How much freedom of speech is too much?At the conclusion of Kerry’s speech, Andrew Meyer, a 21-year old journalism student was selected by Senator Kerry to ask a question. Meyer held up a copy of BBC investigative reporter Greg Palast’s book, Armed Madhouse, and asked if Kerry was aware that Palast’s investigations determined that Kerry had actually won the election. Why, Meyer asked, had Kerry conceded the election so quickly when there were so many obvious examples of vote fraud? Why, Meyer, went on to ask, was Kerry refusing to consider Bush’s impeachment when Bush was about to initiate another act of military aggression, this time against Iran?Too much fuckin' freedom of speech. The boy didn't know when to shut up. At least some people seem to think so. Somehow if he wanted it to happen then having that happen to him was the right thing.
At this point the public’s protectors—the police—decided that Meyer had said too much. They grabbed Meyer and began dragging him off. Meyer said repeatedly, “I have done nothing wrong,” which under our laws he had not. He threatened no one and assaulted no one.
But the police decided that Meyer, an American citizen, had no right to free speech and no constitutional protection. They threw him to the floor and tasered him right in front of Senator Kerry and the large student audience, who captured on video the unquestionable act of police brutality. Meyer was carted off and jailed on a phony charge of “disrupting a public event.”
The question we should all ask is why did a United States Senator just stand there while Gestapo goons violated the constitutional rights of a student participating in a public event, brutalized him in full view of everyone, and then took him off to jail on phony charges?
The lesson here? Don't dance around cops in an Elmo costume shouting, "Shoot me! Shoot me!" They are stupid enough to do it and most observers are passive enough to not care.
I can't wait for the next logical step, when we go from having what we say restricted to having what we hear mandated. Yippee!
Too much freedom of speech.
2 comments:
Holy crap.
I apologize for chiding you about pirate day yesterday. I only read the first bit of your post, and was all stunned it wasn't about pirates.
Just now I watched the video. I'd assumed that Kerry had to have no idea what was going on. But, unless there's some malicious audio-dubbing going on, that was freakin' horrendous. My brain just melted.
Was that serious? Did that really happen? I hope every one of those cops lose their badges. There was nothing to arrest him for, and tasering was way out of line. I'm gonna be sick.
Did a little more research. Campus police. No badges to lose. I hope they go to jail.
Post a Comment