Stumbling through the internet today I found a video that I found very interesting and which some of you may already know. It's of a Florida student who was tased by the police at a forum for Senator John Kerry. The student who had waited in line to ask a question for 2 hours started yelling at Kerry to answer his question. In the video the police started escorting the student out as he protested, and then attempted to arrest the student. The student was resisiting arrest and this is when the police tasered him, while he was yelling, "Why am I being arrested?" and "I will escort myself out". After watching the video I was torn between whether the polices actions were justified or not. I think that arresting him was wrong and tasering him was also wrong, but that the student should have been made to leave the building. This is an interesting situation of whether free speech should be allowed in a forum like this when it against the interest of the forums directors. He had a right to his free speech and also to the police telling him why they were arresting him, which during the whole incident they did not once. It's a clear mistake on both parties involved in the incident, but do you the think the police had the right to taser the student? Were they restricting his right to free speech in this incident? Here is a link to the video
Although the clip is rather hilarious, I don't think that the man did anything that was outside of his rights that would have warranted the arrest, let alone being tazed.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm not mistaken, the question was about George Bush Jr and his involvement in the infamous Skull and Cross bones society. My best guess is that the reason that Kerry refused to respond was to be courteous to his former opponent. It seems like a reasonable enough reason. I don't blame Kerry (who I'm not a big fan of) or the guy. I also don't blame the police guards. Imagine being a random police officer charged with the job of protecting a former presidential candidate. They must have been frightened, which explains their overreaction. Just one of those terrible situations made funny by youtube.
I agree with Sam, the police officers were in a high risk situation and they panicked. Although I still believe it was the wrong reaction to the whole situation. I believe certain rights must be widthheld when conducting an arrest and just because a political figure is nearby should not have suppressed those rights.
ReplyDeleteI disagree that this was a high risk situation when the police decided to shock him. He was on the ground surrounded by many police officers. All the needed to do was cuff him and escort him out. There was no need to tase him when he was already pinned down. I can understand if a person runs towards a high official there is a need to apprehend him, but really, what could this guy do that would threaten John Kerry when they tased him?
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