Outstanding editorial in today's Times Union: Occupy Albany’s right to protest

[kpete]

Outstanding editorial in today's Times Union:

Occupy Albany’s right to protest

Our opinion: The governor and mayor try to use law enforcement to stifle peaceful protest. How much of the First Amendment can they trash at once?

Curfews are tricky things. They require balancing the desire for public safety with the freedom people ought to have to use their public places in an otherwise legal, peaceful way.

That balance, it seems, eludes Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings. Fortunately, Albany has a police chief and a district attorney who gets it.

It’s hard to imagine how a governor who has scored so many political victories this year could be so wrong on so straightforward an issue as the Occupy Albany protest, now entering its fifth day in Academy Park. Sure, Mr. Cuomo can send in the troopers to enforce a curfew. Just because he can doesn’t mean he should.

..............MORE:
http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion/occupy-albany%E2%80%99s-right-to-protest/15546/

[Scuba]

1. Credit....

"Credit Albany Police Chief Steven Krokoff, perhaps emboldened by a hiring process that now allows Albany chiefs to be independent of the mayor, for not being so rash. Credit, too, Albany County District Attorney David Soares for refusing to prosecute peaceful protesters. Maybe they recall their oath of office better than the governor and the mayor do theirs. First and foremost, they swore to uphold the Constitution — a reminder to not abuse their power."