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To: jaugust
What you're implying here is this person has the right to be heard.

Indeed not. My point is this: the mall *is* the public square and the people have a right to hold and express unpopular opinions in the public square. Not to shout or to be disorderly, but to have the freedom to speak their mind or to wear a t-shirt with a political message.

The debate here has been that the mall is a private place and as such people have no rights.

I say that the mall is different from a private accountant's office or a private residence, because it has received a government monopoly to operate and to effectively replace the traditional "town square" where political dialogue could be held. Do you think your local government would allow you to build a mall across the street from the existing mall on your own property? No way. You wouldn't get the building permit because there already is a mall. Therefore the existing mall is a government sactioned monoply. By virtue of benefitting from the government monopoly, the mall has an obligation to respect the same rights that a citizen enjoys in the public square.

33 posted on 03/07/2003 11:47:44 AM PST by grasshopper2
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To: grasshopper2
Government "sanctioned" is different than government "funded". And besides the mall does not have a monopoly. As I indicated there are many places where a person is allowed to voice dissent if they so choose. And the public square is not dead. I see downtown businesses with public squares nearby everywhere I go, small towns and big towns. And not just public squares but public parks as well. Not having such a place doesn't mean that there's NO PLACE else to go.

I saw protesters near a military installationon on a city street. There will always be someplace to protest so rest easy. If not I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.


Cheers be on ya!


34 posted on 03/07/2003 4:42:11 PM PST by jaugust
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