Occupy: Unacceptable

To date I have stayed fairly quiet about my opinion on the occupy Wall Street and other such protests that are going on all over our country. This has been for a very good reason, I have no opinion, I am employed, I am earning more this year than last, and for the most part I am happy. I don't feel that this puts me against occupy protests, but I certainly cannot pretend to know what these people are experiencing. But today as I am going through my news sources I find something that I feel is unacceptable in this country. Police Brutality. Lets establish that the police are there to protect the citizens as a whole, whilst upholding the Constitution. At this point in this country there have been so many cases of the police using extreme force in an attempt to break up the protesters. As far as my take on this situation I feel that while the cities and states may not like what the protesters have to say they need to respect the fact that in this country people have a RIGHT to say it. Have we forgotten what is the first amendment of the constitution?

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

The constitution does not limit where, how long, and for what reason as long as it does not violate other peoples rights. Now the right to assemble has been challenged in the Supreme Court before in United States v. Cruikshank, 92 u.s. 542 (1875) and it was deemed that "...the right of the people peaceably to assemble for the purpose of petitioning Congress for a redress of grievances, or for anything else connected with the powers or duties of the National Government, is an attribute of national citizenship, and, as such, under protection of, and guaranteed by, the United States." My question is:

What Happened Here? How is this America?! Have we really forgotten that our country is based on the open exhange of ideas and the ability to peacefully protest the govenment?

We are always so critical on countries like Syria who are opening fire on their own citizens who are protesting in the streets yet President Obama has had nothing to say about a United States Marine Scott Olsen who was shot in the head with a tear gas canister and almost died. How is this not a violation of his rights that has been upheld over and over again by the Supreme Court? How are we any better?

Now I know that this was awhile ago, and at the time I had convinced myself that this was an accident, and then I saw the image of Dorli Rainey the 84 year old woman of Seattle who was pepper sprayed by the Seattle Police Department for protesting. This is the lowest of the low. She is 84 years old, how could she have posed a threat to the greater population in this protest.  The answer is simple, when you don't do what the police want they attack you. This is not legal and should not be tolerated. Here is an except from Dorli Rainey herself:

"Something funny happened on my way to a transportation meeting in Northgate. As I got off the bus at 3rd and Pine I heard helicopters above. Knowing that the problems of New York would certainly precipitate action by Occupy Seattle, I thought I better check it out. Especially since only yesterday the City Government made a grandiose gesture to protect free speech. Well free speech does have its limits as I found out as the cops shoved their bicycles into the crowd and simultaneously pepper sprayed the so captured protesters. If it had not been for my Hero (Iraq Vet Caleb) I would have been down on the ground and trampled. This is what democracy looks like. It certainly left an impression on the people who rode the No. 1 bus home with me. In the women's movement there were signs which said: "Screw us and we multiply." source

This country needs to remember that the only thing that seperates us from the countries that we attack for their human rights violations are are just those, OUR rights. We need to protect them. Just becuase you may not like what I have to say, where I am saying it or WHEN I am saying it does not mean that you have a right to attack my right to do so.

While I have no opinion on the protests themselves and while yes, I am fairly tired of hearing about them on the news I RESPECT and would die to PROTECT your right to do it.

United States Marine Corps. Sgt. Shamar Thomas from Roosevelt, New York said it best here: