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[Stripey]

Originally Posted by Dave

Actually, after reading up on Meyer's background and similar stunts he's pulled in the past, I've completely lost any sympathy I had for him. That's not to say I agree with what the police did. Their first action should have been to grab the camera that was filming proceedings (property; A. Meyer) and he would have been meek as a lamb from then on.

A publicity seeking show off with lunatic political views and a penchant for spectacle over substance. And so is Andrew Meyer.

Where have you read up on his background, have you got any links?
There are several videos of the incident from different angles, there was more than one camera in the room so I'm not really sure why you think that is important.
What makes you say he has "lunatic political views"?

I think he was doing the right thing asking difficult questions, more people ought to be in this day and age when there is minimal dialogue between politicians and citizens.

Ultimately though, the main point here, one of human rights, is that he was held down and electrocuted even though he was immobile at the time. Look at the CNN video I linked to, you can see one of the cops grinning while he's screaming.

[Teabags]

Details emerged of Mr Meyer's online writings and videos, raising the question of whether his harangue was genuine or a stunt. His web videos include one of him standing in a street with a sign that says "Harry Dies" after the latest Harry Potter book was released. In another, he acts like a drunk in a bar while trying to pick up a man dressed in drag.

The site also has what is called a "disorganised diatribe" attributed to Mr Meyer that criticises the Iraq war, the news media for not covering the conflict enough, and the American public for paying too much attention to celebrity news. The site lists his activities as "getting wasted" and "being ridiculous".

Where was all this? On Myspace by any chance?

Basically, cos he's another student, like most that attend Exodus over here, he should have been tasered, cos he was questioning a Senator on valid points.

I completely agree. Yes. This man is a menace, cos he gets wasted. God knows what sort of destructive uprising he might have caused were he not pinned down and shocked by police officers. Fuck, someone might have cried. Or maybe even gotten pushed out of their chair.

[scottyboy]

ah its fine then, if you don't like his political beliefs, it's ok for him to be tasered...

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Stripey

Where have you read up on his background, have you got any links?

A simple Google search would find you anything you want to know. This is as good as any to be getting on with.

Originally Posted by Stripey

There are several videos of the incident from different angles, there was more than one camera in the room so I'm not really sure why you think that is important.

Because he wanted to cause a scene, and he wanted the event to be captured on film. Anyone who had an ounce of common sense and wasn't doing it to make a name for himself would have shut up as soon as the police hoved into view.

Originally Posted by Stripey

What makes you say he has "lunatic political views"?

His belief that Kerry won the election suggests to me he's not dealing with a full deck.

Note the response from the crowd when he said "you won!". He was expecting cheers and applause. Everyone just looked at him like he was something they'd stepped in.

Originally Posted by Stripey

I think he was doing the right thing asking difficult questions, more people ought to be in this day and age when there is minimal dialogue between politicians and citizens.

He wasn't just asking questions though, he was lecturing. He was more interested in putting his views across than getting answers from the speaker, which is why his mic was turned off.

Originally Posted by Stripey

Ultimately though, the main point here, one of human rights, is that he was held down and electrocuted even though he was immobile at the time. Look at the CNN video I linked to, you can see one of the cops grinning while he's screaming.

Is it a grin, or is the cop straining to restrain him? Who knows?

Originally Posted by Teabags

Basically, cos he's another student, like most that attend Exodus over here, he should have been tasered, cos he was questioning a Senator on valid points.

I completely agree. Yes. This man is a menace, cos he gets wasted. God knows what sort of destructive uprising he might have caused were he not pinned down and shocked by police officers. Fuck, someone might have cried. Or maybe even gotten pushed out of their chair.

I know this is sarcasm, but I'm not saying he should have been tasered/tased/whatever. I think the police did the wrong thing, and should have escorted him out of the view of the cameras and the audience, where he would have calmed down. Mind you, Meyer himself is on record as saying the police did the right thing...

[Lucky Rathen]

The guys obviously a cock, I have no sympathy for him.

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Dave

Mind you, Meyer himself is on record as saying the police did the right thing...

No, the police say he said that. It's a very different thing, especially considering they've lied about why the mic was cut already (supposedly for a sexually explicit comment, which there is no evidence of on any of the videos).

I wouldn't call his political views "lunatic" either, maybe to a right wing nutjobs they are, but to most normal people they probably aren't. Slightly paranoid perhaps but no worse than many students into politics.

I read his background and he seems like a typical student interested in politics. His friends say he was excited about going to the forum and getting to ask questions. Whether he went over time or acted inappropriately the police should never have got involved, it was a matter for the organisers to deal with.

I don't know if there was a moderator for the forum (there usually is) but whoever was performing that duty should have simply admonished him for not obeying the rules of the event and then let Kerry answer the question if he wanted. That would have hopefully been the end of it.

[Frosty Jack]

Originally Posted by Teabags

I'm so glad you're a moderator. In fact, I wish you were Prime Minister.

Can I just point out that the views of one moderator are not necessarily those of any of the other moderators...

[Frosty Jack]

Were they even real cops? Looked more like amateur security guards to me. For one thing there was no need for them to intervene like that. The guy was being an arse obviously, but since when is piss-poor debating ability or attention-seeking a criminal offence? And even then, one decent cop, at a push two, should be able to restrain anyone like that with little difficulty, handcuff him and lead him out of the area - problem solved. But he was just lifting his arms and walking away. Even when there were 8 or so of them they were struggling. The tasing was either needless panic due to crass ineptitude, or sheer vindictiveness. I'm not sure which is worse.

[Chris]

America has something called campus police. That's what they'll have been. Seperate from municipal police and sheriff departments but still real police.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Frosty Jack

Can I just point out that the views of one moderator are not necessarily those of any of the other moderators...

Amen to that.