused. I am a product of the '60s when protests gained in popularity, driven primarily by civil rights and the war in Vietnam. But protests and riots are one and the same for some people. I fear New York may get a taste of this next week.
But let's be honest about these protesters. Many of the groups planning to vent their public anger before a national audience are highly-financed and well organized. They are not a rag-tag band of radicals who want their day in the sun. They are organized by national groups with national funding and their purpose is disruption not protest. There is a major distinction between the two.
The sad truth is that without the focus of the media, I firmly believe the protests would simply evaporate. If the media - and this will never happen - agree that they will not cover the protesters and give them that much-needed attention, those groups would pack their bags and return home. The protesters are not focused on the delegates to the convention. They are focused on the cameras that will be focused on them.
Freedom and responsibility are twin pillars of democracy. The freedom to voice your opposition is essential in this nation. But it must be tempered with responsibility and conducted within the framework of the law.
If the protesters next week repulse your sense of this nation, just remember their purpose. And then send your own signal when you vote in November.