Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Civil Rights for Corporations?

    Ever since I went to Occupy Dallas two weeks a lot of words the slightly disorganized and confused protestors said keep sticking in my head. One such sentiment is when I asked a protestor (Luis Davis) what he wanted to see at the end of the movement; was it more rights? less regulation? a constitutional amendment? an Occupy presidential candidate? what? He said to me emphatically: "No, none of that, this isn't a civil rights movement. We just want to be heard." Mistake number one, no clear message. But that is off topic, I keep thinking of how he said "This is not a civil rights movement." Hm, well one enemy all Occupy protestors seem to have claimed is "corporate person-hood." They don't think it's right that corporations can use money as language, ie. Super Pacs. Well, if these protestors are so set on striping these corporations of their rights, could one then claim this movement is for civil rights after all?
     The civil rights of the corporations.
    I know, I know. It seems far fetched: fighting over the rights of an inanimate object. Well honestly, a corporation is not even that, it's more fighting over the rights of an idea. But, instead of thinking of it as fighting over the rights of an idea, first consider this country gave that idea rights. Now, can you see the civil rights movement? I know it may be a little 'out-there' but our country is still in a state of deciding exaclty which rights to afford to these ideas, these corporations.
    It remains to be seen. But next time the Occupiers are doing something stupid on your TV screen and you question aloud, "What are they even fighting for?" Maybe consider, what are they fighting against?

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