“However, the entire pretext for outrage was the fact that the Jefferson Memorial is public property, as if that means anyone can show up and do whatever they want at any time without consequence.”
There’s a problem with that argument: Government has now placed so many restrictions on the use of public property that it really has begun to intrude on freedom of assembly.
Here in Massachusetts where I live, liberals tried to force the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade to let gays and lesbians march in the parade. Their argument was that since the Parade was going to march down public streets which were paid by tax dollars, the taxpayers had a right to tell the marchers how they could march.
What if a city told the OWS protesters, “You can stay as long as you want, but only if you allow Tea Partiers to join your protest. It’s on public property and we taxpayers have the right to tell you how public property should be used. Either admit Tea Partiers or we’re going to shut down your protest.” Or the reverse: Forcing Tea Partiers to accept OWS protesters into any protest held on public property.
The use of public property for redress of grievances is a complex issue, and I’m not sure where to draw the line. If untrammeled redress of grievances isn’t even allowed on public property, then where is it allowed? Unclaimed wilderness?
