I support peoples' right to protest on any day. I think a holiday to encourage protesting would encourage more people to exercise their right to free speech.

Question for debate: should there be a holiday specifically for encouraging protesting? Would December 16, the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party be approrpriate for such a holiday?

There are many ways to voice free speech. Why does it have to involve a protest?

cusbilla

Traditionally May 1st is used as a day to protest and unionized workers will often take it off (in all other countries besides the US it is a state holiday).

Personally, I think May Day is much better than Labor Day. Why should Americans celebrate a day of labor solidarity on September 1st when most of the world is celebrating it on May 1st? It just doesn't make sense. In fact, May Day became what it is in most of the world today because of something that happened in America: the Haymarket Bombing.

So, basically, yes. May Day isn't exactly a day of protest, but it's very similar. We ought to have it here.

Well the historical reason for why the American Labor day is Sept 1 and not International Worker's Day on May 1st is that the Socialist Party in the US campaigned to get it recognized by the American goverment, so to undercut their call for a day to recognize workers, the Democrats gave workers a day at percisely the opposite end of the calender.

Whatever for? Peolple can and do protest on any day at all. I can think of no reason why any govenment would want to encourage them to do it more.

Agreed. Every day is a potential protest day. Making a holiday out of such a serious responsibility and right makes it cutsy and nice. Protest is neither cutsy nor nice.

It could even open the door to limiting protest to only that day.

I think governments would simply love the idea.

Don't mention this to Ashcroft!

But the Constitution clearly states that Congress shall make no law regarding freedom of speech. I doubt that protests would be only allowed on one day.

I doubt it, too. However, there are public nuisance laws (state and local), if the 'protests' are determined to be a risk to the community. One's freedom of speech only goes so far. I can't play loud rock music in the middle of the night, for instance.