Florida

[DaveWadding]

kind of thing (pies in Ann Coulter's face, heckling, etc.) is out of hand and a real obstruction to the kind of discourse that universities should be able to engage in.

-Aaron

but Ann Coulter deserves pies in her face, probably more than that.

[Maerj]

I'm sorry but I don't see anything wrong with what that guy said. Why WAS he arrested for that? He asked a few questions and made a few comments, there was no obscenities except of course when he was being dragged away.

BTW, I liked this response in the talkbacks:

SUPREME COURT RULINGS-----------

"An illegal arrest is an assault and battery. The person so attempted to be restrained of his liberty has the same right to use force in defending himself as he would in
repelling any other assault and battery." State v. Robinson, 145 ME. 77, 72 ATL. 260
"Citizens may resist unlawful arrest to the point of taking an arresting officer's life if necessary." Plummer v. State, 136 Ind. 306."

[Simba3]

I actually live in Gainesville and I haven't been able to escape this story. It is kind of a touchy subject. Overall I agree that the student was acting very rowdy and resisting arrest (whether or not the the arrest was justified or not) he WAS resisting. However, I don't feel that the student needed to be tased. There were 6 police officers there, and I think they could have gotten him out of the room without the use of a taser.

[Maerj]

I found this longer version since I couldn't get into the version posted here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7Qef8oPmag

[dvdjunkie]

This guy was asking for everything he got. He wasn't asking any questions that were pertinent to the subject that Senator Kerry was speaking about. And he refused to do what the police officers asked him to do. Was the Tazer used wrongly? I don't think so. I think the college was just as guilty for not having a better security force on duty. This guy came to this speech ready to cause trouble. What was the first thing he asked police when he was taken to the police car and read his rights? "Are there going to be cameras at the jail?" This guy planned it all, and I don't have any sympathy for him. We all have a right to go to these events without having some nutcase try to get himself in the limelight and cause interruptions that are not necessary.

[Jules]

Hmmm... I don't really understand this, because I'm not sure what's going on. Yet, it sort of intrigues me.

Can someone please be a saint and explain to me what exactly is happening?

And btw, what does "tasered" mean? It's the first time I've come across the word.

Thanks!

[reyquila]

This is not an issue of free speech. The student was clearly out of line in heckling Senator Kerry and, unless this event and locale were specifically protected public forums, his attendance at the event subjected him to certain rules of conduct that I assume were in place. I don't know the specific rules but from what I've seen, he was intentionally creating a disturbance. The police might have acted too soon (especially since Kerry was willing to answer his question), but I don't think this constitutes a First Amendment violation.

It is, however, an issue of excessive use of force. While I don't have enormous sympathy for a disrespectul show-off, <i>especially</i> one who continues to make a scene when the police repeatedly ask him to cooperate, I can't see any justification for tasering this guy. He had no weapon, wasn't assaulting the police, and even "resisting arrest" is a stretch. He was clearly outnumbered and overpowered by the police, who had the means to resolve the situation without resorting to a taser.

If something good is to come of this, however, it will be that punk college kids will learn a little respect when attending a speech. This kind of thing (pies in Ann Coulter's face, heckling, etc.) is out of hand and a real obstruction to the kind of discourse that universities should be able to engage in.

-Aaron

I could not agree more!!! Well said!!!

[Maerj]

Hmmm... I don't really understand this, because I'm not sure what's going on. Yet, it sort of intrigues me.

Can someone please be a saint and explain to me what exactly is happening?

And btw, what does "tasered" mean? It's the first time I've come across the word.

Thanks!

The tazer is a device used to shock people! Oh my! It sends a bit of an electrical charge when used against someone. Its commonly used in the United States to arrest people for asking questions, apparently.

[SpringHeelJack]

I'm the biggest fan of free speech, but I think the kid was being a jerk. He had someone in the audience tape it for him, and he had a reputation for being a practical joker on campus and posting goofy youtube videos, so I sort of think he wanted to keep it going for as long as he could to make it a better video. Though I don't think he expected tasers...

[Jules]

The tazer is a device used to shock people! Oh my! It sends a bit of an electrical charge when used against someone. Its commonly used in the United States to arrest people for asking questions, apparently.

That's terrible! I didn't realize that's what they were doing in the video! No wonder he was screaming "Help! Help!". I won't go into the issue of whether he deserved it or not, as I don't know enough of the situation and am no-one to judge, but I can't help feeling shocked nonetheless to see a student being treated this way.

[2099net]

Any organisation has the right to eject anybody from their premises or gatherings. It's not a free speech issue. I can't walk into a nursery and start swearing like a sailor - I'd quite rightly be asked to go.

It's a little more complex when dealing with political issues, because claims of censorship come up. Was this person being censored? I suppose so, but technically so would I if I was swearing in a nursery.

However, the method used was deplorable. So many uniformed officers and they Taser him? Terrible. This is what people have to worry about.

Police states have never, ever been started with overtly restrictive laws and rules. They have always started by upping the concequences for disobeying the existing laws - which put people in a state of fear against speaking out when the newer restrictive laws are passed. Keep that in mind.

BTW: Taser's are far from harmless - especially if a person has an existing unknown heart condition:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrosho ... ontroversy

[Lazario]

but Ann Coulter deserves pies in her face, probably more than that.

Couldn't have put it any better myself.

But I never knew a pie actually landed on her face... GOOD SHOT.


Of course, I do agree with anyone who says college kids are punks. And expound (that works, doesn't it?) upon it by saying, people with 'college kid taste' are punks too. People who try and apply MST3K logic to everything they encounter. That's supposed to be a fun show, yet people take it so seriously... Mostly college-aged kids who are, in fact, total punks. And not the chic, fashionable kind. The pathetic, self-important kind.

[castleinthesky]

The United States has become a police state.

Are freedoms and liberties are curtailed every day.

[Siren]

So my friend texts me at work, telling me to call another friend immediatly, she has found an iguana. Her and her husband found it on the road. It was healthy looking and friendly. They picked it up, put it in the backseat of the car and planned to drive right to MY HOUSE to drop it off. EVERYONE in this town knows if you got some weird animal that needs a home, just bring it to me.

On the way here....it crawled to the front of the RENTAL car and crawled INTO the dashboard.



So after taking apart the dashboard and still not getting it out, they left fruit in the car and left it alone...Come out and find this....





They surround her and dive into the car at the same time as she dashes for the dashboard again. Teresa caught her JUST in time.



I got a bigger cage set up for her and gave her a warm water bath. She swam around and then started to fall asleep. I took her out to dry her on the floor and she took off like a shot....I had the bathroom door CLOSED...forgetting the cat door was unblocked and she went RIGHT through it. SMART lizard. Then she proceeded to run through the living room and scare the every living hell out of my cousins Good lizard!

I caught her much to her frustration. Gave her a veggie and fruit salad mix and a big bowl of water. She is ignoring both and is currently inspecting the cage for weaknesses. She'll stop trying to escape once she realizes the bars don't give way. Her color is coming back. She is a nice green with some speckled brown. She may turn totally green. Some parts of her are neon in color. She is a true monkey too.

Pictures!



Falling asleep

[Mooky]

I don't understand why big (harmless) lizards freak people out. This iguana is too cute for words!

[Siren]

Well, iguanas aren't really "harmless". They have two defense mechanisms. Both hurt and one can make you sick. They will either whip you with their tail...and believe me it HURTS or they will bite you. They may be exclusive herbivores, but they have razor sharp needle teeth and a bacteria ridden mouth. A bite from an iguana (or any reptile) breeds infection.

Also reptiles don't show expressions like mammals do. A dog you can generally tell is happy or mad. A lizard you can't. Lizards can be very quick moving out of nowhere and that makes people jump

[Mooky]

Oh, yeah, I heard it hurts when they hit you with their tails! And thanks for the clarification about their bite, I didn't know it could get that serious... But still, I wish I could go all squishy-squishy with it, wounds be damned . Are you going to keep her?

[Chernabog_Rocks]

You seem to just attract animals Siren, if they start coming to you in pairs I'm heading your way to see if you start building a big boat

Anyways, if I saw an iguana go shooting out a cat door like that after it had been sleepy I"d have probably freaked out since it wasn't expected. When it comes to animals generally I like them and don't squirm. Some bugs and spiders yes but the only animals guaranteed to freak me out are snakes. *shudders at thought of them*

[Siren]

LMAO about the Noah comment, that is hilarious! And yes, I have some sort of animal magnet. Everything from wild birds and rats to iguanas and turtles.

[PixarFan2006]

Thanks for sharing that with us, Siren. Those are some cool photos.