Friday, September 21, 2007

Don't Tase Me, Bro

Unless you live under a rock, you've probably heard about University of Florida student Andrew Meyer getting tased by police during a Kerry Q&A (video here).

Some blogs have been proposing that this is a conspiracy by Republicans. This might have been a valid argument three years ago, when Kerry was relevant. But I don't see what the benefit to the Republicans is in all this now, when the spotlight is off Kerry.

What really takes the cake, though, is the suggestion that Kerry was responsible for the tasering. What would Kerry have to gain at all from that? Besides, as this ABC News blog points out, Kerry does not bring his own security to events, so it was up to UF to supply the security.

I'm of the opinion that, as Jon Stewart put it, this is just a "combination of police overreaction and student douchebaggery." Nothing more.

6 comments:

Leanne said...

I agree with Jon Stewart, too. The student didn't handle the situation well, but the police definitely went too far.

The conversative blog you posted to doesn't really make a valid point (at all). :P A scenario like this one would have been covered much more extensively by the press at a Bush event because he's president.

Amanda said...

Exactly. Plus, Bush would've been providing the security himself, unlike Kerry, so the tasering would link back to Bush in that scenario. Whereas with Kerry, there isn't really a connection.

Andrew said...

I couldn't disagree with Leanne more. The police in no way went to far.

This kid had no interest in a peaceful, respectful debate. He ruined the setting for everyone just to make a name for himself and his political group.

If you act like that and refuse to follow the rules, expect to be arrested. If you resist arrest and fight the police officers, expect to be knocked unconscious or tazered. I do not expect cops to risk their well being. For all they knew, he could of been wielding a knife or a gun.

Andrew said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Andrew said...

You can also check out my blog at
http://geneseopolitics.blogspot.com/
There you can learn about how religion poisons everything.

Amanda said...

Since the kid was being held down by the police on the ground at the time they tasered him, with his hands behind his back, I doubt he could've pulled out a knife or a gun.

I agree that the kid was just being a smartass, not trying to have a meaningful discussion. But getting attention was what he wanted, and being tasered gave him that. I think if he had just kept talking, Kerry would've shot him down verbally, and the whole thing would've been forgotten. Instead it escalated into this, because of the tasering, not in spite of it.