Thomas Jefferson Comments on Andrew Meyer’s arrest from the grave:

“When the government fears the people there is LIBERTY;
when the people fear the government there is TYRANNY.”

-Thomas Jefferson

Click here to see the Youtube video of University of Florida student Journalist, Andrew Meyer, being handcuffed and tasered for asking a question of US Senator John Kerry after a structured Q and A session in Gainesville, FL last week.

Advertisements

Journalist Andrew Meyer Tasered and Cuffed for asking a question in America?

University of Florida student, Andrew Meyer, is the latest Youtube insta-celeb.

Video of him being restrained and telling a police officer, “don’t tase me bro!” before screaming in pain after a Taser shock, has been viewed over 400,000 times already.

Mr. Meyer was handcuffed and tasered after asking Senator John Kerry some questions during a structured Q and A session following Kerry’s speech in Gainesville this week.

Wire Services report that Senator Kerry released a statement about the event on Tuesday, saying:

“In 37 years of public appearances, through wars, protests and highly emotional events, I have never had a dialogue end this way.” Kerry said. “I hope that neither the student nor any of the police were injured. I regret enormously that a good healthy discussion was interrupted.” See Video by pressing play here:

I think Mr. Kerry was understandably embarased by the police officers’ use of excessive force at his event and I would hope most Americans would agree that what happened should never happen to a journalist in the United States.

I could be wrong, but I can’t believe that there is anything really illegal about a journalist asking hard questions (Click to hear Dan Rather’s view concerning the need for “spine transplants” in American Journalism.), or being a jerk , or even swearing during an interview question. If you know of some precidents that support these officers (click here to see one!) actions please send them my way, thanks. It will be interesting to hear why these officers thought they were doing the right thing. (ever heard of “The First Amendment?”)

The officers involved have been placed on paid suspension while an investigation is carried out.