It is hard to believe that scenes from the University of Florida on September 17, 2007 were actually happening in this country.  Anyone who values the freedoms given to us by our Founding Fathers should be appalled.  Are we not a free country?  Is this not the United States of America, where our rights are clearly defined by our founding documents, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights?

Andrew Meyer, a 21-year-old journalism student at the University of Florida was, in my opinion, tortured at the hands of the police department in Florida.  Tasered for exercising his first amendment rights, Meyer is a shining example of what is right in this country, a young man who stands up for what he believes.  His reward, however, for practicing his freedom of speech was to be tortured by those who are sworn to protect and serve.

Meyer was accosted by the police officers while asking a question of Senator John Kerry, who, by the way, said he would answer the question.  Meyer can be heard repeatedly asking what was going on, asking for help from anyone and asking why he was being arrested.  A female police officer continually shouted, “Stop resisting.”  He told officers he would walk out the door only to find they were not going to let him up.  Instead, they chose to taser him.

Rather than focusing on what we actually witnessed in this nightmare, why don’t we call attention to what was grossly omitted from the scene, help and support for Meyer from his fellow citizens.  First and foremost, Senator Kerry had an excellent opportunity to show he understood his oath of office during that forum.  If Kerry had any notions of winning over the United States population, he should have jumped off that stage and helped Andrew Meyer.

Kerry can be heard saying that he would answer the question, but he offered no support what so ever when things started to get out of hand.  Kerry did make the off-color comment “unfortunately, he is not available to come up here and swear me in as President.”  Senator Kerry, you have no business even thinking about becoming President of the United States, as you clearly do not understand your oath of office and our country’s Constitution!

The students and faculty, for the most part, were remiss in Meyer’s time of need, as well.  Do these people not know what country they live in?  Do these college students and professors not understand Meyer’s, and their, rights under the Constitution of the United States of America?  How did they get to college?  Last time I checked, Government, or Civics as it was called when I attended high school, was a required subject for high school graduation in this country.  My teenage children know their rights, why do these college students and professors not know theirs?

Even more sadly, if they DO know, why did they just sit idly by and let these police officers torture this young man?  Some of these people were laughing and even clapping as Meyer was being thrust around, shoved to the back of the auditorium, and finally wrestled to the floor and tasered.  There were a couple of people asking why the officers were doing what they were doing, but for the most part, people can be seen moving out of the way and even smiling as Meyer is being abused.  Maybe it was out of shock.  Maybe it was out of fright.  The people in that audience should have been utterly horror-struck by what they were witnessing.

What is even more shocking is this is not the first time a student was tasered on a college campus in the United States.  In November 2006, on the UCLA campus another student, Mostafa Tabatabainejad, was tasered for not showing his student ID to Community Service Officers.  University of California police officers returned with the CSO’s to assist with Tabatabainejad’s exit from the building.  He had already begun to walk out of the building when he was accosted.  The gathering crowd, some asking officers for their names and badge numbers, were told to get back or they would be tasered, as well.

The treatment of Meyer, Tabatabainejad, and the many arrested for expressing their First Amendment Rights are just a few of the many offenses being foisted upon knowledgeable United States citizens, on US soil, at the hands of other US citizens, most of them police officers!  Do these officers not understand the constitutional rights of the people they have sworn to protect and serve? 

I cannot believe more people are not outraged!  If ever there was a time for standing up for what is right and good and true, this is it, my friends!  We cannot let these people get away with this.  This behavior must be stopped!  I implore you to take some kind of action now.  Do not sit by and let this go unnoticed!  If they will do it to one of us, they will do it to the rest of us.  What happens when it is your turn, if you do not stand up for your rights now?  Only YOU can fight for your rights.  It is clear that the police officers, and apparently Senator John Kerry, have no intentions of seeing to your rights. 

The time has come.  Make your stand now!

Endnotes:

Student Tasered at Kerry speech
Andrew Meyer Video

Senator’s Oath of Office

http://dailybruin.com/news/2006/nov/15/breaking-news-student-shot-wit/ Student shot with Taser by UCPD officers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsXpRZmbm1Y UCLA Tasering

http://www.nationalexpositor.com/News/392 American Citizens Arrested For Reading the Constitution

http://whynotnews.org/ Why Not News

http://www.namastepublishing.co.uk/ Namaste Magazine

http://www.namastepublishing.co.uk/Elizabeth.htm Lady of 83, student of the British Constitution - stands alone against our TREASONOUS GOVERNMENT

Published September 2007

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