One of the more disturbing aspects of the ongoing so-called "Occupy Wall Street" protests -- not only on Wall Street but in other locations around the United States -- is the demonstrators' listing of various "demands" that they want society to meet.

Whatever you may think of their grievances about "corporate greed," the vague threat that is implied when a rowdy crowd lists its "demands" is troubling.

And yet demonstrators in New York have put together a "Demands Working Group" to spell out what they want.

But what exactly does that mean? Does it mean that if they do not get what they want, they will continue forcibly occupying public and even private locations after they have been lawfully ordered to disperse? Or will they engage, as some of them have, in outright violence?

That is certainly not the protected right of peaceful assembly that was envisioned -- and is guaranteed -- by the First Amendment to our Constitution.

Anyone can verbally "demand" anything, but the use of violence, coercion and public disorder to achieve those demands is wrong -- and un-American.