First Amendment? What's that?

Rio Grande Valley veterans are marching from Edinburg toward San Antonio to raise awareness of the lack of medical care for veterans. But just outside the city, Bexar County deputies tell them that they don't have "permission" to peacefully assemble, and if they set foot across the county line, they'll be arrested.

State Rep. Aaron Pena, accompanying the veterans on their journey, writes in his blog:

We are only 22 miles away from our destination and the news was met with shock. Here we are so close to our destination only to be stopped by authorities who do not fully understand the law. As I would hope to explain to the authorities in San Antonio, the United States Constitution protects everyone's right to travel.

Thankfully, San Antonio leaders came to their senses and reined in these overzealous law enforcement officers. Still, what were these cops thinking? As I saw on the San Antonio news last night, we had a couple of robberies and a home invasion -- but deputies want to "protect" us from veterans exercising their First Amendment rights? Someone mail these people a clue.