FREEDOM
Rally for our rights manasota III

Pro-Second Amendment, Pro-Freedom Demonstration & March
April 16, 2022

When?

Saturday, April 16, 2022 
10:00 am – 1:00 pm

 

Where?

Robarts Arena
Parking Lot,
3000 Ringling Blvd, Sarasota, FL 34237

Google Map

What?

A peaceful, positive, patriotic exercise of our First Amendment right to defend our God-given rights to self-defense, bodily integrity, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion.

City of Sarasota’s Rules

Who?

This event is sponsored by volunteer citizens from the local community, and all who support individual freedoms and the Second Amendment are welcome!

LEARN MORE

Special Guests
(in no particular order)

JAMES SHAW
LEE WILLIAMS
JAMES SATCHER
MARTIN HYDE
CAPT. MATT BRUCE
Phil dann
CHRISTIAN ZIEGLER
JASON BEARDEN
TOMMY GREGORY
tawnya miller
Learn More

What Should I Bring?

Please remember – no open carry.

Things to Bring

Need Help With Your Sign?

Drawing a blank about what the heck to put on your sign? Here are some ideas to get you started.

  Some ideas for signs

Latest News

 

April 16, 2022

What a gorgeous day for a rally! Of course, that also made it a gorgeous day for Easter Egg hunts, family and neighborhood gatherings, boating, golf, and a myriad of other events. So, while the turnout outside Robarts Arena wasn’t huge, it was enthusiastic. 

As usual, the beloved Capt. Matt Bruce was our emcee. Ken Nyhus gave a heartfelt invocation, Monica Satcher performed a stunning a capella rendition of the National Anthem, and adorable Kara Young led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. 

A few of our scheduled speakers couldn’t make it due to various reasons, but Lee Williams, Tommy Gregory, James Satcher, Phil Dann, and Martin Hyde were awesome. We even had an impromptu appearances from Manatee County Commissioner candidate Amanda Ballard and the author of Get Trump, Gus Mollasis. And before we said our thank yous and goodbyes, we let a few attendees publicly say their piece.

It was a great morning in the company of patriots. Check out the Photos section below, and stay free!

April 14, 2022

Well, we’re making final preparations now. We look forward to seeing you at Robarts Arena (in the parking lot out front – look for the HUGE flag) this Saturday, April 16, 2022. We’ll start promptly at 10:00 and we should be done by noon-ish. 

March 24, 2022

We’re still working on lining up speakers. Unfortunately, in today’s “cancel culture” environment, sometimes everyone who attends or speaks at a political demonstration/rally gets painted with the same brush by the ill-informed. So we want to make it clear that some of the speakers were invited and others asked to speak. We believe in freedom of political speech, so we welcomed anyone who shares our belief in limited government and individual rights. Neither the organizers, the speakers, nor the performers should be assumed to endorse any particular person or politician merely by showing up or speaking at this event. Each speaker’s opinions and views are his or her own.

March 11, 2022

We’re working on getting everything squared away. We have some great speakers lined up and we’ll continue to add more over the next few weeks!

February 26, 2022

VENUE CHANGE!!! We decided that the construction situation at the Gulfstream Avenue roundabout made having the rally at Bayfront Park very undesirable. So, we’re moving it to one of the parking lots at Robarts Arena in Sarasota. It’s a great location – easy to get to, easy to park. We’ll miss the opportunity to march over the Ringling Bridge, but we can still create an awesome sea of red, white, and blue along Fruitville Road. 

February 9, 2022

It’s official – we’re having another rally! Save the date for Rally For Our Rights III on Saturday, April 16, 2022 from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm at Bayfront Park in Sarasota, Florida.

September 24, 2018

We’ve added some photos of the Sept. 2018 rally to our Photos gallery below. The photos from the most recent rally are first, ending with the beautiful Sarasota sunset photo.

September 22, 2018

Well, it was a great rally today! Attendance wasn’t as good as the first one, but we realize people like us have work and family obligations. It was also VERY hot! We’ve also heard that many people thought the red tide would be an issue since we were at the Marina. It wasn’t. Unfortunately, it was so hot that we decided not to do the march over the Bridge. Disappointing, but we Floridians know when to bow to Mother Nature.

Of course, Capt. Matt Bruce was emcee extraordinaire, and having the Vietnam Brotherhood serve as Color Guard, Tawnya Miller sing the national anthem, and Gold Star Father Kris Hager give the Invocation and lead the Pledge was a wonderful way to start the rally.

Our scheduled speakers: Christian Ziegler, Greg Steube, James Satcher, Kris Hager, Kevin Sona, George Buck and Martin Hyde were great. And then we opened the mic to people in the crowd! That was fun!

We’ll have some photos up soon.

August 29, 2018

The primaries are over, so we’re contacting Second Amendment supporters and inviting them to speak at the rally. We’ll add their names to the website as they’re confirmed!

May 16, 2018

Save the Date for Rally For Our Rights Manasota II…Saturday, September 22, 2018, from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at Bayfront Park and Ringling Bridge in Sarasota!

May 6, 2018

Well, the May 5, 2018 Rally For Our Rights Manasota was a success! About 400 people took time out of their busy lives to make their way down to sarasota’s Bayfront Park to support a cause that so important to all of us. It truly was a sea of red, white, and blue. And gold.  Flags were everywhere!!

Capt. Matt Bruce was our emcee, and Gold Star Father Kris Hager gave the invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance. Our DJ and co-emcee was Ken Nyhus. Speakers included private citizens Julie Bales, Martin Hyde, Jeff Young, and Cindy Clark. And our pro-Second Amendment politician speakers included Senator Greg Steube, Representative Julio Gonzalez, Col. Mike McCalister, Melissa Howard, Tommy Gregory, James Satcher, and Christian Ziegler.

It was a great day to be an American!

The response was so good that we’re already talking about doing another one.

So, enjoy the video and photos below, and click here for email updates to stay in the loop. 

Rally for Our Rights Manasota III

Pro-2nd Amendment, Pro-Freedom
Demonstration & March

Robarts Arena Parking Lot, Sarasota, Florida

April 16, 2022

10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Peaceful • Positive • Patriotic

Our 2018 rallies were a success, so we’re going to do it again!

Now, more than ever, it’s time to stand up. To be seen and heard. To let people see us as we REALLY are – men and women of all races and backgrounds who love their children, grandchildren, and their country, and who cherish the rights so many American have died defending.

Let’s create a sea of red, white, and blue along Fruitville Road. Bring your large U.S. flags and Gadsden flags. Bring your children (free small flags available while they last). Proudly wear your veteran, 2nd Amendment, and other patriotic ball caps and t-shirts.

Bring your signs with Pro-Second Amendment and Pro-Freedom messages – keep them positive and factual. Please – no profanity, no personal attacks, and nothing that could be construed by a reasonable person as “hate speech”.

Police your trash – take it with you when you leave. No open carry.

Don’t be “that guy” that will make all of us look like extremists, haters, or crazies. Keep calm, smile, and carry on.

We’ll gather in front of Robarts Arena, in one of the parking lots adjacent to Fruitville Road, by 10:00 am.

Please click the “I’ll be there!” link below to RSVP for yourself and up to 9 friends. We promise we won’t keep or use the info for any reason (we’re just private individuals like you!) – we’d just like to get a rough headcount.

Spread the word  – here’s the link to the Facebook page so you can share the event. Bring your friends!

Let us know if you’ll be joining us. 

Special Guests

We’re pleased to announce that these special guests support individual rights, the Second Amendment, and freedom from government overreach, and have agreed to help and/or speak at the event.

Some of these people were invited, and some asked to speak. We believe in freedom of political speech, so we welcomed anyone who shares our belief in limited government and individual rights. Neither the organizers, the speakers, nor the performers endorse any particular person or politician merely by showing up or speaking at this event. Each speaker’s opinions and views are his/her own. 

Stay tuned as we announce other guests…
CAPTAIN MATT BRUCE

The Captain, our emcee, is a retired NYC firefighter, disabled Vietnam veteran, USCCA spokesman, and conservative host of The Captain’s America Radio Show, heard locally on AM 860.

MARTIN HYDE

Martin is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Florida’s 16th Congressional District. He’s hoping to oust 16-year career-Congressman and 3rd wealthiest member of Congress (2018), Vern Buchanan. Martin is a former professional soccer player, a local business owner, and the father of four boys. He has lived in Sarasota for 20+ years after relocating from his homeland in the U.K. .Martin understands the impact of limiting God-given rights and government overreach. Martin will defend the constitution as a divine document, including our 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

JAMES SATCHER

James is a Manatee County Commissioner for District One. He’s a devoted husband, father of six, and a minister. His nonprofit has helped the homeless and drug addicted become strong members of society. James and his wife are active in the fight against sex trafficking and have rescued several women out of modern-day slavery. James is a strong supporter of the freedom to exercise our First and Second Amendments as well as our God-given individual rights. 

LEE WILLIAMS

Lee, who is also known as “The Gun Writer,” cofounded Armed American News with Mark Walters (of Armed American Radio). Lee is also the chief editor of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project, and serves on the board of Florida Carry, Inc. Lee was an investigative reporter before becoming an editor for a daily Florida newspaper. Before becoming a journalist, he worked as a police officer. Before becoming a cop, Lee served in the Army. He’s earned more than a dozen national journalism awards as a reporter, and three medals of valor as a cop. Lee is an avid tactical shooter and is not afraid to call out government tyranny when he sees it. 

CHRISTIAN ZIEGLER

Christian is a Sarasota County Commissioner. In 2019, Christian presented a resolution to the Commission which, if it had passed, would have designated Sarasota County as a Second Amendment Sanctuary. Unfortunately, only 2 of the 5 Republicans on the Commission voted to support the resolution. Christian’s a business owner, husband, father, 2nd Amendment supporter, and was a 2016 Republican Convention Delegate and Elector. He was one of just 304 members of the Electoral College who officially cast votes to make Donald Trump the 45th President of the United States. In January 2019, Ziegler was elected as the Vice Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida.

JAMES SHAW

Jim is running for election for Commissioner of Agriculture. He worked in the transportation field for 20 years, has owned several businesses. and owns a composting farm. He’s a no-nonsense individual who’ll protect your rights when it comes to your daily life. Jim believes that farmers don’t need useless restrictions, consumers need a good product at a fair price, and gun owners can never be forced to disarm or compromise.

JASON BEARDEN

Jason Bearden is running for the District 6 At large Manatee County Commission seat. Jason is a Marine Corps veteran and also has an Executive MBA from the University of South Florida. He’s a businessman, a husband, and the father of two children. He also started a national Christian business organization. Jason wants to ensure that our children and grandchildren enjoy the same freedoms we do in this country we love.

PHIL DANN

Phil hosts The Morning Road Show with the Adorable Deplorables on Bradenton’s 1490 WWPR. Phil hails from South Boston where he was a political consultant for over 25 years. He has served on various boards involving foster children and substance abuse. Phil and his wife Kathleen have been married for over 20 years and they recently have made the suncoast their permanent home.

TOMMY GREGORY

Tommy is a Florida native and military veteran running for re-election the Florida House of Representatives District 72. He’s running again for his sons – he wants to ensure that they can pursue their dreams without the heavy hand of big government and a liberal, progressive agenda getting in their way.

TAWNYA MILLER

Tawnya lives in Bradenton with her husband and children, and studied music at Morehead State University. Tawnya will be singing our National Anthem.

Video from the May 5, 2018 Rally For Our Rights Manasota

Photographed and produced by Joe Krawtschenko

Let us know if we’ll see you there!

Yes, I’ll be there!

What the Second Amendment Means to Me

The Second Amendment means different things to different people… what does it mean to you?

City of Sarasota Rules for Demonstrations

These rules apply to all demonstrations held in the City of Sarasota.

Respect Property Rights

All participants shall use only the sidewalks and shall not interfere with or impede other pedestrian traffic or any vehicular traffic. Participants shall not use any other areas, whether public or private, grassy, paved, or otherwise, or any buildings, unless written permission has been granted by the property owner.

Follow all Ordinances and Laws

All City and County ordinances and State and Federal statutes shall be obeyed, including, but not limited to, noise ordinance and zoning codes, and all necessary permits shall be obtained.

Be Chill

The demonstration shall be peaceful and nonviolent at all times.

Respect Others

Neither pedestrians nor motorists may be accosted, obstructed, or harassed in any way.

Clean Up After Yourself

All materials used shall be removed immediately upon the conclusion of the demonstration.

Park Legally

Participants shall park only in legal parking spaces and shall not exceed specified time limits. No special parking privileges are granted for demonstrations.

Use Your Grown-Up Words

All signs or posters shall contain no profanity, obscene language/pictures or hate speech.

A few things to bring

Flags

Large or small U.S. and Gadsden flags. Please, no Confederate flags.

Signs

Positive pro-Second Amendment and Pro-Freedom signs. Please, no personal attacks or “F*ck anything/anyone.” Let’s keep it family-friendly. (Just for the record, we don’t consider “Let’s Go Brandon” a personal attack or hate speech. LOL). 

Sunblock & Water

It’s April in Florida… ‘nuff said.

Chairs & Shade

If needed or desired.

Trash bags

We’re responsible adults, so we’ll leave the area cleaner than when we came.

Patience and a Sense of Humor

Make new friends, enjoy the camaraderie, stay chill.

Some ideas for signs

Let’s keep it positive and factual. Please refrain from profanity, name-calling, or insults. Feel free to use these, or let them inspire you to come up with something better.

We’ll add more as we find or think of them!

It’s a Bill of Rights, not a Bill of Needs.

Bad governments ban guns.

Assault is a behavior, not a device.

If you don’t know your rights, you have none.

Enforce the gun laws we already have.

The Constitution- created to guard the People against the dangers of good intentions.

I am the NRA.

Real women own AR-15s.

This Grandma’s got a gun… or two…or three…

More gun control is NOT the answer.

Never underestimate the power of a woman with a gun.

We will not be silenced. #SecondAmendment

Do you blame knives for stabbings?

Daughter, sister, mother, grandma, veteran, NRA life member

Columbine happened during the federal assault weapons ban.

How can you praise freedom, yet condemn that which gains and preserves it?

“To disarm the people…[i]s the most effectual way to enslave them.”
– George Mason, June 14, 1788

Support Firearms Preemption Laws

There is NO such thing as a gun show loophole.

Buying a gun is NOT as easy as buying groceries or books. Or voting

The 2nd Amendment was NEVER about hunting.

Heller didn’t make the 2nd Amendment an individual right; it merely affirmed what already existed.

There’s no such thing as “gun violence.” Guns aren’t violent – evil people are.

Gun-free zones are soft targets for evil-doers.

2nd Amendment – the original Homeland Security

If the 2nd falls, the rest will follow.

2nd Amendment: the first and only “common sense” gun law.

An AR-15 is NOT a machine gun.

If you say “I support the 2nd Amendment, but …” then you don’t support the 2nd Amendment.

My AR-15 identifies as a musket.

Women For Gun Rights (this would look great on a pink sign with black letters!)

Firearms are a girl’s best friend.

A gun is a tool. No better or worse than any other tool. A gun is as good or as bad as the person using it.

With guns, we are citizens. Without guns, we are subjects.

de•plor•a•ble: hard-working, gun-carrying, God-loving, American patriot

Don’t like guns? Don’t buy one.

I’m 1776% sure that no one is taking my guns.

American by birth, patriot by choice.

2nd Amendment – rated E for Everyone

I have the Right to bear arms; your approval is NOT required.

How I choose to defend my home and family is none of your damn business!

Girls just want to have guns.

You can’t defend the First Amendment without the Second.

If it weren’t for guns, we’d still be British.

We the People…are pissed off!!

America is not just a country, but a way of life.

Proudly clinging to my guns and religion.

It’s better to fight for something in life than to die for nothing.

If we lose freedom here, there is no place to escape to. This is the last stand on Earth.

You stay safe. I’ll stay free.

Are you coming? Let us know!

Who’s Organizing This Event?

This is being organized by a grassroots all-volunteer group of Floridians who happen to be members of several local Second Amendment-related groups. While chatting online, these individuals decided to get off social media and actually do something.

Questions or would like to volunteer to help?

rallyforourrightsmanasota@gmail.com