Regarding Judge William Carter's determination that District Attorney David Soares could be held in contempt of court if his office doesn't move ahead with a case against Colin Donnaruma for peacefully protesting with Occupy Albany:
Soares consistently that stated he would not prosecute peaceful protesters because they have a constitutional right to engage in these actions ("Judge pushes Occupy case," Nov. 27). Thus, a prosecution would be illegal and overturned on appeal.
Soares was resoundingly re-elected by the citizens of Albany County despite fellow Democrat Lee Kindlon's well-funded and aggressive campaign in which Soares' refusal to prosecute was a central issue. Soares won by a margin of 57 percent to 40 percent.
The Occupy movement nationwide changed the terms of our political discourse. Would Mitt Romney have made the disastrous 47 percent remark otherwise? Would we be debating a tax hike on the 1 percent?
Occupy gave us the vocabulary to defeat Grover Norquist and the tea partiers in November and continue the fight to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and reform the regressive income tax system.
Thank goodness, our eyes are open and our country is forever changed.
Susan F. Weber
Loudonville