Some facts on this case: 1. The student has a history of making trouble in the community. 2. On previous encounters with campus police (That's who these dopes were) he was verbally abusive. 3. The officers were posted at the mic. They didn't randomly come up to this kid. 4. Off camera there was a moderator who had signaled several times that this young man had exceeded his time limit. He/she then signaled the officers (who were there for that very reason)to remove him from the mic when he wouldn't comply. 5. There is some question as to whether the kid who shot the video was a friend of the journalism student and as to whether the disruption was an intentional stunt like others the duo had perpetrated and filmed. 6. The student was the first to become agressive. He broke a misdemeanor crime by doing so. If he had remained calm he would have been escorted out. Now he faces felony resisting.
I wouldn't get too disgusted yet. The jury is still out in this one. It looks to me like a bit of journalistic sensationalism came back to bite him.
I don't think it matters if the student was vocal before or if he had been a thorn in the side of campus security, this shouldn't have happened. Kerry even released a statement which said he was prepared to answer the guy's questions - and you can hear Kerry say this on the video's audio.
The trouble is that even if this student purposely set out to cause this great of an ordeal, and if he did, it worked beautifully with the cops and tasers; this type of activity is happening with more and more frequency. Pearl Jam censored during Lollapalloza, Sally Field cut off at the Emmys, GW screened specators and made them sign loyalty agreements during the last election - even throwing out people with t-shirts that read "Tell Me Why I Should Vote For You?" As this country becomes more and more apathetic, it's important that those who are vocal do speak out without some douche bags in uniform tasering them.
It's one thing if it was speaking out gone wrong... but there is now more evidence to support this being a staged event for publicity. Intelligent dialog and fame seeking disruption are two very different animals. Politics aside I think this kid got what he deserved for resisting.
You know how staunch a supporter of free speech I am. You know censorship boils my blood. But when free speech steps on the rights of others (mic hogging in this case) I take offense.
Also, the anti-gun people lobbied hard and strong for tasers to be implemented as non-lethal weapons for police. What is the deal with Tasers now being called excessive force? What in Hell? Maybe we should just arm our police with licorice whips.
Well, someone being rude doesn't necessarily disqualify them from their freedom of speech. It was quite obvious that he was being obnoxious, but the price to pay for free speech is putting up with idiots like this guy.
Plus, the dialog wasn't finished. Kerry continually said that he would answer the questions. The organizers of the event and the campus cops really overstepped their bounds. Political speech, above all else (even porn), is the reason for the 1st Amendment; and the results of this incident show why.
As for the tasers, those should be used for situations where the cops are in danger. This idiot was not an threat. Besides, black licorice is pretty nasty, so that may be an effective weapon - if forced to eat it. I think the CIA uses that in those Rendition prisons in Eastern Europe.
4 comments:
Some facts on this case:
1. The student has a history of making trouble in the community.
2. On previous encounters with campus police (That's who these dopes were) he was verbally abusive.
3. The officers were posted at the mic. They didn't randomly come up to this kid.
4. Off camera there was a moderator who had signaled several times that this young man had exceeded his time limit. He/she then signaled the officers (who were there for that very reason)to remove him from the mic when he wouldn't comply.
5. There is some question as to whether the kid who shot the video was a friend of the journalism student and as to whether the disruption was an intentional stunt like others the duo had perpetrated and filmed.
6. The student was the first to become agressive. He broke a misdemeanor crime by doing so. If he had remained calm he would have been escorted out. Now he faces felony resisting.
I wouldn't get too disgusted yet. The jury is still out in this one. It looks to me like a bit of journalistic sensationalism came back to bite him.
I don't think it matters if the student was vocal before or if he had been a thorn in the side of campus security, this shouldn't have happened. Kerry even released a statement which said he was prepared to answer the guy's questions - and you can hear Kerry say this on the video's audio.
The trouble is that even if this student purposely set out to cause this great of an ordeal, and if he did, it worked beautifully with the cops and tasers; this type of activity is happening with more and more frequency. Pearl Jam censored during Lollapalloza, Sally Field cut off at the Emmys, GW screened specators and made them sign loyalty agreements during the last election - even throwing out people with t-shirts that read "Tell Me Why I Should Vote For You?" As this country becomes more and more apathetic, it's important that those who are vocal do speak out without some douche bags in uniform tasering them.
It's one thing if it was speaking out gone wrong... but there is now more evidence to support this being a staged event for publicity. Intelligent dialog and fame seeking disruption are two very different animals. Politics aside I think this kid got what he deserved for resisting.
You know how staunch a supporter of free speech I am. You know censorship boils my blood. But when free speech steps on the rights of others (mic hogging in this case) I take offense.
Also, the anti-gun people lobbied hard and strong for tasers to be implemented as non-lethal weapons for police. What is the deal with Tasers now being called excessive force? What in Hell? Maybe we should just arm our police with licorice whips.
Well, someone being rude doesn't necessarily disqualify them from their freedom of speech. It was quite obvious that he was being obnoxious, but the price to pay for free speech is putting up with idiots like this guy.
Plus, the dialog wasn't finished. Kerry continually said that he would answer the questions. The organizers of the event and the campus cops really overstepped their bounds. Political speech, above all else (even porn), is the reason for the 1st Amendment; and the results of this incident show why.
As for the tasers, those should be used for situations where the cops are in danger. This idiot was not an threat. Besides, black licorice is pretty nasty, so that may be an effective weapon - if forced to eat it. I think the CIA uses that in those Rendition prisons in Eastern Europe.
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