It struck me as I read your comments that the more remarkable thing about America isn't protecting the rights of dissent. Don't get me wrong, it's vital. The bigger part of the American spirit isn't about fostering dissent, peaceful or not. The men who were faced with constructing the essentials for self government were faced with a a huge problem. The people they proposed to unite were wildly diverse in almost every imaginable way. They had to agree on commonalities, and then agree to put those ideas first ( I disagree with what the speaker says, but I will defend to the death his right to say it). Divisiveness was the number one threat to the great experiment in self government then, and it probably still is today. The framers in many cases had to go against their gut reactions and work for the greater good first and foremost. Many did with great reservations. But they did. It meant leaving the church clean out of politics. And they did. And many other terribly difficult things besides. That single thing probably has more to do with the spirit of American Patriotism than any other quality. Finding the ways we can all live together in peace and prosperity and upholding those things regardless of social status or creed.

Nice Collage, http://nydailynews.com/front/story/211413p-182089c.html I dont think the police are wags but I just hope it all goes peaceful.

Of course, you're not worrying about maligning the Peace Officers assigned to protect the public when the riots begin.

Oh boy, I know someone would say that Metonicus. I thought about putting a qualifier in my description that this image is not meant to disparage law enforcement, or suggest that theyre doing anything other then their jobs, which by all acounts theyve been doing very well. I didnt since I thought the message of the image would be clear enough, that no one would make the accusation you did. Of course you dont know me, so you dont know personal ties to the law enforcement community (which manifest themselves, among other ways, in my user name), so Ill assume you were just confused over the meaning of my image, and that wasnt a cheap shot for its own sake. As to the Daily News artical, no the Commissioner of the NYPD is not a wag, hes a very good law enforcement manager. The Daily News is however, by all accounts a sensationalist paper, and that article is no exception. Kellys comments are about a very small, but dangerous, minority among the protesters. The Daily News makes it sound like a much bigger threat then it is. Here is a far more balanced view of the protests: http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=6098728 I dont envy Kelly his job. He has to make sure his officers keep order, with out violating the rights of those marching. That is an extreamly difficult job, but so far the NYPD has performed far better then the best expectations. True, its still early but if Commissioner Kelly and his officers maintain the level performance of seen today, it will be a credit to their department and to their dedication and profesionalism.

Way to go! Your American protesters are not alone, most of the world is with you

Great work & action !!

This is awesome, I'm so glad I clicked on this, I couldn't agree more!! Right on!!