A disappearing rally

What if a bunch of far right fanatics rallied on Boston Common and no one else showed up? What if the good and decent people of this community just went about their business, got a jump on their Christmas shopping or, say, went to a movie?

There is a case to be made for not letting the crazies of this world, the haters and the provocateurs, waste public resources and take yet another day out of the life of this wonderful city.

The same gaggle of rightwingers who staged their pathetic little “free speech” rally on the Common last August want to do it all over again on Nov. 18 once again at the Parkman Bandstand.

Back in August, you’ll recall, the handful of alt-right ralliers on the bandstand was met by tens of thousands of marchers who wanted to send a message that this city has no room for haters. Of course, there were also a handful of Antifa demonstrators who came with the express intent of stirring the pot and in a few cases succeeded — mostly in getting themselves arrested.

“We ask patriots from across the nation to stand with us and defend freedom of speech in Boston from the machinations of Mayor Marty Walsh and the violence of the mobs,” the group stated in announcing its proposed rally. “We will not allow them to curtail our 1st Amendment rights. If patriots will not defend freedom of speech then it will be lost.”

No doubt real “patriots” have better things to do with their time than to stir up trouble on a Saturday in November.

“The Constitution is under attack and Marxists are openly proclaiming a revolution,” the group insists.

The First Amendment is mostly under attack by the current occupant of the White House, and we’re not sure it’s time to look for Marxists under the bed yet.

And sure, Boston Police will have to do what they are charged with doing — protecting the public. That often means hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.

But it doesn’t mean that the rest of the city has to dance to the tune played by a bunch of alt-right grandstanders.