Police Taser Florida Student After He Asks John Kerry Why No One Has Tried To Impeach Bush

AP :

A university student with a history of taping his own practical jokes was Tasered by campus police and arrested after loudly and repeatedly trying to ask U.S. Senator John Kerry questions during a campus forum.

Andrew Meyer, 21, spent a night in jail before his release Tuesday morning. His attorney, Robert Griscti, did not return messages seeking comment.

Read the whole story: AP

Comments

[ReggieBrown]

The tasering was only the culmination of a completely mishandled situation. I saw the video. The boy was in a highly emotional state before the police got involved. He was upset, and his body language was very animated. Given his state of mind, did the officers politely and calmly ask him to leave? Did they give him time to comply?

No, they immediately insisted on putting their hands on him. Again, given his state of mind, how could they reasonably expect him to react when they suddenly grabbed him? What would it have harmed if they had talked to him for two minutes, allowing him a chance to leave on his own accord, with a semblance of dignity?

That is the problem that I see time and time again in these type incidents. Instead of diffusing the situation, they escalate it with stupid machismo. They call it, "Getting control of the situation". Did this one look like anything resembling "control"?

The police kept yelling, "Quit resisting". As far as I saw, the first crime was an assault. They grabbed him without proper cause. And no, I don't give a damn about those uniforms. I HATE bullies, no matter how they are dressed. And these behaved like complete thugs.

Bottom line, these cops, (and all the rest), should be reminded that their most effective weapon does not reside in a holster. It lies between their ears.

[starwheel]

Bingo.

Without the police getting physical, the crowd would have probably booed the kid to the point where he would have eventually shut up and sat down. And even if he didn't, what is the worse that could have happened?

He asked the last question in a 2 hour meeting that was wrapping up anyway. If the kid still wanted to blither on as the students left the hall, then so be it.

The police created this situation by handling it poorly. They were angry because he waved them off when he was speaking. And they took revenge on him for challenging their authority.

[cdnnewsjunky]

Yes, I agree, pretty badly handled. In my opinion they had two avenues of approach and they fucked them both up. They should have attempted reasoning with the individual, even if that is hopeless, it's going to give the officer a few seconds more time to evaluate the level of threat. If reasoning looks like it's working stick with it, if it looks like it isn't working, then use swift, suprising and overpowering force to subdue him quickly and efficiently. The kid wasn't small but still, no reason for that waltz we witnessed.

[starwheel]

The third avenue is they didn't even need to involve the campus police.

I've been over the video over and over. There was no reason to summon security. The worse that can be said about him is that he was annoying and disrespectful. But he WAS wrapping up his question.

[wenotme]

Huffingpost headline to story:09/18/07
Kerry Responds: “I Could Have Handled The Situation”

I'd post that Kerry SHOULD have handled the situation.

Yet...

[kitsapdem]

I hope Kerry loses his seat over this in the next election. He was pathetic. Now we know why he didn't fight for the election - he was so mealy mouthed during this taser incident, and now claims he didn't know it was happening. He has no fight in him. That was clear during the '04 campaign. What a weenie. Mass. - time to get a new Senator.

[TimN]

Damn straight. Good thing this fascist turd didn't become president, wouldn't you say?

[StillAmused]

Y'mean with a straight face?

"This" fascist turd? With Junior's charming record hanging out there?

It just runs out of your mouth and down your chin before you can refrain from making a fool of yourself, huh?

Yeah... Kerry's a real fascist — and Junior's a leader of men, a guardian of the Constitution, a truth-teller, and he talks to Jeebus.

Fool.

[bushmocker]

The campus police are policeman wannabees,they got tasers and used this situation as an opportunity to test their equipment.­What should have happened is the police could have asked him to be quiet while Senator Kerry answered his question and if he had more material to submit it for a personal response.F­ailing that they should have handcuffed the kid and carried him out if he didn't want to walk.This was a simple overreaction by underpaid under educated campus police,you get what you pay for.Now comes the lawsuit,wouldn't it be cheaper and easier to hire well paid knowledgable retired police officers with a good background in dealing with students?They would look at these students as possibly being their sons or daughters or family friends and act accordingl­y.The news is replete with people dying after being tasered,shouldn't tasers only be used when a police officer is outnumbered or thinks it possible he'll be overpowered or injured?What ever happened to Pepper spray?Just askin?

[StillAmused]

A bulletin for the ever-vigilant hydenorhare and the ever-posing owntheurin­al...

A careful viewing of the video reveals that, after making enough noise and fuss to meet his needs and achieve his ends, Meyer was prostrate and IMMOBILE when the rent-a-cops decided to make their own day — and tasered him.

Assholes are the reason we HAVE cops. If six of the dumb bastards couldn't cuff him, laying flat and motionless with up to four of them sitting on him, they should be transferred to Buildings And Grounds where the work isn't so challengin­g... or arousing.

There's a big distinction between NECESSARY force and administering on-the-scene punishment, something that zips right over your pointy heads.

Resume your posing and prattling, morons. There are probably a few more Kerry put-downs you have to unload before you break for din-din.

[TimN]

Bull, your deluded...­after much proding he momentarily went face down with his hands behind his back, but then HE CLEARLY WRENCHED HIS HANDS FREE AND TURNED AROUND AND BEGAN TO LIFT HIMSELF UP, that's when they tasered him.

But, thank you for giving me a reason to view this most hilarious video again.

[StillAmused]

Uh, you're my deluded Bull?

Mmmyeah... I'll believe you, not my lying eyes.

Repeat: If six of the dumb bastards couldn't cuff him, laying flat and motionless with up to four of them sitting on him, shit-can the wannabes.

[StillAmused]

Hilarious video?

Bet you're a big fan of the civilian checkpoint shootings in Baghdad. Building a collection?

Reactionary dullard.

[tonyinstpete]

One more thing: I just e-mailed Senator Kerry's office urging him to make a strong public protest to Governor Crist. I urge others to do the same thing. You can find the e-mail comment form on his website.

[factotem]

re: Using the words "Kerry" and "strong" in the same sentence.

Too funny. Mwah hah ah ha haha.

His moments (there have been many of them) to be strong are long over.

[maxfusion]

O.J. in jail, and a snot nosed leftist writhing on the floor in pain. Both events set the tone for a great day. Keep it coming.

[Democratdoc]

And pea-brained reichwinger, maximumconfusion, puts his two cents in, LMAO!

[realitytrumpsbull]

I think the problem with Tasers or other non-lethal(?) stuff is that it provides a temptation for 'law enforcement' to use something on someone that they're apprehending
other than handcuffs. I'm quite confident they could have delivered the young man to a police cruiser if necessary without zapping him, but in the context of a public event, I have to ask
when it was, exactly, that the young man's question would have been heard.

It's been said more than once that the legal system is/has been/will be used for political purposes, rather than dealing with people that've committed a crime. When it comes to the point where speaking spontaneously for/against something becomes a criminal act, then you've got censorship, kinder gentler or no. Sugar-coated fascism is still fascism, and if the guy wanted to know Kerry's position on impeachment, and felt that an outburst might be the best way to get an honest response out of Mr. 'for it before I was against being before something or other...', then more power to him, as far as I'm concerned. Waffles, anyone? LOL

[JMark64]

The more I watch this video the more I want to taze this kid. What a drama queen!

[Democratdoc]

Spoken like a true fascist.

[starwheel]

The more posts like yours I read, the more I want to spend time with my kids and teach them some sense.

[Shadow51]

The more I watch this video, the more I want to return to my Alma Mata and find out what tomfoolery the rent-a-cop are up to.

Think I will.

[tonyinstpete]

Two things disturb me most about this incident. The first is the passive reaction of most other students, seemingly just interested spectators. Can anyone who was there imagine a late 1960's college group reacting so passively? Second, is Kerry's very tepid statement of regret. He needs to lodge a formal and public protest to Governor Charlie Crist of Florida (Republican). But is that expecting too much of a man who gave in so easily to Bush (ignoring the crooked voting in Ohio) in 2004??

[Democratdoc]

Of course he gave in...they'­re fellow Skull and Bones bros. They have a special "relations­hip."

[jnik]

Coulda, shoulda, woulda! But he didn't! Let that be Kerry's epitaoh. He always talks about what he COULD, SHOULD, or WOULD do, but when time comes to man up and actually DO, he folds! PLEASE, Massachusetts voters, get someone with BALLS to represent you in the Senate!
Meanwhile, Kerry should be asked those questions everywhere he goes!

[consrevil]

The punk got out of line, asked a string of 4 or 5 questions without yielding for an answer, ignored securities order to step back from the mike (where at that point he would have just been escourted out) decieded to jump up and down, spin like a top, jerk away and push security and he got his ass fired up. Bet he doesn't do it again.

[Democratdoc]

Yeah, next time they should string him up, yeah, lynch him for daring to ask such questions in public forum...ho­w dare he??

[starwheel]

Keep watching the video. I know those burly police officers look sexy and can be distracting.

There is no crime in asking a string of 4 or 5 questions. Someone told him to "wrap it up" and he asked for a little time. He waved the campus police off as if dismissing them which is probably what got their panties in a bunch. Again, no crime in that that I know of.

He had the mic. He asked the question.

The police immediately started grabbing HIM. He did not grab them or push them. He immediately started panicking probably from adrenaline because he realized he was being arrested. He asked "Are you kidding me?" and then he called for "Help!" and no one came to his aid.

He was pushed to the back of the hall where an officer tried to cuff him. For what? I don't know. He pulled away. Panic? Fear? Disbelief?

Two officers grabbed him and shoved him on the ground. The other officers pinned him and proceeded to try and cuff him. Throughout the ordeal he asked "what did I do?" He saw the tazer and begged them not to taze him. They tazed him anyway. Then they arrested him and charged him with resisting arrest.

He did not push an officer nor did he take a swing at an officer. The only thing even remotely close to resisting arrest was when he pulled his arm away. Why they were trying to cuff him to begin with is a question they will have to answer.

If you think that's all the cops need to start rounding up and torturing Americans, then I sure as hell hope you sit down and shut up when you're told.

[ratcityreprobate]

Everyone looks bad in this episode. It was a real outbreak of the stupids.

[MissingAmerica]

The college police should be fired. The behavior of this may may have offended them, but he was not a danger. This was excessive force, pure and simple. Unless an officer feels that his or her life is threatened, or the individual is a danger to himself, tasers should not be used. The only danger to this student were these police. If they can't handle a situation any better than this, they should not be police. They should be fired or, better yet, tasered - then fired!

[Democratdoc]

All he did was ask some simple questions to the simpleton Kerry, and he gets dragged away and manhandled by these Brownshirts. I guess by your "logic," if anyone asks a tough question in public to an official and the official can't answer it, the questioner should be hauled off and tasered (silenced) immediately. I suppose Kerry will have to start screening and vetting his audiences more carefully in the future to avoid being hit with any hardball questions, similar to your little hero, the Pretzeldunce and his puppetmaster, Cheney. You would have done well in the Hitler Youth organization there, hairyhymen. Another useful tool for the fascists.

[hydenorhare]

Research this joker's background to see what you're defending.

It should have taken about 1 second of that video for you to see what a self-promoting phony he is.

[Democratdoc]

A self-promoting phony? You mean like your idols Mann Koulter, Slush Limpballs, and Sean Insanity? Right...LM­FAO!!

[hydenorhare]

But that doesn't mean Kerry's not a simpleton.
Now he's even flip-flopped of his reaction to the event.

[Democratdoc]

Flip-flops­..hmmm...y­eah. Reminds me of Mitt Romney a lot.