Why is the occupation being called civil disobedience, when the people have the constitutional right to peaceful assembly?
Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of a government, or of an occupying international power. wiki
Rather it has become a Teach-In. Notice in this video how Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz is observing the law by not employing a megaphone.
Someone tell me what laws are being broken?
Below the fold: why this distinction matters.
It matters because to describe this as civil disobedience portrays this currently unaffiliated, non-partisan movement as something illegal, by definition.
Which it is not.
Someone explain to me, if I am mistaken, just what is illegal about peaceful assembly? Or how is anyone thus far breaking any laws?
So the term "civil disobedience" does not apply.
It is an important public relations issue. The last ten years of divisive memes have torn the country apart, and polarized/demonized one group in the other's sight. People jump on bandwagons fast. For once, it would be nice if clarity were preserved. So far those assembled have refrained from illegal activity as far as has been reported.
These people are prudently avoiding being co-opted by anyone's agenda.
What is a Teach-In?
A teach-in is similar to a general educational forum on any complicated issue, usually an issue involving current political affairs. The main difference between a teach-in and a seminar is the refusal to limit the discussion to a specific frame of time or an academic scope of the topic. Teach-ins are meant to be practical, participatory, and oriented toward action. While they include experts lecturing on the area of their expertise, discussion and questions from the audience are welcome. "Teach ins" were popularized during the U.S. government's involvement in Vietnam. As an example, a teach-in at the University of Michigan in May 1965 began with a discussion of the Vietnam war draft and ended with the logistics of a takeover of the University. wiki
Like Mars Hill of Athens, people are gathering and discussing, learning, and sharing with one another. This is the most important aspect. The learning curve on the mendacity at the heart of the monetary system is spiking.
It has become the free university on the street.
Several years ago I as if banged my head into the wall, putting out diaries on Dailykos with the intention of helping people understand the emptyness of what is called money (here and here - long ago I deleted many earlier ones). Very few people agreed, many denied what I wrote. I gave up.
This is important for the US people to grasp. This is why I want to see this movement remain peaceful and enjoy longevity.
And to banish the term "civil disobedience" in reference to the movement. It is a misnomer.
The key to that is to keep it legal, which peaceful assembly is. I fail to see where these assemblies so far qualify as illegal.
So, for what it's worth, I suggest it stay legal, peaceful, and beneficial. I would even urge a G-rated version for children. May everyone gather to learn about this with no cause for offense to anyone. Keep your behavior impecable. Harm no one, harm no property.
Thanks to all of you out there who are paying attention and working so hard to bring this particular truth to the US people.