John Kerry...What in the Holy Fuck?

[Squatch]

What part of "...and to petition the government for a redress of grievances" do you not understand?

Jesus Christ on a pogo stick...what threat to you did one person's QUESTIONS pose?

------------

[madinmaryland]

1. What is this all about?

[Squatch]

5. Link

Link

[madinmaryland]

28. From the artical..

"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."

As two officers take Meyer by the arms, Kerry is heard to say, "That's alright, let me answer his question." Audience members applaud, and Meyer struggles to escape for several seconds as up to four officers try to remove him from the room.

Meyer screams for help and asks "What did I do?" as he tries to break away from officers. He is forced to the ground and officers order him to stop resisting. Meyer says he will walk out if the officers let him go.

As Kerry tells the audience he will answer the student's "very important question," Meyer struggles on the ground and yells at the officers to release him, crying out, "Don't Tase me, bro," just before he is Tasered. He is then led from the room, screaming, "What did I do?"

..snip

Not sure I see it as Kerry's fault, though he probably could have interceded and tried to get the cops to cool it.

[Bitwit1234]

45. Kerry had absolutely nothing what so ever to do with the taser and arrest.

He was taking limited questions and answers session. Each person asking a question was given a limited time so as to accommodate all the people there. This student over stepped his limit. He was asked to wind it down he didn't. The cut off the speaker but the students requested to let him talk he was given another session. He was belligerent and asinine and wouldn't get off the mike...Senator Kerry did not ask, did not participate or have anything to do with the tasering and arrest. The police are the ones involved in that. They were out of control. He should have just been removed.

[superkia]

77. Kerry was there and it sounds like he disagrees with you?

ABC News' Rick Klein Reports: Sen. John Kerry on Tuesday condemned 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."

[Orrex]

2. Are you talking about McCain on Meet the Press?

:evilgrin:

[TwilightGardener]

3. Oh stop. Aren't there enough threads on this already?

[Squatch]

6. Obviously NOT, since I started another one.

[pampango]

39. None have "Holy Fuck" in the OP, however. n/t

[TwilightGardener]

44. That does give it a little extra panache.

[Fierce]

4. I know! I couldn't believe Kerry tasered the kid either!

nt

[Squatch]

7. A US Senator, not interceding

and having the cops show some, or ANY restraint is just as bad.

[Pawel K]

79. Yes, because as a senator he has power over what some idiot cops do

get the fuck outta here. We live in america, as a senator you don't have the right to stop cops from arresting someone wether it be some loud kid or a senator looking for gay sex in an airport bathroom stall.

You would do much better if you channeled your anger at people that stand against us, such as maybe the republicans?

[hughee99]

9. I hear Kerry followed the kid outside and kicked his puppy as well. n/t

[ChairmanAgnostic]

10. wasn't that Edwards charging up the taser,

and Al Gore fixing the solar arrays for more energy?
And I swear I saw Obama egging the cops on.

[cosmik debris]

15. He had to, the Illuminati required it.

It was part of the skull and bones oath. :rofl:

[jpgray]

8. "Scary question! Officers, taser that man immediately!"

And the the Kerry brownshirts descended, repeatedly tasering the man as all others looked on in bloodthirsty excitement. "I'm just fighting for your rights! For our Constitution! For America!" But the ionized air and the provocative buz buz of the taser blotted out his righteous pleas.

:eyes:

Guy shouldn't have been tasered, but the idea that his questions were just too dangerous and he must be silenced is probably less accurate than the concept that the guy was disruptive, wasn't interested in any answers and the police completely overreacted in removing him. That Kerry somehow ordered this or wanted it to happen to avoid answering the question, in my view, is ludicrous.

[Squatch]

11. Asking questions of our elected representatives should always be met with violence

[jpgray]

14. Yes. That's exactly what I said, isn't it?

[Squatch]

17. Yep...just showing my complete agreement.

[jpgray]

19. Can the balloon juice and think for a minute

Your theory is that the -question- caused the police reaction. So your working assumption is that the police were cued to respond to any questions involving Skull and Bones, election theft, etc., yeah? Why react to those questions in a way that lends them publicity if the idea is to drown them out? Is it even remotely likely Kerry gave security people a list of "forbidden questions" to which they must react with inappropriate force? Isn't the continued disruptive behavior the more likely cause, as Kerry seemed to be ready to answer the questions until the ranting set in? And how is Kerry responsible for police completely overreacting in subduing this guy?

[Squatch]

23. A tenured US Senator who damn near became our POTUS

has absolutely no power over the actions of the police at his own event. Yeah...ok.

[jpgray]

25. Your argument was that the question posed a threat to him, and that resulted in the tasering

What are you basing that on again?

[Squatch]

27. If there was no perceived threat

then why was his mic turned off, which led to his restrain and tasering by the police?

[jpgray]

29. Might the mic have been turned off because of the disruption rather than the questions?

What evidence is there that the questions themselves caused the incident, and not the disruptive behavior of the individual? I'm not here to defend cops tasering a guy for being disruptive, but why do you think the -questions- caused the incident?

[Squatch]

30. Perceived disruption = perceived threat = permission to beat the hell out of the kid?

[jpgray]

34. Again, how do you find these secret coded messages behind my words' actual English meaning?

Kerry agreed to answer the question after the guy's time expired. Guy talked over his time, so the mic was cut off, and proceeded to make a scene, all while Kerry said "That's alright, let me answer the question." Meanwhile the guy is taking away time from other questioners and the cops overreact to try and remove him. How is any of this Kerry's fault, and where do you find any evidence that the "dangerous" nature of the questions themselves are the reason the incident occurred?

[Richardo]

21. He wants a shoehorn - the kind with teeth.

People should get beat up
For statin' their beliefs

He wants a shoehorn - the kind with teeth
'Cause he knows there's no such thing.

[JVS]

74. C'mon Kerry should have been able to intevene better. I'm sure back in Nam when he was killing...

VC, he wouldn't have stood back and just let things happen. Kerry gets a "No Hustle" prize

[Gman]

12. Before your outrage gets out of control

please 'splain just what Kerry had to do with this incident? and to save some TCP/IP packets, before you hem and haw and talk about woulda's, coulda's and shoulda's.. the answer is nothing.

[Labors of Hercules]

22. I would have yelled "hey, let the kid go".

If I'd had his microphone.... but that's just me. :shrug:

[onehandle]

13. Kerry had nothing to do with this. He's not the police. nt

[Squatch]

16. Yeah, a US Senator is completely powerless

to instruct the police to show restraint.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

41. Under Our Constitution He Is

Separation of powers and all...

[DancingBear]

26. No, he should just stand there and watch

Funny, I remember him actually doing something after coming home from Vietnam, but I guess that was before he got, um, gravitas?

Un-fucking-believeabe that some folks here want to give Kerry a pass.

Unless, of course, one should just stand by and watch others get attacked, since they "had nothing to do with it".

Sickening "logic."

[Tesha]

59. Can it be cured?

> but I guess that was before he got, um, gravitas?

Can it be cured? Maybe there'd be hope for him then.

Tesha

[DancingBear]

73. Of course it can be cured

But it would take an infusion of the following:

The belief that ORDINARY citizens can and should intervene when authority oversteps its bounds

The belief that ordinary citizens have the right to free speech, and said right should be defended

The belief that the re-introduction of democracy is a GOOD thing

Instead, the peanut gallery amuses us with its interesting defenses of Mr. Kerry's behavior.

My personal favorite is the "not interfering with police business" defense, followed closely by the "no legal authority" laughter, although I am sure you have your favorites.

Is that tea I see in the harbor?

[H2O Man]

18. silly

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Gold Metal Flake]

24. Silly.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

31. I Have A Serious Question

Where does the statutory authority arise from that would give Senator Kerry or any other citizen including the president to interfere with police procedure?

[H2O Man]

33. In the uninformed

imaginations of the few.

[in_cog_ni_to]

35. Oh, come on. JK could have just said..."Please stop, that isn't necessary." It was HIS speech they

were interrupting. GEEZUSKRIST! That behavior should NEVER be defended in this country! The man was only asking some questions that he desereved to have answered and JK could have stopped the tasering and chose not to. He could have stopped the entire thing if he wanted to. Damn. What have we become?:cry: The repuke party? Now do Democratic members of our government also need and demand FREE SPEECH ZONES??? WTF?:cry:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

38. And The Police Would Have Ignored Senator Kerry If That Was Their Want

The Gainesville police or the University Of Florida police are not at the direction of a United States senator or any citzen.

What part of that don't you understand?

[Tesha]

61. Just so I'm clear on this, what crime were they arresting him for?

As far as I know, "Refusual to Relinquish the Mike" isn't
an arrestable crime yet.

Tesha

[DemocratSinceBirth]

65. I Suspect Disorderly Conduct

My point is that John Kerry lacks the power to direct the police...

Separation of powers and all...

Now if the arrest is unlawful the young man can file a civil suit for false arrest, false imprisonment, and malicious prosecutuon...

[Tesha]

66. Ah yes, the catch-all that we can all be guilty of any time the police want to arrest someone.

That's what I figured.

Remember: In modern American society, the cops
can arrest you for this essentially any time
they wish, even if your only crime is hogging
the mike.

Tesha

[H2O Man]

70. While we could probably all

be at risk of being arrested, we can do things to lessen the chances of being charged with more things that we will be convicted of, once the police begin to remove us from a public place. I share people's concerns with the level of police violence in this situation. However, the time to contest it is not there -- on the scene -- but rather at a later date. The young man should have gone quietly with the police, and dealt with the situation with the assistance of an attorney.

[Tesha]

60. A lot of DUers still have a lot to learn, don't they?

Do you think they'll eventually learn when they get
"personalized instruction" from the fascists?

I'm starting to doubt that even that would be sufficient.

Tesha

[sleipnir]

47. Not the authority, but a vocal responce.

Kerry had a microphone and could have done more to placate the situation.

I don't think anyone is asking Kerry to physically involve himself. Rather, he could have spoken up more when the egregious violence was being committed right in front of him and in his name.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

49. That Could Have Just As Easily Escalated The Situation

eom

[in_cog_ni_to]

32. DID YOU SEE THAT VIDEO????!!!!! OUTRAGEOUS behavior by the cops and JK should have put a

FUCKING STOP TO IT!!! The man did NOTHING WRONG. He was asking questions that he DESERVES an answer to! He probably worked his ass off for JK, donated his time, money and efforts to get the man elected and has every freakin' RIGHT to ask the man some simple questions and EXPECT to get answers! I couldn't believe what I saw. I hope he sues the pants off the police department and JK owes the man an HUGE, HEARTFELT apology!

I EXPECT THIS KIND OF SHIT FROM THE REPUKE FASCISTS, BUT JOHN KERRY?????? Come on!

ARE WE A POLICE STATE YET?!!!!:grr:

[Name removed]

62. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[proud2BlibKansan]

36. I don't think it was him who silenced this guy

I watched the video several times and I don't see what Kerry did wrong here. Looks like someone else decided this kid shouldn't speak and then as he was being taken out by the cops, he resisted and was tasered.

[DancingBear]

76. What he did wrong is very simple

He did NOTHING.

He stood and watched.

Watch the video again - see if you can see or hear an inkling of compassion or concern from Kerry.

You won't.

[proud2BlibKansan]

78. Oh I agree with you on that

I just didn't see any evidence that he initiated the cops' attack on this kid. And honestly, maybe he didn't understand what had happened. Did you read his statement about this? Sounds like he didn't understand what was happening while it was happening.

[Ian David]

37. 29. Video: Kerry asks cops to calm down. Kid screams cops will try to kill him

NEW! Footage of the nutcase arrested at the Kerry event...AFTER leaving the event
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1833205

Kerry CLEARLY asked the officers to calm down while the kid was being tasered and arrested.

And the kid was CLEARLY resisting the officers BEFORE he was tasered.

John Kerry tried to HELP the kid!

Anyone who watches the video above and still blames Kerry can go fuck thenmselves.

[in_cog_ni_to]

40. I am in SHOCK reading the responses in this thread! WTF?! How can ANYONE defend JK

for NOT stopping the police? How happy will you all be when the DEMOCRATS start setting up THEIR FREE SPEECH ZONES???

John Kerry had the power to step in and he chose NOT TO...JUST BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT TO ANSWER THE UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTIONS THE MAN WAS ASKING!!!! And, IMCPO....THEY WERE DAMN GOOD QUESTIONS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANSWERED!

Would you be defending a repuke had this happened??? I think not! Damn it all to hell. I cannot believe what I'm reading on this thread.:cry: Just because JK is a Democrat DOES NOT make his actions right! He should have stopped the police. He could have if he wanted to.:cry:

[jpgray]

42. "It's alright I'll answer the question" "Calm down"

Yep, Kerry caused this incident purposefully to avoid answering the questions. There's no doubt he wanted that man tasered, feared his questioning, and the continued disruption of the event and the overreaction of the cops were each controlled by Kerry to drown out the questions by increasing their publicity 3000%.

Can you fucking hear yourself? Are you daft?

[in_cog_ni_to]

50. Stop defending him. He's a Senator. It was a speech he was giving and you know damn well he could

have stopped it if he wanted to. It was his question and answer session for crying out loud. He could have stopped the cops if he wanted to and he made the CHOICE not to, but go ahead and continue defending the indefensible...speaking of daft. Damn. This is unbelievable that anyone on this board is defending this behavior.

[onenote]

43. How exactly did Kerry have the power to stop this?

He indicated that he was going to answer. The cops overreacted, but once the cops were focused on the questioner, do you honestly think that they were going to take orders from Kerry or anyone else? If you do, you are grotesquely unfamiliar with police training. Their attention was entirely on the person they were trying to subdue and even if they had heard Kerry tell them to stop, even if they recognized the request as coming from Kerry, they wouldn't have because once the guy began resisting them, it no longer was about Kerry, it was about resisting the police.

[Romulox]

46. He had a microphone and the ability to say "Stop that!"

Another failure of leadership from that nincompoop of a man.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

53. By What Statutory Authority?

eom

[Romulox]

56. Is this a joke? Statutory authority to say "STOP THAT!"???

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

69. If The Police Are Arresting You For Whatever Reason John Kerry Has No More Power To Make Them Stop

Than You Or I...

If the arrest was unlawful Mr. Meyer can file a claim in civil court for damages...

I was falsely arrested and did just that and prevailed...

[Romulox]

71. The authority to make them stop is not the same thing is the moral imperative to speak out...

Really, you make an extremely narrow argument. John Kerry had the right (and to my mind, the obligation) to speak out; he did not have the power to compel the officers to stop. Power and leadership are most definitely not the same thing.

[madinmaryland]

48. YOU ARE WRONG!!1!!

It was Clinton's fault. The clenis strikes again!!1!!

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

51. I Don't Believe People Are Turning This Against Kerry. How Sad.

He repeatedly said he would answer the questions and that it was ok. What the police did they did on their own. I'm saddened that some in this thread are actually trying to convince others that Kerry did something wrong here, and are even doing so passionately. I find that to be unbelievably pathetic.

This had nothing to do with John and I respect the hell out of him for listening to the guy and continuing to be willing to answer his questions. That takes a lot of courage and it's nice to see someone in Congress willing to answer whatever questions are thrown at them. But to turn this around into something swiftboating John? Totally pathetic. It really is. I don't know what the fuck is wrong with some people's ability to perceive situations accurately.

Sorry you have to deal with this fallout John, you handled yourself honorably.

[Romulox]

54. Leaders aren't bystanders...

Nobody is blaming random people in the crowd. People are blaming the guy with the microphone and the public address system who claims to be a leader of men, who sat back and passively observed this travesty without any protest whatever.

If John Kerry can't "lead" 6 tubby rent-a-cops, he isn't qualified to lead this country.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

58. Ridiculous. Just Plain Ridiculous.

These accusations are beyond pathetic and misguided, and I'm saddened that some on DU are this flawed in their perceptions.

People need to leave John the fuck alone. This whole outrage towards him is uncalled for and disgraceful. I don't know what the fuck is wrong with some people.

[Bake]

52. The right to petition for redress

Does NOT equal "the right to monopolize this particular venue to the exclusion of all others and stand there acting like a dipshit."

There is a proper way to do almost everything. This is a prime example of what NOT to do. That in no way justifies the tasering, however. But I'm not laying that at Kerry's doorstep. The cops were gonna do what the cops were gonna do (and did). Yes, Kerry might have spoken a little more vociferously into the mic, but the cops probably would have disregarded that. To say that this was "his" event and therefore he controlled the cops is a non sequitur.

Bake

[Virginia Dare]

55. Thank you for that reasoned response..

if you cause a public disruption, you run the risk of being removed, forcibly if necessary.

[ecstatic]

57. And we wonder why nothing has been done about Bush?

No f*cking backbone when it comes to American citizens and Iraqi citizens being abused.

[LSK]

63. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU???

GET THE FACTS 1ST.

THIS PLACE MAKES ME WANT TO SCREAM SOMETIMES AND ITS IDIOTIC POSTS LIKE THIS THAT ARE DESTROYING THIS WEBSITE.

LOCK THIS CRAP!!!

[DancingBear]

75. Yes, stop it!!!

It's making "our side" look bad!!

Altogether now, in lockstep...

[ralbertson]

64. Kerry's statement, & more of the story -- as seen from the stage itself:

"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 answering him 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."

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/9/18/125041/427

[YvonneCa]

83. Thanks, ralbertson...

...for all you do. :)

[AtomicKitten]

67. "Jesus Christ on a pogo stick ..."

[Catchawave]

68. Why couldn't this kid pick a Republican ?

Why Kerry?

Is there a thread that discusses this?

[RangerRK]

72. Kerry is the one that conceded the election to Bush

n/t

[Marrah_G]

80. Here is the part of the video you don't see

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CheY0jYXJjY&NR=1

He is a truly obnoxious little asshat.

[KaptBunnyPants]

81. I don't recall Kerry ever asking the police to intervene.

He's a Senator. They don't have any power over the police.

[Fly by night]

82. Threads like this are getting too common on DU. Purposefully distracting.

Who let the freep-dogs out?

Maybe if we just ignore them, they will all go away again.