Treading on the Occupation

Treading on the Occupation

Santa Cruz County has chosen to interpret gathering in a long empty building as a felony, so as to ensure the sanctity of corporate possessions. The current charges consider dialog as conspiracy and support as aiding and abetting.

The District Attorney has posted online video and photos, asking residents to identify those not so far charged. I'm reminded of the Salem Witchcarft trials, informers during World War II, McCarthyism. Since when do we encourage friends to betray friends? To ask friends to tell on each other?

Speech and assembly are sacred principles in the United States, and respect for law undergirds our social cooperation. But believing that assembly is conspiracy and possessions of corporations are entitled to the same courtesy as human beings is an unbalanced use of the authority of elected office. Law is based on common sense and subject to change as society changes. And society is changing very fast.

Those involved in social protest are not slackers. Quite the opposite. They are working hard to educate, to make sure even those who are very very busy are aware of how badly governance is functioning. Common law adjusts for the common good; governance needs a major adjustment.

Law enforcement nationally was disrespectful to Occupy, tread on encampments, bullied earnest speakers. Locally Santa Cruz imposed a curfew on assembly.

Domineering constraint is apt to trigger the desire to do more of the thing suppressed. So far this intimidating strategy has frightened many, reduced the size of the Occupy Santa Cruz General Assemblies, and lead to loss of licenses and credentials.

Occupy is regenerating in New York. And in Santa Cruz?