Corporate Media Finds Student Tasing "Funny"

[shance]

September 19, 2007
Corporate Media Makes Light of Meyer Tasering


"And that's the function of media in a fascist empire--to mock and minimize all who question the empire and the brutality with which they are met."

-Carolyn Baker


In the wake of the tasering of Andrew Meyer, the University of Florida student who asked Skull and Bones Kerry the wrong question, Emil Steiner, writing for the CIA’s favorite newspaper, the Washington Post, advises that “free speech is a good thing—up to a point.”

According to Steiner, the “question seems to be where that point is, and how to balance it against maintaining order.

” As if attempting to put this into context, Steiner, in the following paragraph, mentions “the post-Virginia Tech shooting mentality” and balances Cho Seung Hui against officers with “the authority to stun and possibly kill students who are voicing dissent.”

Finally, I suppose, in order to provide a bit of levity, Steiner concludes that “a random Taser incident can spice up an otherwise bland forum. And if stun guns seem too cruel, perhaps during future town-hall meetings there could be a trap door that would swing open at the one-minute mark, dropping long-winded questioners into a padded, sound-proof facility.”

Ha ha. But I don’t find it funny.

Andrew Meyer was asking Kerry—and it does appear brusquely—about the stolen 2004 election. Predictably, when the corporate media discusses Meyer and the cops, this is usually left out or glossed over, even though it frames the student’s behavior. If you don’t get pissed off about a coterie of fascists stealing elections—and believe me, election stealers, like the Nazis, are the essence of fascism—pray tell, what the heck will you get angry about?

Steiner mentions “conspiracy theories about Skull and Bones,” but adroitly avoids the gist of the matter right in our faces, even if we choose to ignore it—we live in a country, basically no different than the former Soviet Union or “communist” China, where elections are rigged. Mr. Meyer apparently understands this and it dictated his behavior, and rightfully so. For some reason, many of his fellow students were unable or unwilling to understand, choosing instead to sit idly by—even applaud—as Meyer was tackled and tasered. It speaks legions about what we are up against in this country—millions of mindless consumers, more interested in the last text message on their iPhone than the future of America, that is to say their future, now seriously in question.

Thankfully, as the above photograph reveals, there are at least a few young people who find the entire incident disgusting and are willing to demonstrate their displeasure. However, leave it up to the corporate media to find a placard with the word “pigs” on it to cast a pall over their righteous indignation.

On the other hand, considering the behavior of the campus police, the noun in question may be appropriate, although I have yet to see a pig wield a taser gun, never mind the cloven hooves metaphor may be apropos.

[damntexdem]

1. Actually, what was amazing was how much of the conservative media ...

said that the tasing was an overreaction, rather than defending it.

[shance]

2. I didn't see that. What is unconscionable is these cattle prods are legal.

They instigate heart attacks and murder people days after they have been electrocuted.

Actually they are much worse than cattle prods.

Cattle prods for that matter aren't necessary.

And that police, who are prone to abusive behavior and abuse of power are given these killing toys. As we have seen with the elderly wheel chair woman whom they intentionally murdered, this is becoming a real problem for innocent citizens who are being victimized by police.