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Tuesday, September 18, 2007

What’s Next, Summary Executions?

posted by on September 18 at 10:45 AM

Slog readers pointed us to a better video of the arrest and tasering of a student at a John Kerry lecture…

Jesus Christ. The worst part—well, after the kid’s screams—is listening to John Kerry drone on and on while this is going on. Do we still have a right to protest? To ask impertinent questions of elected officials? The kid had a right to resist arrest because he had done nothing wrong. And now, in response to the uproar, John Kerry has condemning the arrest of this kid—now, when it’s too late for Kerry to actually do anything about it.

RSS icon Comments

1

I really wish the crowd had risen up en masse.

Posted by Gitai | September 18, 2007 10:55 AM
2

1: Me too. That kind of injustice should start riots.

Posted by Carollani | September 18, 2007 10:59 AM
3

Nothing wrong? This guy escalated the confrontation at every possible point. I don't think they should have tasered him, but they certainly were well within their bounds to escort him out of there. Before the tasering, he broke away from the people escorting him out and was running around the auditorium screaming.

It should be noted that they did ask him to leave the mic. They did turn the mike off and ask him to leave the mike. They did ask him to leave. It's not like they just jumped some guy who was asking a question.

You might want to check his blog out as well, the guy is known for trying to pull stunts in general.

Posted by wench | September 18, 2007 11:00 AM
4

amen.

Posted by adrian! | September 18, 2007 11:00 AM
5

He got exactly what he was begging for. A scene.


Yes, I support him.

But as someone pointed out, he escalated at every turn. I wish they wouldn't have laid hands on him...but

Posted by Lake | September 18, 2007 11:04 AM
6

This video doesn't show the whole context.

He had been at the mic for about 90 seconds rambling. They cut his mic so that Kerry could respond. He stayed there and started yelling. The event orgnaizers tried to peaceably remove him. He started running around and screaming.

After that the police tried to remove him with slightly more force. He then resisted a lot. He was then tased.

He was up and walking and talking about 30 seconds later.

Watch this:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=3ec_1190097717

That shows what happened after he was tased. Dude turns out to be not so good at reality.

He's convinced that he is about to be disappeared by the local cops.

This is not about a lack of freedom of speech. This is about a disruptive jackass being removed from a town hall debate. That's all it is.

And for the people blaming Kerry, did Kerry say, "Hey jack-booted police thugs, would you kindly taser and arrest this person who is finally showing light on my misdeeds?"

Get a fucking clue.

Posted by Graham | September 18, 2007 11:04 AM
7

@1&2
It will be interesting to watch this thread. The earlier post by Eli Sanders had the majority of Slog posters endorsing the acts of the police.

What law was broken at this Q & A session?

What about the grievances posed by the student?

What about voter fraud?
(http://www.americanblackout.com)

Posted by Bald Face Lie | September 18, 2007 11:07 AM
8

@6

It actually sounds like he was acting quite manic. I'm surprised he didn't end up in a mental health facility.

Posted by and | September 18, 2007 11:07 AM
9

The guy went there to make a fuss and get thrown out - mission accomplished!

As a bonus now he gets to sue some people and Kerry gets to look like a dick, it's good all around...

Posted by The Baron | September 18, 2007 11:09 AM
10

1) The student is an idiot. He went out of his way to cause a scene. Don't for a minute delude yourself into thinking this kid was doing any kind of honorable high-minded political protest. He was being an asshole, and doing everything possible to get himself arrested.

2) That being said... Tasers? WTF!? There was 4 or 5 cops holding him down. Even if he was being a raving shouting asswipe, he gave no indication of having a weapon, and posed no physical threat to anyone, and the cops had no business tasering him. A taser is not a toy, and should never be used unless there is no other option. Tasers are supposed to be non-lethal, but they can and have killed people by accident before. Sure, the kid was an asswipe, but what if he'd died from the taser by accident? Did he deserve that? This kid was a jerk, but the cops went totally Gestapo on him without cause.

3) This is why Kerry lost. What a worm. I remember seeing videos of him testifying in front of congress in the 1960s. Back when he still actually had a spine. It was impressive. But somewhere over the last 30 years, he has misplaced his spine, and this video makes that painfully obvious. Kerry looks pathetic.

Posted by SDA in SEA | September 18, 2007 11:11 AM
11

As other eyewitnesses have already stated, prior to this particular video, he was already disrupting the event(which is why police were following him), cut in line in front of other people and grabbed the microphone from another person.

This douchebag is an attention-seeking whore who got exactly what he wanted. He had multiple opportunities to defuse the situation peacefully and rejected all of them. Running around screaming and charging the stage isn't free speech; it's an invitation to get your ass kicked.

This guy gives genuine police brutality victims a bad name.

Posted by Aexia | September 18, 2007 11:11 AM
12

What if it were the opposite, a fundamentalist causing trouble at a gay rights rally. For that matter why do you delete all the dumb posts about your support of the Iraq war?

Free speech does not entitle one to interrupt an event and cause trouble.

Posted by Giffy | September 18, 2007 11:12 AM
13

It is pretty obvious that this was completely staged. The kid was microphoned and had someone video tapping. He purposely escalated the situation in order to make a point. Did he make his point?

Posted by Just saying | September 18, 2007 11:16 AM
14

I would like to point out that the video misses a lot. He was already asked to leave. He was told no more questions then allowed one question. He tried to start problems and he was escorted out. Then he resisted arrest. I don't think he should have been Tasered, but he isn't some innocent guy. With rights come responsibility and for the looks of what happened after he was Tasered, he is not mentally well-enough to handle those responsibilities. And speaking of rights, there is no right to resist arrest because you disagree with what you are being arrested for.
His blog: http://www.theandrewmeyer.com/

Posted by Sylvia | September 18, 2007 11:22 AM
15

i agree with a lot of the points here, but i do like to see debate on this police state we currently live in. Two weeks ago I saw a girl get tased and arrested for walking out of a party and telling the police she had done nothing wrong. Justice instantly denied. And fundamenalists don't have to go to rallies to cause trouble, they just lobby to have it written into the constitution. Where's the outrage? As if John Kerry would ever have to answer a question about his membership in the skulls. That could have been any one of us, for doing a lot less than disrupting during a q and a session. NYC RNC anyone? sorry theres some rambling there...

Posted by wellwell | September 18, 2007 11:24 AM
16

The guy clearly wanted to make a scene. I don't think he believed that he would get tased. The cops clearly stated to him that he will be tased if he did not follow orders.

I am not condoning what the cops did, as I agree that the taser was one of the worst things they could have done.

This does point out why Kerry lost, no matter what he comes across like a slimy douchebag everytime.

Posted by Original Monique | September 18, 2007 11:24 AM
17

"His blog: http://www.theandrewmeyer.com/"

Wow he's even more of an asshat then I thought.

Posted by Giffy | September 18, 2007 11:24 AM
18

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. If you think you are innocent of whatever you think you are being arrested for, you have the right to resist arrest. If you are unsuccessful in resisting arrest, you have a right to the assistance of a large crowd. If you cannot incite a large crowd, one will be provided for you ..." -- wait, that's not quite how it goes, is it?

Posted by RonK, Seattle | September 18, 2007 11:29 AM
19

It's pretty telling that the audience applauded when the police intervened to arrest him. Jackass.

Posted by Brendan | September 18, 2007 11:32 AM
20

Come on, if you guys were sitting at this event and this guy started causing a ruckus half of you would have said something like, 'God someone needs to taser this asshole.' The tasering was wrong, but I kind of enjoyed watching it happen to him.

Posted by Rye | September 18, 2007 11:35 AM
21

Taser is not even close to the worst things a police officer can do. His arms weren't twisted or broken, he wasn't clubbed, he wasn't choked, etc. Punishment should be proportional, and a taser is proportional. I mean what option does a police officer have to control a clearly out of control person who is causing a ruckus and not engaging in civilized debate?

Sometimes people need to be hurt to comply with the law. If you go to a meeting, act civilized. Sheesh.

Hell, if I had done that when I was a kid, my momma would have swatted me with a leather belt.

Posted by Medina | September 18, 2007 11:38 AM
22

I can't believe anyone here thinks it was cool to TASER him. Perhaps everyone in America should get one nice jolt themselves so they can relate to those who then get it later - 5,6,7 times because cops think it's cool to do.

Posted by Sam | September 18, 2007 11:41 AM
23

Well it looks like next year's security for the genius awards has been found - his big offense was cutting in line, no?

Posted by whatever | September 18, 2007 11:41 AM
24

Kerry Says Tasered Student ‘Seared’ in His Memory
by Scott Ott

(2007-09-18) — Sen. John Kerry, D-MA, said today that a University of Florida student who was Tasered after cursing police while resisting arrest during a Kerry speech is “seared…seared in my memory.”

Florida student Andrew Meyer, 21, drew police attention during a Q&A session by vigorously filibustering Sen. Kerry, verbally attacking him for his failure to contest the 2004 presidential election results, his failure to yank funding from the U.S. military in Iraq, and his failure to impeach President George Bush, who is reportedly Mr. Kerry’s Skull & Bones fraternity brother.

Sen. Kerry attempted to answer what he called the “very important question”, but his calm, measured words were drowned out by the screaming of the newly-energized Mr. Meyer.

Later, the professional Vietnam veteran expressed concern that the student’s freedom of speech had been squelched in “a fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan…that is, if Mr. Khan had been able to buy a high-voltage stun gun.”

Posted by Angel | September 18, 2007 11:44 AM
25

"The kid had a right to resist arrest because he had done nothing wrong."

Ha - yeah, sure.

Posted by MrBurger | September 18, 2007 11:55 AM
26

What I find most shocking is how everyone sits around distantly watching the show. I've spoken with several high school teachers and college professors about Generation Y. This behavior is typical. They report (almost unanimously) Generation Y has no spirit for confrontation. They do as they are told.

Sad, certainly, and a bit scary as we watch our freedoms being shot down one by one.

Maybe it's a good thing we don't live to be two- or three-hundred years old. Seems if one lives long enough, one gets to witness the destruction of many things he/she holds dear.

Posted by Bauhaus | September 18, 2007 12:08 PM
27

Sure, there are an ass-load of heavy-handed, low-life cops out there, but if I were in a situation like that and a cop told me to stop whatever-the-fuck I was doing, I'd stop. He knew what he was doing and was asking for it.

Posted by Steve | September 18, 2007 12:11 PM
28

If "having a right to resist arrest" is to be accepted (a long shot), then it's an act of civil disobedience, which is a fine approach and has a long history. Of course, one of the fundamental principles of civil disobedience is that you have to accept the consequences until the laws are changed. Breaking laws to protest them is fine, but you can't expect to get away with it.

That doesn't mean Kerry handled it well (he didn't), or that the Tasering wasn't unnecessary (probably was), but there's nothing extraordinary about this kid being removed from the place.

Posted by tp | September 18, 2007 12:17 PM
29

What a bunch of fucking pansies these cops are. There's at least 7 of them there and they couldn't take him? Are they really that weak and incompetent? And then to do it in public with several cameras filming? They already had him on the ground! Stupid, stupid, stupid.

You'd think the police department would send at least minimally competent cops to do security for a visiting US Senator. Sadly though, maybe they sent the best they had.

Posted by Ebenezer | September 18, 2007 12:20 PM
30

@ 22

You're right, people who want to taser people should experience what it is like to be tasered. That's why I don't believe that most cops actually think it is "cool" to taser people, because cops are required to experience how it feels to be tasered in order to carry one.

If you'd like an example, here's a video of Florida police officers experiencing the taser during training:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=9SXvRrkyses&mode=related&search=

Posted by Kimberly | September 18, 2007 12:23 PM
31

6 is right. he said repeatedly that they were going to kill him! and that "people know i'm here so you can't kill me." lol! ok, we can clearly establish that he is not a reasonable person. that's still not the point, tho. rodney king wasn't reasonable, either. that makes it ok for the cops to do anything they want? and charging him with attempting to incite a riot is just as paranoid on their part as anything he ever said, imo.

Posted by ellarosa | September 18, 2007 12:23 PM
32

@26

"I've spoken with several high school teachers and college professors about Generation Y. This behavior is typical. They report (almost unanimously) Generation Y has no spirit for confrontation. They do as they are told."

Really? What the fuck is Generation Y? You are saying that the several people you've talked to are able to accurately and completely predict the behavior of around 100 million Americans?

They should get better jobs than being teachers if they're such great statisticians.

But I'm not entirely sure how you got from watching some dude getting tasered to the assertion that no one of his age demographic has the ability to engage in confrontation.

Posted by Graham | September 18, 2007 12:31 PM
33

he's only alive today because of youtube.

Posted by infrequent | September 18, 2007 12:48 PM
34

Let me just say that Teresa and I wholeheartedly support the rights of young people to speak their minds about the issues that are of great import to this generation coming of age in America. While just last year some of the deck hands on our yacht were unhappy with our brief stay in St. Kitts, and they asked for a meeting with Teresa and I after we finished our quail.

Well, of course we granted their request, we caucused, and the outcome was absolutely satisfactory to everyone on board. When we arrived in St. Barts we agreed that we would stay an additional day, so that the lads could have a bit of R & R, and Teresa and I could do a bit of antiquing.

Actually, I ended up discharging the entire crew, and hired on fresh deck hands for their imperinence, but I think they learned an important lesson about speaking up for themselves.

As for the electrocution of that terrible ruffian, well that was just appalling.

John Kerry

Posted by John Kerry | September 18, 2007 12:54 PM
35

@34

This

Posted by Win | September 18, 2007 1:00 PM
36

Medina @ 21.

I could partly agree with you except for the fact that sometimes Tasers are fatal. They aren't supposed to be. But occasionally if you shoot enough volts through someone's body, it induces a heart attack and they die. The amount of voltage varies from person to person. And just because this asswipe was young does not mean he can't have a heart attack. Tasers are supposed to be non-lethal, but they are not. Although the likelihood of death is pretty low, a Taser is still a potentially deadly weapon. It should not be used lightly.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not defending Meyer at all. I think the cops were absolutely right to arrest him and haul his dumb ass out of the room. But with all the cops on top of him, Tasering him was completely unnecessary, and there was at least some risk of killing him. The Taser was NOT proportional.

Posted by SDA in SEA | September 18, 2007 1:07 PM
37

I hope generation Y becomes more radical. This better be the tip of the Iceberg. I think the guy that got tasered is a rational man in a country full of punks.

Posted by GJ | September 18, 2007 1:09 PM
38

@37

"think the guy that got tasered is a rational man in a country full of punks."

Fer reels?

That guy was rational? You think that guy was rational? Maybe you should reevaluate what you think rational is, because Anthony Meyer is not rational.

Posted by Graham | September 18, 2007 1:14 PM
39

What is next? Yeah, executions will be next. And the really scary part of it is no one will say a word about it. We have watched each of rights be taken away over the past generation and barely a word has been spoken. It really is true what was said in one of the Star Wars movies "That is how democray dies, with a thunderous applause". So it was in Germany so it will be in the United States. And as one author said, "When facism comes to America it will be wrapped in a flag carrying the cross"

We are all fucked fucked fucked.

Posted by Cato the Younger Younger | September 18, 2007 1:34 PM
40

You know a thread is going well when people start making serious comparisons between Star Wars and reality.

Posted by Giffy | September 18, 2007 1:45 PM
41

OK, WHAT?

Was that guy violent? Was he putting anyone in physical danger? Regardless of what he said or how he acted before there is no reason for the cops to have Tased him. He may have been trying to cause a stir, which he definitely did, but they had him on the ground pinned down by multiple cops. Why did they need to tast him exactly? I don't care if they told him that they would, that was a clear abuse of police power and John Kerry is completely pathetic for just droning on.

I have to say, he may be alarmest, but when police see the need to tase an arestee who is already pinned down by multiple officers we are living in a serious police state.
39 is right, this is how it happened in Germany. We should all be very scared.

Posted by Miz P | September 18, 2007 1:45 PM
42

I'm kind of in shock that a kid gets tasered by a bunch of fascist asshole cops and we're all talking about how the kid had it coming. Wow, authoritarianism really does work.

Posted by enon | September 18, 2007 1:53 PM
43

Generation Y has fully embraced the highest right of Americans-to be lazy assholes. We (I am a college student) clap when some asswipe who we apparently agree with resists arrest but we don't do anything about him being dragged away. We complain about the government, but we don't get involved. Nearly every other civilized country in the world has some sort of mandatory civil service BUT US, because we maintain the right to be lazy assholes.
We can't even get our stories straight! We can't band together on anything-even whether our police, who are a needed commodity in society, should taser (a relatively, RELATIVELY, harmless punishment) a babbling showoff.
And here we are on an online forum, boo-hooing that our rights are being taken away. We still have the right to complain! College students still have the right to drink themselves and drown in a river, and vote, and hand out anti-Bush flyers on public campuses, and on and on and on! This guy still has the right to protest-it's not like he got arrested or hosed for sitting at a counter, now did he?
The thing that drives me nuts about this guy inparticular is that his questions had no substance. They were shocking and truly pointless. I mean, is this who we are depending upon to be our voice? THAT is what is truly sad. Divided we fall-and what this country has lost isn't necessarily rights, but the ability to agree on ANYTHING of substance.

PS: They taser drunk people, who are in no way rational but are running around like morons, and we think it's fine.

Posted by Marty | September 18, 2007 1:53 PM
44

Yes, as soon as people stop haviung sympathy for every scrape the attention seeking mentally ill get themselves into the slide into fascism begins. It's EXACTLY like Nazi Germany.

Posted by The Baron | September 18, 2007 1:54 PM
45

Many alarming things (legislation passed, executive orders enacted, laws broken by politicians) have occurred over the last several years, enough to raise concerns that we're heading toward a police state. However, the use of a taser on a rowdy college student isn't one of those things. Compare this incident to Kent State, for example. Actually, don't compare them because there is no comparison.

It's not unusual for the police to use excessive force when arresting someone. This is a result of the police department's failure to train officers correctly and the community's failure to demand accountability, not a march toward fascism.

Poor minority suspects have been killed by the police on a regular basis for decades. One white spoiled brat gets tased and everyone (oh, excuse me) white people freak the fuck out.

Posted by keshmeshi | September 18, 2007 2:01 PM
46

@44, In 1930 they were keeping order at meetings and by 1940 they were killing the Jews. DON'T YOU SEE THE CONNECTION!!!11!11!

JOIN THE RON PAUL REVOLUTION

Posted by Giffy | September 18, 2007 2:03 PM
47

white boys can act like that to cops? if he had been brown or black they would have busted his head open.

Posted by SeMe | September 18, 2007 2:10 PM
48

seme @47: dave chapell did a hilarious stand up routine on that very subject. he had a white friend who would do all these blatant things with the cops, knowing they weren't going to hurt him, while chapell looked on in amazement. instead of bopping him on the head with their flashlights (recurring physical bit chapell would do throughout the act) , they'd just tell him "now get the hell out of here!"

Posted by ellarosa | September 18, 2007 2:23 PM
49

I think it's obvious that this guy deserved what he got. I mean, wow...from brave activist to sniveling coward in 30 seconds or less, then resisting instructions from law enforcement to the point of having to be tazed to control him. There's little doubt he will be embarrassed by this video for years to come.

I wish I could feel sorry for him, but he is less unfortunate than he is stupid. No sympathy here.

Posted by D C | September 18, 2007 2:30 PM
50

ella i saw that. it was beyond funny. maybe that "activist" is really mr. white from the chapelle show.

Posted by SeMe | September 18, 2007 2:33 PM
51

I'm not outraged by this incident. He wasn't being oppressed for asking tough questions. He was acting like a self-righteous dick and fighting those who were trying to escort him out for monopolizing the audience's time with insipid rants. He got tasered for being a out-of-control loon.

Posted by Gabriel | September 18, 2007 3:12 PM
52
Nearly every other civilized country in the world has some sort of mandatory civil service BUT US, because we maintain the right to be lazy assholes.

While all Scandinavian countries require some sort of civil or military service, such "civilized" countries as Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom don't. Try again.

Posted by keshmeshi | September 18, 2007 3:26 PM
53

Dan, this sure ain't the Act-Up crowd

Scared of their shadows

Can't handle one person who is a bit of a loud mouth for a few minutes on a college campus

Asking hard questions only, perhaps lacking manners: interesting how your mainstream posters turn on him like the Gestapo on a resistant Jew

Posted by Lynn Ward | September 18, 2007 3:31 PM
54

@52
This I cannot deny. But they also don't seem to be having the level of problem with the government that the US is, hm? Can you deny it might be a good idea for a representative government of our size?

Posted by Marty | September 18, 2007 3:49 PM
55

Interesting tidbit: He wasn't being arrested until he started violently charging around and screaming - he was just being led outside. Do people not understand that the police sometimes interact with people WITHOUT arresting them? And good lord, what a bunch of pansies. The police aren't taught to be gentle with people because that isn't their job. Their job is to protect OTHER people, not the violent screaming psychotic fighting them (which he was doing). They use the taser quicker than you want, but try living someplace where the cops are slow to tase folks. Get yourself near someone acting like this guy, and watch the half-hour parade of screaming, punching and running around, and ask how much more quickly the situation could be diffused if the cops just overpower him and get it over with?

Sorry guys, police work ain't friendly. This kid suffered some pain of his own making.

Posted by switzerblog | September 18, 2007 5:02 PM
56

I don't feel sorry for Andrew at all ... he gets a nice out of court settlement for excessive police brutality.

I feel sorry for Kerry because he has to validate selfish pricks like him.

Posted by Matt OR | September 18, 2007 5:03 PM
57

There is a definite power vacuum in this country in the sense that progressive rational people are disenfranchised. We do not have elected officials doing our bidding. In the absence of rational, humanistic wants being fulfilled: the end of the Iraq war, impeachment and punishment of Bush and co, the might of federal coffers being used for mass transit, etc, individuals are starting to act out a little. It may seem pathetic, or rude, but what else to do? The tasered guy is very rational in confronting Kerry, a Dem that abandoned US and the world to Bush and his minions. Those of US that see the crap worthlessness of the Dems have very few outlets to confront them, as the rest of you plan on voting for the likes of Kerry or Clinton because you are cowards with beliefs manipulated and formed by our liberal media. Seriously, what else is to be done? What is the solution? The only option I see so far is voting for Ron Paul, and hopefully shrinking our Genocidal federal government.

Posted by GJ | September 18, 2007 5:30 PM
58

The cops shouldn't have ever touched that kid to start with ... that said, Andrew took a swipe at the officers toward the end of the video. I just noticed it. He swung his right arm, holding the book, at the chubby cop.

Word to the wise - when you're being unfairly arrested by five armed officers, while people are videotaping the whole thing in your defense, keep screaming but don't punch the cop. You're just gonna get tasered.

Posted by superyeadon | September 18, 2007 5:47 PM
59

The people putting on Kerry's speech ordered the cops to get that guy away form the mike. Why? He justed asked a question. It is intresting the propaganda war being waged agaisnt this guy, and how every thing about him is being twisted to discredit him and rationalise the cops police state actions.

Posted by byjimmedy | September 18, 2007 7:34 PM
60

@57-59 and the rest of hesteria posts ...

Have any of these people seen the spike lee production of do the right thing?

People are just fucked up I guess

Posted by OR Matt | September 18, 2007 7:53 PM
61

Funny how smug those cops were. They probably think of themselves as adults dealing with a rambunctious child. They had no right to take him away for asking a question. What is it about this culture that empowers pinheads with tazers to torture, and a legion of scat eating imbeciles to rationalize and cheer them on?

Posted by pisses | September 18, 2007 8:29 PM
62

Switzer

What are you talking about - the guy asked some great questions and then was hustled out by the cops, after Kerry had been speaking for two hours.

What the hell are you talking about, the guy was being vocal and not a fucking pansy .. psychotic, oh please.

Didn't know you are a neo con ... pity

Posted by Karla, downtown lady | September 18, 2007 8:50 PM
63

@62

Are you people kidding me? They are only great questions if you actually choose to listen to the answers. Kerry didn't get questions, Kerry got a book report and a guy who didn't even stop to listen to Kerry's response.

Such a wack job!

Posted by OR Matt | September 18, 2007 8:57 PM
64

@62

Are you people kidding me? They are only great questions if you actually choose to listen to the answers. Kerry didn't get questions, Kerry got a book report and a guy who didn't even stop to listen to Kerry's response.

Such a wack job!

Posted by OR Matt | September 18, 2007 8:57 PM
65

@62

Are you people kidding me? They are only great questions if you actually choose to listen to the answers. Kerry didn't get questions, Kerry got a book report and a guy who didn't even stop to listen to Kerry's response.

Such a wack job!

Posted by OR Matt | September 18, 2007 8:59 PM
66

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE76LQwT6qA
The student brings up excellent questions.
The questions pertained to disenfranchised voters
and faulty election machines. Watch the video again.

The student broke no law.
Was he animated?, passionate? Yes. We all should be.

Yet most here continue to embrace well.... torture.

Posted by Bald Face Lie | September 18, 2007 9:23 PM
67

And you wonder why our country is divided ... because we lost are tact ... and dare I say ass holes like Karl Rove started it!

It's that whole us vs. them that divides the country and why nothing will get done for a very very long time.

Why? Because we act upon our emotions too much and lack tact. And if you look into this Andrew guy some more ... he is a moron border line schitzo who most likely will be commited one of these days.

Dare I say, THIS is the platform for all of these fringe ideas, the internet.

If he wants questions from Senator Kerry, maybe he should listen to his responce instead of giving him a book report for something he already read?

Maybe he should write him a letter? An email? The society of the skulls? It shouldn't really matter, but I guess it does. The responces he can post in his blog

Furthermore ... have a little patience. These occurences are cyclic. One of those ebb and flow to life.

Let Hercules himself do what he may,
The cat will mew and dog will have his day.

Posted by OR Matt | September 18, 2007 9:47 PM
68

That guy absolutely had it coming. I don't see what the police did wrong. At an event like that, the owners of the venue or the organizers of the event have the right to ask someone to leave or to comply with certain rules of decorum...just like a city council meeting or every other political event. If the person refuses, it is appropriate for security or law enforcement to escort the person away. At that point, the dude is required to follow the commands of a police officer. Whether we like it or not, the law requires that we obey the commands of a police officer. You can always challenge them in court later. It is against the law to fail to obey police commands...and it is most definitely against the law to resist and pull away and thrash when the police are trying to detain you. This crazy guy, within about 5 seconds, immediately twists and pulls away from police...then suddenly raises his hands in the air like he's not doing anything. Then later when he's on the ground, he is aggressively fighting the police. Why do people have pity for this guy?!!? to recap: yes, you can have someone escorted from an event for being disruptive and yes, you are required by law to follow the commands of law enforcement...and yes, if you break the law by refusing to comply with the police and by fighting with the police, they may use aggressive non-lethal means to maximize their own safety.

Oh...and I think Kerry has nothing to do with this. The fact he happened to be speaking at the time shouldn't be held against him. Kerry probably wasn't the party legally responsible for the venue. For example, when animal right protesters interruped Al Gore at the Seattle Center, it was the staff of the Seattle Center that had to direct police to have them escorted out...not Al Gore.

I agree with the person who said that this guy gives real police brutality victims a bad name. Just search youtube and you'll find some real police brutality...

Posted by the guy is a tool | September 18, 2007 10:09 PM
69

@68
The guy was not being disruptive.

Posted by GJ | September 18, 2007 11:17 PM
70

So is it "This disruptive assclown deserved to be arrested, but not Tased" OR "This disruptive assclown deserved to be arrested, but not Tasered"?

Posted by StotheL | September 19, 2007 6:50 AM
71

Utterly amazing - the guy was just a bit excited and asked three questions at a forum

Then all the milk toast wimps her start calling him names, miss the whole point of police brutality and make him into what he is not

The new generation are a bunch of lemmings, afraid of the man and anything that makes life real

No wonder we are heading for a dictatorship, will keep things neat and tidy and get rid of all those crazy dissenting Jews and Homos and Reds and Fem-nazis and Enviro Nitwits and Old Farts and Poor People and Immigrants

Just turn the nation over to the Police State

Free speech, what a dreary notion, and so embarrasing at times ... esp. at colleges where the real students are nice robotic consumer zombies

Posted by ida mae | September 19, 2007 6:54 AM
72

I can't believe that anyone would defend the cops in this situation. You must really be a bunch of armchair activists. I have been wrongfully arrested, and let me tell you that being thrown down by the cops and screamed at and brutalized is no small thing. The powerlessness you feel is overwhelming, and you are totally at the mercy of whatever asshole happens to be wearing a uniform. If you think it is right to do this (even without the tazering) to a NUISANCE protester, then you really have no intention to protest, I think. Because if you did, you would realize that that could be you.
Everyone thinks that if they are rational and articulate they can talk their way out of being beat down by the cops, but that isn't true. If the police decide they don't like what you are doing (or they think you are doing something, which you are not), they will haul you away and lock you up (even if just for a night) and make you feel like fucking garbage.

Posted by ams | September 19, 2007 1:42 PM

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