The competing pro-Trump and anti-Trump protests at the Manhattan courthouse are good for America. Whatever one thinks about former President Donald Trump or the criminal indictment against him, we shouldn't take for granted the moral import of Americans peacefully making their voices heard.

True, there have been some idiots outside the courthouse. One pro-Trump protester attempted to steal an anti-Trump protester's flag. Another rather excited anti-Trump protester said she wanted to "kill all white people." To be clear, it's stupid when anti-Trump protesters attempt to steal MAGA hats off the heads of Trump supporters, and it's stupid when pro-Trump protesters attempt to shut down the First Amendment rights of others. It's likely we'll see other sporadic confrontations later on Tuesday.

Still, the scenes outside the courthouse have been generally raucous but respectful.

Videos from the scene show a decoratively dressed array of competing protesters shouting their views alongside varied but mild insults. To the credit of the NYPD, and that of the protesters themselves, the police haven't needed to stand between the two crowds. There appears to have been little violence between the two protest camps, such as bottle-throwing, for example.

The importance of this protest example is clear. Few issues in America's political life today are as controversial or potentially consequential as Trump's judicial status. Yet, by showing that deep disagreement need not lead to violent conflagration, these protesters remind us of the Founding Fathers' enduring wisdom. They show that even today, healthy if visceral divergences of opinion can be weighed against each other in the public forum. They show that the First Amendment, with its broad allowances for even highly controversial speech, is a far better foundation for civil society than the more restrictive speech codes applied in Europe.

To the protesters, then, the message is clear. Keep it peaceful, and keep it up!