www.rawstory.com...
[...]
“If there comes a time when [Occupy Wall Street] wants to set up tents, we will certainly defend their constitutional right to do so,” Levine told a reporter with Thew New York Law Journal. “It remains our belief that tents are a form of free speech.”
I had posted above, how Occupy York lawyer Levine muses about if the Constitution of the United States contains a right to camp. I explained (without reply) that there are two COTUSes, one pre war and one post war. Neither mention camping.
However, since the backers of the COTUS were all rich dudes who opposed the campers of their time (indians and poor people and slaves) then I think it's folly to look into the COTUS for such a right. But what I explained is that the "bill of rights" is actually just a group of amendments. The first ten amendments of the COTUS are delineated rights, some of which apply to actual human beings, and some which apply to persons with titles, such as legislators.
I have never seen a homeless legislator. Have you?
Well anyway, this park employee (not a member of government, and yet still not not worth listening to) says clearly that there is no right to camp. You'd need an amendment. A camping amendment. Well she doesn't add that part, I'm adding that to her words. She is essentially saying:
"They don't have a right to camp, [but if they could amend the COTUS fast enough to have a camping amendment as a right to shelter, then they could camp legally.]"*
* = Italics mine
usnews.msnbc.msn.com...
[...]
Officers would be on site to monitor the situation and try to get protesters to comply, Carol Johnson, a Park Service spokeswoman, told msnbc.com on Friday. Compliance entails removing all camping materials and leaving one side of all temporary structures open.
“People can be there 24 hours a day, but they can’t live there, they can’t sleep there,” she said.
“We still do back the First Amendment, and it is their right. It is not their right to camp. And ... we would, you know, support them if they came into compliance and they had a vigil and they had tents that were there for logistical or symbolic purposes,” she added. "They can occupy as a vigil but not camping."
edit on 30-1-2012 by smallpeeps because: hmmmm


