Reader: Freedom of speech and assembly should trump keeping Occupation Denver site tidy

Our Occupy Denver coverage both before and after the group’s tent city near the State Capitol was dismantled spurred a gusher of commentary.

Here’s an opinion about the city’s interest in maintaining the area as weighed against the Bill of Rights.

Ken Roberts (no relation) writes:

There is no constitutional requirement to keep tidy or even healthy public spaces. There is no constitutional requirement to conduct “business as usual.” There are, however, constitutional guarantees of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.

Even if occupiers wanted to shut down the capitol altogether, that would take precedence over any and every state, or even federal law, to the contrary.

That’s the nature of democracy. It isn’t necessarily tidy. It isn’t necessarily orderly.

If you can’t live with that, move to a police state.

For more memorable takes, visit our Comment of the Day archive.