Greg Palast Offers Job to Tasered Journalism Student

[BradBlog]

Source: BRAD BLOG




Greg Palast Offers Job to Tasered Journalism Student
Andrew Meyer Currently 'On Ice', According to Investigate Journalist/NYTimes Best Selling Author of 'Mysterious Yellow Book'...

We just spoke with Greg Palast, whose Armed Madhouse paperback (or "mysterious 'yellow book'", as lazy Washington Post blogger, Emil Steiner "reported" it) was being waved and alluded to by University of Florida student Andrew Meyer just prior to his being Tasered by UF cops earlier this week.

Palast says he is offering the journalism student a job as a paid intern...

FULL REPORT: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5090

Read more: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5090

[TwilightGardener]

1. Sure, why not? Give the little fuckwad the attention he wants. Encourage more

of this camera-whore behavior.

[Middle finga]

3. Why so many of you are pissed at this guy?

Let me guess you probably dislike Cindy Sheehan, Code Pink,ANSWER,Moveon,Michael Moore,Mike Malloy,Rhandi Rhodes and ACLU also?

[TwilightGardener]

5. Don't elevate him to their status for acting like an ass and getting tased.

Because, really, that's all he's done.

[saracat]

7. Weel, I am a member of MoveOn, listen regularly to Randi, Love Micheal Moore

belong to the ACLU, the others not so much.But I do not ALWAYS agree with the actions of even those I love!

[Middle finga]

17. Well my hat is off to the young fellow

While most of us sit behind our computers and blog about the problems of this nation and the world, The 21 YO Mr. Meyer confronted one of the most powerful men in this country, (and in the world)face to face. And when you consider most 21 YO today probably couldn't even tell you the name of the vice president, you should commend this young guy for paying attention and getting involved in this countries political debate. You should be encouraging more you people standup and be.

[saracat]

20. I do but not like that .This was a scandalous effort at "self promotion"

that had nothing to do with the issues and has been rewarded.Gack! :puke:

[badgervan]

51. You Got It

Attention whore, with a history of pulling this narcissistic crap. Ignore this dork, and he'll go away. The fake squealing after being shocked was rich - you would have thought he lost a leg. The guy is just an attention loving dick.

[neuvocat]

28. Just for reference:

roughly 1 out of 3 people don't know Cheney is the VP and 10-15% don't know Bush is the president. I don't have the source but I can get it.

[karynnj]

54. He confronted one of most powerful men in this country

Kerry had just given what some called an insightful speech on Iraq/ National Security/Middle East and was answering unfiltered questions from the students. He agreed to answer Meyer's question. At that point, he could have asked his question and actually gotten an answer - but he simply ranted over the Senator. He also referred to the Senator's talk as "crap".

When someone is politely answering all questions asked - why confront.

This was not an attempt to get answers, it was an attempt to get attention.

[reorg]

10. probably just one reason

(didn't read any of these discussions here, so it's just a guess...)

He was asking very pertinent questions, questions that interest many in this forum, too - questions, however, that made Kerry look not too good, unfortunately.

[Zhade]

32. Because they're afraid of questions that make them uncomfortable.

Better to pretend the country's not broke and broken, better to ignore the fact that criminals are skating.

Cowardice. The same cowardice that condemns people for speaking the truth about this unjust war.

[liberalnurse]

4. He does have to "show-up" and work.

Greg appears to be testing the critter.

This student is a "drama seeker". He gives real activist a bad name. There is a difference, he is no Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Cindy Sheehan...... He was anticipating the "scene" and staging it. He made sure he went last as well. It was a self serving display...........he is far from being a victim of surprise.

[zbdent]

9. I heard the audio on Randi ... it seems that his volume didn't go up

as he was being tased any more than he was screaming before being tased ...

putting on my flame-proof undershorts now ...

[ProudDad]

42. And you think that

Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King or Cindy Sheehan didn't "stage" their confrontations against power and the powerful???

If you do, I'd love to talk to you about a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to get rid of...

[heliarc]

56. We should all stage a scene.

As a theater professional, I very much dislike the characterization of theater and performance here. Martin Luther King, Cindy Sheehan, and Rosa Parks chose to make statements about their time and their historical contexts... choosing to make a statement is always a performative act. It is always staged. You do them a disservice to claim that they did not direct their shows for the world to see. Their acts required an audience and people watched in awe.

The key difference here is a matter of tactics. This young man has a poor sense of drama that is certain. He has absolutely no sense of narrative, or the audience. He "lost" us as many bad plays do... when he jumped to the front of the line, and treated everyone around him with disdain and condescension. And his poor narrative skills cost our movement ground. He calls attention to his worst traits and in doing so forgets what the real message was he was trying to convey. The same is true of the MoveOn protesters at the Petraeus hearings. Jon Stewart was right to make fun of that particular outburst. It was undignified and the nation looked on without the sense of reverence and understanding that we seek when we stage these things better. Even when we intend to be disobedient, we should remember to be civil.

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

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

[baby_mouse]

58. What is your problem with this guy?

If he's more likely to get media attention for the issues than other hacks, go him! The left needs publicity! It doesn't MATTER if he's a prat, if the peripheral effect is more discussion of the pressing issues at hand that he raises than having the whole dog and pony show perpetually splurged with garbage about OJ, Bratney and Paris Felchton, so much the BETTER.

[saracat]

2. If he has that poor judgment no wonder they won't give him a job in this country!

Dis he look at the kid's website? The little weasel is a "professional heckler" for god's sake! Certainly the type of person we want in journalism.He should be working for the w World Wrestling Assoc.!:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Bodhi BloodWave]

6. Hehe, i actually think he should

get the job with one requirement, he has to be part of the white house press corp (should make for fun times) :evilgrin:

[cui bono]

13. Who won't give him a job in this country? eom

[ShortnFiery]

15. Yeah, HOW DARE an activist "comfort the afflicted" and "afflict the comfortable"

Shame on him for ruining their little bland soiree. :eyes:

[saracat]

22. Pohh! He was a "self serving" agitator .He describes himself as a "professional heckler"

and eye witnesses say the story is very different.I suggest you read the "real" accounts.

[Lerkfish]

25. and even if so, the penalty for that is 20,000 volts?

I think several points are being missed here.

[ProudDad]

43. Exactly!!!

"heckling" is now an offense punishable by electrocution...

[dailykoff]

29. I wonder if they found him in the Yellow Pages?

Or maybe they just googled up "professional heckler"?

[Lerkfish]

44. I dunno, did the police get their taser training from Marquis de Sade?

I mean, honestly. He's on the ground with six cops on top of him. Is that the time you need to taser someone?

supposedly, the whole point of a taser is to subdue someone you cannot subdue otherwise. More and more, we're seeing people being tased AFTER they've been subdued and handcuffed.

I mean, wTF? just because its statistically less lethal than shooting someone, that doesn't mean its carte blanche to use on anyone in any situation, just because its on your belt.

[dailykoff]

46. Let's see, a big controversial SHOW of violence at a Kerry speech.

Operative word: show.

Get it now? :eyes:

[Lerkfish]

50. actually, no I don't. Are you saying political acts fall under tasering?

Not really sure YOU get it.

I'm not the clueless one, here.

edited to add:

ok, read your other post, NOW I get your point, but next time, I'm not psychic, please show your work when you turn in your oblique references.

:)

[Zhade]

34. How terrible - a professional agitator who asks the questions that must be asked!

How will we ever survive such reckless desire to ask the uncomfortable questions!

[provis99]

52. Uhh, so you believe Skull and Bones is taking over the world, too?

Maybe you should be posting on the John Birch Society website; they might be more along your line of thinking. Because I lost sympathy for the clown kid when he started ranting about Skull and Bones conspiracies.

[gort]

47. Hecklers deserve to be tasered?

Would Jesus taser a heckler?

I wonder if Michael Richards would have used a taser on his hecklers?

[lateo]

57. One person's heckler is another person's activist.

Our Congress needs to be heckled especially in light of yesterday's MoveOn vote.

[baby_mouse]

59. Good. They NEED heckled. NT

[lateo]

38. They won't hire Greg in the US because...

He doesn't spin the corporate BS.

[hurricaneric]

8. Lame

that's all I can say.

[glowing]

11. I would never expect something like this at my college... so what if

he was asking provocative questions? So what if his time was up? The whole thing was bullshit. I don't think what he did deserved a taser treatment and the goon squad. Everyone is allowed their opinions. I am not about to say leave this country if you think police state, political acountability, and few questions hurt anyone.... I'll end up leaving because this isn't the "free society" that I want to live in. I wonder if they are accepting new residence in Kid Nation (LOL)

[Pastiche423]

12. Way to go, Greg!

We need journalists that are not afraid of asking questions. Especially questions millions of American citizens want answers to.

K&R!

[Cha]

55. Really! Andrew Meyer is

young and a wild child but he seems like he has the grit for it takes!

Hope this turns out to be one of those amazing silver linings for Andrew, the UofF, and Greg Palast.

[ShortnFiery]

14. Cool! Best Regards to Andrew Meyer.

:applause: :hi: ;)

[Zhade]

35. One brave guy.

Braver than a lot of the naysayers in this thread, no doubt.

[many a good man]

16. Don't tase me, bro !

I love that quote! :rofl:

[brentspeak]

18. Think of all the actually SERIOUS journalism students Palast could hire

But he wants to give the position to Doofus Meyer.

[Robb]

19. No kidding

Hint: reporters aren't supposed to be the story. ;)

[saracat]

21. So much for Palast and his credibility! At least over this issue!

[Lerkfish]

23. the replies in this thread are disturbing.

even more so to see how low DU has fallen.

I thought this was a site to PROMOTE activism. guess I'm wrong.

regardless, even if he wasn't an activist, even if he were an insane, obnoxious annoying lout....6 cops had him subdued, on the ground, and they still felt the need to taser him.

[dailykoff]

27. And we fell for it.

Bet ya didn't hear a single word Kerry said, did ya?

[Zhade]

36. Come on, you know DU is the hangout for poorly-informed anti-b*s* / pro-status quo peeps these days.

It's been flooded with people who just don't know the things we know, and insist they know everything despite countless years of societal brainwashing.

[Lerkfish]

40. yeah, pretty amazing.

its why I booked a few weeks back.
btw: nice to have us on the same side of an issue, since I've always respected you, even when we disagreed in R/T.

[AlCzervik]

24. It doesn't phase me Bro.

[dailykoff]

26. That's it, I no longer trust this asswipe.

Either he's really, really dim or he's sold out like all the rest of MSM. Damn, I thought he was one of the good guys too.

[KittyWampus]

30. Perfect fit. Palast is an attention whore as well. Wonder if he got anymore 'secret emails'.

[maseman]

33. Did anyone read the actual account of what happened?

As he was acting like an ass Kerry kept shouting "Leave him alone I will answer his questions." We need to look at this a little deeper then what many above have posted.

Yes he had a right to speak, ask questions, etc. He did ask questions but did so as a 1:42 second rant. You give a rant and then you end the rant. He ended up firing off numerous questions and then was asked to back off that his time was up. The police have every right to contain what is going on.

At that point he was not listening to the police and began to skirt the edges of resisting arrest. The bottom line is you cannot argue wih the police over this. You will lose. When your turn is up it is up.

This is thepoint he made the mistake. Whether it is for cheap publicity or if it were genuine doesn't matter. You cannot fight the police. I think a taser is not a good choice for the police as they could have simply slapped some cuffs on him until he calmed down, but he was wrong for not listening to the police.

I don't blame Kerry. He actually said more than once that he would answer the questions.

[Lerkfish]

41. when is six cops not enough to control the situation?

that they additionally need tasers or handcuffs?

even if you ignore the free speech angle, this was a bizarre out of proportion show of excessive force.

[dailykoff]

48. Well, you're getting warmer.

A "bizarre out of proportion show of excessive force" is exactly what they wanted to achieve what they achieved: obliterating everything Kerry actually said, which you might find kind of interesting:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1856450&mesg_id=1856450

[stillcool]

31. Perhaps he can re-focus..

his passion towards a more productive end. The kid is young, and ambitious...we all have to learn.

[saracat]

39. He actually isn't a "kid" He is over 21.That is a young adult!

[stillcool]

45. I was 21 once...

I hope I am not judged on who I was then.

[provis99]

53. Being 21 doesn't make you an adult.

He's on the intellectual level of an 8 year old with his obnoxiousness.

[Vidar]

49. Good for Palast.