It is cruel and unfair to say that governments can regulate words spoken by the destitute but not by the wealthy,who can afford TV ads and lobbyistsAll across America, municipalities have criminalized begging. This is weird. It is now clearly established that the first amendment protects people who express themselves by spending millions of dollars. How can it fail to protect people who express themselves by asking for one dollar?Many cities have suggested that begging fails to express ideas worthy of the first amendment. Not so. Requests for charity – whether from homeless persons, or Salvation Army volunteers or firefighters – express need. They do so inherently and sometimes profoundly. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com