THATS WRONG! The cops had no right to taser that poor guy. He was speaking his mind and asking a harmless question that many people wouldve asked. The police should be fired from the police force and fined, and the guy should sue the hell out of them. Why is it a felony to express our freedom of speech? Rights are there to protect us from things like this. It makes me sick, and if you dont like it, oh well. Thank you!

Posted by: Phillip Thiessen at September 18, 2007 11:12 AM

The student is 100% in the wrong. Whether he had done anything wrong in the first place is irrelevant to the taser incident. You can not resist arrest just because you think you "didn't do anything wrong". If this were allowed, then everyone could resist arrest. From the video, it is obvious that the police tried to escort him out and he fought them. he apparently thought he was "too good" to be arrested. He learned the hard way.

Posted by: Eric K at September 18, 2007 11:16 AM

Unbelievable, so this is how free speech works, ask an innocent question which should be of interest to all and you get tasered. Was that the police or Republican gaurds with the taser.
Shame on Kerry for having no respect for democracy and free speech. If anyone else has a question please raise your hand
prefably whilst wearing rubber.

Andy (England)

Posted by: Burdge at September 18, 2007 11:16 AM

Lol, the village voice is such a rag. The guy was a douche bag and wouldn't stop talking so they cut off his mic and he went nuts. Clearly the audience wanted him removed that's why they were cheering. Then he screams and calls attention to himself, what a martyr. Isn't anyone getting bored of these self-righteous tasering videos yet?

Posted by: Dave at September 18, 2007 11:17 AM

Am I the only one that sees half a dozen police torture a man into submission for asking a question. BTW, did Kerry ever answer the question?

Posted by: James at September 18, 2007 11:30 AM

I feel that the actions of the officers was excessive and unlawful I feel the officers should all be prosecuted for the excessive force used agains this student. He did nothing except for exercise his rights of freedom of speech! This video was very upsetting to watch.

Posted by: Ty at September 18, 2007 11:30 AM

I cannot believe he was tasered! If he had gone over his time limit a teacher should have gone over and told him to sit down, there is no reason the police had to be involved! I can believe that Kerry just stood there since he is such a weak-willed person and politician. And all those other kids in the audience should be ashamed for watching this injustice take place and not do or even say a damn thing to stop it.

Posted by: Beren Lindenberg at September 18, 2007 11:38 AM

Would a similarly "civally disobedient" white woman or a black man have received the same 50,000 volt treatment? I doubt it. What we have here is a white man out of control. How dare he speak his mind in this new age of political "correctness."

Posted by: JT at September 18, 2007 11:42 AM

I can't believe what I'm seeing. Yes, he may have been overly assertive, but not worthy of an arrest. And the majority of the audience cheered as they hauled him away. America - Wake up!

Posted by: Sara at September 18, 2007 11:44 AM

It Can Happen Here and It's happening here now!

Why are US citizens so afraid to standup for each other rights?

USA citizens have become meak and afraid instead of free and brave.

Why didn't Kerry vehemently tell the cops to release the patriotic student? Why did the crowd allow the cops to arrest their fellow student/citizen?

Should we believe the conspiracy theories?

U of Florida should be sued. Wake up America! We used to be free and brave - We the people must be brave and stand-up to demand our righteous freedom!

Posted by: Jeff at September 18, 2007 11:46 AM

I see this incident of the student being tasered for asking John Kerry some questions as the DEATH of freedom in this country, if indeed we ever were truly "free". The audience sat in silence because that is the extent to which those poor dears have been dumbed down and brainwashed as well. The usa as it was founded is no more.

Posted by: whacheem at September 18, 2007 11:54 AM

1. Unfortunately, yes.
2. Because the general population are sheep, the same reason Bush was allowed to steal the 04' election in the first place.
3. Again, unfortunately yes. This is the same milquetoast passivity he displayed when the Swiftboat Veterans slandered him.
4. The world may never know...

Posted by: Caleb at September 18, 2007 12:03 PM

This is unadulterated tyranny and he has 100 or so witnesses to the act of police brutality. I have a son in college and higher education is supposed to a tolerant, open forum to exchange ideas and views. This was nothing but. The campus Nazi security officers were way over board, they are lucky this didn't turn into a full blown riot. Kerry should be ashamed of himself for his conduct in letting this go on and the campus police officers should be fired. Furthermore, there should be a lawsuit against the UF, Kerry and the officers in question. Thank God for video.

Posted by: Bill Pinson at September 18, 2007 12:06 PM

Well, maybe his "weak protestation" is one reason why he didn't get elected: he's not a very forceful guy, in the eyes of some. Bottomline is that these police were obviously not well versed in removing a protester peacefully and, in fact, were probably itching to use that taser.

Posted by: Justen at September 18, 2007 12:10 PM

Maybe he should have sat down when they cut off his mic.
Maybe he should have left without resistance.
Maybe he could have blogged it, wrote a letter to the local paper, called up a local television station.
If you resist police officers, scream, act like a fool they aren't going to mess with you. They didn't know if he was a nut-job with a gun. It is called security, people! If he had done damage and the cops hadn't done what they did everyone would be complaining about the cops not taking the guy out.

Posted by: Judith at September 18, 2007 12:11 PM

Talk about abuse of Civil Liberties! I would sue the university, the security/police. Unbelievable in this day and age. Florida sets a very bad image on the world wide stage. Deplorable and totally unjustified. I guess one is not allowed to simply ask a question in the US these days if you don't agree with the present administration!

Posted by: MacLachlan at September 18, 2007 12:16 PM

If John Kerry would have called off his goon squad, none of this would haave happened.
I'm convinced that Kerry was pleased with the actions of his goons.

Posted by: American at September 18, 2007 12:18 PM

Anyone who condones arresting people for the words that come out of their mouths needs to be strung up and tortured to death on national TV for such gross violations of the fundamental rights of the citizens of this country.

A taser? Seriously? 6 Officers cant handle one non-violent student? Those officers need to be fired, their belongings confiscated, their families thrown in the streets and then they need to be charged with Assault and Treason against the Constitution of this Nation. I want those officers prosecuted in the courts of this nation and sentenced to death along with anyone who defends their actions.

Posted by: Derek Garnett at September 18, 2007 12:26 PM

If Kerry had a hope in hell of my vote, it just evaporated. Not much has changed, has it?

Kent State Student

Posted by: Sheil at September 18, 2007 12:32 PM

WOW! Can you just picture the scene if our forefathers would have been tasered for some of the things they must have said in their meetings? You know we are in trouble when our own President does not defend the constitution. He has been quoted as saying "the constitution is just a GD piece of paper. Wake up people! This was so uncomfortable to watch!

Posted by: Cathy at September 18, 2007 12:33 PM

The concerned student deliberately wanted to be in the news. And now he is in the news. He was loud enough to break peace in an event like that. I was glad that he didn't have a weapon at the moment. Just imagine what this guy could have done if there was no police present. This type of hyper students must be taken seriously. I admire the police for their timing and efforts to stop that CHAOTIC STUDENT. The whole event have nothing to do with Sen. John Kerry. It happened to be he was there.

Again, support the police. They have a tough job to accomplish and we need to support them. That is called DEMOCRACY.

Posted by: SHAHEEN at September 18, 2007 12:35 PM

WHY ARE WE SURPRISED ABOUT POLICE BRUTALITY...WE LIVE IN A GESTAPO STATE...WHY ARE AMERICANS STILL DREAMING?

Posted by: justine at September 18, 2007 12:43 PM

the only issue is that he resisted arrest or removal. if he had followed police instructions he wouldn't have been tasered.

Posted by: gary at September 18, 2007 12:45 PM

What type of weak hippies are you that you don't see that this is resisting arrest? The right to free speech does not give you the right to pull away from police officers and resist their command. Granted, he was just talking and voicing his opinion, but he has gone on for a couple minutes and was using this as his personal propeganda platform, and when he was politely asked to stop and his mic was shut off, he went mad.
You listen to me, bro- if you are ever falsely accused and arrested, just go with it and prove your case later. All they were probably going to do was escort you outside anyway, but once you begin to resist and threaten the situation, cops have every right to use force to subdue you. The fact that this IS America means that you can be assured that you will have the chance to defend yourself later and get justice from the situation if the cops wrongfully removed you or charged you, and not get drug out in the streets and shot. But then again, if you people are so unhappy in this country, maybe you should move to one of those countries where they DO shoot you jsut for disagreeing with the popular opinion.

God Bless America
JD

Posted by: JD at September 18, 2007 12:46 PM

I don't understand how or why they kept 'rushing' him. From what I can see, if they just would have backed off instead of keeping at him, the incident could have been diffused before it reached such a demise. I am outraged at this, and I too hope the officers are punished to the fullest extent of the law, but then again, Florida hasn't exactly proven itself very responsible in situations once they reach the national stage...

I am even more disheartened that no one in the audience stood up for this poor guy. IMO he wasn't out of line, he was in line. Some people get passionate about certain topics - that doens't mean they should be tasered!! Come on people. We have to let them know we, as a people will not stand for this type of behavior.

Posted by: lil'oliowaguy at September 18, 2007 12:46 PM

HAHAHA, some guy tries to make some emotionally driven political statement, which is completely irrelevant at this point, in a completely disruptive way and he is some sort of martyr for free speech. Hilarious, if you want to make a statement do it with your votes and convince others around you that they should vote like you. This type of display does nothing to promote an extremist viewpoint and does nothing to assist in solving the problems our country faces. And I don't care who you are, if you resist arrest and get tasered, you got what you deserved.

Posted by: nerjsf at September 18, 2007 12:50 PM

That ass had his chance to speak and when his time was up he was asked to leave and refused and created a disturbance, then resisted being removed by security. The cops were 100% in the right to use force.

Posted by: Jason at September 18, 2007 12:52 PM

Whether you like it or not, in a public forum, you need to respect the rules. Time was up, his mic was off, find another way to raise the issue... don't act phsychotic or even the least bit over-zealous in a situation where presidential hopefuls and police are mixing. Too tense an environment to pull a bar-room tantrum. Who knows if this guy could have gone off worse (or really REALLY gone off ala V Tech).

The police were doing what had to be done. Their job is tough enough without whining because they don't do enough, or could have prevented something, then turning around and bash them for maintaining peace and order. To answer one of the previous comments: Our forefathers would have asked him to regain his composure... if he kept it up he would have bee whacked in the head with a freakin' desk!

Posted by: Tom at September 18, 2007 12:53 PM

You guys aren't watching the video close enough. When the kids saids "impeach bush" both officers and the guy behind the cops in the suits looks over to someone as if "what do you want us to do?". Then when the kids says "skull and bones" the guy in the suit signals "cut him off". This is when the cops rushed him and he reacted in disbelief. It was the cops that intaited the attack. If they were respectful about it, to his rights, then the kid would not have reacted in the way he did.

Sorry, I can't support the police when they can't respect other people rights.

Posted by: Steve at September 18, 2007 12:54 PM

I watched this video a dozen times and I still can't believe it. What happened to free speech in this country and what has happened to our young adults who just sit there and let this sort of thing happen????
I am sure that John Kerry is professional enough where he could handle any question that came his way (or log winded participant for that matter) and since when is it illegal to ask questions??
The Florida police had no right to do what they did, but even if this KID was a danger, which obviously he wasn't (Since when is a book a weapon???), what happened to thier training???
a) They tasered him when he was already on the ground- subdued.
b) You can easily subdue anyone with a simple pinky bend that will bring ANYONE to thier knees. (I am 5'7", 140lbs, and pregnant. I showed my husband who is is 6'2", 240lbs this simple police proceedure and I had him on his knees is seconds. I learned it from my mother- a retired Smith College cop).
I hope that this unforunate incedent at the very least wakes the sleeping masses. It is my hope that this wakes up our young people - hell, everyone!- to the serious situation that we are and have been facing with the Bush administration. Our constitition has been evaporating before our eyes and we have been sitting there like couch potatoes and late night TV mindlessly watching it diappear. Thanks for you time.
Sincerely,
Patti Crittenden
P.S. Incedentally, my husband is fine and unscathed.

Posted by: Princess Consuela Banana Hammock at September 18, 2007 12:56 PM

Hey "American", nice bit of sleaze, suggesting Kerry was responsible for the campus police. "Kerry's goons"? Nice slime, there bud.

Posted by: "American", nice troll at September 18, 2007 1:10 PM

The kid had a good question, but he should have shut up so Kerry could have answered it. Instead he tried to to be the biggest drama whore of all time, then resisted arrest. As mentioned before, just because you think you're right, doesn't give you the right to resist arrest.
Personally, I think Duct tape across the mouth and wrists and a couple of kicks in the bollocks would have been better than a taser.

Posted by: Ron at September 18, 2007 1:13 PM

I have always looked at the judicial system & police power in Fl as a joke. I would have expected nothing less from the University Gastpo.

Posted by: JIM MCKINNEY at September 18, 2007 1:13 PM

If you think the student is in the wrong then you probably dont have an IQ higher then 20. It is called freedom of speech. He was not out of line. People scream and shout at protests all the time. you do the math. tool bags

Posted by: John at September 18, 2007 1:15 PM

Did any of you even bother to watch the whole video or read the accounts of the eye witnesses that were there before you went off half cocked on a headline. This student was knew he had a time limit was given ample opportunity to ask his question several in fact and when his time was up they cut his microphone off and he went nuts after which the police moved in to escorty him out. They didn't remove him bcause of the questions he asked but because of his behavior, and when he wouldn't leave quietly became irrate and fighting with the police. They even warned him if he didn't settle down that they were going to tase him. So are you really going to bat for some kid who's out of control and who if he would have just asked his question in the time allotted and sat down none of this would have happened.

And as far as the cops being Kerry's "Goon's" Please are you so quick to crucigy someone that you'll find any excuse to do so. These men and women are police officers trained to do a job based on the law. They don't answer to John Kerry they answer to public safety and I'll guarantee everyone of you if someone would have gotten hurt would have been screaming where were the police and want to hang them again.

What amazes me is that attitudes like these are whats wrong with this country. You go off without knowing all the facts you call for a man's family to be thrown out on the streets for doing his job especially in which he's simply trying to protect everyone else in the room.

I am absolutely speechless

Posted by: Shocked_Citizen at September 18, 2007 1:16 PM

Before you condemn the police on this one, this kid has a history of trying to disrupt normal peaceful proceedings. The student was obviously trying to call attention to himself, this is not a first ammendent issue, its an issue of not allowing someone to hijack a normal intellectual gathering of students, teachers and guest speakers.

Earlier this year this same student sat out on a busy road holding up the new Harry Potter book and a sign that said "Harry Dies", now tell me if you think this kid deserved what he got yesterday. He is clearly a publicity seeking attention grabbing fool.

Posted by: BTM at September 18, 2007 1:16 PM

Kerry should get a little more respect than that . I am not Democrat but GROW UP KIDS !!!!!! Kerry has served his country before that kid was even born and most posters obviously . What did that loudmouth brat ever do ? Upsetting ? Comedy more like . Clown boy spoiled rotten by mommy and daddy . Incite conflict and walk away. I dont think so . Disturbing the Peace . Resisting arrest . Assault on officer. No respect for Kerry or the Police . Enjoy Jail !

Posted by: Smarter Than Most at September 18, 2007 1:17 PM

I see a lot of people here saying the student is to blame for resisting arrest. I can agree that he resisted arrest- but the real question is: What did he do to warrant being arrested? Nothing. The whole situation could have been handled by an assembly attendant. That student was within his rights to protest being arrested with no grounds. This student wasn't carrying anything but a list of questions for the Senator, yet he was treated like some kind of assassin or terrorist. And this is a perfect example of how members of our government are willfully stripping our freedom- and how we as "sheeple" are letting it happen every day. We have forgotten our strength.

Posted by: becky at September 18, 2007 1:17 PM

Reference the Florida student who dared to ask a tough question at the University of Florida, (see the video) John Kerry should resign. The police should be prosecuted and this should be discussed as it is disgusting. That kid is a hero, I hope he is on the Sunday news discussions and Kerry... my gosh what a terrible leader right then and there

Posted by: Steve Purnell at September 18, 2007 1:21 PM

Man, it's time to move to Sweden.....what was most frightful was the passivity of this crowd. Kerry? Forget, it, he's part of the whole doctrine of power and violence.
Folks, we are sitting on the thin edge of the wedge.

Posted by: Richard Steele at September 18, 2007 1:25 PM

HOME OF THE BRAVE AND FREE ....? ONE GUY HAD GUTS TO ASK UNPOPULAR QUESTIONS AND WAITED FOR ANSWER INSTEAD HE GOT ARRESTED IS THIS DEMOCRACY??? WE SHOULD STOP EXPORTING DEMOCRACY LIKE THAT , WE SHOULD TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT WHAT HAPPEND WITH DEMOCRACY IN OUR COUNTRY...

Posted by: null at September 18, 2007 1:32 PM

How many more blatent examples of human rights violation by the US government will it take this country to realize this government is not a democracy? It is a fascist state. It has been so for a very long time and will never change. Is it our elections that fools us? The Soviet Union had an election every year and that didn't make that system democratic either. WAKE UP!!!!

Posted by: Brian at September 18, 2007 1:32 PM

That's police in the true U.S. fashion! Sign up, get a gun or taser and some hand cuffs and exploit your power just because you can. It doesn't matter, you can always say "I was just doing my job and doing as I was trained." It doesn't seem as if this young man poses a threat to anyone, he is not attacking anyone, and he is surrounded by police officers. It looks to me like the woman cop on an estrogen power trip zaps him for a thrill.

Posted by: Mark at September 18, 2007 1:37 PM

How many times was the student tasered and did he have cuffs on when it occured? Seems like overkill reaction by the police!

Posted by: carol at September 18, 2007 1:38 PM

Why is it that anytime someone disagrees, the first thing I hear from the conservative camp is "If you don't like it, leave"? That is not what this country was founded on. That type of response in the most UNPATRIOTIC thing that anyone could say and I am sure that our founding fathers would agree. Wasn't it Teddy Roosevelt (Republican) who said that to go along with your government right or wrong is not only unpatriotic, but treasonous??? FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, USE THE BRAIN HE GAVE YOU AND THINK!!!!!

Posted by: Princess Consuela Banana Hammock at September 18, 2007 1:38 PM

I'm a 22 year old in the US Army leaving in 3 days for Iraq. It fucking kills me that I joined the army to fight for a country that has even come close to this. Those cops should be fired and tased as they walk out of the building... America- the free

Posted by: Young Soldier at September 18, 2007 1:42 PM

wow that was nuts! very scary. civil disobedience is often a dangerous game but good police officers should serve to difuse a situation not escalate it. the kid was clearly lucid and not a threat to anyone around him. He wasn't asked to sit down without incident and he wasn't given a chance to leave of his own free will. The cops basically just kicked his ass and fried him. If I were that kid i'd sue everyone to hell and back.

Posted by: Jlo at September 18, 2007 1:42 PM

Before you condemn the police on this one, this kid has a history of trying to disrupt normal peaceful proceedings. The student was obviously trying to call attention to himself, this is not a first ammendent issue, its an issue of not allowing someone to hijack a normal intellectual gathering of students, teachers and guest speakers.

Earlier this year this same student sat out on a busy road holding up the new Harry Potter book and a sign that said "Harry Dies", now tell me if you think this kid deserved what he got yesterday. He is clearly a publicity seeking attention grabbing fool.

Posted by: BTM at September 18, 2007 1:42 PM

How can you resist arrest when you (after asking numerous times) are not informed of what you are being arrested for? If they were simply removing him, how do you justify the fact they dogpiled him when he was 15 feeet from the door and clearly stated he would leave. If you're going to give a public speech then expect the public to speak. Kerry is a manipulative douch anyways.

Posted by: douche at September 18, 2007 1:46 PM

Isn't this the sort of repression we wanted to stop by "liberating; Iraq? What a joke this country has become.

Posted by: Imon Fiyah at September 18, 2007 1:50 PM

If this had happened in 1969, the police would have been cornered by the crowd and tasered themselves. Would that have been justified? Probably not, but more justified than the behavior of the onlookers in this video. They just sat by and did nothing. So did John Kerry. What do you expect from a generation in which half of all college students are Business majors. God help us.

Posted by: Mark at September 18, 2007 1:52 PM

what surprised me: after I watched the video, were the chicken hearted students standing by. I remember a time when students gave their lives for overreaching police and national guard in Ohio. all you students who were there are also responsible for not standing by Mr. Meyer, not meaning 4 U to fight police, but; it could have been all over or different in a moment if you all simply spoke up and stood by Andrew, not to mention Sen Kerry's silence in stopping the police. So much for freedom of speech; guess it has to be spoken in the "correct" manner or it's not allowed? Hmm... we'd have no founding fathers of this country if that was true. Mr. Meyer is the patriot!!

Posted by: Rick at September 18, 2007 1:58 PM

1) Yes. Welcome to the Bush era.
2) Because people are pussies. See also the flights of 9/11 and all the rights we've lost since that date.
3) Yes, because he's a windbag and full of shit.
4) Uh... I can't IMAGINE that. He'd need a spine first.

Posted by: Lucas Leverett at September 18, 2007 2:01 PM

I see this time and time again. Ask a question that someone doesn't like and you get ejected or arrested and/or tasered. Sick.

Posted by: David at September 18, 2007 2:03 PM

No one seems to remember that this happened to ANOTHER student at UCLA who didn't have his library card after 1130pm. They tasered him for a good five minutes or so, about 7 shocks in a row. For not having a LIBRARY CARD! For him being where he was supposed to be as a student, in the library! Look it up on YouTube guys...ucla taser library. It's happening more than you realize, and people don't give a crap. People stand by and just assume he deserved it. We are going to wake up in concentration camps with this kind of attitude. WAKE UP PEOPLE!

Posted by: Blue at September 18, 2007 2:04 PM

Granted I wasn't there, but after watching some of the video taken during the event it sure looks like this guy was trying to cause a confrontation to get just the type of reaction that he got from the police, and the opportunity to add in his own dramatics. I think he was expecting the tazering. No pain, no gain i.e. no tazering, no media coverage, or not nearly as much. He is apparently out to make a name for himself by causing events that provoke people in order to get media attention. Like when, according to MSNBC in reference to Meyer's own website, he stood at a busy intersection the day of the release of the final Harry Potter book with a sign that read "Harry Dies". So if I had to choose between violation of free speech + police brutality or self promoting sensationalist who got what he deserved (and probably wanted), I would choose the latter.

Posted by: Danny S at September 18, 2007 2:12 PM

And U.S of A has the cheeks to criticize others when such blantanly abuse of freedom of rights happened right here.

Posted by: Ashamed at September 18, 2007 2:14 PM

To those who sat silently and to those who think he "had it coming".
You will get all the government you deserve.
The rest of us, we will have to endure the government that the silent and knee jerk masses insist on.
Regardless of the fact it was a nightmare beyond reckoning for millions in the 30's and 40's it seems we aren't satisfied with learning from that, we seem to need to feel it first hand. I grieve for our country, and what my children will be facing.

Posted by: Rob Cannon at September 18, 2007 2:16 PM

Vast disconnect in the posted comments. My vote goes to those who see it as a guy interfering with the free speech of others by hogging the microphone and committing a criminal act by resisting arrest. What an asshole. Wanna bet we se more of him, as unpleasant as that will be? For those who see it as police brutality or violation of the constitution, do us all a favor and refrain from posting until your intellect has a chance to growup.

Posted by: vmracer at September 18, 2007 2:17 PM

Seems like dude's intent from jump was to make a scene. I'm sure he's laughing his a** off right now. Let's all sit back with popcorn and watch the lawsuit unravel...

Posted by: KLLH at September 18, 2007 2:25 PM

GO WATCH THE VIDEO ON YOU TUBE - it will shock you that this can happen in America. The reporting on the event is terrible and makes the kid look like a trouble maker. Kerry could not protect his fellow vets, nor a college student from government power

Posted by: horrified at September 18, 2007 2:27 PM

This student physically resisted the efforts of the officers to remove him, even after they tried to walk him out. They threatened to use the taser and he begged them not to, but continued to resist. The taser is designed to bring someone under control without injury and it appears to have worked very well. The officers did good! With regard to why the police interevened, it was reported that he jumped in front of others who were waiting to ask questions and began his own line of questioning. He started the problem and the police were placed in a position of having to correct it.

Posted by: KEW at September 18, 2007 2:27 PM

What an idiot, you had your time but you were still disrupting. You where asked to leave and you refused, you were physically escorted and resisted, your lucky it was only a taser and not pepper spray or a baton you idiot.

Posted by: JakesDad at September 18, 2007 2:27 PM

Of all places in the U.S., a university is a place where all opinions can be expressed and all questions asked. It is part the the overall learning process and the forum that stimulates youth to generate future change. This act of barbaric proportions is intolerable.

Posted by: TAK at September 18, 2007 2:29 PM

That will teach you not to mess with Kerry! Argh to the right wingers! Sniff them out of the dem party.

Posted by: John Kerry at September 18, 2007 2:32 PM

He seems like a punk. I for one think he had it coming.

Posted by: JC at September 18, 2007 2:34 PM

Unfortunately Americans are not the brave freedom loving crowd we once were. Thanks to decades of social engineering the average American deeply desires to be led, neither unsterstands nor respects liberty, and finds his or her fellow American that THINKS FOR THEMSELF to be highly objectionable and a threat to the status quo.

Wake up America. We live in a fascist state, and unfortunately most Americans are sheep and not only approve of the situation but desire that it be this way.

1/3 of America smiles when they see us descending into fascism. 1/3 of America doesn't care. That's a solid majority. The rest are fucked.

Posted by: Ryan at September 18, 2007 2:35 PM

Political forums are designed for questions to be asked and responses to be made. I am outraged to see police officers in our free nation suppressing someone into submission at a political gathering. This boy is NOT some nutjob inciting a mob. This was a defenseless college kid with serious questions being asked to a political servant.
I am appalled and angered and saddened by the lack of decency shown by the police officers, the crowd of quite onlookers and John Kerry for not aiding this American citizen from being brutally attacked. I am so thankful that we are able to capture such travesties and share them with the world, so those who are opposed at upholding what is RIGHT can be brought to justice. And what is RIGHT is not always what is the LAW.

Posted by: Ben Fant at September 18, 2007 2:37 PM

THE STUDENT WAS ABNOXIOUS AND ANNOYING, HOWEVER HE STILL HAS THE RIGHT TO QUESTION THE POLITICIANS WE VOTE AND PAY WITH OUR TAXES. THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA SHOULD BE ASHAMED AS WELL AS THE AUDIENCE WHO JUST SAT THERE AND IGNORED HIS RIGHTS TAKEN AWAY. JOHN KERRY’S WEAKNESS SPEAKS FOR HIMSELF. THE LAW ENFORCEMNET EMPLOYMENT INDUSTRY SHOULD REQUIRE ALL FUTURE OFFICERS TO AQUIRE A BACHOLORS DEGREE INSTEAD OF TAKING AN ENTRANCE EXAM THAT ANY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT CAN PASS. THE POICE OFFICERS INVOLVED SHOULD BE FIRED, AND THE ONLY WAY TO ENFORCE JUSTICE IS FOR THE STUDENTS TO RISE UP AND DEMAND AN OPEN INVESTIGATION.

Posted by: JOHN at September 18, 2007 2:38 PM

What a drama whore. The police did their job competantly here, removing an individual who would probably have only been escorted out of the building and released had he complied and not repeatedly resisted them.

Freedom of speech does not mean the freedom to be an idiot at others' expense.

Posted by: solar_diablo at September 18, 2007 2:39 PM

Shame on Kerry and the audience for failing to intervene in the slightest. Shame on the cops for their intolerable behavior. I hope that guy sues and shoots for the moon. If I were on the jury he'd own that town.

Posted by: Mark Yannone at September 18, 2007 2:43 PM

Correct, it is not a "free speech" issue; it was and remains a "property rights" issue. The school has every right to determine how long, what content, and even who gets to use its microphone in the forum IT provided. The people complaining here are not liberals in the traditional sense of the word. They have no concept of Rights. The reason why the USA is among the best countries to live was demonstrated in exactly what you saw in the video: A citizen was allowed to talk for 2 minutes, then asked repeatedly and politely to stop after being given sufficient time to make his points. His points were not simply informative, he was becoming combative even on his own before any intervention began. Check it: Note how he immediately flew off the handle all out of proportion to the initial suggestion his time was up, shouting into a rage at THE VERY FIRST TOUCH on his shoulder. Clearly he was ready, wanting, even baiting the very reaction he subsequently received. (I'd say that he'd do Saul Alinsky proud but this moron is more an Abbie Hoffman type.) When he was escorted out (because he would not exit willingly from a PRIVATELY held venue at the school) he resisted lawful police orders and was PUT DOWN. That's how it works. That's precisely how it's supposed to work. No matter what we think, no matter how "right" we think we are, when the police in the U.S. intervene, your responsibility as a citizen is to go with them QUIETLY. Only adolescent, tantrum-enraged assholes think otherwise. What you do after escort/arrest is NOT argue with the police, who are not there to decide the merits of your complaint. What you do is use the legal system. To do otherwise is anarchy and leads precisely to the very thing so many of you here are mischaracterizing this event as--police overreaction--which it was not. What a police "overreaction" is, in some countries, is exactly as others here have pointed out: summary execution on the spot. This idiot was being filmed and he knew it. HIS overreaction, not the police, was criminal and, if the prosecutors were not so concerned with their image, he'd still be in jail awating trial.

Grow up. We have the best system available. Is it perfect? What is? But given the alternatives it's a hell of a lot better than anything else. This guy was given every chance. The police were absolutely correct in their response and they should be lauded, not condemned. You want to call yourselves "progressives" (aka Liberal), then do so in the traditional sense of upholding Rights, not inventing new ones based on your childish whims of the moment.

Posted by: Aaron at September 18, 2007 2:45 PM

Good for the cops.Too bad
he decided not to obey the law and its representatives, lets hope he did learn to obey the badge at the time of the order and fight it later the legal way, the American way.Besides if that were W. he wouldn't have gotten in the door let alone ask a question.

Posted by: freeman at September 18, 2007 2:46 PM

Will someone please tell me if it is true the young man jumped ahead of others? And was being obnoxious? What IS the story previous to his actually asking the question (where the video starts)? It is hard to tell if he is in the wrong unless one could know what precipitated their grabbing him and carting him off.

Posted by: Dorothy at September 18, 2007 2:48 PM

DISGUSTING that this poor man was ARRESTED, TACKLED and TASERED for asking an uncomfortable question in an energetic and passionate voice.

So much for Free Speech in America. You Neo-Fascist One World Government New World Order Brownshirt thugs using the police as your own personal Praetorian Guard will someday answer to the people. You can't fool the youth of today, you can't blame the youth of today! Kerry that spineless DOUCHEBAG allowed a man to be TORTURED for asking a question? I'm literally sick that the so-called Leftists are as dirty as the so-called Republicans. This man did NOT resist very much, he was not violent, he was SHOCKED that he was arrested and TASERED for asking a question!

Posted by: A. Dissident at September 18, 2007 2:55 PM

Leftist Brownshirt Fascist Thugs are just as dirty as so-called Rightists. WAKE UP you turkeys. John Kerry and George Bush are distantly related cousins. They are two sides of the same coin, and you're the one left holding the bag. If you don't realize they are FAKE opposites, what more will prove it to you? Hitler-y Clinton said she is willing to do a PRE-EMPTIVE nuclear strike on Iran. Why? I guess she wants to help 'liberate' all that oil from Iran next.

Posted by: New World Order NeoFascists at September 18, 2007 2:58 PM

Freedom of Speech is NOT an issue here. He was removed from the mic not because what he was asking. He was removed so other people can ask their questions. What about the rights of 50 other people who are waiting to ask their questions. He was disturbing the peace . How long do you think he will rant on if the police did not remove him. And what do you think the police should do? Just let him continue to rant Are you people too stupid, just like him, to realize the importance of ORDER and respect for others. So I guess it is acceptable to run around and rant in the middle of a movie in a theather... Freedom of Speech Right? As for the taser, I think the police should have used a lead fill stick to beat some sense into him.

Posted by: Stephen at September 18, 2007 3:00 PM

All he had to do was listen to the police officer and not resist, but I guess not all people are smart enough to get through the day without getting tased. BTW its not the volts, but the amps that get ya!

Posted by: Chris at September 18, 2007 3:04 PM

I see all of these comments about he was out of time. It had nothing to do with him being out of time, and everything to do with 2 things he said pretty much back to back that someone didn't want said. Watch the suit, and the other officer turn after he said the words impeach and skull. Thats not freedom of speech, thats much like a 5 year old slamming a door in the face of a parent asking a question - except he got shocked.

Posted by: Timologee at September 18, 2007 3:09 PM

Disgusting. Amnesty International has called on the end of using Tasers as there have been over 150 deaths from them.

This is a sick use of power, and it people must be held accountable.

Posted by: Nathan at September 18, 2007 3:12 PM

I believe that police used brute force in a situation where it was not necessary. The student was an antagonist, not a criminal. Hello, freedom of speech?

Posted by: Katherine at September 18, 2007 3:15 PM

I actually have tears in my eye after watching that. What happened to this country? I can't wait to move out of here.

Posted by: Mike Rogers at September 18, 2007 3:17 PM

Come on people. Once again the media is influencing your opinions. Had you seen the ENTIRE exchange you would have know that the guy had been asking questions past his allotted time and was asked REPEATEDLY to stop. That's why the mic was turned off and the cops had to ask him to step away. He resisted and the situation escalated. That's also why the audience started to clap, because they were TIRED of the disruption and wanted him to leave.

Posted by: Jay at September 18, 2007 3:17 PM

Look this boy up...he has his own website with clips of him doing PUBLICITY STUNTS such as this. In all honesty, he probably purposefully resisted to GET tased, b/c then he'd have this great publicity video.

For those who are talking about his actions being "civil disobedience," then you really don't know what that term means. MLK Jr and Ghandi both enacted civil disobedience for their causes and GLADLY GOT ARRESTED for their actions! They did not resist, they did not give authorities any reason to attack...
they went quietly. For that reason, the public then saw their causes to be just.

Many protesters understand that getting arrested for your cause and WITHOUT JUSTIFIABLE REASON is what truly gets your point across. This boy was obviously belligerent when politely asked to leave, and then caused a bigger scene when he left. He then proceeded to try to run from the police and resisted arrest, and YES, that does give the police the right to use force if necessary. A boy raving like an idiot and baiting officers doing their job is not someone to rally behind in pursuit of personal rights and civil disobedience.

Posted by: WAKE UP at September 18, 2007 3:23 PM

You wonder how politicians and the government in general can do what they do. At an open forum, which invited free speech and discussion (which should take place), a young man was tasered for asking the wrong question. You question what the government does or says, and BAM! you're tasered (attempted murder acutally with the taser's record) and thrown in jail. Kerry and Bush are living proof that elections are rigged, there is absolutely no power in the vote, and the power no longer is in the people. This is not democracy, it's dictatorship in its purest form. Our founding fathers including Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson would die before they saw the government in its form today. The crowd was probably scared S**tless because of the interrogation, public humiliation, and criminal record this boy will now face because he dared ask a question in an "open forum and debate". I have nothing but shame for this kind of behavior. Kerry should have ordered his secret service or whomever to arrest the campus police."I know no safe depositary of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power." --Thomas Jefferson to William C. Jarvis, 1820. ME 15:278
"Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves, therefore, are its only safe depositories. And to render even them safe, their minds must be improved to a certain degree." --Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia Q.XIV, 1782. ME 2:207

"The most effectual means of preventing [the perversion of power into tyranny are] to illuminate, as far as practicable, the minds of the people at large, and more especially to give them knowledge of those facts which history exhibits, that possessed thereby of the experience of other ages and countries, they may be enabled to know ambition under all its shapes, and prompt to exert their natural powers to defeat its purposes." --Thomas Jefferson: Diffusion of Knowledge Bill, 1779. FE 2:221, Papers 2:526

"The information of the people at large can alone make them the safe as they are the sole depositary of our political and religious freedom." --Thomas Jefferson to William Duane, 1810. ME 12:417

"The diffusion of information and the arraignment of all abuses at the bar of public reason, I deem [one of] the essential principles of our government, and consequently [one of] those which ought to shape its administration." --Thomas Jefferson: 1st Inaugural Address, 1801. ME 3:322

"Though [the people] may acquiesce, they cannot approve what they do not understand." --Thomas Jefferson: Opinion on Apportionment Bill, 1792. ME 3:211

Posted by: David Ferraro at September 18, 2007 3:33 PM

Well said WAKE UP!

Posted by: Danny S at September 18, 2007 3:35 PM

I'm ashamed that I actually voted for Kerry. He had me fooled. Now it turns out that Kerry, Hillary, and the rest of the DNC are Gestapo pigs. I'll never vote Democrat again - and you shouldn't either.

Posted by: Democrat No More at September 18, 2007 3:35 PM

I think all f the cops present that didn't do anything to protect his rights, which was all of them, should be removed from duty and fired maybe ever sent to prison for violating Meyers rights to free spech and the pursuit of happiness for the physical pain they caused him. He had every right to ask a question about a secret society the claims to want to bring on a NEW WORLD ORDER. The skull and bones is aristocracy because over generation of presidents and other members of the social elite have ran our country this is wrong things need to change!

Posted by: NicholasT at September 18, 2007 3:45 PM

Why bother with tasering? They might as well beat the student into submission with night sticks. I didn’t know the Nazi SS is alive and well in University of Florida.

Posted by: Mike at September 18, 2007 3:51 PM

Obey, shutup, be good, acquiesce, defer, abdicate, surrender.

Moooo. Baaaa.

Posted by: rick at September 18, 2007 3:57 PM

Wow, some of you people actually think that tasering was justified? So lets get the facts straight. He went over his time limit. That gives the police the right to touch him? Grab him and drag him away? I do NOT think so. Sure he should not have tried to resist, but the fault lies in the curtailment of his civil liberties, namely freedom of speech. Just as evidence gained through unconstitutional means is not admissible in court his arrest should be thrown out as it stemmed from an UNCONSTITUTIONAL act that HE SHOULD have resisted.

Posted by: Rick at September 18, 2007 3:58 PM

So, we see the part where he's being tasered to incite emotion...where's the rest of the tape so we can make an actual fair assesment of what happened before the police did anything? I'd rather see the full story than a sound bite. It makes this site as bad as the media.

Posted by: See the Manipulation at September 18, 2007 3:59 PM

he was face down with five cops on his back being cuffed. he didn't need to be 'tased'. the cop was dishing out punishment on the spot...

Posted by: travy at September 18, 2007 4:02 PM

This is unbelievable! It looks like the gestapo dealing with this kid. We've sat by mostly doing nothing while our liberties have been eroded over the past few years. But there has to be a limit. When are we going to stand up and protect ourselves. The founders of this country did not envision this heinous treatment of it's citizens. It's only going to get worse if we don't say enough is enough! And then do something about it!!!!!!!

Posted by: Frank Dixon at September 18, 2007 4:10 PM

okay so I just viewed the video. first of all what a pussy! he was screaming help! help! help! BEFORE they tazed him and was clearly resisting arrest. Seems there was a "Facist Brownshirt" in the room - THE KID! Typical tactcs of the National Socialist party thugs - infiltrate your opponants meeting and disrupt it (or break it up). The only person violating someone's free speech rights was the kid himself - he was violating the rights of others. he could have gone outside and spouted all day to his hearts content - that's free speech. free speech is not about being a harrassing asshole. Funny how progressives seek to trample the rights of others at every opportunity.

Posted by: teadog at September 18, 2007 4:11 PM

gotta love america?

Posted by: alicia at September 18, 2007 4:11 PM

This young man has full right to sue the shit out of everybody involved in his torture and arrest not to mention the fact that his right to free speech was ignored. I say that whoever knows this young fella thats reading this now should have him sue them big time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Vince C at September 18, 2007 4:14 PM

That kid was obnoxious, and a bit of a little girl. Yes, everyone in the audience wanted to hit him. However, that makes this situation all the more pathetic. Did you see the police officers in the video? The fattest, out of shape goons and a tiny little woman that couldn't toss a spoon across the room. I've seen much more rowdy people tossed from bars, without being tasered or making nearly as big of a scene. Perhaps if the police had any kind of decent hiring standards, this situation wouldn't have happened. A little girl could've successfully resisted arrest against these nitwits. Luckily the big black officer (still not a model of fitness and probably not an endurance runner) was around, otherwise this kid probably would've run around the forum for the next 20 minutes. This kid was retarded and seeking attention, and normally I'd want to spit him on, but the behavior of the police makes me want to donate to his legal fund. What was he even charged with?

Posted by: Tom at September 18, 2007 4:16 PM

The only free speech rights being violated were those of the other people in the audience. This idiot was using the tactics of the Nazi Brownshirts - infiltrate your opponant's meeting and disrupt it.
Skull and bones? oh wee oh! its a fucking club for rich snotty college fucks (think really rich frat boys people - they were too busy drinking beer and chasing beaver to be plotting any new world order).
seriously what a tool. He should be charged with disturbing the peace and obstruction. they should have maced his ass.
I love how these commenters think the cops should have grabbed/tackeled or otherwise subdued the fool. then what? what happens if they injured him in the scuffle? the taser is designed to prevent injury to the suspect and the police.
hoo buckin foo to the pity party peeps who think the kids rights were violated. free speech? go shout it on the street corner! Maybe I will want to spout theories about how hilary is a dominatrix who flogs bill every night in the middle of a theatre - is that free speech? to disrupt the rights of others? so called "progressives" are the most facist of all.
and schizophrenic conspiracy theories are getting old anyhow.

Posted by: teadog at September 18, 2007 4:24 PM

This is why our founding fathers wished to preserve liberty not democracy. One man out of 100 has his rights violated while the other 99 remain silent and find it entertaining and applaud his violent and forceful removal, as if they are watching TV-that's fair democracy.

Freedom and justice does not mean close your mouth and cover your eyes and ears when a man has a right to ask a fair and controversal question.

Andrew Meyer pays tuition to his university and by that he has the right to ask any question he wishes, it is up to Sen. Kerry to decide what he wants to answer.

Those that say he is wrong for resisting, I ask were our founders wrong for resisting an oppressive monarch, were the slaves of plantation owners wrong for resisting slavery, were our parents wrong for resisting the Vietnam War? To not resist is to comply. This man's resistance is a small example of how this country has become more of police state like something from a George Orwell novel, and the result of his actions should serve as an example to all Americans who aren't willing to give up their freedom for an ounce of security.

"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security." --Benjamin Franklin

Posted by: Matt at September 18, 2007 4:35 PM

Were the police arresting or escorting Meyer out because he was well known for causing a scene? The big mistake on Meyer's part is he starts running and resisting arrest which gives the police open justification for their actions. They could be tasering him, using mace, putting him in an arm lock or giving him minor busies from the take down and people might call any of those police brutality. The police may have been following orders sent down from the campus police, kerry's secret service or police chief. Both parties are to blame.

Posted by: n8 at September 18, 2007 4:39 PM

Resisting arrest is NEVER a good idea. Do you honestly think that people who resist arrest don't deserve to get tasered? I don't care how he ended up in that situation. He did, and he should have complied with the police. It's a foolish thing to resist knowing full well that there are consequences for doing so. Mr. Kerry showed his true spinelessness by allowing it to escalate to that level though.

Posted by: jp at September 18, 2007 4:41 PM

screw all of u, i dont care even if he punched out that bitch cop, u cant taser someone once there cuffed,

Posted by: bone at September 18, 2007 4:42 PM

Ron Paul for President!!!

Posted by: tom paul at September 18, 2007 4:46 PM

What about free speech?!? Are there any other factors in this situation than are apparent in the video? Unless the man was using incredible obscenities before the footage began, there is absolutely no justification for this situation. I wonder if this would've gone differently if the gentleman were speaking at a forum off-campus? US College students are amoung the most marginalized and violated population in the country and it's time we get the full rights of our US citizenship while earning our degrees in state sponsored institutions. This is disgusting. And to ALL those present at the time of this ASSAULT, INCLUDING JOHN KERRY: YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF FOR NOT KNOWING THE RIGHTS OF YOUR COMMUNITY AND FIGHTING TO PROTECT THEM.

Posted by: SarahGayle at September 18, 2007 4:46 PM

I can totally understand ushering him out but taking him to the ground and tasering him was completely uncalled for. Thank you to all the blogs that help spread the word about this.

Posted by: Chris Denny at September 18, 2007 4:47 PM

That is clearly an incident of police brutality. But what really scares me is that this man was removed by security for speaking his mind. I can't believe that this happened in America.

Posted by: Adam at September 18, 2007 4:51 PM

Hey, using cops with tasers to silence an unruly student is a great idea! Think of the possibilities. We could use cops with tasers in high school and junior high... think how quickly the students would learn to be submissive. Heck, lets not stop there. Let's have tasers in grade school and kindergarten as well. While we're at it, let's have the cops were SS patches and jack boots so we'll know they mean business.

Posted by: stox at September 18, 2007 4:51 PM

The guy was obviously causing a disturbance and wouldn't allow the police to subdue him. He was resisting officers of the law. That being said however, it was lazy and unnecessary of them to taser him. I think the police did everything right up until that point. Even though it's rare, tasers can kill a person. This would be a complete non issue if it weren't for that.

Posted by: skeptical1 at September 18, 2007 4:53 PM

that was seriously ridiculous. Pathetic by the police, even more pathetic by Kerry. Now we know why that loser didnt win the election. He is a fake politician who only cares about his fake fascade. America is based upon free speech. How can they taser a student speaking his mind? Not to mention just asking questions. Put those cops in jail and never let Kerry speak in public again...that loser

Posted by: t at September 18, 2007 4:55 PM

Call me a cynic, but I bet he loves the publicity. I'll be he's on Larry King or Letterman before the week is out.

Posted by: Paul at September 18, 2007 4:58 PM

He should have stopped talking once his mike was cut off. The police have the right to stop anyone trying to disrupt the proceedings and resisting arrest.

But what's more important are the questions he asked kerry and kerry's answers to them because the 2004 election result was a total mystery and nobody seems to be bothered about it.....

I wonder how kerry would answer these questions at any other interview.

Posted by: danny at September 18, 2007 5:02 PM

I think I'm a pretty strong supporter of free speech, but I'm just not seeing what a lot of other people apparently are.

First of all, we don't see anything of what transpires more than a few seconds before his microphone cut off. He could have been told his time was up 50 times; he could have been making threatening or belligerent comments. You just can't tell from this tape. What you can tell is that the police at least believed he was being disruptive, and tried to escort him out. And there is no doubt he is resisting arrest. The cops tell him to calm down, and he keeps thrashing around on the ground.

There are many, many concerns I have in this country over the state of free speech. This incident, however, is not one of them.

Posted by: Dave in Brooklyn at September 18, 2007 5:08 PM

If this young man was tasered then police deserve all the condemnation coming at them. BUT.....
a.apart from those few minutes of footage does anybody know what proceeded it? Did the student in question have a history as a serial pest?
b.How long had the student had the podium?
c.Had he been asked to give someone else a go?
d.He was doing a pretty good job of resisting being removed.
e.Did anybody watching that footage actually see a taser being used, or just him screaming and yelling not to be tasered?
f.Did anybody notice the group of fellow students in the background around the room with cameras who seemed prepared for this scene standing nearby and laughing behind the cops?
g.Was it a set up, and was there some device being used to simulate the noise of the taser (there are several that I know of that do.
h. is there other vid evidence of their use of a taser, or confirmation by the cops they did so, or post arrest footage after he was removed to support it one way r the other.
i. Kerry sounded as if he was trying to answer the question.He sounded as shocked as most of the people in that room to see what was happening.
j.I heard plenty of screaming from others asking cops to stop. What were they supposed to do? make matters worse by starting a full scale riot in which others might have got hurt?
I am all for debate and action, but not knee jerk reactions and anger that seem to mark our society today.

Posted by: Craig at September 18, 2007 5:11 PM

Does the right to free speech include disrupting a public meeting? What a baby - he used up all his time, but refused to quit rambling on.

Had he just shut up & sat down, or once the cops were there, walked calmly out of the room, no problems. But then would he be all over TV and the web?? Attention-seeking ninny.

And puh-leez - in FL? Cops are just creaming at the slightest hint of a possibility they might get to use their tasers. Why continue to resist after multiple warnings? Oh right, we're all talking about him now.

Posted by: cynic at September 18, 2007 5:12 PM

Beautiful!! This is just beautiful! I am so proud of law enforcement in this situation....Many wonderful memories come to mind...the German Gestapo/Third Reich, the Soviet KGB, ATF, LAPD....
Why are so many of you surprised? Our (the common members of the human race) rights to speak freely about what we believe and/or the right to ask the tough questions to those in power, have been under siege for years! This is just one of many assaults on freedom, it just happened to be caught on film. The solution: Deport all of these eager over-reacting FSU police to China where they may freely imploy such tactics every day against co-citizens.

Posted by: Dee at September 18, 2007 5:16 PM

Listen, I am the first one to admit most police officers are borderline retarded, but this guy disregarded the rules and standards set for this activity. This was the outcome he wanted, to promote his website and to get his voice heard (at the expense of others). The (retarded) cops did the right thing (finally).

Posted by: Mark at September 18, 2007 5:16 PM

If this video makes you angry vote Ron Paul for president 2008. Dont narrow your options to "most likely to win" canidates, vote on who you think is right. Look Ron Paul up, he does nothing but follow the constitution, hoping to turn this nation back around to how the founding fathers declared it should be. We've been in a downward spiral for a while now with violations of the rights that were granted to us in 1776.

Posted by: Silent Majority at September 18, 2007 5:17 PM

At least there has been an outcry, some people at least recognise how fucked up this is.

Posted by: anthony at September 18, 2007 5:18 PM

Before everyone goes nuts, the punk was told his time was up. Yet even after they cut the mic he was still stood being a jackass.

Posted by: Jim at September 18, 2007 5:27 PM

Why are you dissing the other students in the forum? Why should they get involved in what is clearly a person showboating about being a martyr for free speech? That kid did the same thing drug dealers on "Cops" do - try to cause a scene.

Posted by: bystander at September 18, 2007 5:28 PM

He got what he deserves 100%. Not for speaking his mind, that's another issue. If he would have just let them arrest him and take it like a man, instead of like a little girl the police probably would have dropped the charges. End of story.

Posted by: Howard at September 18, 2007 5:35 PM

They should have tasered that kid until smoke was coming out of his ears.

Posted by: Jose at September 18, 2007 5:43 PM

You only have to obey the police if you are engaged in illegal activities.

Posted by: archeon at September 18, 2007 5:49 PM

yes, the speaker craved attention and resisted arrest. but this doesn't make it right that he taken by the cops to begin with. kerry even said he would answer the question. but the police had their authority undermined by this guy (since he'd rightfully protested being arrested for speech), so the cops had to reassert themselves. so that the rest of us will not speak our minds.

giving the cops the death penalty and throwing their families out on the streets is a little harsh though...that's the same mindset that drives police to beat up dissidents.

Posted by: Derek C at September 18, 2007 5:52 PM

I was never able to understand how a whole country watched while millions were exterminated in Hitler's death camps. why didn't someone speak up? every person in that room who cheered and those of you on this blog laughing about that kid being Tasered for asking his question are what happened to Germany.There was a time when colleges were a hot bed of discussion and a passionate idealistic young person was our most prized resource.I guess today it's more like "I disapprove of what you say,so I'll defend your right to be Tasered to death. so very very sad.

Posted by: dahlimama at September 18, 2007 5:54 PM

What do you think? There was nothing wrong with the question. But when the kid did not receive the response he wanted he flew off the handle started approaching the stage and podium in a very aggressive manner. He was wrestling and fighting with the campus Police Officers. All he had to do was allude to he fact that if Senator Kerry was going to skirt around his question. He could have stated that he did not want to be treated like a criminal and leave or sit down. I am not saying he should try passive resistance. But he did act like he was giving the officers probable cause. Don’t getme wrong I am hardly a fan an advocate of Senator Kerry( He’s a bum, who uses kids on his campaign trail). But it also is hard to tell if this kid was really being tased or if he was just saying it to be melodramatic. Yes, he wanted his question answered and it just goes show that Senator Kerry is notorious for giving half trues. But come on this kid was trying take control of the whole lecture and limit others from havingthe right to state their opinions. He also got physical the campus police. And oh, please could we stop claiming it's a violation iof being Politically Correct everytime somebody liexs gets out of control and violate.Or lies . Your constituion rights are not violated when you lie to make you're own pathetic life have meaning. If used the simple primaordial artof communication and legitimate forensics. You might learn something. Even if the other side is a moronic entity without any common decency. Yes,Our constitution was established our individual freedoms. But why is it that those who are way out of line. Have no dignity and overtly trying to limit our own ability to express our own free rights and free will claim that they are victim of civil abuses. Give Me a break I am a republican, we are extremely concerned about civil rights towards anything that was produced by the democrats. Donald Imus was lieing sack of shit was an offensive lie. To Make his own screwed up mentality justification, (like Hitler). Nothing in our constituion supports that! Show me! Oh, and buy the way if a White woman or a black man did act liek that they would be treated exactly the same way.I have seen it happen more then several time

_____________________________________________

Posted by: Dion Mulvihill at September 18, 2007 5:54 PM

Right,

Iv'e read the rest of the comments. Some of the reaction against the police action is more outrageous than what they are accusing the cops of - get a grip people.

Secondly, so while he's trying to throw the cops off, keeps yelling, making a scene and struggling against two, three, four five cops they are just supposed to take his word in a room full of people that he will leave quietly if they just let him up and walk out under his own steam? NO WAY.

1. In the Australian Army we learned that when someone is reacting violently ( they touched his arm and asked him to walk out quietly FGS) it usually takes numbers to bring them under control if they are unarmed and no deadly force is to be used.

2. My cousin was a state cop here in Oz (Australia - we are aware how geographically challenging in the USA it is for some to find a country on the map that covers 1/12th (?) the earths surface).
He received a bravery commendation as a result of crash tackling a robbery suspect who pulled a hidden pistol on him. It turned out to be a replica, not a real pistol. He got patted on the back for not using his own revolver to shoot the guy. As my cousin said, the only reason he didnt was because he had no time to pull his own weapon and nowhere to take cover until he could. All he saw was a gun aimed at him. He wouldve shot the guy first, because he didnt have the luxury of waiting to find out if it was real.

3. As a civilian I had experience of just such a situation as the police face every time they get guys like that on the video. In a park with my wife and another couple we spotted a man behaving inappropriately with children in the playground. While the wives called the police and we approached the man and asked him to step away from the kids (who didnt know him)When he threw a punch and tried to flee when we told him the cops were coming, the two of us tried to pin him down. We were bigger than him but found it incredibly hard to pin him down. We got hit, scratched and I got kneed several times in the groin trying to pin his legs down. He finally stopped struggling, and asked us to let him up. Stupidly (not being cops) we relaxed and he tried to bite the other mans nuts off and I copped both a right hook to the jaw and a knee to the groin. We pinned him again, and he struggled until the police showed up and then went limp as anything the moment he saw the officer from the dog squad.
My point, so big whoop he said he'd go quietly if they'd let him up. They are not idiots. Once he refused to leave quietly and threw off that officers hand he was going to lock up. And until they had him there and searched him they were not going to take any risks.

As to the death toll from tasers used -160 did someone say - its a lot more preferable to the thousands killed with fire arms each year.

Perhaps they should just use sweet words. Of course they might not know if its just a loud mouth, a gun nut or a suicide bomber until its too late.

Posted by: Craig at September 18, 2007 6:04 PM

That female cop was the onlyone who was trying to reason with him. I agree you with you though I think he should have punched her. So, he could have turned around and cracked hil inth eface and skull. Then the whole audience could jumped Meyers and showed hic carcass the true meaning of American Generation X. He might enjoy that since, he was trying the freedoms of the other students constituional rights.

Posted by: Dion Mulvihill at September 18, 2007 6:08 PM

This has NOTHING to do with free speech. This has EVERYTHING to do with not resisting arrest. He was being escorted off the premises nicely and he should have complied. If he didn't have such a reputation behind him, perhaps they would not have had to escort him away. His reputation precedes him.

Posted by: Whatever at September 18, 2007 6:12 PM

"A few questions:

1) Did this actually happen in the United States of America?
2) How is it that 98 percent of the audience sat in silence?
3) Can you believe that Kerry just kept on answering the question as if everything were normal?
4) What would have happened if the Senator stood up and told the cops to stop instead of offering weak protestation?"

1) Yes. Welcome to Amerika. Where the hell have you been this whole time?

2) Because they, like 98 percent of the country are sheeple who have forgotten that civil disobedience is one of this country's finest traditions.

3) Yes. Kerry isn't a rank-and-file democrat. He doesn't care about your civil liberties or anything else that we peons care about. He's interested in only one thing, and that's himself.

4) Good question. Alas, we'll never know...

Posted by: Jim Smith at September 18, 2007 6:14 PM

Sign-up America. At www.Mitt Romney.com

Posted by: Dorothy UF-gator '93 at September 18, 2007 6:21 PM

This is ridiculous. This young man needs to be released immediately and apologized to. This is America. Scares the heck out of me when someone gets put in jail for asking questions. Did he need tasered? I think not. President of U of F, do something please.

Posted by: Kathy Troyer at September 18, 2007 6:24 PM

As far as Ron Paul goes, is it actually a good thing to want to go back to how things were in the days of the Founding Fathers? You know, slavery, no votes for women, property restrictions that prevented most men from voting, etc. He also wants to cut practically every public service (Dept. of Education even!). Rights like freedom of speech have been a joke for a long time, easily suspending whenever convenient (Alien and Sedition Acts kicked that off in the 18th century). Even Lincoln suspended habeus corpus.

As far as the tasering goes...these pigs should be fired. Unfortunately, this sort of behavior is typical of people like them, and its encouraged by people like Kerry, those who run society. They realize that the working people who create the wealth of society don't need parasites like Kerry, Bush, etc., so they need their little piggies to keep us in line.

Posted by: Gary Lapon at September 18, 2007 6:26 PM

Why the hell didn't John Kerry speak up about this? I have lost all of the respect for him that I ever had. There were a whole bunch of cops on top of this guy. They had NO reason to torture him. They could have carried him outside without tasering him, but they wanted to punish him to assert their authority. What a sick bunch. What is wrong with this country? This is a University campus for Christ sake.

Posted by: Ms. Sauga at September 18, 2007 6:31 PM

Who cares what Andrew Meyers has to say? Nobody came to hear him speak. He had his time to ask a question or two and was then asked to leave, but he had to fight with police (even on the ground), maybe they should have put him in a choke hold and beat him with a flashlight like in the old days. Isn't this why they invented Taser guns? Subdue loud and violent criminals who resist arrest. He probably had this planned out monthsin advance, like a Greenpeace raid or PETA protest.

Posted by: Ryan Dillon at September 18, 2007 6:37 PM

The students time was up.
He refused to give up the microphone, refused to leave when asked and resisted police when they attempted to escort him out. They should of tasered him twice, the second time for being a smart a--. Why does this behavior so frequently show up with his political point of view. He is an embarrassment to society.

Posted by: T. Cooney at September 18, 2007 6:44 PM

Anyone who can watch that and say that what went on there is allowable is obviously either a cop, or retarded. Had i been in that audience, there would have been a riot. Chairs would have been thrown and tables overturned. Those cops all need to be fired, and fined. Congrats to the student. He should make a bundle suing the police department, the individual cops, and the University. What happened to the Good Samaritan Law, in which it is illegal to stand by and watch a crime being committed? Every single person in that audience sat there and allowed it to happen.

Posted by: Chad Cavallo at September 18, 2007 6:45 PM

To the people saying "maybe he should have sat down when they cut off the mic"---they didn't give him a chance!!

A lot of people are failing to observe what really happened in the video. Look at the far right in the first several seconds. Look not at Meyer, but at the cops who are poised to pounce on him. There is a guy in a dark suit with them. Watch this guy, he looks past the camera and gestures to someone to cut off the mic the instant Meyer says the words "skull & bones"! BLATANT CENSORSHIP.

They then cut off the mic, and the instant they do, Meyer gives up, backs away from the mic. He stops making a scene. But at that very same instant, the cops move in and grab him. Therefore, anyone arguing that they grabbed him *because he kept ranting after the mic was cut off* is dead wrong.

Also, it is critical to note that the cops had not placed Meyer under arrest nor warned him in any way---they simply grabbed him. That is illegal conduct on the cops' part. That's assault.

Posted by: AP at September 18, 2007 6:55 PM

Maybe Florida should take China's position on political discord...lock them up and throw away the key. Or maybe the death penalty outside the back of the meeting hall. That would sure teach these kids to express their opinion in an open forum.

Posted by: John Huey at September 18, 2007 6:58 PM

Apparently free speech, to you, means keep on talking about the same shit everyone knows and hog the forum. He should have just looked on google if he wanted to know if Kerry was in Skull and Bones. He should have also lowered his tone, that alone will get you thrown out. Everyone knows, resisting arrest and raising your arms to police is a no no. If he would have just calmly sat down he would have been fine. However, he continued he should have been tasered the fuck out. All I left to say for the dude is WAAAH!

Posted by: Julian at September 18, 2007 7:00 PM

It ashame when the American Founding Fathers came up with the Bill of Rights they didnt think to Amend it to Bill of Privilages.
There are no rights, god given or otherwise in nature, "no fair goes" as we Aussies like to often say.
We have no rights in this world, only privilages, and whether you are talking the founding fathers of the USA, or the men who penned the Australian Constitution, its a damned shame they didnt lay out some obligations for the people to go with them. To say "YOU are not automatically entitled to these, you have to earn them"
But then, privilages can be taken away when they are not earned. Rights we just expect to have, no matter whether we deserve them or not....And beleive me looking at this world...I don't think we do.

Posted by: Craig at September 18, 2007 7:06 PM

How do you know the mike was not cut off, just because the camera mikes were picking up what he said.
Dont base your opinion on a minute or so of edited film. Read some of the background. Dont fly over other comments and label them facist just because they dont fit your mindset. Some of them are but some are not.
And how the hell so you know what the cops were saying to him? I couldnt hear most of what they were saying over his shouting, but I thought I caught parts of what I think you guys in the states called Miranda rights or something similar.

Posted by: Craig at September 18, 2007 7:13 PM

call and protest info
updinfo@admin.ufl.edu

http://www.police.ufl.edu/

The University of Florida Police Department
phone: (352) 392-1111
Community Services Division
(352) 392-1409
Patrol Division
(352) 392-1560
Victim Services
(352) 392-5648

Posted by: null at September 18, 2007 7:18 PM

The Good Samaritan laws cover the providing of first aid to people, so I couldn't get sued for trying to stop the blood squirting from a kids wrist after a car accident, even though I am not a doctor. I am a fancy security guard with a California CCW permit, and I know for a fact that although I have a gun, I cannot act as a police officer beyond making a regular citizens arrest (i.e. I pull a gun on a guy beating his wife and I'd go to jail for brandishing). There are no laws saying you have to assist someone who is the victim of a crime (though you might sleep better at night). Getting in on that brawl would have just had you tasered right next to him, but you'd still be in jail because this is ANDY MEYERS fifteen minutes of fame, not yours.

Posted by: Ryan Dillon at September 18, 2007 7:19 PM

Like a friend of mine said on another forum,
"Maybe the Socialists are finally re coursing back to the police state = bad roots they came from.
Now if we can push this into getting them to understand how wrong the whole guns should only being in government hands relates to just this type of thing maybe just maybe we can pry a wedge in and get them to flick on the lights elsewhere.

Ohhh wait........yeah they did just all sit around and watch like good little lambs.
Nevermind."

Posted by: Jim Smith at September 18, 2007 7:27 PM

What is it called when you are asked to leave by security or the police and do not, trespassing. What is it called when you refuse to put your hands behind your back when directed to do so by security or the police, resisting arrest. The video clearly shows him resisting and refusing to comply. When a drunk driver says ok let me walk home do the police comply? No. It is not up to the police to allow him to do what he wants after he has refused to comply with their orders. None of the facts I have presented have anything to do with free speech. It is a spoiled brat who thinks he can do whatever he wants.

Posted by: jason at September 18, 2007 7:31 PM

First of all I consider myself to be a very liberal person when it comes to freedom of speech, but this has nothing to do with that. It has to do with acting in an orderly manner in a public forum. He was allowed to speak but when his time was up he refused to stop talking, even when the mic was cut off he refused to leave the microphone, the officers came up to move him and he resisted to the point that It took a few officers to get him down on the ground as he CONTINUED to struggle even as they ordered him to stop!! Saying don't taser me is stupid if you're still struggling and therefore giving them reason to do so. If had walked away in the beginning then things would have been fine, if he had not tried to resist when they approached him he would have been fine, if he had not contiuned to struggle while on the ground he would not have been tasered and would have been fine. Period.

Posted by: Ten at September 18, 2007 7:33 PM

have you seen the little piggies....

Now you have. Wake up,Amerika. It might be you the next time. Badges don't make you right.

Posted by: john at September 18, 2007 7:34 PM

Tasering anyone, short of being in response to threatening behaviour, is wrong.

This incident was a case of forceful repression of free speech. Just because the audience didn't like the questions being asked, doesn't make it the Police's right to arrest him.

Also, why does it take 5 officers sitting on top of him AND a taser to cuff him? Their use is being flagrantly abused and it is going unchecked by a complicit and increasingly fascist US administration. They are the tools of an oppressive state and should be careful monitored or banned altogether.

I think the reason he was arrested (and the Police's response cheered) is because the questions being asked were unsettling and crucial.

"To tell the truth in a time of deceit is a revolutionary act," to paraphrase George Orwell.

Police abuse of citizen's rights is rife in the US (and elsewhere). When will they realise that they are citizens, too, and that such questions are in their and their families interests, also? Irrespective of the fact that they are acting illegally and against their purpose to protect civil rights. More evidence of a corrupt and abusive State system.

Posted by: CB at September 18, 2007 7:44 PM

This guy is a complete tool and is clearly craving for attention. If you look at the first few seconds of the video, the police are getting instructions from somebody off camera to cut him off. The event had already gone over the allotted time but he demanded that he be heard so they extended the meeting to give this guy a question. Yet, it looked like he was never going to shut up so the students asked the police to cut him off. They probably should have just let Kerry answer but they made a decision to cut him off. That being said, once the police step in, he is obligated to do what they say. All he had to do was stop and it would have been a non issue but he resisted and that is what happens when you resist. I know from experience dude.

Posted by: Mickey at September 18, 2007 7:47 PM

That guy deserved what he got. His questions had nothing to do with him being removed. His belligerent and resistant attitude had everything to do with it. The cops spend 45 seconds BEFORE they tasered him asking him to quiet down and just walk out. That is more time than I would have given him to comply. He was a danger to the cops and students. They even cheered when he was being removed.

Posted by: Adrian at September 18, 2007 7:48 PM

I can honestly say that nowadays, our rights as americans, are getting slimmer by the day. There is no such thing as freedom, liberty, and justice. All of that has been taken away from us. The young can see right through the government, our so called "protectors" As citizens there is not much we can do nowadays. Our rights have been taken away from us since the bush aministration. We the youth, see what the blind cynical old cant see, and thats the truth.

Posted by: :] at September 18, 2007 7:53 PM

Maybe look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIYTJ75U4NU
and view his rampage in full... what a few minutes of editing can do :-)

Posted by: Walter at September 18, 2007 7:54 PM

There's a second video of this incident available. It's worthwhile to watch both, as they're from different angles.

In the second video you can see that several other attendees did ask the police to leave the kid alone. Several were out of their seats surrounding the police and yelling for them to stop.

The kid was out of order for refusing to step away from the mike, but his behavior didn't warrant the treatment he got.

Tasers are intended to be used as an alternative to firearms when an officer is in physical danger. This kid was already on the ground with one hand cuffed when they tased him the first time. Both hands were cuffed when they tased him again. That's not how tasers are to be used, according to all of the police departmental policies that I've reviewed.

Also, the police never appear to have told him to leave. It looks like when they first approached him they immediately made contact and grabbed his arms and physically moved him away from the mike. That also doesn't seem like the proper protocol. Every other time I've seen someone make an outburst like this at a public event, the police try to make the minimum amount of contact to subdue the individual as they escort them out. These officers played right into this kid's hand.

Both of these decisions by the officers seem to have escalated the situation.

Sure, the kid was doing everything he could to egg them on, but competent law enforcement is familiar with strategies to diffuse situations like this, not make them worse.

Politicians are used to protesters during their speaking events. The venues where they speak should be equipped to handle outbursts. Clearly the campus police were out of their league here.

Their participation in making this event orders of magnitude worse than it should