Comments:Student questioning Senator Kerry is tasered

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This seems like extremely excessive force for a 21 year old college student. They couldn't just carry him out of the room? I mean, what did police do to upset college students before they had tasers? --oh right, they shot them... (preceding unsigned comment made by 144.226.230.36)

Hypocracy

Wasn't it Kerry who was speaking out about that one taser incident a wile back? And someone got tasered in a meeting with him! Contralya 22:37, 18 September 2007 (UTC)

It must be a conspiracy!!!! irid:t 22:37, 18 September 2007 (UTC)

Tasering at UF

How horrifying to see students in the audience ...apathetic at best...sneering and smiling sheepishly at worst. We are losing ourselves as a nation through fear. 12.201.29.41 23:19, 18 September 2007 (UTC) Gail Gonzalez

Police enquirey

What a nice way to end an article, a police enquiry will take place to see if the taser use was warranted. Yeah, there will be an enquiry which will then be swept under the carpet and nothing will come of it.

This guy should sue the police. --Nzgabriel | Talk 04:31, 19 September 2007 (UTC)

You know, he probably knew that they were going to arrest him for endangering the political processes and wanted to make a scene. He is an active protester you know. What are people thinking, thinking that they can just bust into congress or something and protest? A government can't function if their operations are stopped by protesters, which there are always at least a couple hundred of at any point in time. Contralya 10:01, 19 September 2007 (UTC)

See: First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America: Freedom of Speech/Assembly. Citizens have a right to protest. You claim that a government can't function if people protest, but you seem to forget that it's the government that works for the people, not the other way around. The last thing we need is for citizens to sit down and shut up. We must make our voices heard and protect out liberties.

Internationally Shocking

Regarding the recent incident in which Mr. Meyer was subdued and then tazered by police; I agree, that what occurred was excessive. According to recent reports from the media, Mr. Myer is portrayed by friends and teachers as nonviolent, argumentative, and very opinionated. He was given one minute to ask Sen. John Kerry a question or two. Instead, he asked several questions for two minutes, until the police decided to execute a takedown, and remove Mr. Meyer's microphone. So far, no one can necessarily complain, because the police feared he might be a security threat. Meyer then argued with the police, claiming he was within his rights to bombard Kerry with these questions. So, rather than actually escort Mr. Meyer out of the building, the police decided it would be brilliant to pull out a tazer gun, and tazer Meyer despite his vain protests.

The big problem with this situation is the use of the tazer. Had there been only one cop present to subdue Mr. Meyer, I believe that the cop would be within his rights to tazer Meyer, because one cop cannot control a 21 year old male student easily. However, there were at least 6 cops present who could have easily taken Mr. Meyer down uneventfully. Instead, they figured it would be best to zap the mild protester in front of international TV. Brilliant move, as I've said. Not only did they do this live, but they ignored the clear protests and pleadings not only from Mr. Meyer, but also from Sen. John Kerry. The phrase "Don't taze me, bro; Don't taze me!" was clearly heard from Meyer. Immediately afterward, we heard him yelling in pain as the police tazered him anyway. Not great "bro"s, huh?

For a couple of years now, we've been hearing of police using their tazers against unruly civilians. The military and law enforcement use these guns to prevent unnecessary shooting and death. Yet, instead of using these weapons as a second-to-last resort, police seem to frequently use them for any slight disturbance. I do not know if Meyer's actions there were right or wrong, but I do know that the police made the wrong move. Zapping someone in front of not only a live audience, but the entire world is really risky. Now, hundreds of thousands of people have not only viewed the whole scene, but have voiced their opinions because of it. Whether or not Meyer did this for his fifteen minutes of fame is irrelevant; because the police should know how to deal with these kinds of people, in such a situation; and frying them with the tazer isn't an option, especially in front of CNN.

So, maybe the next time a cop tazers someone, maybe even you, in front of the cameras, try yelling "Don't taze me in front of CNN, bro! You might get fired!!" Perhaps that they won't ignore.

David Lewis FL Keys 9/19/07

Six cops?

Six cops and they still need to resort to the taser? You guys across the pond live in a police state - and these guys are only college rent-a-cops. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 15:33, 19 September 2007 (UTC)

1st amendmment is one thing

Freedom of speech, yes, but lets say protesters crowded the senate building during a session and they couldn't do anything because of people yelling and stuff. How could a government function? Arresting the activist was the right way to go, though the taser may of been a bit much. The way I see it, the police played right into his hands, as such an activist, he wanted to make a scene in front of cameras. He is a big guy compared to the police there you know. And when you have one handcuff on, you are armed with a deadly weapon. He wouldn't calm down, and was trying to escape (to were? From the police?). What was he thinking? That he could run away from the police and continue talking to Kerry? I am sure Kerry had a busy schedule anyway. Contralya 22:04, 19 September 2007 (UTC)

-At what point is it okay to protest the government in such fashion? Is it when we suspend Habeas Corpus? Or is it when we start sending in troops into a country for no justifiable reason? Is it when the government lies, cheats, and tries to manipulate the people? Perhaps when we start rounding up Arabs, Jews, and black people to put into camps? Obviously, at some point it is not only justifiable, but necessary to protest the government with any means available; and some people have think we're passed that point. Perhaps our government today functions too much...Maybe you should review the constitution and see that our forefathers intended our government to function as slow as possible.

Those are accusations and opinions, not proven facts. And such things would warrant protest, but not in such a way that would stop the government from functioning. I sometimes joke that if the presidential and congress approval ratings get much lower, it would cause a popular revolution (congress with 11% approval rating?). That is why I support Barack Obama. Contralya 01:13, 20 September 2007 (UTC)

The treatment of the student featured within the article is appalling. In the footage I've seen, he is clearly shouting for help and is unaided by those around him. He begs for them not to taser him as he is held down by 6 security officers. This is an obvious abuse of power in need of ramifications!

These incidents continue to enforce my belief of Naomi Wolf.