November 16, 2011

Pre-Occupied with the First Amendment

By Lawrence J. Siskind
In keeping with its inconsistent and often incoherent agenda, the Occupy Wall Street movement now occupies hundreds of areas other than Wall Street. The occupied zones tend to be public parks and plazas rather than financial centers. This creates a dilemma for the nation's mayors, nearly all of whom are liberal Democrats and many of whom are openly sympathetic to the movement. How does one square the First Amendment right of the occupiers to protest with the right of everyone else to have access to city parks and spaces? This dilemma is moving inexorably toward a resolution. Expulsions have begun across the country. Soon, many protesters will leave. Many will leave voluntarily because winter is coming, and it's getting too cold to camp out. Those remaining will be forced to leave because no city government, no matter its politics, can tolerate the violation of local health and safety ordinances indefinitely. The situation will become even more intolerable when cold weather causes...(Read Full Article)