LA officials are going to set up a Free Speech Zone!

[boston bean]

No they can't bring tents, but there will be one corner where people can go and have some free speech around City Hall.

If we/Occupy cave into this free speech zone BS again, we are truly doomed.

They will pen people up in cages, where they can have free speech? What the hell is so free about that.

This is that Democratic Mayors solution. Fuck it, I say.


Here is what one looks like:

DNC's 'FREE SPEECH ZONE'
A caged- area designated for organized protests appears enclosed by mesh and chain link fencing near the site of the upcoming Democratic National Convention, in Boston, Wednesday, July 21, 2004.' (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

[hobbit709]

1. As far as I'm concerned, THIS is a free speech zone

sorry, the image didn't include Alaska and Hawaii

[LiberalEsto]

4. +1000

great point

[Magoo48]

6. Right: all of it---all of the time!

Not to put too fine a point on it, but fuck their "free" speech zone.

[handmade34]

7. +1

[woo me with science]

12. Thank you. nt

[truebrit71]

14. That was my impression too....

...

[greytdemocrat]

17. That's true,

But you don't have the right to crap and pee on the sidewalk.

[hobbit709]

22. Huh?

[Chef Eric]

28. I see that you like to exercise your right to spout non-sequitirs. nt

[Ezlivin]

2. We'll be left with a free speech zone exactly the size of our own thoughts

And that's what they want.

The theory of free speech is one thing; the reality is another.

[Fire Walk With Me]

27. Then they come after your thoughts. No thoughtcrimes, please.

[HereSince1628]

3. We saw this in the '60s...if you let this thing grow they'll influence policy

and we just can't tolerate THAT! or some nonsense like that there from Rep King.

The Orwellian tones of 'Free Speech Zones'
Should make everyone proud to be a Murikan.

[boston bean]

5. You can have free speech here, here and there, and wherever we find it convenient.

and if we have to pen you up in a cage, well, that is just part of the price one has to pay for free speech.

WTF? I know we have always been sort of screwed up, but 911 and the fear people allowed themselves to feel, and the governments egging it on, has escalated screwed up-ness to a whole new level.

[HereSince1628]

8. The Cheney admins creation of an internal security apparat marked

the end of the American Way. HSD's mission to make the Rodina secure is run by paranoids; they demand sacrificing the liberty because freedom is a precursor to terror. It seems that when The Wall came down, the Stasi came here and took up consultancies.

[Juneboarder]

13. Interesting you say Stasi...

There's a lady that walks down a local street I go running on and she always carries a sign with her "The Stasi Wear Read". I have yet to ask her what it means, have thought to research and haven't gotten around to it yet. By chance, would you have any knowledge?

[HereSince1628]

20. I don't know about the sign...some sort of pun/coded reference maybe

Stasi is the nickname for the E. German "State Security." German Staatssicherheit was shortened to "Staatsshi" by the Germans themselves, and in English that became Stasi.

[unionworks]

9. It's worse than that

George Bush built the framework of facism in the 8 years of his term. It is the real, but invisible "shadow government", the "tail wagging the dog". The remaining shell of our traditional government is a shadow of its former self, emasculatedd by Citizens United. It is pure kabuki.

[deutsey]

10. Those in the political establishment will rest much more easily knowing they're

managing our dissent this way. That's what has rattled them about the original occupations...the camps were completely out of their control and that scares the hell out of them.

I don't know how long all this will last, but I've been thinking that what we have been experiencing over the past few months can be summed up in what Prof. Douglas Brinkley told Rep. Young during a recent congressional hearing:

"You don't own me."

If you saw the clip from CSPAN, Brinkley's defiance shocked the woman sitting behind Young and it royally pissed the Representative off. That moment summed up what I think the Occupy movement has done in general: It's been a collective and defiant expression of "You don't own me" to the ruling political/economic establishment, an expression that has resonated with the larger population.

That has shocked the establishment, it's pissed them off, and it has scared them because they must, above all else, maintain their sense of control, they must know the game is rigged in their favor.

That's what will happen with these so-called "free speech zones": it will rig the game in their favor again, the ruling establishment will be able to manipulate and control the outcome of the movement, and they'll be able to re-assert that they do indeed own us.

[Odin2005]

11. The Constitution is our protest permit.

[Stinky The Clown]

15. *F*U*C*K* *Y*OU* to everyone who thought this up, thinks its a good idea, or supports those who do.

How George Bush.

[Dover]

16. Ooooo... outdoor jails! Perfect way around jail overcrowding... n/t

[pinboy3niner]

18. They haven't called for a cage (so far)

The Occupy L.A. park site is at this moment being closed off with K-rails (concrete barriers) that were seen arriving on flatbed trucks early this morning.

Both the mayor and LAPD said protests will be restricted to the normal "free speech area"--the West (Spring Street) steps of City Hall.

[boston bean]

19. What is the difference. What is a free speech "area"?

As a poster pointed out above, free speech is all over America. It shouldn't be restricted to an "area".

And we have seen free speech zones prior, haven't we?

[hifiguy]

21. Jefferson, Washington, Franklin and Madison

are spinning dervish-like in their graves.

Face it, the game is pretty much over and the corporofascists hold all the cards. Not to mention most of the voting machines and all of the media.

[bengalherder]

23. Over?

Nay, I suggest that you ain't seen nothin' yet.

This cycle has 5 to 7 years left to run and this form of protest's strength is it's numbers and its ability to adapt.

[hifiguy]

24. I deeply and sincerely hope that you are right

and I am wrong. Truly, I do.

[Chef Eric]

30. Over? Did you say over? Nothing is over until we decide it is. nt

[chaska]

25. Just say no ... HELL NO!!! to free speech zones. America is a free speech zone!!!

[Fire Walk With Me]

26. LA officials are all going to lose the next election! :D

Make them pay the political price for destroying the will of the people, WHOM THEY SERVE.

[Liberal_in_LA]

29. looks like a cattle pen