The University of Florida campus police were cleared for their tasering of Andrew Meyer in the famous "Don't Tase Me, Bro" case. Of course they were. Police are always justified in using excessive force on citizens. Police can do whatever they want, whenever they want. This is the age of the Patriot Act and Alberto Gonzales. Don't forget it.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Go Ahead and Tase Me, Bro
The University of Florida campus police were cleared for their tasering of Andrew Meyer in the famous "Don't Tase Me, Bro" case. Of course they were. Police are always justified in using excessive force on citizens. Police can do whatever they want, whenever they want. This is the age of the Patriot Act and Alberto Gonzales. Don't forget it.
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I'm going to change one sentence, just a little bit, Arch. Police can do whatever they want, whenever they want - as long as they're doing it to someone else. This isn't about the police going overboard, so much as it is about our collective willingness to look the other way in exchange for promises to look after us. Which will be honored - until it's convenient not to.
Surprise, surprise!
Any bets on the pending charges(a third-degree felony for resisting arrest with violence and a second degree misdemeanor for disturbing the peace)against Meyer?
Kerry remains a douchebag.
You're right Aaron. I'm reminded of Pastor Martin Niemoller's poem:
In Germany, they came first for the Communists,
And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;
And then they came for the trade unionists,
And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;
And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;
And then . . . they came for me . . . And by that time there was no one left to speak up.
Goddess, I'm as surprised as you are.
I'd make a joke about feigning shock, but then why tempt fate.
Y'know, the cops aren't always right, but methinks it wasn't a traffic court which adjudicated Mr. Meyers' case.
I see you're still fuming about the cops tazing that kid. I followed the link you posted and read the report by the campus police. I assume they investigated it themselves, although it could have been another agency.
I agree that the police response was over the top. I agree (with some reservations) that the power given to law enforcement is corrupting and must be held in check by civilian oversight.
However, to suggest that "they" can do anything they want at anytime, is in itself, over the top. We are not in a police state. We're nowhere near a police state. To suggest otherwise is disingenuous.
Lets keep this incident what it was. That is, in my opinion, an overreaction by officers not properly trained and supervised. That's all it was. Yes, that is a problem. But not systematic police brutality.
Let's not let ourselves get caught in the same overreaction that they did. If we do, then our voice diminishes.
"Birdy", you seem too intelligent and wise for that kind of reactionary rhetoric.
Oh by the way, for the first time in over 30 years backpacking the G.C., I got in a scary situation.
Snake strike down on the South Bass Trail.
At just about noon, 3 days out and no one around (I always solo). It was one of those unique rose colored G.C. rattlers. Too young for the rattles, sunning itself on a ledge that I was hand over knee going down. I was on a talus slope about 3500 feet below the rim. Fortunately, I was going down, not up. He got me on the leather upper of the boot and missed my leg. Whew!!, I am now going the invest the $600 in the new P-ELT (Personal Emergency Locator Transmitter) with GPS. The thing has been out about a year now. They automatically send a Sat transmission on 122.5mhz with your Lat/Lon to the SAR monitor in Washington D.C. It's nifty but it costs to maintain your subscription to the Search and Rescue people. Oh well, no Christmas presents the the grandkids this year.
SRN
Hi, VI. I'm afraid that we are living in a police state, or at least heading that direction faster than a squad car headed for a donut shop. I have friends that are cops, and I hear the stories of what they get away with. Every once in a while, one gets caught on camera, and the powers that be have to act all shocked and angry, but by and large, they act any way they want. I know this is a sweeping generalization, and I know there are some mighty good cops out there. But still...
I envy you your trip to the Canyon (although not the brush with infamy). I knew a guy who did his master's thesis on the GC rattlers--he lived below the rim for weeks at a time, alone, trying to catch those snakes. Talk about lucky to be alive.
I guess you saw this?
Update
Great. So God's in his heaven, and all's right with the world. Awesome.
Thanks for the update, Goddess.
Speaking of gods...
Enjoy!
I think Meyers should sue their asses. Those cops committed battery. That's a criminal offense.
If Meyers can't get the FBI to arrest those pigs, maybe he can at least cause them some embarrassment.
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