Funny thing...city property..parks, lawns, etc. belong to

[shraby]

the city? The people collectively own all of it. City halls don't, mayors don't, councils don't, same goes for the state governments and federal governments. The people own ALL of it.
The constitution guarantees the people the right (without retrictions) to peacably assemble to air grievances. They should be able to use the property they own in any city in the United States...no permits, no police in lines and riot gear watching them.

[annabanana]

1. that resonates, shraby. . .

The Bill of Rights is well written, in pretty plain language. That was not by accident.

[in_cog_ni_to]

2. Exactly right! WE pay for it all too! We pay taxes for all of it. n/t

[badtoworse]

3. Civil rights are subject to reasonable restrictions

I don't believe setting up a "permanent" tent city is a reasonable exercise of First Amendment rights any more than I believe owning a bazooka is a reasonable exercise of Second Amendment rights.

[in_cog_ni_to]

4. The tent cities aren't permanent. They're there only until the Government addresses their grievances

And those park belong to the people pitching the tents.

[badtoworse]

10. The parks also belong to people who don't agree with them...

as well as people who don't care one way or the other. The tent cities infringe on those peoples' rights to use the park. The tent citiies also create sanitation, security and nuisance factor problems for the neighbors. The city has to balance all of those considerations - protesters aren't the only people with rights.

[in_cog_ni_to]

20. The OWS and elsewhere tent cities are very clean.

It sounds like you watch too much Faux TeeVee. Most of these camps are GREEN! The people occupying LOVE the Earth and the environment.

[FrodosPet]

15. As well as everyone else

Do people have the right to deny other people access to the parks?

Does someone exercising their first amendment rights have to right to prevent someone who wants to toss some frisbee, grab some sun time, or even report on what they see?

Somehow, EVERYONE has to learn to share the parks.

[in_cog_ni_to]

17. No one is stopping anyone from throwing a Frisbee in any park. Have at it.

I'm sure there are other parks that aren't being occupied. If you want to toss your Frisbee at an occupied park, deal with it.

[saras]

24. Do weddings have the right to deny others access to the parks? They do all the time.

[shraby]

6. What part of this don't you understand?

The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights.

The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion,

impeding the free exercise of religion,

abridging the freedom of speech,

infringing on the freedom of the press,

interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances.

The word prohibit applies to all.

[badtoworse]

11. Nobody's rights of assemby and petition of grievances are being violated.

Assembling in the park and living in the park are not the same thing.

[msongs]

21. dictionaries are your friend even when you don't like what they say -

as·sem·ble/əˈsembəl/
Verb:

(of people) Gather together in one place for a common purpose.
Bring (people or things) together for a common purpose: "he assembled the surviving members of the group for a tour".

[badtoworse]

25. I know what the word means

I don't see how it can be interpreted to mean living in the park. Have any cities been barred by the courts from enforcing their prohibitions on camping in a public park?

[Luminous Animal]

8. Eviction for a peaceable assembly is not a reasonable restriction.

[badtoworse]

12. That's not why they're being evicted

[justiceischeap]

9. Research The Bonus Army (1932)

this isn't the first time this tactic has been used to address grievances in the US. And you know what, if the economy keeps going the way it is, these tent cities are going to become permanent because people won't be able to afford homes.

[badtoworse]

13. Sounds like those guys were getting screwed and I can't blame them for their anger

I don't blame the OWS protesters for their anger either. That said, I still don't agree with their tactics

[justiceischeap]

16. What would you propose they do? nt

[badtoworse]

18. Follow the rules

If they need a permit, get one. If camping is probibited, don't do it. It's really not that complicated.

[justiceischeap]

31. If the Founding Father's had followed the rules, we wouldn't be here today

not in this permutation anyway. If the civil rights movement had followed the rules, we may still be discriminating against people of color. You can't always follow the rules if you want to effect change. We are getting no less screwed than the Bonus Army in 1932. As a matter of fact, if you really look at the history of the time in '32 you'll see that it is eerily to today's situation.

[frylock]

22. best to just vote and hope that in 30 or 40 years something might change a little bit..

right? we don't want to infringe on the rights of the frisbee tossers after all.

[badtoworse]

23. That's basically what the Teabaggers did and they were very effective in accomplishing their goals

[frylock]

28. the teabaggers are a corporate front..

that's why they were effective in accomplishing their goals.

[Fire Walk With Me]

5. They've been selling public parks, in cities and in the wild, for years now.

You truly can't own land, but they've paid money and have expectations.

Yes, all parks land should be for everyone. I believe a President said as much at some point last century.

[shraby]

7. They've only been doing it as REPRESENTATIVES of the

people who in fact OWN them. The lands belong to every man woman and child in this country, not the hired representatives who are there to conduct OUR business.

[jtuck004]

14. We thought banks were subject to reasonable restrictions as well.

So much for that, eh?

[kestrel91316]

19. Homeless people are allowed to use sidewalks and public space in LA without restriction.

Courts have decided this. How is it that homeless derelicts have MORE rights to use our public space than people exercising their First Amendment rights?

Just curious.

[badtoworse]

27. They can pitch tents on the sidewalk and live there?

[kestrel91316]

30. Yep. It's a huge problem near skid row. And here in the Valley, our local

chronic homeless derelicts set up their encampments in the pedestrian tunnels under the freeway so pedestrians can't access them.

[elocs]

26. The Supreme Court decides what the Constitution guarantees,

and constitutional rights don't mean much if nobody in government will stand up for them. Until we have leaders who are willing to stand up for the protesters and have the courage to stand with them, the heavy hands will continue to oppress them.

[undergroundpanther]

29. no Anti Sit

Devices either.The State is OUR servant.The corporation depends on US to function,remind these petty tyrants and greedy pigs of this.

[kentuck]

32. Basically...

true. Government has evolved to the point we now see.

[shraby]

33. If corporations are people and money is free speech, then

certainly pitching a tent on PUBLIC property and camping there to make a statement about how a person is unhappy with the way the governement is doing thing is also free speech.