18 February 2021
Director Bruce Keiser
Warwick Planning Department
Buttonwoods Municipal Annex
3027 West Shore Road
Warwick, RI 02886
Dear Director Keiser:
I hope this message finds you well. One only needs to observe what is happening in Texas to become familiar with the important role local government plays in everyone’s life. With any luck, the pandemic has avoided your team and those you love.
It should be noted that the change in Mayoral Leadership has not affected how quickly City Departments respond to questions. A lot of communities cannot say that. I appreciate your prompt phone calls.
On February 21st, this Sunday, the local Trump supporters plan to hold a “rally” at the Airport Road Plaza. These rallies often feature symbols of hate like Confederate Flags and 3 Percenter imagery. I guess we should consider ourselves lucky since most Trump rallies around the country also feature firearms.
As you are aware, again thank you for the prompt phone call, the landlord has not given permission for this event. Some may ask, “Well, if it is on the sidewalk, what’s the big deal??” There was an impromptu event featuring the same people last Monday afternoon. Now people are mad at IHOP. When images of hate are displayed in front of a business, the business ends up taking responsibility.
It should be noted that we are not in an Election Year. Donald Trump is not currently in Office. The rally is not designed to advance any cause other than that of hatred. Hate speech is not protected by the Constitution.
Since hate speech is not protected by the Constitution, the rally should have to follow all guidelines for gatherings concerning COVID-19. Who wants a superspreader event on their doorstep?? Since most Trump supporters are also COVID deniers, it can be argued that just a gathering of them anywhere creates a public health crisis. We must also take into consideration that one of the businesses at the Plaza has over 50% of their employees in quarantine.
In most communities, if you are not supporting a politician running or in Office, demonstrating for an actual cause, or protesting a nearby business for some reason, a “parade” or other form of permit would be required for such an event. Those permits always contain a provision for an insurance policy.
Having filed for them in 3 different states, I would know. In Massachusetts, when we had the March of Dimes or Dollars for Scholars walkathons, we got permits. In Newport, the first time I held Arts on the Plaza, live artists performing in the Newport Bay Club Plaza, I got a permit and bought insurance.
A few years ago, I was living in Utica. Utica got some bad news about the lack of techno investments coming to the Nanotechnology Center in Rome. Community leaders asked me to design an event or series of events to generate some revenue and pick up everybody’s spirits. I redesigned Arts on the Plaza and turned it into Arts on Utica.
Instead of artists performing on the Bay Club Plaza hoping to attract an audience so I could sell timeshare, we put live artists in front of businesses. The businesses would offer a special for the 3 or 4 hours while the artist performed. The artist usually got a commission or two they would not have gotten. The business got traffic attracted by the artist they would not generate by themselves. Everyone sees the final art “product”; seldom can you witness art being created. 128 such exhibitions were held over 4 years. Each time, I got special event permits and bought insurance. When the pandemic is over, I would love to see Art on Warwick. Once again, I will file for permits and buy insurance.
Why is insurance so important?? Imagine ink or paint got spilled on someone. Imagine a car getting distracted by an artist and rear ending another vehicle gently. It never happened but I was ready. Imagine that this Sunday, due to the hate speech, violence breaks out. If any business assets are harmed in any way, how do businesses affected seek remedies from the Trump supporters since no certificates of insurance are on file?? How does any business harmed seek justice??
In this location, that is not the only problem. Donald Trump, back when he was President – sorry for reminding you that he was, signed several Executive Orders regarding “protesting” in the vicinity of airports. Without question, all the orders violate free speech and are unconstitutional. However, they stand until they are challenged or reversed. As of now, they have not been. The burden is on the Trump supporters wishing to hold the rally to take appropriate judicial action. Otherwise, the orders stand and should be enforced.
We need to do something. If Warwick is to become more than just a town with an airport and reach its full potential, we cannot allow white nationalists to openly violate our laws and simultaneously damage our reputation. In the future we could become the quiet alternative to Newport. We could be that place featuring great food and plenty of romantic views but no crowds. The tourism generated would uplift everyone’s home values and reduce all our taxes at the same time. To many timeshare owners in Newport, we have already become that.
Even a great locale like Newport becomes boring to a child on day five of a Timeshare week. There are two days left and the kids want to do something different. A lot of folks from outside the area view Providence as just a little more crowded than they would like it to be. We become the perfect spin off. Even if they do decide to explore and enjoy Providence, we are still a place to shop and eat while taking the “non highway route” back to where they are staying.
The only question remaining is how would you prefer me to file?? On Friday, I could file a formal complaint due to the lack of permit. If you would rather, I could seek a temporary restraining order. Perhaps asking the owners of the property to have the police on hand, since the protestors are trespassing, is the proper approach.
Then again, your experience may have taught you that letting the event happen is the proper play. Some jurisdictions prefer that you let the illegal thing happen and then seek remedy. Of course, that approach leaves the individual businesses without protection, but local tradition and case law carries the day.
As Warwick transforms into what it is to become, this is not the last time we will need your guidance. Maybe a Warwick Master Plan is in your future. When I moved back from Upstate New York in 2019, I had no idea that Warwick was this diverse and beautiful. I say that having lived in Rhode Island on and off for 40 of the soon to be 54 years I have been on the planet.
There will come a time when white nationalism reaches such a level of disapproval that folks will try to convince themselves and others that they never tolerated it, never mind practiced it. That day might be right around the corner. Until then, white nationalists are going to break the law and hamper the efforts of local businesses because that is what their superstitions tell them to do.
Thank you for your time and consideration. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Robert T. Oliveira
315-864-1229
Warwick, RI
Quahogs United 
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