don't tase me, bro.

[post_ironic]

all right, by now most of you with access to some sort of media outlet have seen  this. i'd be interested to know everyone's reaction, since there seems to be a dearth of discussion of the matter on my friends page.

i, for one, am utterly apalled. the UPD's conduct was beyond reprehensible. the public response from the administration has been

Comments

[the_mad_laugher]

I actually did post a response on another friend's LJ, but I'm almost thinking I should write my own post.

Though it's pretty appaling, I don't know if you've been following all the new facts that have come to light about this guy. There have now been reports from people who actually attended that seem to provide much-needed context to what happened--particularly what happened immediately BEFORE the cameras started filming. Word has come out that he actually interrupted someone else that was in the middle of a question because he had been waiting so long; he handed a camera over to someone he didn't know and asked them to film him; he apparently acted completely differently to the cops once the cameras were off him, saying that he understood why they did it and there were no hard feelings. There are more details in several news outlets (I'd give you the link to the salon.com article I read about this, but you'd probably need a subscription to see it).

As a side story--this is also the SOB who was previously best remembered for the "Harry Dies" poster on the corner of University and 13th. I think he'll lose a bit of his luster once that starts to circulate a bit more.

One more thing--I'm disgusted with the students on this campus, but only because they've picked this guy as a rallying point. There's a war going on, for chrissakes, and yet hundreds of people can only find the will to march to protest one stupid idiot's tasing (which I'm starting to believe he brought on himself).

[post_ironic]

i had heard some vague remarks about Andrew Meyer's previous exploits, and read the alligator article about his past activities. it seems that the consensus is that he is, indeed, an obnoxious bastard. i am also glad that people are seeking a more thoroughly complete context for the situation. still, to my mind, this does not condone the excessive response from the University Police Department. the kid was not a legitimate threat to anyone's safety, least of all Mr. Kerry's. further, he was handcuffed and pinned down by no fewer than half a dozen police before being Tased.

as for your point about this being a sad thing for student activism to rally around, it is well taken.

please, kids, keep the responses coming in.

[post_ironic]

is this the article to which you were referring?

http://machinist.salon.com/

[the_mad_laugher]

Yeah... actually, look at the letters. Some of them are short and stupid, but there are other people that wrote pretty nuanced cases for and against the tasering. There's one from someone who has been trained in peaceful protest that is especially interesting (I don't have time to search through the letters right now).