What about the right to assemble?
- Article
I've been hearing a lot in the news about the citizens of Russia protesting against the corrupt government of Vladimir Putin. The Russian police have beaten them, gassed them and abused their peaceful protests.
It is too bad they don't have the First Amendment in their Constitution that declares: "Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble."
But wait. We do have that right but are not allowed to avail ourselves of it without being beaten, pepper sprayed and tear gassed. The 99 percent protesters who have this right are being deprived of it by the powers that be with the reason that their camps are health hazards.
It seems to me that it would be a lot cheaper and more democratic to supply portable toilets than mistreat them. Fixing the corruption in Wall Street is much harder as they have bought and sold the Congress and Senate.
Raleigh Sutton
Elgin
