Occupy Movement Must be Really Scaring Authorities

The authorities, on behalf of their masters (the 1%), has tried numerous ways to stop the Occupy Wall Street movement. They have arrested the protesters on misdemeanor charges, invented curfews, tried to invoke obscure sanitation rules, pepper sprayed and gassed the demonstrators, and attacked them with riot police -- but none of this has worked. It hasn't worked because the politicians, owned by the corporations, refuse to fix the economy and create a fairer distribution of wealth and income.

Now in at least some cities, the authorities are trying a new tack -- felony charges, which could result in a prison sentence of two years. When protesters tried to shut down the port of Houston for a day, authorities arrested many of them. They have now indicted seven of them on a felony charge of Using A Criminal Instrument. The "criminal instrument" is a length of PVC pipe. The protesters put their arms through the pipe and latched themselves to it to delay their arrest.

This is obviously a ridiculous charge that is just meant to intimidate the protesters. I can't believe the law was ever meant to be used this way when it was written. Daphne Silverman, one of the attorneys defending them, said:

"They are feeling, 'wow,' is the word. ... They're in a lot of shock. They were very happy with the justice's decision last week, they believed in her, they believed in the justice system. These people ... are not criminals. These folks are out there attempting to make the country better for all of us."

There have also been felony arrests in Denver and New York City. If this overreaching by authorities says anything, it is that the movement is scaring the hell out of those in power. The last thing they want is for the people to wake up and realize just how badly they've been screwed by those in power. The powerful have never willingly gave up any of their power. It has always had to be the result of the people demanding it, and the authorities are terrified that the movement will grow so large they can no longer control it or ignore it.

It has become clear in the last few weeks that the authorities around this nation only respect constitutional rights (like free speech and peaceably assembling) when they agree with what the protesters are saying (like the teabaggers). We must redouble our efforts to make sure our precious constitutional rights are extended to all citizens -- even those opposing those in power.