Cornel West arrested at Supreme Court protest

Occupy Boston protesters, joined by activist Cornell West (center, holding sign) march through the financial district in Boston, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011. (AP Photo)

Occupy Wall Street protests

(CBS/AP)

WASHINGTON — Author, commentator, civil rights activist and Princeton University professor Cornel West has been arrested while protesting on the steps of the Supreme Court about corporate influence in politics.

A Supreme Court spokeswoman says 19 people were arrested Sunday afternoon after they refused to leave the grounds of the court.

Ann Wilcox, an attorney and legal adviser to the protesters, says West was among those arrested. West attended the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall before joining the October 2011 Stop the Machine protest in Washington's Freedom Plaza.

The protest is marking 10 years since the start of the war in Afghanistan and has an anti-war and anti-corporate greed message.

West is a well-known left-leaning academic whose books include "Race Matters" and "Democracy Matters."

West also recently got into a TV spat with presidential candidate Herman Cain, telling Cain to "get off the symbolic crack pipe," according to The Los Angeles Times.

Below watch video of West's arrest:

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by helmyelsaid October 17, 2011 2:39 PM EDT: Popular movement for reform; Reply to this comment


by helmyelsaid October 17, 2011 2:39 PM EDT: Popular movement for reform; Reply to this comment


by FL_Son October 17, 2011 11:03 AM EDT: Prof. West is a real American treasure. Thank you for trying to doing something, anything, about our totally sold out supreme court.
James
Occupy Miami; Reply to this comment

by Lawyers-Guns-n-Money06 October 17, 2011 10:59 AM EDT

by TellitTrue October 17, 2011 10:56 AM EDT
Then, by your definition, UNIONS also should have no "voice," since they are made up of members who already have free speech rights.

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I could see I'd be wasting my time with you by trying to illustrate the differences between the two.

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by TellitTrue October 17, 2011 11:05 AM EDT: Yes, you would. I don't subscribe to liberal propaganda, and you seem to be a fountain of talking points for Soros and company.


by Lawyers-Guns-n-Money06 October 17, 2011 11:19 AM EDT: As you seem to have a fondess for lockstep fascism. Or is that goose step?


by skithebumps October 17, 2011 10:52 AM EDT: West knows that if you commit the crime you'll have to do the time.; Reply to this comment

by Lawyers-Guns-n-Money06 October 17, 2011 10:51 AM EDT

by Smokey75 October 17, 2011 9:25 AM EDT
One question what is a corporation made up of?
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Answer: Corporations are most certainly NOT an association of citizens: A corporation is a set of financial agreements. Real people do enter into them but not as " associations of citizens." They enter them as shareholders, creditors, executives, employees or suppliers. Such people, if they're American citizens (we'll get to that later, perhaps), already have free-speech rights under the Constitution. Their financial agreements are simply legal contracts, enforceable to the extent they provide sone financial benefit -- in legal parlance, "consideration" -- to other parties. The notion that these contracts themselves have a voice, a will, a capacity for intention or a personality is absurd on its face: The SCOTUS in effect turns contracts, and the corporation they constitute, into life forms. It might as well give First Amendment rights to the chairs we sit on or the light bulbs we see by.

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by TellitTrue October 17, 2011 10:56 AM EDT: Then, by your definition, UNIONS also should have no "voice," since they are made up of members who already have free speech rights.


by ToolMangler1 October 18, 2011 10:20 PM EDT: by TellitTrue October 17, 2011 10:56 AM EDT
"Then, by your definition, UNIONS also should have no "voice,"

Wrong!!! Unions are a group of people who 'speak with one voice'...

"Corporations are most certainly NOT an association of citizens: A corporation is a set of financial agreements."

Therein lies the difference..


by formerlyformerlymaynard October 17, 2011 10:30 AM EDT: Who?; Reply to this comment


by Smokey75 October 17, 2011 10:16 AM EDT: by spengolf October 17, 2011 9:55 AM EDT
In the decision made by the Supreme Court in 2007 2008 The Roberts Court gave corporations unfettered power in campaign fundraising which has opened the door to a beast that can feed unchecked on our political system. I do agree with you that a constitutional amendment should be added to our Constitution corporations have been granted too much power by a court system that has placed themselves above our executive and legislative body in our country and to Smokey 75 unions are nonprofit organization corporations are not. They all for-profit organizations.

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Since when are unions nonprofit? To funny liberals are against freedom of speech unless it is speech they want to hear or agree with.

So there is a simple solution that will appease the liberals. If Unions should have an unlimited voice in our politics because they are "Non Profit". Then every corporation should just give their money to a nonprofit organization who then goes out and voices their opinion on politics and lobbies as they see fit. Problem solved! Right?; Reply to this comment


by doneinone October 17, 2011 10:00 AM EDT: Cornell missin sum teef, he be smokin his carck pipe to long.; Reply to this comment

by spengolf October 17, 2011 9:34 AM EDT

What is truly amazing about the OWS demonstration in New York City and around the world a First Amendment privilege. And yet these people are being arrested for walking onto public property that taxpayers has paid for and is part of the public way. It is not private, or solely owned by one individual. And yet what Wall Street bankers,investors lending institutions has taken public money and is yet to show any gratitude by helping this president and Congress map any type of strategy to overcome this sluggish economy. Many of these investors and lending institutions was guilty of gross negligence in their business practices, and we have yet to see any of them arrested or brought to trial. This should clearly show the American public that our court system is bought and paid for by the wealthiest 1% of our nation

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by kesac4650 October 17, 2011 10:26 AM EDT: They are only being arrested because they insist on being arrested. Freedom of speech has its limits when it intrudes on the rights of others. Just as does the right to peacably assemble.


by TellitTrue October 17, 2011 10:58 AM EDT: Exactly, kesac. They can SAY whatever they like. When they "occupy" someone else's property - even public property - they have crossed the line and SHOULD be prosecuted.

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