UF student Tasered after questioning John Kerry

Yes, none of the other questioners showed any passion for politics. The vicious cops probably beat it out of them before they spoke. Or maybe, just maybe, it's because this happened after the Q and A was already over and was disrupting things? Perhaps the passionate questioner could have lined up at the mic in time if just asking a question had been his goal?

 

I'm not sure that my point is being made clear... this video presents a much bigger problem than the issues we are talking about. This is not about police brtuality or the level to which cops are trained. This is not about someone who flies off the handle and how ever calculated his attempt may have been, shoots off his mouth and makes an ass out of himself. I'll say the biggest issue (again) right now:

Other college students will watch this and be afraid that their political views have no merit. Should they question authority or politicians, they will FEEL as though they will not be heard, and efforts will be made to hush them.

It is not about what actually happened, but what the perception will be because of it.

This is another big issue: Plenty of 'journalists' are so quick to criticize the wrong doings, poor judgement, and bad nature of anyone who puts themselves in a situation such as this, and issuing parent like responses to those who do so. This is not an issue that should be looked at in this way. If we continue to water things down, push political correctness, and constantly address symptoms, we will never get anywhere. Hindsight is 20/20, and if this guy was serious in the things he was saying to Kerry (which not one of you know for a fact that he wasn't), how would you react if cops were dragging you off. Do not question the cops, or Meyer's methods. Question what this says about our society and the need to constantly treat harshly those who break social norms.

 

It warms the cockles of my heart to read the kind Christian folk of the board advocating the torture by taser tactics of police on a guy described as an “attention whore.” I feel the love.

 

It appears that there's some evidence that this guy staged it (having a friend in the room with video camera running) and intended on being a horse's butt from the get-go. Perhaps he knew full well that the campus cops would have overreacted the way they did. What cops should be smart enough to know by now is that these things will always be brought to light (someone always has a video running -- look at Rodney King, in 1991) and and react accordingly. In other words, don't give the little twerp the show he wanted. If four cops can't calmy usher this geek out of the room without tasers, mace, handcuffs, etc., they might be bigger wusses than he is.

 

The more I watch and think about the video, the more I don't like what happened. The cops were on this guy with, what, 30 seconds of speaking? What had he said that was so bad that the cops had to step in? Again, over the top? Yes. Out of control? Not until the cops stepped in.

 

That's the second time you've posted that.

How exactly do you, or your friend, know this?

 

No doubt a lot of them do. Go to the facebook group dedicated to this, and you will see (more importantly) many of HIS peers are the first to call him a fool. Unfortunately

No doubt a lot of them do. Go to the facebook group dedicated to this, and you will see (more importantly) many of HIS peers are the first to call him a fool.
Unfortunately, like I said - this is not about him, or his actions, or the consequences for that matter. What was the last video or story you saw of 'orderly' conduct by 1 or 1000 college students trying to get their point across in matters of politics in a way acceptable to all involved?
You offered you're 'fuddy-duddy' point of view, now it is time to offer my young and optimisticly green perspective.
In Florida you do not have every opportunity to talk to politcal figures should you feel compelled to. When one comes to you, and you feel strongly enough to say something to him, then more power to him for showing such determination. For me it is not about what he said, or even how he chose to say it, but that he showed some passion for what (I figure to be) he believes.
I understand this is not the only example that college kids will ever see of a student talking to a politician, (but as I said before) it will be the only one that is shown on the news. Balance the coverage with positive change coming from positive encounters in forums such as this, and I will cool down. Until then, I'm not satisfied.

 

If this was premeditated to elicit a respnse from the police, then he succeeded in that too. One way or the other, the dude brought a lot of attention to a lot of different issues.

 

I'd like to thank Kroog for coming on and letting everyone know how college kids are being silenced.

Funny, when I was in school -- just three short years ago -- I couldn't walk a campus block without a protest, a banner protesting something, a banner protesting the banner protesting something, etc. You get the point.

You know what happened on my campus, though? Protesters, political groups, etc., did their thing within university, and police, boundaries. It always stayed civil. If it didn't, if it turned into Andrew Meyer or whatever this douche's name is, you know what happened?

They were told to button it up and move on.

Know what happened when they didn't listen to police? Well, neither did I, because, as far as I can remember, none of them were stupid enough not to listen to the police.

I'm baffled by no one acknowledging Rufino's closeness to the situation. Obviously, he has info on what actually happened, and has relayed it as much as he can without outing himself. Obviously, this Andrew guy was out to make trouble. He did, and when he didn't listen to police, he was cuffed (or close to being cuffed). When he continued to not listen, they took the next step.

I'm struggling to find what the police did wrong, and I agree 100% with the poster (rufino?) who said the police are probably feeling lucky there are tapes of the incident.

Sorry, Andrew. Enjoy your 10 seconds, then STFU.

 

The first time I saw this I agreed that the cops stepped in and cut him off way too early and was surprised that the crowd applauded like they did.

But the reason's become a bit clearer after hearing accounts of how he he'd already been acting like an obnoxious dick before he even got to the mic, brought the cameraman with him, and allegedly gave the "My name is Fuck Off" answer earlier. Sounds like the cops were already on alert that this guy was was going to be trouble.

BTW, how about him reacting to the cut off by pointing at Kerry and saying "he's been talking for 2 hours", as if he thinks he should be entitled to similar time as the featured speaker everyone came to hear. Thought that comment gave some indication of where this guy's attention-craving ego seems to be.

 

My friend's one of the cops. I trust him. In addition, if they had shocked the kid with the highest level posible, he wouldn't recover near as quick as he does.