Saturday, June 3, the left came out in full force. They held “March For Truth” rallies across the nation. They called for an impartial counsel to investigate the Trump/Russia allegations and to push the president to release his tax returns, despite the fact that there is no evidence of any collusion.

In Portland, Oregon, conservatives held the “Trump Free Speech Rally” to promote the First Amendment. The gathering came in the wake of a politically-motivated attack on a train. On Friday, May 26, Jeremy Joseph Christian stabbed two people who attempted to prevent him from harassing two teenage girls. One of the girls was wearing a hijab. Both of the stabbing victims died from their injuries. In a blatant attempt to limit the free speech of the rally’s participants, the mayor of Portland tried to persuade the federal government to revoke the rally permit.

The March For Truth rallies were uneventful. People marched in dozens of cities and chanted their slogans and held their signs. There were no scuffles, fistfights or arrests. No conservative protesters tried to prevent the leftist participants from expressing their views. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the free speech rally.

At the Portland City Hall, hundreds of demonstrators assembled to hold the “Trump Free Speech Rally.” In typical leftist fashion, counter-protesters showed up to disrupt the rally. Reuters reports:

Dozens of black-clad, masked anti-Trump protesters waved an “Antifascist Action” flag at pro-Trump activists across the street at one point, yelling: “Nazis, go home,” while members of the opposing rally, some carrying American flags, chanted: “USA, USA.”

A phalanx of helmeted police officers took up positions to keep the two sides apart, break up scuffles and detain protesters seen crossing police lines to agitate the other side.

The police arrested fourteen people. Despite the left’s attempts to prevent conservatives from advocating free speech, the rally continued. As the event came to a close, law enforcement officers directed the counter-protesters to disperse. The leftist activists responded by flinging rocks and other objects at the police. Officers fired pepper ball rounds at those opposing the gathering. In the end, the rally was a success.

So let’s review, shall we? The left holds dozens of “March For Truth” demonstrations to perpetuate the yet-to-be-proven Trump/Russia collusion narrative. There was not a single punch thrown at any of these events. There were no arrests – just a group of poor, deluded souls hoping that their actions would bring about the president’s impeachment.

On the other hand, conservatives hold a gathering in the city of Portland, and the police are required to use force to keep the peace. The left’s propensity for violence made it necessary for law enforcement to protect the First Amendment rights of participants in the “Trump Free Speech Rally.”

Ironically enough, the left has continually tried to paint the GOP as the party of hate. They portray conservatives as intolerant bigots who pose a real threat to American society. However, just the events of last weekend show that it is the left who advocates hatred against their political opponents. The left does not wish to engage in a debate with conservatives; they want to stop them from speaking.

Progressives claim to be tolerant and accepting, but their actions show them to be something drastically different. They do not tolerate or accept views that deviate from their own. This reality exposes a distinct contrast between the right and the left. While conservatives are more than willing to allow progressives to hold their events without threats of violence, the left will not do the same for those on the right.

If we are to remain relevant as conservatives, we cannot allow the left to prevent us from exercising our First Amendment rights. The reason they endeavor to silence our voices is that they know they cannot win the debate any other way. Instead of relying on sound arguments, leftists seek to keep us from expressing our views. We must continue to push forward; it’s the only way to deter the left from regaining their influence.