Tuesday, September 18, 2007

FIRST ADMENDMENT RIGHTS TASERED



University of Florida student, Andrew Myers, was wrestled to the ground and tasered yesterday after making a lengthy statement and asking Senator John Kerry a question.

Watch the video....

I'M MAD AS HELL. What happened to free speech?

I will now ask my law enforcement expert, I'n sure each jurisdiction has their own policy but in general what is the policy for the use of the taser?

DID I MENTION IM OUTRAGED!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

There is no difference in Kerry and Bush I guess - WTF is this...

Palestar

Gpawilli said...

But I wonder if Kerry had anything to do with it... WITH THAT SAID...

He should have run right down there and made the police stop or at least yelled from the stage.

He was a Vietnam War hero, but also a Vietnam War PROTESTER! He should have stopped it.

Chris

Gpawilli said...

The fool I live with does not understand the big deal here. He said, "well, he broke the Law. The should have shot him." I asked him if he even saw the clip and of course the answer is no.

He said, the guy wouldn't stop talking. According to Fettit he deserves it.

He sees everything completely differently than I do. I don't know how I do this.

I guess we live in a country where we aren't allowed to speak our mind.

OY FETTIT!!!!

Bobby Crow said...

Chris, I am quite intrigued by your post today.
I watched a lot of coverage concerning this incident.

I studied the video and must comment on Free Speech.
Free Speech is limited, and broad when it concerns Constitutionality under the state/federal rules of law.
Did this student exercise his freedom of speech? YES
Was this “RIGHT” violated? I cannot answer this. I am unaware of the guidelines set forth upon the members participating in the forum, or the property which this took place.

Now as for the law enforcement element. The officer’s tried to escort the student from the premises. I did not witness the officer’s become forceful until the student himself RESISTED the escort position. Should have the student complied? YES. However, he decided to further the incident by resisting verbal, and physical commands to leave.

Should the student have been tasered while handcuffed? NO WAY!
There was no need to TASER the student; WHY ? He was subdued with handcuffs, and was then not a threat to himself or those present. There was enough law enforcement to physically remove the student. Whoever tasered the student; should be held accountable for their lack of restraint or training.

One thing perplexes me. The student in question handed his video camera to the next questionnaire in the line, and insinuated that he would be making quite a scene. Once removed from the scene; the student was reported to be jovial with officers, apologetic, and even asked if cameras would be present upon his incarceration/booking.

My opinion - Both the officer that tased the student, and the student himself should be held accountable for their insubordinate, and unorthodox actions. As for the free speech; it happened. There was no harm on that level; other than being asked to leave the premises; which the student defied.

That’s my bit on it all….lol

Gpawilli said...

I've really thought about this a lot since yesterday and I have to say under no circumstances was the use of a taser justified in this case (or most cases I've seen).

We as Americans are accepting it as common pratice to have our right to free speech taken from us.

Being obnoxious and annoying is not against the law.

We are moving closer and closer to a police state and we have to continue to speak out.

Anonymous said...

I have to agree in large part to what Bobby said below.

I watched a lot of video on this as well. I also believe the student should not have been tasered, and of course we have to speak with a LOUD voice when someone is tasered in RELATION to free speech, as we don't want a bunch of Nazis out there tasering folks who speak up.

However, that was not the case here. The kid didn't get tasered cuz he was speaking up, he got tasered while resisting arrest...and quite EXPLOSIVELY resisting arrest I might add. He was larger than most of those cops.

Secondly, I would pose that the student himself was infringing on the rights of free speech, as he had already asked two LENGTHY questions and was being booed and being told to sit down and give someone else a chance, by much of the crowd. At that point he said something to the effect of (I am paraphrasing): NO I WON'T SHUT UP, I HAVE FOUR MORE QUESTIONS...

Well, free speech doesn't give you the right to stand up there and not let anyone else have a chance at getting their free speech out.

And I have to be honest, while it was wrong, when I heard him say: DON'T TASER ME BRO...DON'T TASER ME BRO...to the cop....I secretly wanted to smell the burning skin (OOPS!)

Yes I said it. That is my free speech for the day.

Love,
Matt-CHU!

Gpawilli said...

Well.... There is a reason why the police officer(s) have been suspended.

COMMON SENSE - where is it? The student was obnoxious..SURE... but he posed NO PHYSICAL THREAT to ANYONE!!!!

"I secretly wanted to smell the burning skin (OOPS!)".... you sick sick F*&K!!

Love ya