First, I apologize for the sparse postings—however, finals time is upon me.
No matter where your political beliefs lie, no matter what you think of occupy wall street as a movement, the article linked here is eye-opening and shocking. The ramifications of the Department of Homeland Security giving advice on a conference call with 18 mayors on how to suppress the occupy movement raises constitutional questions (see article here). I am very skeptical of Occupy, considering the movements lack of uniting goals, the way in which protestors seem akin to 1960’s hippies simply bringing forward a counter culture, the way the protestors seem to complain with no solutions all increase this skepticism. But, no matter who these people are who what they believe in–no unarmed protestors should be beaten, no journalists should be told it is illegal to take pictures on the sidewalk, and no federal agency should be inciting suppression of civil rights. First amendment rights are at stake here.
If we all fall asleep at the democratic wheel, it will be our free speech infringed next time, and we will only have ourselves to blame because of our silence.