The student who apparently hijacked the mic may very well have warranted removal from the auditorium and, possibly, detainment. But once the cops had him on the ground, there was no reason on earth they should have used weapons on him.

This is yet another disgraceful example of the new police state in which we live. The chilling effect of this incident is that now, even in the back of our minds, we will think twice about confronting the liars and speaking truth to power.

What can we do to stop the steady erosion of the rights and liberties that were once guaranteed us? Is there a national protest being organized against the UF police Dept.?

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Our people are now going to face excessive force for imposing serious questions on our politicians? This young man was exercising his First amendment right and was brutally punished for it. Why did these people just sit there and ignore the situation? Clearly the law isn't acting to protect students from this sort of brutality as this is a repeat from UCLA, although this time it was even more flagrantly excessive. If students do not stand together in the face of these university police forces then the police will not be made to see that their actions are not acceptable.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaiWCS10C5s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCBcOQkUNjI

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nm

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... with Saint Kerry standing right there doing nothing. You don't know if you can blame him? You don't miss 6 cops putting someone on the ground to arrest them. He could have called off the pigs, answered the question, and then asked that order be respected.... instead he played shill for the police state.

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accosted someone who was exercising their (now irrelevant) First Amendment rights.

So, this is the New World Order at work...pay attention. With the law Bush passed in July:

"I have issued an Executive Order blocking property of persons determined to have committed, or to pose a significant risk of committing, an act or acts of violence that have the purpose or effect of threatening the peace or stability of Iraq or the Government of Iraq or undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq or to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people." -Issued July 17, 2007 – GWBush

All that is necessary to be arrested, or worse, is to speak out in public against the governments actions. Now we are seeing police, both private and public, resorting to the most brutal tactics of suppression. We had people standing up and speaking out during the Viet Nam era that were far more animated and vocal than this young man, without being brutalized by the establishment's Storm Troopers.

But all of that is different now. Our country has become one where a person speaking out against any government action is running the risk of arrest...this is wrong!! These are the tactics of the Nazi's before Hitler really came into power. Hitler had a private army of over 300,000 loyal Nazi's that were terrorizing the German people and coercing them into swinging their votes to the Nazi party. We simply have Blackwater and the government's police force (aka the SS) to keep the populace heading in the direction that the "leaders" of this country want them to go. The Nazi's main tool was terror!

Well, what are we seeing now? Don't you feel terrified when you see a group of armed police taking down a single unarmed citizen? That makes you afraid doesn't it? Well, the tactic works...how many of us will have the guts to go up to a microphone, like this young man, and speak their mind without fear of reprisal from the "law" now? What about all of those sheep, who sat in their chairs while the young man was calling for help? The simple answer is that there is nowhere to go for help now...until people grow a spine and challenge authority.

Police get away with this behavior because, We the People, are afraid of them and our rapidly disintegrating legal system. With the laws written the way they are now...the young man could be tagged as a terrorist and locked away for years without hope of a trial.

Yes, I am being a bit dramatic...but this is a pattern that is beginning to repeat itself with alarming regularity. This is going to get worse...much worse...it can't get better yet, because like an addict, our government and our people haven't hit rock bottom yet.

I'm not sure what I would have done if I was present at this event. But I am beginning to feel like it's becoming wabbit season....

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It's nice to know we live in a society that would much rather have you shut up and obey than speak your mind and get the crap kicked out of you for doing so. Going against the currents "society" isn't a good thing apparently?

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Kerry wasn't to blame. The UF student isn't to blame. The blame rests entirely with UF campus security for the outcome of this incident.

Asking Kerry if he was a member of Skull and Bones, and he was, is a legitimate question. Asking Kerry why he didn't contest the '04 election is a legitimate question.

I hope the kids sues.

Meanwhile, in the wake of the Virginia Tech shooting incident, my state's board of regents is planning to arm, as in handguns, campus cops at its three main state universities. Handing out pistols to these campus Barnie Fife's is sweeping the nation.

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OMG THE COPS(PIGS) ARE TORTURING OUR CHILDREN AGAIN, AND IN FRONT OF SEN. KERRY, KERRY IS THIS HOW YOU PROTECT OUR CHILDREN? THESE INSANE REPTILE MINED(OR NASCAR FAN MENTALLY) COPS ARE DANGEROUS! ALL PUT IN CONTROL BY THIS EVILNESS PUT UPON OUR WORLD BY THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION. I WANT TO HEAR KERRYS ANSWERS TO THOES QUESTIONS,AS SAME AS EVERYBODY ELSE. MR. MEYERS SUE THESE EVIL COPS, AND GOD BLESS YOU FOR ASKING WHAT WE ALL WANT TO HEAR FROM KERRYS MOUTH!

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the attack on the student was just horrible and one of the most frightening things i have ever seen in this country. what happened to our first amendment rights?

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I don't see much difference here from cops of any other time. They're cops. What do you expect? It takes a special kind of weirdo to want to be a cop.

I don't think cops care too much about the politics of their government, they just do what they are told to do. They love their work and that work is arresting people who step out of line with the law.

Yes, a lot of times it is questionable, but if a cop wants to arrest you, they have all kinds of little BS charges they can stick to someone; disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, mischief etc. I happen to believe that their new little Tazer toy is a little much, and because it is considered non-lethal, it has the potential to be too easy to fall back on.

The best thing for this guy to have done would have been to not flail his arms, but just go limp and make them carry him out. He should have asked why he was being arrested without screaming it out. If the cops had acted in the same way, it would have been a better illustration of heavy-handed tactics and then student activists would have a better case to take to whoever administers the campus cops.

You can't beat the cops with resistance, it simply isn't going to work. Singling one or two out in a complaint won't help either, because the cops will circle wagons and protect each other. You have to attack the administrators, of the university and the police and shame them publicly into action. I know people want to confront issues like these on the fact that arresting someone like this is pretty bogus but you have to use PR. If you are going to the court of public opinion and they see a college kid flailing around resisting arrest, it's not going to play well.

It's bullshit, but that's the way public opinion is formed and persuaded to your side.

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This must elicit a forceful response. It is time for the Left to begin a campaign of retaliation.

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.... nothing. This author gives Kerry a huge break by saying he didn't see or it "maybe" he didn't see it??? The elite are afraid of us and this shows how deeply afraid they are. Even Kerry. Of course we knew that when he wouldn't fight over the 2004 election, so what can we expect now. The message is "repression, quick, violent and effective". It stopped the questioning.... now, will someone tell us if Kerry ever answered that question???

This is a police state folks. Get used to it. This is 1935 Germany where the state rules. This is nothing, just wait until a guy like this disappears into a mental ward for acting crazy. Its coming and will get worse. Better start thinking of more effective ways to fight this police state cause exercising free speech won't get it.

We are coming into times when Kent state will look like a picnic if this CONGRESS DOES NOT IMPEACH THESE GUYS WHO ARE DOING THIS. Remember the demonstrations this weekend and how a RECORD number were arrested, I believe it was 192. That is an amazing number. They were released without charges, so it wasn't that they did anything really wrong, it was to send a message. Well, I got it loud and clear. I Won 't demonstrate, I will act.

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I am shocked that the members of the audience just sat
there with sheepish grins on their faces while their
classmate was hauled out of the room. They JUST SAT THERE.

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Just so I understand lets go over the facts. Kerry was there to talk to the audience. A mic was provided so the audience could ask questions. A student "rushed" the mic and demanded to be heard? The video doesn't show the beginning when the student went to the mic so I am guessing. The student was asked to sit down but continued his questioning. Then the video starts with the cops already behind the student. Right so far? With this type of question and answer forum there has to be some sort of order otherwise it just becomes a chaotic shouting match which is unfair to those that actually wanted to hear what the Senator had to say. Beats me why anyone would want to hear Kerry but alot of people did vote for him.
So here we are. The cops are there and give the student a choice. Sit down and let the forum continue or be removed. He refused. So what should the cops have done? Let the student continue his tirade and exercise his first ammendment rights. Let him continue disrupting the question and answer period? What about the other people who had questions to ask? What about their first ammendment rights? Aren't they alowed to be heard? Why should they sit there and listen to this student's rants when they have questions of their own?
So here is the question I ask all of you. When this student became disruptive and refused to return to his seat, what should the cops have done?

Here are some choices of what the cops could have done.
1. Nothing.
2. Ask him to sit down and when he refuses then do nothing.
3. Give him the choice of sitting down or be removed, when he refuses do nothing.
4. Give him the choice of sitting down or be removed, when he refuses remove him.

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So what's it going to be next week? Reverend Yearwood last week, student tasered this week, how long is it going to be before some of the bystanders start fighting back, instead of sheepishly looking on? It WILL, and maybe should, happen , then we'll see some real action, not just pissy little tasers. Jeez, bring out the real "heavies", Maybe THAT'S what it will take to bring about some change. Looking on from outside the us it seems that things have changed dramatically since I was there last, It wasn't anything special then and appears to now be spiralling further out of control. Land of the free? If it wasn't so tragic it'd be funny.
Seems the false, plastic bullshit bubble that I saw then has crumbled further.
Mission Accomplished.

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... of WHO it is, that ACTUALLY WANTS US TO BE VIOLENT. What a clever conservative trick that would be.

MARTIAL LAW, kids.

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Senators compromise they do not take BOLD action. I expected more from him just because he came close to being our US President. I am extremely disappointed in Kerry..He was in Viet Nam [supposedly,so they told us] defending the US Constitution.
Kerry does not want to make WAVES. I want to hear from him with a brave, heroic response BUT I am not holding my breath.

We need to ask the current crop of Democratic Presidential candidates what they thought of the incident. There is no doubt that we are living in a police state.

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before we have another Kent State-like tragedy. My son is a politically involved college student and I'm afraid for him.

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between the university of california (i believe) rent-a-cops that tasered the ethnic iranian student last year, the kansas city, missouri cops which nearly lead the nation in insubstantial cases of taser usage (including pregnant womaen), and tons of others all accross the nation, something has to be done about the willy-nilly use of tasers. more deaths are due to tasers than one would believe. trauma takes over the human system when confrontations like the aforementioned transpire.

there was absolutely no reason to taser him. i think the shrill john kerry could be asked about many worse things. it is shameful that the coward the tomato king is did not handle it better.

why did not he or other students defend this guy. i think the pussy crowd tells you a lot about how the rabid corporate-police state already has 85% of america enclosed in a mental cage.

!viva la revelucion!

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I have issued an Executive Order blocking property of persons determined to have committed, or to pose a significant risk of committing, an act or acts of violence that have the purpose or effect of threatening the peace or stability of Iraq or the Government of Iraq or undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq or to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people." -Issued July 17, 2007 – G.W.Bush
It appalls me to see what this nation has become. I have watched four different videos of this incident and not once did I hear the police tell the young man that he was under arrest. From what I could see, he was tazered after he was hand cuffed. Brave cops, huh? To charge him with resisting police is ludicrous at best. The police are trying to cover their collective asses for over reacting. This is what our nation has become. And it will only get worse if we, the people don't do something to curb the behavior of our "protectors". Americans who honestly believe in the Constitution and the First Amendment should take to the streets to voice their disapproval at this shameful use of force to quell a voice in a public assembly.
Welcome to the new Amerika.
Good night and good luck...

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..time to get the shit kickers out.....BUT remember,I understand that it was the STUDENTS who organized the event who put the cops on this guy.....THEY also need to be
exposed and lambasted just as much as the cops...as for Kerry.....what a gutless worthless ' pussy'.....

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This is a pretty simple one, guys.

He was resisting arrest. The police acted in response to his resistance.

Whether or not his arrest was justified, once he began resisting, police were enabled to use whatever means they deemed necessary to subdue him.

THINK ABOUT IT FOR A SECOND....
Have you ever seen footage of Martin Luther King or Ghandi and their followers bouncing around, yelling and screaming while police arrest them.

NO.

STOP MOVING, SHUT YOUR MOUTH, AND DON'T RESIST ARREST. If the cops are brutal and use excessive force, let the world see that for themselves.
You NEVER saw Martin Luther King pulling the nonsense this kid does.

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...to decide whether we will be free, or not. In a free society, people can ask questions, even about a politician's membership in fraternal societies.

Why is this Skull and Bones question off limits?

What question will you be dragged away for asking?

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Kerry is absolutely responsible for DOING NOTHING and being utterly complicit in the police violating the students right to First Ammendment Freedom of Speech, Right to Assembly and Right to Ask Government for Redress. Now that it is illegal to ask a politican a direct question - clearly we are living in the early days of the Third Reich! Under Bush's Military & Commissions Act of 2006 which was rubberstamped by even liberal Democrats in Congress/Senate ANY American citizen can be arrested, without a shred of evidence, without charges, denied Habeus Corpus, sexually tortured and sent indifinitely to the top secret underground naval military prision in Charleston South Carolina and rot in a prison cell for an indeterminate period of time. If any American citizen questions a politican - they can be arrested - it happened at UCLA when an American born citizen of Iranian ancestry, an enrolled college student was doing homework at a UCLA computer lab. He was arrested by campus security for the crime of being "Muslim looking" and laser tasered, beaten and assaulted.

What is even more frightening is NOBODY in the student audience stood up and defended the student who was arrested for the crime of just asking a question. Read Stanley Milgrims, 1961 Stanford University research study on the behavorial science research why people are complicit with torture and sadistic acts. Basically, 95% of people are gutless cowards, people are sheep - too scared shitless to even speak up. The entire audience was cowardly - Kerry was cowardly and Kerry looks like he just let the cops assault an innocent student because he asked a question that put Kerry on the spot. Why even have elections anymore?

Welcome to the Brave New World.

When Kerry was a pile of soggy wet mush while he was Swiftboated and trashed about his Vietnam service, accused of destertion and cowardice - Kerry said NOTHING about Bush's FIVE DEFERMENTS AND GOING AWOL for 6 months from Alabama National Guard. I genuinely believe Kerry deliberately ran a crappy campaign because he WANTED Bush to win - Kerry is a Forbes - his middle name is Forbes, it is his mother's maiden name - forget about Skull and Bones - that is milk and cookies....Forbes Magazine, Forbes Fortune 500 is the MOTHERSHIP OF CAPITALISM

Bush and Kerry come from the same gene pool - East Coast Establishment,
Old Guard, Prep School at Choate, Yale, - Bush and Kerry are both very old Yankee New England families who were Colonial Selectmen ancestors - Bush is a Prescott and Kerry is a Forbes - the Prescotts in Colonial New England were judges at the Salem Witch Trials.

Kerry is supporting CAFTA, NAFTA, Bildenberg Group, Bretton Woods Organizations and Corporate Mafia IG Farbin.

Kerry was complicit in allowing and tolerating egregious election fraud in Ohio in 2004. Hundreds of thousands of validly registered black voters were tossed off Voters Registration polls in 2004 Ohio - just as in Florida 2000 hundreds of thousands of black voters were illegally purged from Voters Registration rosters. Is it a "conicicence" that in 2000 Kathleen Harris, Florida Registrar of Voters simultaneously served as Florida State Chair to Elect Bush? This is felony conflict of interest - no man can serve two masters. Registrar of Voters job is supposed to be non-partisan. AGAIN, in 2004, Kenneth Blackwell, Ohio Registrar of Voters simultaneously served as Ohio "Re-Elect Bush" campaign official.

Do I really need to connect the dots? The heirarchy of the fossilized, senior leadership of the Democrat Party did NOTHING to seriously contest election fraud. Check out Michael Moore's opening segment of 'Farenheit 9/11" Al Gore was pleading on the floor of the legislature for JUST ONE Congressperson to come forward and sign the form to decertify the election. Not even ONE Democrat legislator was willing to do this

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Kerry is absolutely responsible for DOING NOTHING and being utterly complicit in the police violating the students right to First Ammendment Freedom of Speech, Right to Assembly and Right to Ask Government for Redress. Now that it is illegal to ask a politican a direct question - clearly we are living in the early days of the Third Reich! Under Bush's Military & Commissions Act of 2006 which was rubberstamped by even liberal Democrats in Congress/Senate ANY American citizen can be arrested, without a shred of evidence, without charges, denied Habeus Corpus, sexually tortured and sent indifinitely to the top secret underground naval military prision in Charleston South Carolina and rot in a prison cell for an indeterminate period of time. If any American citizen questions a politican - they can be arrested - it happened at UCLA when an American born citizen of Iranian ancestry, an enrolled college student was doing homework at a UCLA computer lab. He was arrested by campus security for the crime of being "Muslim looking" and laser tasered, beaten and assaulted.

What is even more frightening is NOBODY in the student audience stood up and defended the student who was arrested for the crime of just asking a question. Read Stanley Milgrims, 1961 Stanford University research study on the behavorial science research why people are complicit with torture and sadistic acts. Basically, 95% of people are gutless cowards, people are sheep - too scared shitless to even speak up. The entire audience was cowardly - Kerry was cowardly and Kerry looks like he just let the cops assault an innocent student because he asked a question that put Kerry on the spot. Why even have elections anymore?

Welcome to the Brave New World.

When Kerry was a pile of soggy wet mush while he was Swiftboated and trashed about his Vietnam service, accused of destertion and cowardice - Kerry said NOTHING about Bush's FIVE DEFERMENTS AND GOING AWOL for 6 months from Alabama National Guard. I genuinely believe Kerry deliberately ran a crappy campaign because he WANTED Bush to win - Kerry is a Forbes - his middle name is Forbes, it is his mother's maiden name - forget about Skull and Bones - that is milk and cookies....Forbes Magazine, Forbes Fortune 500 is the MOTHERSHIP OF CAPITALISM

Bush and Kerry come from the same gene pool - East Coast Establishment,
Old Guard, Prep School at Choate, Yale, - Bush and Kerry are both very old Yankee New England families who were Colonial Selectmen ancestors - Bush is a Prescott and Kerry is a Forbes - the Prescotts in Colonial New England were judges at the Salem Witch Trials.

Kerry is supporting CAFTA, NAFTA, Bildenberg Group, Bretton Woods Organizations and Corporate Mafia IG Farbin.

Kerry was complicit in allowing and tolerating egregious election fraud in Ohio in 2004. Hundreds of thousands of validly registered black voters were tossed off Voters Registration polls in 2004 Ohio - just as in Florida 2000 hundreds of thousands of black voters were illegally purged from Voters Registration rosters. Is it a "conicicence" that in 2000 Kathleen Harris, Florida Registrar of Voters simultaneously served as Florida State Chair to Elect Bush? This is felony conflict of interest - no man can serve two masters. Registrar of Voters job is supposed to be non-partisan. AGAIN, in 2004, Kenneth Blackwell, Ohio Registrar of Voters simultaneously served as Ohio "Re-Elect Bush" campaign official.

Do I really need to connect the dots? The heirarchy of the fossilized, senior leadership of the Democrat Party did NOTHING to seriously contest election fraud. Check out Michael Moore's opening segment of 'Farenheit 9/11" Al Gore was pleading on the floor of the legislature for JUST ONE Congressperson to come forward and sign the form to decertify the election. Not even ONE Democrat, Liberal legislator was willing to do this

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You arseholes who think this guy deserved this are just as guilty as the violent pigs. Go and put another vote in for your god bush

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First Amendmant rights? WTF? If the kid had waited his turn and then asked the questions in a civil manner, and then the cops had reacted just because they didn't like the questions, you may have a point. That ain't what happened.

I have watched it over and over myself, and the kid had an arrest coming, as he provoked the cops. The taser part was excessive force though, IMHO, as he was already down with 6 cops on him. It was obvious that the taser was administered for punishment...something you can expect cops to do when you do not respect their "AUTHORITAY". It hurts for a minute and then goes away. Hell, he is lucky that they didn't shoot his ass!

The facts are:

*The kid rushed the mike cutting to the head of a line waiting to ask questions to a sitting US Senator in a small auditorium.

*The cops had already told the kid he would have to wait his turn when he started to run towards the mike, and he did it anyway.

*This in itself is cause for expulsion from the auditorium, if not arrest for disturbing the peace.

*The kid then refused over and over again to leave, and resisted arrest by physical means, although he was not striking out, he was violently pulling himself free.

*Although the kid repeated "What did I do!" over and over, it was obvious what he did, and he knew it.

*At that point the kid had given the cops the legal authority to do whatever they thought was appropriate...pretty dumb way to get yourself on the national news.

From what I could tell, the kid had valid questions that Kerry would have addressed, as Kerry asked repeatedly that he be allowed to respond, but the arrest was already in progress.

Moral of the story: Don't fuck with cops like this or it could end up the same way, or worse.

jimidang

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I try and try. Try that is to encourage people to ask critical questions before being "outraged" because they are told they should be. The right and the left both use propaganda to further their cause. Little snippets of information, sound bites, quotes out of context and incomplete videos that while true on the surface distort the true meaning of what has taken place.
I have tried to encourage critical thinking on Alternet before by posing questions about a certain topic. Today I have been called a scumbag, facist and troll all by one poster. Why? Because I refuse to be "outraged" before I have all the facts. I refuse to be outraged just because someone tells me too. I want to know WHY first. The left points to Bush and his supporters and say they are sheep following a shepherd. Well if you get outraged everytime someone tells you too before checking the facts and backround on a story then you are a sheep too.
I am a middle of the road independent. I look to my left and right and all I see are sheep. Two flocks but all sheep.
Alernets slogan is "The mix is the message". What kind of mix is there if everyone has the same opinion? Why resort to name calling because someone disagree's with you? How will you ever change someones mind on a subject if you don't first try to understand how they formed their opinion in the first place? Then again I guess name calling is easier and more expedient than having an intelligent debate. Continue being sheep while I continue checking my facts and saving my outrage for a cause that deserves it. This one doesn't. I plan on changing the world, not just bitching about it.

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was inappropriate and inflammatory. It would have been just as pertinent if it had said:

Florida College Student Tasered After Having a Breakfast of Green Eggs and Ham

or:

Florida College Student Tasered After Taking an Unusually Long Dump That Morning

Sure, he had just asked the question (just like he had probably taken a dump that morning), but that purposely leaves out all of the pertinent info about the escalation of his behavior that resulted in the attempted eviction and subsequent arrest.

Plus, I cannot believe that there are those who blame Kerry for this incident...are they stoopid or just blind?

jimidang

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If you don't conform to their rules they will abuse you! See 1:00 for what is to come in the U.S.

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This just shows you Kerry is no leader just a follower. Had he been the type that could lead a country he could have addressed this kids question and handled the police at the same time. Instead he acted powerless much like the rest of our system.

Even though I hate Bush I'm glad he didn't win.

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The police attacked him after he mentioned "Skull and Bones" and whether Kerry was a member of this sick secret society. ( formerly called the "Brotherhood of Death." )

This is an apalling display of fascism in America.

I'm ashamed to call myself an American. How could those people sit there and watch this without rising up and surrounding the police?

Have you ever heard of "Shanti Sina?" We need to teach ourselves peaceful, nonviolent ways of defusing conflicts.

Those police officers need to be fired ... at the least.

We also need to amend the Constitution so that nobody who belongs to a "secret society" such as "Skull and Bones" or the "Masons" has the right to serve in public office, whether appointed or elected.

I proposed such an Amendment during my campaign for the U.S. Senate in 2006. Whether the Amendment is ratified is much less important than that we consider it when we vote. People who have taken a "blood oath" of loyalty to a secret group have no place in government. We should shun them and let young people know that it "isn't cool" to join secret societies.

Blessings!

Steve Moyer

Support an Article V Convention. That's the way to amend the Constitution in ways which make sense.

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When I saw the clip of the UF student being chased, beaten, and finally tasered (is that a new verb?) by UF cops, I also noted the audience. They did nothing. This reminds of film footage of the early days of Hitler's SS troops. Taking people away while onlookers did nothing.

Our failure to fight fascism, totalitarianism, and flagrant disregard for freedom of expression will only send the message that we don't care about our rights as citizens.

Why didn't the audience do anything? Were the other students afraid they too would be arrested? Are we all sheep? Are we sleepwalking? People are arrested at almost every demonstration in this country for the most minor infractions (an inappropriate t-shirt, standing in the wrong place, holding up a sign that says "bong hits for Jesus." The mainstream press ignores it. Everyone is afraid.

Terrorism may not be a threat from abroad; it may well be a threat from within our own country -- from our own government.

Habeas Corpus is already a fleeting memory. What's next?

-EKS in Gainesville FL

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and the cops with their guns and tasers! How disgusting this society has become.
Kerry has no backbone. He is a whimp, and always has been one. He could have taken charge of the situation; he did not do anything.
Making a comment afterwards was only meant to cover his ass.
Everyone could see the student had a book in his hand and was holding both hands up in the air!
The cops are disgusting. Don't seem to have a brain in their collective heads. It seems that in order to become a cop you have to pass a test for low IQ.
I hope the student gets a good lawyer and sues the University!!! And Kerry for standing by like the coward he is!

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I saw a young man attacked by the police and a room full of cowards (where this students or hired actors ??) who did NOTHING to protest ! Nothing !
Something like this can't happen in Europe. The whole university would revolt and protect the innocent student !
What a cowards ! I saw even some people who laughed like sheeps !
brrr

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how much shit happens in Florida? Next to Texas, that is the most miserable state in the country. Full of a-holes-elected and unelected. I absolutely hate it there.

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Next time I come across a video of a person being tasered by police I'll think twice before I watch it. Now I'm feeling quite pissed off here and it's been a long day and I really didn't need to feel more disgusted by asshole human beings and how fucked up things are. Well, pigs will be pigs.

And Skull and Bones prick John Kerry can go to hell. Even if he shouldn't be blamed, him being there is annoying. He should have said something directed towards the cops, like "Don't taser the student."

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If this has been discussed in other posts, I apologise, but, did anyone notice that at the point they turned off his microphone, and proceeded to eject, arresting and finally tasering him was when he started to ask about the secret society (apparently, the Skulls and Bones) Kerry was in being the same one Bush was in? The security guards went ballistic when he mentioned secret society.

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The fascists 'leaders' of this country want an obedient populous. This is just another example of the jack-booted police state we've allowed Amerika to become. Protest war at the Capitol... get your legs broken. Ask a controversial question... get tazed. Lovely.

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Taser over-use is insane. Amnesty International claims that more than 150 Americans have been killed in Taser attacks since 2001. The Louisville Courier-Journal this year reported that Louisville metro police have Tasered some 70 mentally ill people in the last two years, zapped 15 people already in handcuffs, shot a 15-year-old in the penis, and even zonked a brain-damaged paraplegic who had fallen out of his wheelchair. link

Police should not use a taser on someone who is simply resisting orders or shouting or interrupting.

There was a case in LA where a man was on trial for stealing several hundred dollars worth of AIDS drugs. He interrupted the judge, who ordered the bailiff to tase him.

Police Tasers can kill people.
Police Tasers can kill people.
Police Tasers can kill people.

ps- John Kerry's lack of intervention here was disgraceful

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The student was in fact resisting, even though he was anything but a threat. He even clearly stated that if the security were to let go of him, then he would leave the building. Why didn't they let him go!? They could have let go of him, and if he didn't leave, then depending on the situation, taser him. But I think the situation is rediculous. I feel bad for the kid. And it's too bad that we truly cannot express our feelings on certain things, especially when the government is involved. I think something needs to be done about the insecurities of the government, and the complete control they have over US citizens. There are some things we need to fight back on, this being one of them. Secrets don't make friends, obviously

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So long as people prioritize safety over things like liberty or the environment, we will live in a police state. So long as people are materialistic and prioritize money and material things, they will prioritize their safety, because there will always be others after their money and material goods. The police are, first and foremost, the army of the rich, and the rich will continue to empower the police to do as they please so long as they protect the rich and their property.

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If hogging a microphone and being irritating are criminal offenses, why hasn't the shrub been tasered and arrested??

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A pig is a pig,
And that's that!

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broadcast I'm listening to...played the complete audio of the
episode...HIs questions for Kerry were ABSOLUTELY FUCKING ON TARGET.....What the POS court jesters of MSM refuse to deal with....the charge is 'resisting arrest with violence' And yes,
the derisive,ridiculing laughter and applause of some in the audience...what a pack of heartless ,empty soulless pieces of shit.

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I am shocked at this video. These cops are sick. This is the New World Order we are creating for our children. Kerry knew damn well what was going on and could have stopped this. These cops should be fired, but they will probably be honored. This man has a right to free speech. Kerry did have a part in the 2004 election mess. Skull and Bones through and through. This man just wanted an answer. We all want answers.

Florida is not the place to be.

I hope this man is all right. This video needs to be shown everywhere. Thank you for showing it here.

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...that NONE of the six cops that were there could efficiently arrest one struggling, non-violent individual.

In our Jujitsu class, we have alot of police officers, so we practice arrest techniques. (How to be safe, fast and without injuring either officer or suspect.)

Everyone in our class practices the best way to do this for each individual. (I had to modifed my technique because I'm a 5' female.) It's not a question of strength, but of proper technique. What on earth were the six cops trying to do? To arrest him? Or just shut him up? How could they POSSIBLY have spent that much time being so inept?

MOST of the university's cops passively stood around while just TWO cops seemed to be doing all the work.(Possibly because too many people trying to fit their hands one person is difficult.)

Now, EVERY police department– even the university ones- have tasers. There are numerous stories of cops using tasers inappropriately and ludicrously. (My current favorite- a hulking cop tasers a frail, unresisting, 80 year old woman who wouldn't move out of a chair.)

And what about "You're under arrest for (fill-in-the-blank)?" Didn't that used to be... sort of REQUIRED?

Tasers are routinely handed out as if they had "magical powers." Tasers aren't to blame. Sitting on a desk, they are very safe. They don't DO anything. Tasers are a just a tool. They don't have a brain and they don't think.

Apparently, neither did the university cops.

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Remember Kent State.

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I am skeptical about Kerry's response--both at the time and now his official statement. He says that he did not know the student had been tasered, but judging from all the audio I've heard, the guy was screaming in agony, and I find it simply impossible to believe that Kerry, if he was still in the room at all, was unaware that something very wrong was happening. Kerry should publicaly call for the dismisal of the security personell involved, for an apology to the attacked student--sorry not just arrested butattacked--from the organizers of the event and the university, and for the student to be compensated. Not just make a rhetorical stand and try to shrug off what happened.

I voted for Kerry last time, gave money to his campaign, but if this is the best he can do in response . . . I don't think he should be in any political office at all any more. He's come a long, sad way from his bravery in Viet Nam and immediately after.

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...during his campaign, so did you expect him to jump out of his suit and don a superhero outfit. The "man" is a disgrace. Have you ever seen him outraged about any of the things that are going on in this country? Even half a man would have kicked Shrubs ass on most issues during the 04 campaign.

I am even finding harder to believe he was a "hero" during Viet Nam. Maybe the Swiftboaters were correct.

This only continues to show how weak and pathetic the Democraps continue to be, or how they are just silently complying with the Repukes in the destruction of all this country USED to stand for. Our only hope is a third party truly progressive candidate.

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not physically stopping the arrest (he did ask that he be allowed to answer), it is about a punk kid who acted like he was in a 'Jackass' movie, and got his 15 minutes of fame...which is all he really wanted in the first place.

It was NOT about First Amendment rights of free speech, or about police brutality (although the cops did taze him unnecessarily...but he asked for it), or about the reaction of the crowd who sat there like "pussies" watching the kid get arrested. Those that talk big rarely ever act it out (Hell, I woulda got up and kicked the cops ass all by myself! Ya' right!!!).

Whatever ax some of you have to grind with your dissapointment that Kerry didn't beat Bush is irrelevant to this matter. Kerry is a sitting US Senator, and it was not his J-O-B to jump into the fray and risk anything for this kid. They whisked Kerry's ass out of the auditiorium as soon as things got ugly, which is what they were supposed to do. All of these other tangents that you guys are running with are crap.

jimidang

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First off, everything about the video is pathetic...

The student: He asks a GREAT question, and then follows it up with cloak and dagger (oops, skull and bones) question. Then prances around away from the campus cops. He looked like a grade school kid playing tag.

The cops: They knew his line of questioning and told him not to ask it, then charge him with "disrupting a public event." They outnumbered the kid and could clearly had him subdued before they used:

The taser: I first saw this video on Yahoo, and wanted more info. I then queried "taser Gainesville" in the search engine. Just a week ago a 17 year old was tasered in Gainesville, as well as a story about a pregnant woman who was tasered.

Kerry and the Dems: The fact that some people still consider Kerry relevant outside of Mass and DC is mind boggling. This is the best we could muster for opposition to Bush? And if we get Hillary, we're repeating the same mistake.

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"Mr Chekov, your agonizer, please."

Dissent will be restricted to an acceptable range of opinions.
Failure to comply will result in public torture and arrest.

The best and noblest people in our society are the soldiers and the police.
Failure to agree with this statement will result in public torture and arrest.

Life is just like high school. Apparently, we're in a really shitty district.

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I have to say I found this video shocking, however wisdom demands some hesitation with regard to my ignorance of the larger context.

I wish there were more perspectives available on this (ie: more videos, maybe even some interviews from people there).

Fools rush in, as the saying goes. I'm trying to temper my disgust...I'd *really* like to see what had happened just prior to the start of this video.

That said, I'm a bit suspicious of the posters here, and on youtube, who say that this guy "rushed the mic". I've now perused through all the posts here on altnet and also on the youtube postings of the video and I *cannot* find any actual evidence of the rushing claim.

So...show me the body: if you say he rushed the mic...post some freaking evidence.

Until you do, I have to suspect this rushing argument is a cynical attempt to divert attention away from a deeply disturbing event.

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I'm glad that George still feels that it's important to 'bring' Democracy to Iraq! This video clearly shows that we are losing ours! I think this whole issue of the video has been given a lot of attention but let me ask this: What happened in Congress today that has you concerned? It's so disgusting. It is time for the democrats to stop playing nice. You have the 'bully pulpit'. USE IT. And, while you're at it, there is enough money to continue this war on thru the current Bush administration. JUST SAY NO MORE MONEY! The military won't go without! You know that Congress men and women and so do I. STOP THIS INSANITY AND RESTORE OUR DEMOCRACY WHILE THERE ARE STILL SOME SHREDS OF IT LEFT!!!!

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Free Speech is controversial. As nice as it sounds, in simplest terms, america doesn’t have it. It just sounds pretty on paper. What we do have is more free speech than most other countries.

I like Kerry but lost some respect for him. I think he’s a fool for not doing anything and actually answering the kid’s question while he’s getting tasered, instead of talking/dealing with the situation at hand. He claims he didn’t know the kid was getting tasered but he still should have done something.

The cops were just as confused as the kid. They were doing their job by the book but to me, it seems like they had that confused look like they weren’t sure if they weren’t sure if what they did was right. I guess it’s all under investigation now. I heard the kid was released already. Acura Belts

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Check out this Constittuional Congressman on YouTube, he was especially great in the New Hampshire Debate on Sept. 5th! He's not afraid to stand up and speak against the establishment! He's won EVERY SINGLE Repubican debate, despite Fox and Main Stream Media fudging the results!

Ron Paul has allowed Guilianni to make a FOOL of himself while proving Guilianni wrong every time! And, Guilianni is a POMPASS A** in SO MANY WAYS! Ron Paul is also not afraid to walk among the people and talk to them, treat everyone with the respect they deserve! He's about giving us back our FREEDOM! NOT bought and paid for by ANY Lobbyist or Special Interests, all of his campaign money was/is raised through grass roots efforts and online! RonPaul.com! RON PAUL FOR PRESIDENT!

John Kerry is obviously SPINELESS! He could have and definately SHOULD HAVE called off the dogs before this escalated into this man being brutalized by the campus police! Thank God he didn't become our president, and to think I voted for him, but I still think he is the lesser of two evils! Kerry is also a Skull & Bones boy and member of Council on Foreign Relations, so I guess it doesn't make much difference anymore anyway!

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...and for those of you that think the student was out of line I ask you to go to this link and not take their word:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaiWCS10C5s

As you watch, see if you notice the smile on the pig as he tasered the student. Probably had his first orgasm as a cop.

The kid was just outraged at the weakness of Kerry to stand up to what is correct. By the way I stand by my original post where I state that Kerry was and always was a wimp. In addition Kerry never answered the kids questions to my knowledge.

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Meyer was utterly astounded as to why he was being tackled and grabbed. It was nuts. Downstairs they told him he's being charged with Inciting a Riot. Please.

The sheeple media has spinned this that student was a prankster and that it was staged and that he "had it coming". That is crazy. There's even some that say they never even saw the taser and, yet others, who said that he gave the cops the idea of the taser when he said "Don't Tase Me, Bro". Actually, if you listen to the video, you can hear the female cop saying that they're going to taser him and he sees it being unholstered in front of him.

There's actually "Taser Deniers". Good grief.

They are freaked by Andrew's audacity to not be a Faux News drone. Alachua County, like much of Florida, is part of the great state of dumbfuckistan.

It truly wasn't staged. After reading "Armed Madhouse" and having no fear, you too would want to have these questions answered. The media hasn't asked after all. Andrew is a young, idealogical student who has yet to become completely cynical. I hope they didn't cook his balls. This country needs more of him.

The kid is brave. Braver than the mainstream media. They saw what happened to Rather. At least the people on this site are not completely under a rock.

Read the "yellow book" that Andrew refused to drop. It's the ugly truth -- not a beautiful lie.

www.GregPalast.com

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I wish you all have had see this past week what did happen in Miami.Of course I do not condone the killing and injuries of police officers,but cutt off entire sections of the city ?
Even babies were crying for their milk,cut off from their houses because the manhunt in progress,never see
something like it.The killing and injuries were the officers mistaque,not the people,4 officers aproaching a single guy
banding together to get hit,why is the training schools for
how about their tacticians?

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I heard he was tasered after asking Sen. Kerry wasn't he a "Skull & Bones" member?

Irregardless, if all the guards were men he situation would have been removed, or controlled. Women can do a man's job like we can give birth!

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