Occupy Easton to Hold Bill of Rights "Funeral"
Easton's Occupy group says National Defense Authorization Act "murders" civil liberties.
Occupy Easton members will hold what they describe as a "funeral procession" Saturday morning for the Bill of Rights.
The march is in response to President Obama's signing of the National Defense Authorization Act, which greatly expands the federal government's power to fight terrorism, including provisions that allow the military to detain citizens indefinitely, without trial.
"I have signed this bill despite having serious reservations with certain provisions that regulate the detention, interrogation, and prosecution of suspected terrorists," Obama said in a statement accompanying his signature. "My administration will not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens. Indeed, I believe that doing so would break with our most important traditions and values as a nation."
Despite the president's assurances, critics of the NDAA say it gives the government far too much power.
Occupy Easton says the bill kills the first, fourth, fifth, sixth and eight amendments, and therefore will mourn each amendment at noon Saturday. The group will march from the Bachmann Publick House to Centre Square. Members will dress in black and read eulogies for each amendment.
Tom Adams
8:12 pm on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
How many of these protesters are from Easton? Proably not many. Why aren't they in the suburbs protesting. Easton houses the low income and the unemployed. Makes more sense to go out where the problems are, not in the city.