President Obama Town Hall Meeting

Demonstration Protocol

The purpose of a demonstration is to communicate to the general public (primarily through the news media) in such a manner as to inform them and increase their support.

In order to “Win the hearts and minds” of the public, demonstrations must be

·         Non-violent

·         Non-threatening to passersby

·         Non-vulgar

·         Non-obstructive to other citizens

·         No personal attacks – it makes many people “tune out”

·         Be Courteous, considerate and amicable to all people

·         Welcome minorities; many are conservatives sticking their necks out for the first time, and may be afraid that we will not accept them

·         Clean up after we leave

Moreover demonstrations should be:

·         Eye catching

·         In a location that is as visible as possible to passerby and the media

·         Visually appealing

·         Entertaining

·         Informative

·         Inviting to potential new recruits

What to do if “counter-demonstrators” appear:

·         Keep an eye on them

·         Do not allow them to provoke you

·         If they try to provoke someone else, take their picture or camcorder them; proof permissible in court is the biggest deterrent.

·         Do not engage in heated arguments; neither of you will convince the other and it doesn't further our cause if it gets televised (or violent)

·         Alert police or security immediately if it appears that trouble may occur . . . don't wait until it does.

·         Intervene if necessary to protect kids and seniors, especially if you have a black belt.

·         In the two injuries sustained in all the hundreds of demonstrations so far, the thugs went after someone who was alone and vulnerable.  Persons skilled in martial arts or unusually able to handle themselves are encouraged to be vigilant and quick to intervene if it appears that counter-demonstrators are approaching someone who is frail.

What to do about the Media or curious passersby (treat both the same)

·         Treat them with the same courtesy and respect as you would anyone else

·         Be sure they can take a photo of your sign, if you have a good one.

·         If you are not confident of your ability to speak, try to position someone more confident than yourself between you and the media person.

·         Group leaders are encouraged to position their most eloquent spokespersons in proximity to the media.

·         If the media asks you a question, relax, speak slowly and talk to them as if they were an undecided voter (don’t talk to the cameraman, talk to the people at home or in the pub who are watching you).

·         When presenting your message to others, speak with moderation, well known facts and common sense opinions.

·         If they ask you a question you do not want to answer (e.g., when did you stop beating your wife?), answer the question you wish they had asked (e.g., "I’m here because our elected representatives are supposed to represent us, not pass legislation that we don’t want.  If they have our support they don't need backroom deals and bribes.  They don't have to hide what they're doing from us.  They can even televise it on C-SPAN, like the president promised 8 times during his campaign."

And whatever else you do, meet new friends and have fun!