Don't tase me bro

Soul · 09-22-2007, 11:16 PM

Has anyone seen the UF student who was tased by UF police? I live in Florida, and I am really concerned about the escalation of police brutality.

He may have been out of line, but I don't think the dude should have been tased. The video has been on plenty of tv shows.

What do you think?

violet · 09-23-2007, 12:10 AM

This is just one side of the story~

A student at the University of Florida was tasered during a John Kerry rally. Police are currently looking into if excessive force was used.

There are many who think that is the case. They feel that it was because Kerry and the UF police wanted to deny the student free speech.

However, if people listen to the student's rants and watches the videos closely, there's another point of view.

The first thing that happened is that the student was allowed to ask questions even though it was not his time to ask question.

The next thing is that he gets up on stage and starts ranting. Many of the questions are not currently relevant as they pertain to the 2004 election.

Then the questions go to asking about Skull and Crossbones.

Since no questions are relevant and it is apparent that the student is not going to calm down, the mike is cut.

The police simply do their jobs by being there to escort him away.

He refuses and then he argues that since Kerry has been speaking for two hours, he should at least get a few minutes to speak.

The police take him down for disrupting the peace. Rather than cooperate with the police.

While the police are holding him, he is jumping up and down and he breaks free and tries to run back towards the stage.

The police then have control of him again for a little bit. They manage to get him to the back of the room, but he is still jumping and screaming.

Once the police get him to the floor, he is still trying to crawl out from in the middle of them.

One police officer takes out his taser. The student then begins yelling, "Don't tase me, man!"

Yet, the student continues to try to escape.

Of course he is going to be tased. The taser must've been on low level because the student is able to yell "ow" through the whole ordeal.

Excessive force or keeping the peace? Clearly, keeping the peace! Who can argue against that?

Boanerges · 09-23-2007, 01:41 AM

If that was the truth then they should bhave zapped him twice.

Banarenth · 09-23-2007, 03:21 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn1to...elated&search=

This is the best I could find that shows things from beginning to end. Careful, there is some foul language in this exchange.

I'm finding a LOT of edited footage everywhere else. Violet's assessment is basically correct.

I have no respect for anyone who argues and fights with police officers doing their jobs.

Boanerges · 09-23-2007, 03:40 AM

True Ban, being a police officers is a tough and sometimes thankless job.

Humble_Servant · 09-23-2007, 06:18 AM

my personal opinion is that they had every right to tase him. He was obviously resisting, even after being warned he'd be tased.

Sometimes, people just have to know when to submit.

Soul · 09-24-2007, 09:19 PM

I think the student was out of line. I think the campus police were, too.

I don't want to be tased. I've never been arrested, not even close. I wonder, though, about my own personal safety.

We do not live in a police state. Our rights as Christians have been diminished. How will we feel when we are tased for presenting the Gospel at public places?

This guy was out of line, yes. He never slapped anyone. I am wondering where the skill of the policemen were. I also wonder why they thought this guy was inciting a riot. Where was the riot?

Banarenth · 09-24-2007, 09:42 PM

I get your concern. It's been my experience that if you respect the authority placed over you, then they will treat you with the same respect. When a person ignores instructions from police and security, usually I feel that they deserve whatever they get.

That's not to justify police violence, but man, these guys have a tough job. How many other legitimate jobs are there where there is a chance you will get shot and killed for doing your job perfectly, and even higher if you try to be "the nice guy"?

I've heard the case for preaching in public before. There are ways to do that, and ways to not do that. Jesus went were it was permitted. At no time, did he break any of the laws to do what He was sent by God to do. I doubt he expects any more from us, and that can quickly become a very slippery slope.

We are to spread the Word, but not force it down people's throats. Most cases, even if you DO disobey the law and start preaching in the streets, the police won't just arrest and tazer you. They will ask you to leave (as these guys did), then if you refuse they take the next step.

Remember, freedom of speech guarantees that you can say whatever you want, but it doesn't guarantee you and audience or a podium. If this kid would have walked out peacefully, I really doubt he would have been tazed. If that was the case, I'd totally be against the officers, and they would very likely face a very rigorous investigation to say the least.

He planned this, everything that happened was planned. He might not have expected to be tazed, but he was resisting and making a scene. He was actually screaming for help. Just because he didn't get the help, doesn't change what he was trying to do. Can you imagine the riot that would have happened if everyone got up and fought the officers to help him? THAT would have been a riot.

CSchultz · 09-24-2007, 10:04 PM

I find it interesting that many people view being "tased" as such an abominable action.

I have read many views, including comments on the collegian newspaper of that University that make the police sound like brutal torturers.

A "Taser" is a safe, and non-lethal method of restraint, that immediately reduces threat to the officers, the general public, and to the individual.

When I was a kid, the police would simply have smacked that guy across the face with a knightstick.

If that kid had been raised with any concept of respect and or authority, he would have imediately complied with the officers, and no restraint would have been necessary.

Having watched the video, my opinion is that the law enforcement was MORE than kind.

Soul · 09-26-2007, 12:35 AM

As someone who earned a degree from UF in the early 80's, I can say the campus cops were the cruelest. I remember them yellling and screaming at me from the top of their lungs because I made a wrong turn. Unlike other students, I was dressed in corporate attire. I had been working and abruptly decided to return to college. I was older than most students, but the campus police did not care that I was respectful. They yelled so loudly that people a block away were looking at me. I wonder what would have happened if I had raised my voice.

I lived in Gainesville for many years. even during the time that Danny Rolling was on a killing rampage.

It has been interesting to get the opinions of tasing here. I am a very conservative Christian, but I do not like police meting out punishment unless they are being assaulted. There were four policeman and one student.

As a Christian, an old one, I cannot support unwarranted tasing. I am no kid. I hate cursing.

What I really think is this. Teachers should be allowed to exercise discipline in their classrooms, but often they cannot. They have to allow the deans to discipline. This is the message we are sending out to students at all levels: act any way you want. We'll call in enforcement.

The problem is this: corporal punishment is left in the hands of the police.

What if they don't like our speaking out against abortion?

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