The IE Bankruptcy Court Gets Occupied

Three days after packing Congressman Jerry Lewis’ office, Occupy Redlands was out in force again.

Its members, and Occupy chapters and protesters from around the region, took part in the national Occupy the Courts demonstration. More than 50 people stood on the corner of 13th Street and Lime Street in Riverside near the US Bankrupty Court waving signs and holding banners.

The event marked the second anniversary of the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision by the Supreme Court that prohibits limits on independent spending for political purposes by corporations and unions.

It is seen as the decision that gave corporations status as people, that “the Government may not suppress political speech on the basis of the speaker’s corporate identity. No sufficient governmental interest justifies limits on the political speech of nonprofit or for-profit corporations.”

Redlands and Occupiers from around the country have been fighting to get corporate money out of the political process.

On Friday, they took their message to more than 100 courthouses throughout the country.

“We believe corporations are not persons and possess only the privileges citizens and their elected representatives willfully grant them. Organizers of OCCUPY THE COURTS propose a Constitutional Amendment that will overturn the Court-created legal doctrines of corporate ‘personhood’ and ‘Money Equals Speech,’ ” Occupiers said through a written statement.