The First Amendment provides us with the right to peaceably assemble, and the Occupy Wall Street protesters at sites nationwide have used that right to make an important difference: They have brought to light the disgust and impotence felt by much of the American public in the face of a growing gap between rich and poor and a lagging job market.

Times are tough today, as more and more “middle class” Americans fall into poverty due to the loss of a job, health care bills or immobility to move for a job because they cannot sell their home. Meanwhile, it’s well-documented that the rich are getting richer.

The protesters, who have taken over parks and town squares in several cities throughout the nation since September, have brought those concerns into the national spotlight ”“ and for that we should all be grateful.

But it’s time for them to take the next step in bringing change to America. A judge ruled Tuesday afternoon that Americans’ free speech rights “do not extend to pitching a tent and setting up camp for months at a time,” according to a recent Associated Press report. We agree with that ruling and with the decision this Tuesday to break up the Occupy encampment in New York City, last Sunday in Portland, Ore., and Monday in Oakland, Calif. The camp in NYC in particular was becoming a filthy tent city and was reporting problems with crime and drugs, all while taking up space in a private park.

This is not what the “right to peaceably assemble” is all about. Assembly is meant to make a show of force to show the powers that be that we are unhappy with a particular policy, decision, or state of affairs. A passionate crowd can bring a message home to public officials in a way that no individual’s letter or phone call can. It’s an eye-opening wake-up call that yes, Americans really do think there’s a problem and you’d better do something about it.

Camping out for a lengthy period of time, however, has the opposite effect. Coverage of the protests’ meaning has given way to coverage of the protests themselves, the dynamics within the camps, the health and safety issues, etc. By staying too long, the protesters have lost their punch and directed the public focus away from their original intent.

Another consideration is this: Winter is no time to tent outside in New England. Freezing to death and spreading illness amongst each other is not going to help the cause of driving their point home about economic injustice.

In Maine, protesters have set up shop in Augusta, Bangor and Portland and many are now fortifying their tent cities to withstand the cold and snowfall. Portland has required the protesters to submit a plan for how they will remain “safe and warm” during the winter months, but we’d like to see them prohibit camping out for an indefinite amount of time, just as NYC did.

Bangor finally took that step this Thursday, ordering the removal of tents and limiting protesters to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

It will take years, no doubt, for our elected officials to right the wrongs in our economic policy that will make a difference for the average American. Are we prepared to have a tent encampment in all our major cities for years? We think not. As well, inhospitable conditions are particularly an issue in Maine, which is why we hope city leaders in Portland and Augusta will take similar action to Bangor, breaking up encampments and allowing protesting without camping out.

In order to really make a difference, it’s time for the “Occupy” protesters to take their efforts to the next level. We have proven, well-worn processes to enact societal change in this country, both societal and political, and if these protesters really mean business they will take that next step to convince our representatives in Washington to take action.

Earlier this month, a Washington, D.C. woman was instrumental in getting Bank of America to retract its newly announced $5 debit card fee, after starting an online protest that garnered 306,000 signatures. In today’s competitive market, companies can’t afford bad publicity, and we as consumers do have the power to choose with whom we do business.

Now that Occupy protesters have the attention of the mass media and the general public, clear goals must be defined and worked toward so they can take this same approach. Petitions should be circulated, urging Congress to seriously address economic, housing, health care and other policies to boost the middle class. Letter campaigns should be done to reach our leaders with our concerns, and candidates should be sought to challenge do-nothing incumbents if they promise to work for real change. Boycotts of businesses whose policies boost the CEOs and hurt the average consumer should be organized, along with targeted protests. Money is the language these corporations speak, after all, and that’s how the American public will best communicate with them.

At this point, the protesters should be looking for a group of elected officials to step up and take the lead in proposing groundbreaking legislation that will address the concerns of the protesters ”“ concerns shared even by those of us who have chosen not to move into a tent city.

It will take courage for representatives to meet with protesters and understand the changes they want to see. Those who have experience in government know how to enact change and it’s time for bold solutions that rise above partisanship. To our representatives in Washington, we’d say this: The American public has spoken. Don’t leave us out in the cold.

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Today’s editorial was written by Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Kristen by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via e-mail at kristenm@journaltribune.com.