Taser @ UF

You would be amazed at the law enforcement needs of a college campus these days - it's not all directing traffic on football weekends. My campus was policed by a real police department, not rent-a-cops. Does UF have rent-a-cops or real cops?

even our suburban high schools are too.

Freedom of speech violation? Hello...he never stopped talking...even after being tasered...he said "OOOOW!"

Freedom of speech violation? Hello...he never stopped talking...even after being tasered...he said "OOOOW!"

and, "Don't taser me Bro!" :funn:

and, "Don't taser me Bro!" :funn:

:funn: ...that was classic.

and, "Don't taser me Bro!" :funn:

Hey, UF is laid back. At UF you know who the full professors are because they're the only ones not wearing flip-flops.

I think UF is a great school academically. I think I got a much better education at UF than at Tulane (which cost my parents a boatload of money). My sister got her engineering degree at UF (as did my husband) after going to Georgia Tech, and she agrees that she got a much better education at UF than at Georgia Tech.

Why didn't Beach Jacket go to UF after she left MIT? It's a little too laid back for her. She is into fashion. There's no Neiman's in Gainesville.

Anyhow, the use of the slang word "Bro" is just part of the laid-back UF. UF students have a reputation for partying hard. But they also have to study hard to stay there. This is not based on personal experience from a kajillion years ago. It's based on comments from one of my really bright former students who transferred there last fall.

I will admit that the guy who was tasered seems to be an a$$hole from what I've seen on TV. But I don't think he should be disparaged for saying "Bro" or that UF should be disparaged because one of its students appears to be a jerk

Hey, UF is laid back. At UF you know who the full professors are because they're the only ones not wearing flip-flops.

I think UF is a great school academically. I think I got a much better education at UF than at Tulane (which cost my parents a boatload of money). My sister got her engineering degree at UF (as did my husband) after going to Georgia Tech, and she agrees that she got a much better education at UF than at Georgia Tech.

Why didn't Beach Jacket go to UF after she left MIT? It's a little too laid back for her. She is into fashion. There's no Neiman's in Gainesville.

Anyhow, the use of the slang word "Bro" is just part of the laid-back UF. UF students have a reputation for partying hard. But they also have to study hard to stay there. This is not based on personal experience from a kajillion years ago. It's based on comments from one of my really bright former students who transferred there last fall.

I will admit that the guy who was tasered seems to be an a$$hole from what I've seen on TV. But I don't think he should be disparaged for saying "Bro" or that UF should be disparaged because one of its students appears to be a jerk

I just know one really smart dude who got his master's there. That's good enough for me.

Neither the student or the security guards are, to me, representative of the school's reputation. Coulda happened anywhere. (I'm surprised it wasn't UGA-har!) Even Paul Harvey was talking about what a dingleberry Andrew Meyer is, but I'm still aggravated with the rent-a-cops. They're redonkulous.

He was hogging the question time w/ questions about why Kerry conceded the 2004 election instead of contesting the results, Kerry and Bush being in a secret society together at Yale, impeaching Bush etc. He wasn't questioning current policy, Iraq, or making a political statement, just being an arse, which is why at the point at which they start showing you video footage they had already turned off his microphone.

I do appreciate hearing your POV, scooterbug. Asking for the impeachment of the president is a big political statement, isn't it? You must have not seen and heard the same video in the back of the room where like 5 or 6 officers have him down and the same officer that cuffed him is holding the taser on him he says something like let me up, don't shock me. I will walk out. She then just chose to 'teach him a lesson'. My bad. I don't really know what she was thinkin'? Did you hear anyone ask him to actually leave the building before he was arrested? He was already cuffed. Didn't they cuff him at the podium? I don't even remember to tell you the truth. Just started the thead because I don't want to become complaisant.(sp?)People should not be afraid to speak up and speak out. Right on, Sally Fields! If only this guy hadn't thrown in the profanity.

As a retired police officer I have to wade in on this. I do not believe that tasers or pepper spray should be equipment carried. We also should not hire weak out of shape people to police us. They resort to force way out of scale to soon and to often. A police officer should be able to diffuse disturbances without violence, and that ability needs to be encouraged. If violence is necessary, then the cop should be able to stand and fight...... thats the job! Can't do it? Don't take the job.

.
Thanks for wadin' in, Jack S. I feel relieved to know professionals like yourself are out there and will speak up. It seems like they should have been fit enough to carry him out, cuffed, and like 6 against 1?

A couple years back a 20 year old man/kid was killed in Nashville . It started when he was tripping on ecstasy and runnin' around nude in front of a popular all age club downtown. He ended up being tasered like over 20-30 times during his arrest and he died.

I also can not believe the number of high speed chases I hear about on the news up here for non life threatening crimes, usually several times a week. I often wonder who decides when to chase and when to just catch up and arrest the suspect later for the safety of everybody involved. Both officers and citizens are being killed in these chases, not only criminals.

Police officers should get paid more like the pro football players, so there would in turn be more competition for these jobs, instead of shortages. Pay more equal to the responsibilities and accountability for others lives that come with protecting and serivng others, like calm, correct sometimes split second decision making. Wheeeweee, JM2C! Thanks for your time and all your input peeps. ;-)

I do appreciate hearing your POV, scooterbug. Asking for the impeachment of the president is a big political statement, isn't it? You must have not seen and heard the same video in the back of the room where like 5 or 6 officers have him down and the same officer that cuffed him is holding the taser on him he says something like let me up, don't shock me. I will walk out. She then just chose to 'teach him a lesson'. My bad. I don't really know what she was thinkin'? Did you hear anyone ask him to actually leave the building before he was arrested? He was already cuffed. Didn't they cuff him at the podium? I don't even remember to tell you the truth. Just started the thead because I don't want to become complaisant.(sp?)People should not be afraid to speak up and speak out. Right on, Sally Fields! If only this guy hadn't thrown in the profanity.

My overall impression of him was that his goal was to make a scene and be disruptive - maybe even to get tasered. His impeachment question wasn't so much politically driven as inflammatory. I did see the video of him getting tasered and felt his supposed "plea" to not be tasered might have only been uttered to draw attention to the taser.

I am all for people speaking up and questioning authority (if you are apathetic the politicians win) and would certainly love to see more of it, but this guy is an obnoxious tool, not an abused activist.

Will be interesting to see if they decide the tasering was justified/in line w/ policy. I don't know why they needed to taser someone they already had on the ground, but who knows.

Anyhow, the use of the slang word "Bro" is just part of the laid-back UF.

But I don't think he should be disparaged for saying "Bro" or that UF should be disparaged because one of its students appears to be a jerk

I thought it was funny. It sort of lightened up the moment. I guess I haven't taken this too seriously.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/9/18/10649/5334

"Tue Sep 18, 2007 at 07:09:23 AM PDT

Disclaimer: I wasn't there, this account is coming from a friend of mine who was, copied and pasted verbatim from the IM conversation I had with him concerning the event

It was requested in the other thread that this be posted as a diary to counterpoint and countermand the existing diary on the topic and provide an eyewitness account to the events as shown in varying videos around the web.

* djdissent's diary :: ::
*

"I was at the Kerry speech today, sitting 2 rows away from all the action. I'll let you know how it really went down.

The forum was going to be over at 2 pm, and Kerry spoke for so long that the Q and A portion had to be shortened. He only got through about 7 of the 50 people who were waiting to ask questions. While the final question was being read, some douchebag ran down the aisle, grabbed the mic from the other side of the room, interrupted the kid who was talking, and started yelling at Kerry, demanding that his questions be heard. He started ranting about how Kerry talks in circles or something, and everyone was getting annoyed. The cops are all over him in no time and try to escort him out, but he starts yelling and resisting. Kerry insists that they let him stay and even agrees to answer his question.

After the interrupted guy's question was answered, Kerry keeps his promise and lets the angry guy talk. This is the point where people started taking their cameras and phones out. All the videos floating around youtube start around here. You can see in the videos that his questioning gets kind of inappropriate, so somebody cut his mic. Instead of shutting up, he starts yelling and making an even bigger scene. He struggled all the way up the aisle, and started violently trying to free himself. They threatened to taze him and he wouldnt stop fighting, so he got tazed. They only had to arrest him because he was causing a disruption and wouldn't leave peacefully. He wasn't being silenced for asking tough questions, trust me.

It's a shame that they had to taze the guy, but he had a chance to calm down and didn't take it. He probably didn't pose a physical threat to anybody in the room, but someone can't just hijack the floor of a forum like that and expect not to get kicked out. This wasn't some poor guy who was brutalized for trying to ask some tough questions. He's just an obnoxious guy who had a fit when there wasn't time for his questions and refused to be calm even when he was given the chance to speak. He was looking for trouble, and everyone applauded when he was forced to leave.

Nothing pisses me off more than hearing stories about power tripping cops abusing their power, unnecessarily tazing or arresting people, etc. It's a huge problem and I'm glad it's being discussed. Just don't mistake this for one of those cases""





I also read this dude Andrew Meyer (theandrewmeyer.com) had a video on his site (which conveniently seems to be removed now) that showed him standing at a corner outside of a big bookstore the day the last Harry Potter book was released. What was he doing on that corner?

Holding a large sign with a huge spoiler of what happens in the book while one of his cronies videotaped peoples reaction to his sign. Just take that, this recent UF event, the fact that he is a telecommunications major and his email address which starts famouswriterman@... into consideration.

And now you know....the r-r-rest of the story.

I the rrrrest of the story, Paul Harvey. Thanks, TnJed.
Electricity is never the answer regardless of how obnoxious an 'a$$hole' is. I just agree with Jack S, the retired officer who feels tasers are a :nono1: . This is one of those really deep subjects that folks will always disagree on. I know it's not a funn topic so thanks for puttin' up with my sheeet, ya'll.I may be considered an obnoxious ahole myself just for starting this thread. Who knows? It' s worth it to me to bring it out. I'm just proud we can talk about it all nicey nice. ;-) Thanks, and I am glad to hear the rrrrest of the story from your friend's first hand POV. I do hate when people bust the line, like they're special or sumpin'. ;-)

I the rrrrest of the story, Paul Harvey. Thanks, TnJed.

Me too!
;-)

In general, why did the police start using tasers?

I thought it was funny. It sort of lightened up the moment. I guess I haven't taken this too seriously.

Actually I'll admit that it was funny.

BTW as a tangent, you'll appreciate this. I just got a check for the gig that our string quartet did at the Cochran Collection (which had a show at the Met in NYC this spring) opening. I did it totally as a gift. My first check as a musician!

Actually I'll admit that it was funny.

BTW as a tangent, you'll appreciate this. I just got a check for the gig that our string quartet did at the Cochran Collection (which had a show at the Met in NYC this spring) opening. I did it totally as a gift. My first check as a musician!

Congrats!

I'm starting to think that my son needs to give up his gratis gigs too. Some of this might help pay for, oh I don't know, maybe the instrument, the lessons, college??!!

In general, why did the police start using tasers?

. I'll bet the sale is that it prevents escalation of violence or force, and keeps the Glock from leaving the holster. I think it causes escalation of force, and I'll bet when donuts are being consumed, tasering is the subject of many cop war stories now. Who really wants to wrestle with a foaming, HIV positive meth head anyway?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taser#Taser

Bob is partially right - it is another tool that *should* be used to take charge of a situation, instead of drawing your weapon. Drawing your gun is preparation to use deadly force; drawing your taser is not. Or, it isn't supposed to be. Overuse can kill, as can tagging someone with a heart condition.

Most officers who carry tazers are well aware to use discretion with it, as one of the things you have to do to get certified to carry one is to be shocked with it. (We have a video that Fuzzy is NOT proud of, but it's good for a laugh...now )

If the cuffs are already on, you can bet there will be an II to determine if it was appropriate. And...there are a lot of cops out there that have no business carrying the taze, until they have been in law enforcement for long enough to gain some age and experience in dealing with folks. That's just my opinion; not sure how it could be applied in a practical manner.

Just to be clear, this young man was zapped with a stun gun, not a tazer. I know tazer is one of those words that has come to be one of those catch-all terms used to describe non-lethal force, but a tazer gun is that thing which shoots the two electrodes attached to wires and can have deadly results. A stun gun is the zapper thing where the sparks fly between the two contact points and must be held in place against the body. There is a big difference between the two.

Stun Gun


Tazer

i suspect they both get your attention

i suspect they both get your attention

...even if you have ADD!!!

I have watched this video and read about this Andrew Meyer. It seems pretty obvious that he went to that event looking to make a scene just like the one he got. It was almost like he planned it out. I have no sympathy for him. TNJed's "rest of the story" is a more accurate picture of this jack a$$.

Bob is partially right - it is another tool that *should* be used to take charge of a situation, instead of drawing your weapon. Drawing your gun is preparation to use deadly force; drawing your taser is not. Or, it isn't supposed to be. Overuse can kill, as can tagging someone with a heart condition.

Most officers who carry tazers are well aware to use discretion with it, as one of the things you have to do to get certified to carry one is to be shocked with it. (We have a video that Fuzzy is NOT proud of, but it's good for a laugh...now )

If the cuffs are already on, you can bet there will be an II to determine if it was appropriate. And...there are a lot of cops out there that have no business carrying the taze, until they have been in law enforcement for long enough to gain some age and experience in dealing with folks. That's just my opinion; not sure how it could be applied in a practical manner.

Totally agree! After this nekkid kid up here died the news showed our Chief Serpass and other officers tazin' each other while getting certified. It was just . That kid may have been a smarta$$ but he sure brought some attention to the subject.

I think the issue is that they tasered someone, not that anyone's free speech right was being violated.

I disagree greatly. This event had a microphone placed in the audience for Kerry to listen to and respond to questions from the audience. Never did Kerry look threatened. The guy was squelched from asking questions. Sure, the kid was excited, but poliTRICKS do that to people, especially to people who really care about our country and our gov't. I applaud the guy. If we had more people in Congress asking questions like this kid, we might actually have a better gov't.

I did see the video of him getting tasered and felt his supposed "plea" to not be tasered might have only been uttered to draw attention to the taser.

If I had a tazer with 50,000 volts of electricity being pointed at me when I had done nothing illegal, with the person on the other end of it saying that they were going to tazer me, I would be yelling, "Don't Tazer Me," too. First, I would want to make sure the cops heard me, clearly and correctly, and second, I would want everyone in the room to witness the abuse of power and hopefully capture it on video for my legal defense of the charges of starting a riot, and I would also be using it in my lawsuit and TV interviews.

I disagree greatly. This event had a microphone placed in the audience for Kerry to listen to and respond to questions from the audience. Never did Kerry look threatened. The guy was squelched from asking questions. Sure, the kid was excited, but poliTRICKS do that to people, especially to people who really care about our country and our gov't. I applaud the guy. If we had more people in Congress asking questions like this kid, we might actually have a better gov't.

I agree that Kerry was never in any danger, but the guy was removed because he was a tool, not because he was asking the important questions no one else would. Based on various accounts of the event, the guy was frustrating the other attendees & questioners by hogging the limited question & answer time w/ his need for attention.

If it wasn't for this guy's past history of publicity stunts, I would be reacting more strongly, but more and more I feel he got exactly what he wanted - publicity, his 15 minutes, and a new video to show on his website.