Literal occupation is free expression

With the number of arrests of Occupy Wall Street protesters--most of whom are demonstrating nonviolently--approaching 3,500 nationally, it is worth pointing out how quickly and easily local, state, and federal government officials are ordering violent suppression of free speech. It is also worth considering the inalienable quality of our rights to assemble and express ourselves:

Michael Ratner, president of the Center for Constitutional Rights, told AlterNet, “The tenting, the camping, the tarps, the patio polls, the cooking — all of that is part of the political expression of Occupy Wall Street. That’s what it embodies. This is not a one-day demonstration. This is saying, 'We will occupy, we will stay here as part of our political expression until things change.' I think it’s embodied in the protections afforded by the First Amendment.” He added: “How can you occupy unless you have tents and sleeping bags to protect people from the elements?”