Convention Demonstrators

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, and I intend, for a number of reasons, to exercise my rights of free speech and assembly during the Democratic National Convention. What I ask for from the mayor, the City Council and the Police Department is that they do everything they can to plan carefully to protect that right. So far they seem to be planning for the worst and are already trying to justify their use of force and tear gas.

I would like them to work closely with organizers from D2KLA, the Direct Action Network and Rise Up in order to ensure plenty of space for peaceful marches and nonviolent civil disobedience actions. The police are supposed to protect and serve me as I exercise my rights. They are not my judges, torturers or executioners. Right now it looks like they are planning a disaster.

ERIC DeBODE

Los Angeles

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U.S. District Judge Gary A. Feess and the ACLU have both correctly pointed out that the 1st Amendment guarantees the right to free speech. Neither bothered to point out that the 1st Amendment does not guarantee that anyone has to listen. Moreover, Judge Feess ruled that “there is going to have to be an accommodation to allow the plaintiffs to reach their intended audience” (July 21). This indicates that the plaintiffs have nothing important or interesting to say, otherwise the demonstrators’ audience would beat a path to their door.

TOM WITMAN

Redondo Beach

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Happily, Judge Feess takes the 1st Amendment seriously. We thank him for reminding Mayor Richard Riordan and his infamous police force that democracy doesn’t function well in cages.

Free speech doesn’t work under martial law either, which is what Riordan has threatened to unleash during the Democratic National Convention (Commentary, July 13). The mayor’s threat to let loose LAPD blue shirts is scandalous proof that the police do what they’re told to do by their bosses--downtown politicians and businessmen who have created the need to protest in the first place.

Most of us applaud the spirited organizing around the DNC as a sign that people are once again taking political involvement seriously--be it inside the alternative convention halls or in the streets.

YOLANDA ALANIZ

Los Angeles