Florida Tasers Away Student Rights
I suspect many of you have seen this by now, but take a look at this University of Florida student who was manhandled and tasered by university police for taking too much time asking a question at a John Kerry speech. (Warning: The clip can be pretty disturbing.)
I only found out about it moments ago through a call from a reporter asking if this was a violation of the student's free speech rights. In the strictest, most technical, and most lawyerly sense (read: nerdy and detached), the answer is "not exactly." Campus police and administrators can remove audience members who refuse to abide by reasonable rules, like time limitations on questions. But the problem here is obvious: the university police's response was totally out of proportion and brutal. And, of course, common sense (which too often differs from legal sense) will tell you that the threat of being tasered if you talk too much could certainly have a chilling affect on speech! Good lord. Half the people I knew in college would have been tasered routinely if this was response was considered acceptable back then.
It's good that students were able to get this on tape. Such unreasonable and excessive force might be hard for some to believe unless they saw it with their own eyes. The university needs to investigate the university police's handling of this case, and the student needs to talk to a lawyer ASAP. FIRE would be happy to help find him one.
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What a lowly and mean-spirited bunch of posters.
The kid had a right to speak,and Kerry should have commanded the situation and answered his questions, which were extremely important.
I hope all the cops are fired for their brutality.
Right to speak? He had his chance to speak, did so, and then went out of control. NBC's "Today Show" this morning presented this kid's long history of deliberatly disruptive attention-getting antics, and this is no exception.
When you're done spewing about his "right" to behave like a flaming jackass clown and provoke these types of incidents, try talking about his personal responsibility to behave in a civil fashion in public. Then try defending everyone else's right not to be subject to this inexcusable behavior.
We have become a society which champions rights over responsibilities. You must be pleased with your small part in making that happen.
This is a narcissist who was out of control. All he had to do was stop screaming and stand still and nothing would have happened. These occurrences usually occur when a right-wing person is speaking. He is the one infringing on free speech. He is lucky they tasered him, in the old days they would have clubbed the sh*t out of him. He'll probably be on the today show tomorrow, write a book and make a bunch of money.
Darwinman and Tremonius maybe you should take your banana republic attitudes to a place where there more fitting.Ce
You are so right students should be able to rush the stage whenever and wherever they want.
who cares Meyer’s mic cut off after he had mentioned the word “blowjob”. The cops grabbed him, but Meyer was able to get away several times. Eventually more cops were brought in to help subdue Meyer. Meyer continued to resist arrest, scream, curse; however he was enventually subdued by about six cops up around the entrance. As he is on the ground, he is told several times to put his hands around his back. He is also warned that he will be tasered if he does not comply. Eventually he is tasered twice.
I don't know that he should have been tasered, but why did he keep fighting? Is it better to manhandle someone writhing around and risk them hurting themselves. I don't know. It seemed to me the guy wanted to be tasered. He saw it coming and kept resisting.
I agree with one thing cowboyjerkface said, do what the cops tell you. Fighting cops is just stupid, unless that's the whole point. As for the rest of it, I don't agree with appeasing obnoxious jackasses because they don't want to abide by the same rules as everyone else.
This was an obviously deranged and manifestly obnoxious disturbed disturbance of the sort who used to broadcast from soapboxes in the park. He should be welcome to seek his own audience, but he is appropriating the rights of others to hear the one they came to hear, which wasn't him. Pretend you have paid much to hear a lecture by someone who is both sane and accomplished in your field. Must you tolerate an incessant disruption from every lunatic who barges into the show? And, if so, just why is that?
I have grown weary over the years of these narcissistic nutbags. They can form their own blogs and broadcast to their heart's content without stealing the show from someone else. It's a simple democratic principle, the most good to the greatest number, and that don't mean indulging one more raving lunatic.
That STILL doesn't mean the police had the right to taser the guy. Jesus people! What kind of country do you want to live in? What happens when it is other forms of "correction" to get people from speaking out? Surely it is reasonable for the state to give the kid electro-shock treatment to stop his anti-social behavior.
This guy was out of control… he was holding the debate hostage, over idiotic questions. The only reason, any of you are outraged is because this guy was an ultra-liberal, tin-foil hat wearer. People like you only believe that only liberals should have first amendment rights, and that liberals should be able to do anything, say anything, and there shouldn’t be any consequences. If you are out of control, and refuse to come peacefully with the police they have a right to stabilize the situation by any means. Tasering, an individual who is clearly out of control, is a peaceful non-harmful means to bring control to a situation. I dare any of you to answer my next questions, “if this guy was so ultra-conservative, and the same thing happened to him/her, would you be outraged, or would you be cheering on the police?” Most likely you would be cheering on the police. This guy was simply trying to get publicity. The way he was acting, screaming bloody murder, even before the police tasered him is proof of that… again, he’s an ultra-liberal and that’s the only reason any of you are outraged… if he was a young republican, you would have wanted him executed for challenging a Democrat.
I challenge you to provide one instance where a democrat has ever asked that a republican or even another human being be executed for voicing an opinion that differs from a democrat. Just one...just one....Onc
why dont you read the comments after a cheney post at huff-po.
collapse atomic (See profile | I'm a fan of atomic)
Just reading the headline - Is that your little advise Cheney, "Just don't get caught".
You have blood on your hands..
The day you leave this earth is the day the world will rejoice that another international war criminal is gone.
Reply | Favorite | Flag as abusive | posted 12:28 pm on 09/17/2007
How about if I decide why I'm outraged, "Darwin"man. The kid went bonkers for sure, but not until the police went at him like they just realized he was a terrorist plane hijacker. Kerry could have resolved the whole thing with "give him another minute." The kid made a scene, but maybe the police were "over correcting" just a tad. It's just like how Bush doesn't want any dissenters in his view when he's speaking publicly. Shame on the whole mess and anybody who defends either side.
Hey--I'm a liberal, and I think the guy pretty much asked for what he got. Most of the outraged people who've commented clearly haven't watched the entire video or read anything else about the guy or his website or other activities, which indicate a penchant for doing and videoing odd things in public to garner attention. One commentor says he was outnumbered 4 to 1, another says it was 5 to 1, yet another 6 to 1--Jeez, at least get your facts straight. Freedom of speech doesn't allow one to be such an a-hole that no one else is allowed to speak or hear at a public forum (including the invited speaker--Kerry, in this case). This guy tried to take over the event, refused to cooperate with the moderator and then security when he was asked to give up the mic, and then ran around shouting like a maniac when they tried to peaceably escort him out. There are a lot more serious breeches of freedom of speech to be worried about--like Bush/Cheney goons intimidating and arresting people simply for showing up at a Bush speech event with a certain bumper sticker on their car, or wearing an anti-war t-shirt. Kudos to Kerry for his classy response to the whole thing. He has way more patience with idiots than I do.
John Kerry should be ashamed of himself for what happened. I realize he is not in control of security but just a simple "let him speak" would have diffused the whole situation. And what is even sadder is watching no one verbally defend this man for voicing his opinion. Did he speak too long..mayb
Kerry was kept out of the loop. That is the horror of the situation. These kinds of questions and forcefulness happen often in question-answer situations with politicians. I've seen it happen with John Edwards who always handles it beautifully. If the campus police would have let him, Kerry would have also diffused the situation.
On the other hand, I wonder what would have happened had the questions not been about why Kerry didn't contest the 2004 election results and why Kerry wasn't for impeachment.
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This was not an unreasonable response. The kid was fighting with Police officers. They asked him to stop several times and he refused. He was pushing a female police officer before 3 other officers came to her assistance. This punk kid deserved to get tasered. This guy knew what he was doing by crying out for help. He was in no real danger but he kept fighting with officers. Good for them for not beating him with nightsticks.
You really need to move to a climate with fewer rights and is more hospitable to your way of thinking. Saudi Arabia is one place that place obedience over common sense.
No one deserves to be tasered for exercising his/her right to speak freely. No one.
If you are basing your assessment on that extremely truncated CNN version of the video, then it's easy to think the police response was disproportionate. You can find the entire video on Liveleak.c
Regardless of how either of us feel about this guy's actions and rights, you ought to describe the event accurately.
I'm not sure that a taser is really needed when you have a guy outnumbered 5 to 1.
Very good points.
Maybe Mommy and Daddy should have told this young man that despite how special they think he is the world does not revolve around him.
Yes they most certainly do need to investigate-then fire his ass.
shame on the students who jeered the guy.
Hold on cowboy....
This is a fat, pampered momma's boy who wanted to act like a tough guy to John Kerry. He wasn't asking questions or engaging in debate. He was asking for trouble and he got it. You punks think you can do anything you want in this country, insults, abuse, disrespect
I am delighted the punk got manhandled. The sad thing is the sorry state of cops we have in America, a pudgy pig tailed gurl is trying to subdue this "student-oaf"??? Just as the early responders to situations like Virginia Tech were 350 slob-cops with machine guns. running (ha) to coinfront the shooter.
Anyway, the punk should have been tasered in the throat to stop his squealing, not allowed to resist and cry for his mommie.
Did you see a different video? The one I saw didn't involve a fat student.
Some 'suit' signaled for the boy to step away - he is in the corner of the video. Who is he? He seemed to be in charge.
And why is it that the entire audience just sat there.
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