Occupy Movement: More Trouble Than Change?

The Occupy Wall Street Movement has gathered very much attention and momentum, evidenced in one way by the frequent mentioning or references to the movement in the GOP Presidential Debates--that much is clear. However, the movement is becoming more and more of an issue. The Washington Post mentioned today that "there are sanitation hazards and drug overdoses, even occasional deaths and sexual assaults." The Post article asks the question "Is this an occupation or an infestation?" The trouble is that breaking up the protests is a very sticky issue. While local police forces certainly have an obligation to protect their people, they also have an obligation to follow the Constitution and give people their Civil Rights, in this case the right to Free Speech. Finding middle ground on this issue is certainly a tough problem for local officials, and already three civil rights groups have filed lawsuits on behalf of the protesters. How forces deal with these protesters, who say they'll go on through the winter despite the cold, will be crucial and could result in either an outrage over what many would claim to be unconstitutional control if they forcibly made the protests stop, or it could result in a rising death toll as protesters subject themselves to freezing and dangerous conditions. Obviously neither alternative is acceptable, but it seems that it will take a miracle at this point for any other result to happen.