Occupying Nashville

Pic courtesy of the Tennessee Report...

The First Amendment to the Constituion states that the people have a right to peacefully assemble and a right to peaceful redress of grievences. Somehow, the Tennessee Highway Patrol forgot that.

They claimed there was a curfew on the square in question facing the state capital and ordered protesters to move out. The protesters did not, were arrested, placed in front of a magistrate.....

....and were let go.

The same scene unfolded again the following night.

What part are they not getting?

Magistrate Thomas said they Occupy Nashville protesters were within their rights and that arresting them was inappropriate (maybe illegal). The Tennessee Highway Patrol, acting on orders of Governor Bill Haslam, argued otherwise but to no avail. The judge had made his ruling...twice.

The Occupy Nashville protesters are within their rights to protest and are continuing to do so.

The police crackdowns are only galvanizing support.

Some of these scenes, especially in Denver and Oakland are looking like Egypt just before Mubaruk threw in the towel. How does our State Department carp on about human rights when the Oakland PD (allegedly) bounces a tear gas grenade off an Iraq War vet's head or when some NYPD inspector maces (not allegedly) four women behind a barricade?

There are serious problems in this country. Congress is not providing much guidance and is apparently part of the problem. What are these problems?

Where do you want to start?

Crony capitalism, a rigged stock market, corporate personhood which allows corporations to pour money into political campaigns, out of control commodity speculation, bailing out banks who then turn around and try to steal the money people put into them, taxes, unemployment.

Attempts to squelch dissent only breeds more and it might not be peaceful next time.

Ask the Soviet Union about 1989.....