Occupy Wall Street in the Land of Deseret: Occupy Salt Lake City

Occupy Wall Street is in the City. Salt Lake City, that is.

Up to a thousand demonstrators marched early this morning, and the diehards have set up camp in Pioneer Park.

Utah's Senator Orin Hatch remarked that the demonstrations are peaceful, now, but that he predicts they'll turn to riots.

Don't think so.

But the local Deseret News'Jay Evenson thinks so, and describes the demonstrators as a mob, and the demonstration as a riot, while lauding the Tea Party for interpreting the Constitution and not getting involved in local politics. The Salt Lake Tribune's Cathy McKitrick reported that the demonstrators were well-behaved and articulate in voicing discontent.

All critical thinking issues or belief systems aside, reporters have biases that filter into their unbiased reporting. Read any major newspaper or blog and you'll have a file cabinet of evidence in no time.

I'm just grateful Americans have the right to assemble, guaranteed by the First Amendment.

Back to Senator Hatch's prediction: the one and only riot I was ever witness to on the streets of SLC, was during the Olympics, when the beer garden's doors were locked due to overcrowding, and the drunk, and seriously bugged revelers wanting in, they tried, unsuccessfully to leap the walls, and also, to tear them down. Police in riot gear, seriously, marched down State Street in military uniform rows.

I'll post updated pictures and video of Occupy SLC once I have them.