don't taser me, don't taser me, please... (Page 3)

When someone violates the rules of this forum for their own amusement/agenda do you feel they should be given similar "leeway"?  Or do you think if they can't accomplish what they want to within the rules established here then they can go find somewhere else to voice their opinions?  That's how I think of it. 

BTW, what WERE the answers to the questions?  Anyone know?  Anyone?   Bueller?  Bueller?

"One more point: I don't blame cops for being a bit over cautious; this guy could easily have pulled a knife, then who here would be saying the taser was overkill?"

You're kidding, right? Oh, yeah, he could have easily pulled a gun instead, so they'd be justified to use deadly force, too, by that definition.

First, I agree that the background setups by the WH PC are long and necessary.  But normally have a point.

As to the video clip, the only one I've seen shows it going from about 5-10 seconds of talking straight to the restraint.  Many of the news outlets (yes, they are to be suspect) indicate he was going on for much longer than 30 seconds. 

Long story short.  He stepped over the line, and it is possible so did the security.

BTW, I'm not a fan of what happened.  I think it could have been handled differently.  However, I also think he went way over the line and was doing so with a purpose of getting the reaction he got.

What were the rules for that forum? Did the moderators publish them? Did they tell questioners they only had, say, 10 seconds to ask questions? I don't know. If they did, and he went long, then fair enough. But I haven't seen where there were specific rules.

I don't know what the questions were--he got cut off. We'll never know.

What was the line? Does anyone know?

I know that there has been alot of chit chat as to whether or not the taser was excessive force. I can tell you from my experience in my police department that we have no use of force continuum. The use of the taser in that situation is not excessive force at the police department I work at.

Basically if somebody makes a fist at me I can either use my hands to arrest him, pepper spray, a steel baton or taser. The only line drawn is when to use deadly force. It has been recommended that we don't use the taser on a passive aggressive person.

 I don't know that the University of Florida Police Dept. has a use of force continuum. So before people pass judgement on them for excessive force one needs to find out how they are trained in use of force.

Per most of the write-ups (yes I know, media, can it be trusted) claims he was given lee-way then continued.  They cut off the mike, so obviously he stepped over a line.  I agree with your earlier post though, it would be nice to know what the "rules of engagement" were.  If they were posted.  Explained up front, etc.

Oh, and just as an aside, on one of the write ups, he claimed he should have been able to ask a question because he had been waiting 2 hours.  So they made an exception for him.  What if someone else had been waiting 3 hours?  Would they make an exception for them?  What about if someone thought of a great question based on some of Kerry's answers?  A question no one had ever thought to ask, or was too nervous/scared to ask. Should they then get an exception?  Just a thought.  When is enough, enough? And I realize this entire paragraph is a tangent to the questions at hand.

Read the stories posted.  You might change your mind.  Leeway was given.  Time was given.  The questions from the video were random.  What was Keery going to answer?  Why he conceded the election so early.  Was he part of skull and bones.  Shouldn't Bush be impeached.  He was all over the place.

I think that the incident was unfortunate....but...I do not beleive I am going to change your opinion about it. 

I think the joke was on all of us.

What was that book that was published years ago; everything I know I learned in kindergarten? Something like that?  If I remember, one lesson from it was to be respectful.

John Kerry is a US Senator.  Agree with his politics, disagree with his politics, it doesn't matter.  The office he holds deserves respect.

This kid was grandstanding, and having a friend video tape him while he was doing it.  He was using the office of a Senator to further his own selfish agenda.

Apparently this kid wrote criticism about how the media raises up celebrities rather than focusing on important issues.  Yet, he himself seems most interested in being a celebrity.

And sadly, it worked. 

If you haven't seen them they must not exist, right?  Don't you think it likely that there were rules?  Seems hard to believe that the various media reporting on this would fail to have picked up on this if it were an all out free for all for whoever could shout the loudest and run around the room the fastest.  It's been reported that he went over his alloted time and, apparently from the video, had no intention of coming to an end to actually allow Kerry to answer any questions any time soon.  That seems pretty easy to believe.  (unless all of that is a conspiracy/PR spin by the gestapo police force known as the UF Campus Police-they must be the best organized police force in the country!) 

When that happens here Mike tasers the poster and he doesn't even get to whine or scream as he's booted out the door.  And not all of Mike's rules are posted or known by everyone in attendance.  

edited to add:  if you just came to page 3 and missed dontracy's post near the bottom of page 2 go back and read it.  He says what I'm feeling much better than I've been able to say it.

The guy made a point of keeping his hands up in the air. He knew exactly what he was doing and he knew exactly where the line was and did not cross it. I'm talking about the line that will get you hurt with the cops, not the one between civility and being vulgar. He set this whole deal up and they took the bait. I wonder what the general consensus would be if this had happened to a young minority student at Republican function on campus. 

I would think the guy shouldn't have been tased.

Shut it, Commie! I've got a taser with yer name on it!

That's a relief, 'cause I thought you really believed that there were no young republicans.  

He said there are no young minority republicans. There are plenty of little Alex P. Keatons running around college campuses.

You might be surprised at how many minority ones there are too.    They are just to scared to come out of THAT closet. 

Exactly...

What I want to know is, why aren't there more Canadian Republicans? Why does the party seem closed to our northern friends.