Taser's in the News - Put your taser article here!

[Bo]

UF Student Tasered at John Kerry Speech

Never know when you find yourself in a similar situation, what would you guys do?

I would have walked out even if I'm alone. But, would I be stopped or arrested for doing so? Or even shot? I don't know if I've seen it or not...but did anyone in the video ever walked out after that incident and because of that incident?

I would have done the same thing, but it wouldn't surprise me if they would have started using tasers on everyone that started to leave, I mean what the hell man , they guy wasn't even allowed to ask a question.

and then when they taser you because you wanted to leave the room, they would probably say, ''yeah we were using tasers on 5 people that started to leave, because it was suspicious''

 

[NormaRegula]

UF Student Tasered at John Kerry Speech

Well, well, well...the story is now a headliner on the Drudge Report. (O.J. has been relegated to the right side of the page.) Kerry has apparently condemned the tasering.

Maybe there's hope...not that it's on Drudge, but that a politician is worried it might reflect poorly on his image. Or, maybe, it's the PTB again instructing their media whores (somehow, I've always doubted that Drudge is the independant news source he claims to be) to give it an airing to make people more fearful...or react in a violent way towards a violent authority. (Yes, I'm paranoid.)

UPDATE: Just went back to the Drudge Report and while the taser incident with links is still cited in the left hand corner, it's no longer a headline of "Kerry Condemns Taser Arrest." Hillary is now in the spotlight. That was fast.

 

[ScioAgapeOmnis]

UF Student Tasered at John Kerry Speech

Kerry has apparently condemned the tasering.

Do you have a link to where he condemned it?

And Kerry may say anything he wants now, but he had all the power right there to stop it. He had the microphone. Just say let him go. But he just let it happen, and after his "PR" team told him what to say post-factum about it to the cameras, he may very well say he thinks it was "wrong" etc. But his actions didn't show it. He mumbled "That's alright let me answer his question" right BEFORE they grabbed him.

"He apparently asked several questions -- he went on for quite awhile -- then he was asked to stop," university spokesman Steve Orlando said. "He had used his allotted time. His microphone was cut off, then he became upset."

Sounds like a lie. Did anybody see him get upset? I watched the video, I did not see him get upset in any form until after they started manhandling him.

Orlando said university police would conduct an internal investigation.

Ok, what does that even mean? What investigation? What is there to investigate? Everything is clearly visible right there on the video. This sounds like a totally nonsense quote to pacify the reader who might get a little upset by this, to make the reader think "Oh ok at least they are investigating if they did something wrong or not" and go back to sleep thinking "justice will be served". They treated him like a terrorist - but he did nothing wrong, made no threats, made no signs of being upset or that he plans to do anything violent. Asking a critical question nowadays means you're a potential terrorist and should be treated like you just took out a gun?

Edit: Oops sorry Norma, didn't notice your update. Thanks.

 

[NormaRegula]

UF Student Tasered at John Kerry Speech

Do you have a link to where he condemned it?

Did you read my update on my last post? When I returned to Drudge to follow up, the Kerry headline (which may have been a lie with no link) was no longer there, and replaced with a Hillary story. Don't know how long it was up. Perhaps someone could find a cache of it. Unfortunately, I have to leave the internet for a bit...errands and work stuff to attend to. I'll be back.

 

[sprword]

UF Student Tasered at John Kerry Speech

First off, I would like to point out the obvious: there was NO REASON to arrest this student in the first place. Therefore, the student could not have been "resisting arrest" if the police officers did not give a reason to "arrest" him in the first place. Most certainly, Meyers should NOT have been tasered when there were five officers pinning him down to the floor. Isn't this a very clear cut case of police brutality?

If Kerry really "condemned it", he should have prevented this entire incident from happening from the start. After all, he is the only one with the mic. Couldn't Kerry have simply said "please do not arrest this student and let me answer his questions"? Or something along those lines? Instead, we find that he doesn't do a thing and responds with this:

"In 37 years of public appearances, through wars, protests and highly emotional events, I have never had a dialogue end this way. I believe I could have handled the situation without interruption, but I do not know what warnings or other exchanges transpired between the young man and the police prior to his barging to the front of the line and their intervention. I asked the police to allow me to answer the question and was in the process of responding when he was taken into custody. I was not aware that a taser was used until after I left the building. I hope that neither the student nor any of the police were injured. I regret enormously that a good healthy discussion was interrupted."

What an absurd situation.

 

[Cyre2067]

UF Student Tasered at John Kerry Speech

Update: its on CNN as of 2:15est. _http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/18/student.tasered.ap/index.html

The video they have is edited, and you can clearly hear girls screaming in the background while he's being tasered.

Indeed it looks like the wires did pickup the story after all.

 

[Locksmith]

UF Student Tasered at John Kerry Speech

... (somehow, I've always doubted that Drudge is the independant news source he claims to be) ...

Of course Drudge is a propaganda tool. One doesn't get regular air time on all those stations otherwise. He is clever and even interesting at times, but his website continually shows clear biases. I'd guess his radio show does too, but I never listen long enough to know.

As to the Florida University incident, I wish that I could say these amateur "cops" were going to get a severe comeuppance, but I can't. These clowns give the many good cops really bad images. Most couldn't get jobs on any force where policing is demanding. It is just my opinion, and I know that it doesn't hold in all cases, but cops on the forces where demands on them are high don't seem to react so readily with the TASER. Some don't even carry this insidious device that compensates those not cut out for, or not prepared for policing.

This guy was big, but I didn't see what he did initially to be evicted let alone TASERed. He was intelligent albeit a little carried away; and he certainly was no Rodney King hopped up on crack. If Kerry wanted him evicted then the cops should have waited for that cue. And, when they saw the guy was highly excited another tack should have been taken to calm him down. The worst thing is to put on a ugly show, as they did here, in front of an audience. Cops can de-escalate a situation by delaying and talking to someone who is visible shaken. In front of an audience these clowns felt they must give the show that their power is ultimate. All that showed to me was how amateurish and unprepared they were.

Remember Clinton's 1990s crying need for 100,000 additional cops. Well he got them. All too many unqualified people are going into policing. I know that the additional cops are all about making us to be fearful and that any protection is really for the PTB in our blossoming police state.

We need policing, and good policing is not easy to do. What these clowns did only shows us an example of the worst kind of that profession.

 

[NormaRegula]

UF Student Tasered at John Kerry Speech

Got a few minutes during lunch break to respond to what I saw on Drudge regarding Kerry's condemnation. The headline may have been "Kerry Condemns Heckler Arrest" instead of Taser Arrest. That would be more in keeping with media damage control. Heckler= obnoxious nut who deserves to be arrested, etc. Just gloss over the taser part and the guy sounds like he had it coming. BTW, that particular headline is now making the rounds of news sites, forums, and Democrat-leaning sites according to Google.

Here's a bit from an ABC News article, ( http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/09/students-rally-.html ) giving Kerry's alleged condemnation:

ABC News' Rick Klein Reports: Sen. John Kerry on Tuesday comdemned the arrest of a University of Florida student at one of his speeches, saying that he was engaged in a "good healthy discussion" with 21-year-old Andrew Meyer when he was Tasered and taken into custody.

"In 37 years of public appearances, through wars, protests and highly emotional events, I have never had a dialogue end this way," Kerry said in a statement. "I believe I could have handled the situation without interruption, but I do not know what warnings or other exchanges transpired between the young man and the police prior to his barging to the front of the line and their intervention. I asked the police to allow me to answer the question and was in the process of responding when he was taken into custody."

"I was not aware that a taser was used until after I left the building," he continued. "I hope that neither the student nor any of the police were injured. I regret enormously that a good healthy discussion was interrupted."

And get this 'explanation' from the same article:

Kerry, who was the Democrats’ nominee in 2004, is no longer assigned Secret Service protection, and does not bring his own security to events. That left University of Florida police in charge of security -- to notable results on Monday...

Looks like the reporter is helping out with damage control, too.

And Kerry may say anything he wants now, but he had all the power right there to stop it.

If the above quote from the ABC News article is any indication, his 'condemnation' of what happened is skewed. Was the guy blind not to see what was going on?

He had the microphone. Just say let him go. But he just let it happen, and after his "PR" team told him what to say post-factum about it to the cameras, he may very well say he thinks it was "wrong" etc. But his actions didn't show it. He mumbled "That's alright let me answer his question" right BEFORE they grabbed him.

I so agree. Kerry's intial reaction to the events happening right before him was incredibly lame. The reaction from the crowd was even more startling. It sounded to me as if they were applauding the action, with maybe a few individual protests coming from the audience. Perhaps an audio breakdown might clarify things. Guess the vid is making some people nervous. How long before it gets censored?

 

[OCKHAM]

UF Student Tasered at John Kerry Speech

Watching the video with the link Cyre2067 provided, he did have the crowd temporarily in his favor, osit, but he blew it initially by dressing with a football shirt on, and blurting out his words, so he obviously was a target immediately upon entering the auditorium.

Even though they did not have the right to do what they did, he also screwed up quite well by setting himself up for their abuse, and that’s not critical thinking. If he wanted to question Kerry, he should have had a better plan, he could have at least put on a jacket and a pocket protector, hell nerds probably walk right into this deals.

He also could have put on fake glasses or something, but no, he used mostly emotion and they target that as instability and danger.

If his goal was to embarrass Kerry, he needed to remove the focus on himself and focus on the crowd’s reaction to Kerry answering some very well organized questions that would make him look stupid which he probably is, osit, and allow the super-hero some time for distraction.

Another mistake might have been the raising of the hands and struggling, which imho, he should have never done. This moves the encounter to the next level.

I watched the video, I did not see him get upset in any form until after they started manhandling him.

They manhandled him because he was raising his hands; they perceive that as danger especially when he is also speaking loudly. By this time in the event, he has already blew his chances.

It’s a shame that people don’t react more, but they are asleep. There was definitely one lady screaming for them to stop, but he was screaming too.

Wrong approach, and may not make a dilly of a difference to anything other than distraction. Most of the people in that auditorium are probably already programmed for their dreams, so any spreading of this video may seemingly help, but sends the wrong message on how to make a difference. It only shows people how to get arrested.

Others may assume they must also use emotion in this manner walking right into PTB waiting hands, fwiw.

Kerry's blockade of compassion while this is occurring shows his true color. He knew this guy was a problem by his demeanor and dress so ignoring his questions made sense to the crowd and seem to help in his favor.

 

[kenlee]

UF Student Tasered at John Kerry Speech

I think that at some level the college student knew exactly how the events would unfold up to and including himself getting manhandled and tortured by security and Kerry (instinctively) knew this as well (as to how things would unfold) and even security and the audience knew, at some level, how things would unfold as well. It was like the whole event was a stage play and the script was already written beforehand and the actors were all mechanically and unconsciously playing their parts.

The immediate message I got from watching this ‘play’ is: ' if you dissent then this (being tortured) will happen to you’. It’s not unlike the message from Mel Gibson's movie The Passion Of Christ which, imo, was: ‘if you become Christ-like in your principles then this (being tortured) will happen to you.' So both ‘movies’ are, imo, serving the programmed agendas of the powers-that-be.

 

[NormaRegula]

UF Student Tasered at John Kerry Speech

Holy Damage Control, Batman, Drudge now has (as of 30 seconds ago) a banner headline that reads: CLASS CLOWN: KERRY PROTESTOR TOLD COPS "YOU DID NOTHING WRONG."

Here's the banner link to the article: http://www.starbanner.com/article/20070918/NEWS/70918007/1053/BREAKING_NEWS

Something smells...and no, I don't think the guy brought it all on himself. Nor do I think he planned on getting tasered. There's no way a person would be joking and laughing after having been tasered...that's not how they work. I want to see the vid with sound of the questioner, er, protestor, er, class clown prankster, doing (or not doing) what the cops claim he did in between takes.

 

[anart]

UF Student Tasered at John Kerry Speech

Holy Damage Control, Batman, Drudge now has (as of 30 seconds ago) a banner headline that reads: CLASS CLOWN: KERRY PROTESTOR TOLD COPS "YOU DID NOTHING WRONG."

Uhm, you realize that Drudge is a right wing disinformation source, right? Of course, chances are this whole thing was a set up as kenlee points out - all theatre - just like everything else.

 

[Locksmith]

UF Student Tasered at John Kerry Speech

Something smells...and no, I don't think the guy brought it all on himself. Nor do I think he planned on getting tasered. There's no way a person would be joking and laughing after having been tasered...that's not how they work. I want to see the vid with sound of the questioner, er, protestor, er, class clown prankster, doing (or not doing) what the cops claim he did in between takes.

I think that at some level the college student knew exactly how the events would unfold up to and including himself getting manhandled and tortured by security and Kerry (instinctively) knew this as well (as to how things would unfold) and even security and the audience knew, at some level, how things would unfold as well. It was like the whole event was a stage play and the script was already written beforehand and the actors were all mechanically and unconsciously playing their parts.

I have watched at least a half a dozen videos of this event and do not see any anything so far that would lend credibility to the suggestion that it was staged. And, I can't imagine what would lead anyone so far to read that into this event. Now, it may have been staged on the side of these keystone, uhh campus cops. That indeed is a real possibility.

Earlier today I googled and got a return form indymedia, which has since disappeared at least
from the first 3 pages. I just did the same google with "indymedia" in front of it and got something like what I saw earlier today. The following is the link to this piece. In it there are 4 or 5 videos. Be sure to watch the 3rd one in the section titled Videos:

_http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/09/18/18448279.php


I am pasting in the URL to that video here so that there is no confusion or in case the indymedia piece goes missing:

_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NWukZhsiBw&mode=related&search

It refutes any remarks made about Meyer going silent or laughing on the stairs that I read in the latest Drudge piece. Although, after having just been TASERed, I could understand why he might be intent upon not missing any stair steps. The point is he continued to ask the clown cops what he had done wrong and where certain pieces of his property were.

Here is another fair piece on what happened yesterday:

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_anthony__070918_democracy_and_dissen.htm
September 18, 2007 at 20:14:30

Democracy and Dissent Tasered Into Submission

by Anthony Wade

[snip]

Andrew Meyer came to the microphone and began a long statement about voting irregularities in the 2004 presidential election, of which Kerry was the “losing” candidate. Those of us, who follow alternate news for the sake of the truth, know that Meyer actually was understating the extent of the irregularities. The true fact is that the 2004 election was stolen. That theft was deliberative and goes far beyond “irregular.” As we also know, Senator Kerry ran his campaign swearing to us all, that he would not rest until every vote was counted. Yet there he was conceding after mere hours while still staring at massive voter fraud and holding over a million dollars specifically raised for contesting the election. As such, Kerry became an accomplice to the theft of the 2004 election and Andrew Meyer was merely asking the same question I would have asked Kerry if I had the opportunity. His reward for daring to buck the establishment and practice democracy in an open forum at the college that he pays tuition to attend? He was dragged away by campus police an arrested. Meyer understandably was upset at the Stalinist response and kept shouting in disbelief. Undeterred, the SIX brave police officers proceeded to tackle him to the ground as Kerry tried to answer his question. Still not satisfied that Meyer did not simply cave into this violation of his civil liberties, the valiant officers proceeded to taser him with 50,000 volts of electricity, while they already had him successfully subdued.

Did you get that America? A student who was attending an open forum at a school that he paid to attend, was asking a legitimate question during a question and answer period and was assaulted and tasered by police. What kind of democracy do we think we are capable of spreading anywhere in the world if this is what we practice at home??? As I write this Chris Matthews is reporting that the rationale from the police is that Meyer was using obscenities toward them. Are you kidding me??? Here is the video clip of the incident:


http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6bVa6jn4rpE


I think I hear one obscenity at best and that was in Meyer’s incredulity towards what was happening to him. Either way, is that what is acceptable in society today? If you say a curse word you can expect to be tasered? That is morally reprehensible and completely unacceptable in a free and open society. The talking heads are framing the debate already incorrectly. This is not merely an incident threatening free speech. There are only two sides, what is right and what is wrong. There is no defense for the actions taken by the police. NONE. I do not want to hear about the kid’s website. I do not want to hear that he was annoying. I do not want to hear that he cursed. The discussion needs to start with why he had to be removed in the first place!

[snip]

Just like other nations need to be nice to America for fear of us bringing democracy to their countries; we all need to be nice to those who steal our civil liberties for fear of 50,000 volts to silence the formerly proud dissent to which Edward R. Murrow once concerned himself with. As Murrow pointed out, it is the soul of America that is at risk.

I couldn't agree more; there is only one side that is right and one that is wrong in this event. All of these keystone cops are the bottom feeders who once were relegated to parking ticket duty by their commanders for fear of what else the might do. They should be severely punished. Meyer should go free and clean of records.

Now, to turn to a more long run issue, just who in this university are the responsible parties for oversight of this "police" "force" and its policies?

 

[NormaRegula]

UF Student Tasered at John Kerry Speech

Uhm, you realize that Drudge is a right wing disinformation source, right?

Most definitely. About ten years ago, I (and millions of others on the planet) logged onto the Drudge site to read about Monica Lewinsky. I became suspicious of Drudge and figured he was a right-winger...although he claimed to be just a guy with a modem who doesn't trust either political party, but just happened to have an interest in entertainment and politics. His cover story and contacts were too convenient, IMO.

Originally, Drudge was hailed as a hero by conservative Republicans (still is, to some extent) even after he had a falling out with some right-wing groups (Free Republic comes to mind) over gay bashing. The reason I have a look every now and then at his site, is to gage what the pro-Zionists/PTB wants the public to know.

Of course, chances are this whole thing was a set up as kenlee points out - all theatre - just like everything else.

Yes, this whole story might have been a set-up. It's hard for me to tell whether or not the questioner (or protestor, or whatever) was really in on the performance or was a dupe set up by others who were counting on a certain outcome (ie: fear of torture due to asking the wrong questions) as I, too, wondered about in previous post.

If the guy was sincerely wanting answers from Kerry, then it could be just a case of him using the wrong strategy, possible overeacting to a taser burst, (?!) and letting his emotions get the best of him. Very few college students have a handle on their emotions...same goes for older adults, especially when politics is involved. Add a taser to the mix and, well...are you thinking he might be Greenbaumed? Or just a guy who likes the attention? The latter question seems to be what the media is pushing at present.

 

[Renaissance]

UF Student Tasered at John Kerry Speech

I think that at some level the college student knew exactly how the events would unfold up to and including himself getting manhandled and tortured by security and Kerry (instinctively) knew this as well (as to how things would unfold) and even security and the audience knew, at some level, how things would unfold as well. It was like the whole event was a stage play and the script was already written beforehand and the actors were all mechanically and unconsciously playing their parts.

What's also interesting is that this guys microphone gets cut at the precise moment skull and bones is mentioned, which seems to accomplish a couple of things. It lumps all his questions into the 'secret society conspiracy' camp - a la Alex Jones, and it also gives fuel to their fire. Meyer does not appear to be at all nervous either - at one point he even swats at the police officer who tells him to get to the question (seen on the first video link in the thread). How is it that someone who is aware of the world situation and so would know how police have been responding, act in this aggressive way? So, there might be more to this. And isn't it also odd that there are two police officers right behind him who seem ready to remove him? On another video made at the event, the poster wrote:

_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqAVvlyVbag

I couldnt get to my camera in time to record his entrance, but this guy basically comes running in with 4 or 5 cops in tow and says he has been running around trying to get in to ask a question and the cops are going to arrest him for it. they almost do it then but Sen. Kerry says he will answer it. he then answers a previous question someone else asked (i cut that part out because it isnt important to this video) then the guy asks his questions and when he is done all hell breaks lose.

If the event isn't outright COINTELPRO, then his behavior could likely be a good case of the type of ponerization Alex Jones is creating. Jones has a pretty big focus on the evolving police state at his websites. He may even push the issue more than anything else. When we consider that he's probably trying to incite a bloody revolution, we can see why. He's painting a picture that shows police as a major enemy. I'm sure there are plenty of psychological deviants in police enforcement, and when we have a heavily ponerized group, such as the Jones crew, pitted against a pathological one, well, a blood bath seems not too far away.