It's A Constitutionally-Protected Right To Bitch About Constitutionally-Protected Rights

Duelling 4th of July marches in Bozeman, Montana:

The Green Coalition of Gay Loggers for Jesus will march on Main Street as planned July Fourth, the organizer of the group said Thursday evening.

Organizer Brian Leland had set a 5 p.m. deadline Thursday to reach his fundraising goal of $1,100, the amount of money the city of Bozeman estimates it will cost it to shut down the downtown thoroughfare for the morning protest.

Leland said Thursday evening that he had raised about $1,500. The $400 difference will be given to the local food bank, he said.

The Green Coalition of Gay Loggers for Jesus was formed to protest how the city went about granting the Bozeman Tea Party’s request for a permit march down Main Street on July Fourth.

City staff initially denied the Bozeman Tea Party’s request to cordon off the street for two hours while they protested government spending, the growing national debt and taxes. But following pleas from members of the Tea Party, the Bozeman City Commission recommended 4-1 that staffers reverse their decision, which they did.

Leland said the city violated open meeting laws since the discussion was not publicly noticed. Also, he said it is hypocritical for a group to protest government spending while forcing the government to incur costs n thus his emphasis on raising the $1,100 before marching.

Organizers of the Tea Party n who have said they do not oppose Leland’s march n do contend that it would set a dangerous precedent to require protestors to pay for a demonstration, since it is a constitutionally protected right.

Organizers for the Tea Party have said they expect 1,000 or more people to turn out for the demonstration. The Tea Party protest is scheduled to line up at 10 a.m. at the Bozeman Public Library and begin marching to the Gallatin County Courthouse at 10:30 a.m. That demonstration is scheduled to end at noon.