On first hearing about the student at the University of Florida I immediately felt outrage at the suppression of Freedom of speech and the over reach of Police Authority. Then I watched the video. What I saw was the student talking without interruption not even to let the US Senator respond. I saw the student receive a warning from the Police. I saw the student continue on without pause while raising his voice. I heard the Senator trying to respond.
I have also heard outrage at the student being accused of trying to incite a riot. Ridiculous is the first response to that charge. But as the Police finally stepped in and turned off the mic and began to restrain the student what was he shouting? He was crying for help from the other students in the audience. How is that inciting a riot? Well, let's say ten people had decided to help the student by interfering with the police. So now you have a standoff in a building with hundreds of students and a US Senator. I ask you how this would have ended? Can you say SWAT teams, Lock downs and mass arrests? We would have had a media crush and parents all across the Country worried about their kids locked inside. This may or may not have ended peacefully. I admit at this point it's only hypothetical. But at the time it wasn't.
The students inside have been called cowards by some for not helping this student. I prefer to think that instead of being cowards, these students simply and wisely refused to take the bait of this obvious attention starved prankster. It's a shame really, because this prankster was asking some very good questions and we had the senator ready to respond. I doubt we would have heard much new on any of this but at least the questions would have been the most important thing and not the uproar. The questions are now lost in the video splash.
The student is now facing some charges and if tried by a dispassionate jury that sees the same videos I saw, the student will be convicted. His academic career may be compromised and who knows what other penalty he may now have to pay. The Police will be reprimanded lightly but in the end the fact is they did not use excessive force and won't be punished. Back in the sixties this student would have felt the business end of some batons. So are things really worse now? In the end I question this students sincerity.
It doesn't matter what your vision of a perfect society might be or how Egalitarian it is. No matter how loose your vision of a Social order may be, there will never be a Social order in which anyone can act and do as he pleases. So in closing I commend all involved in this incident for showing restraint and not letting things get worse as they easily could have with violence and so forth. Plus, the violence wouldn't have touched the Oligarchy anyway. They'd have sat back in their comfortable chairs up in their gated communities laughing at, while watching on their big screen TV's, the People and the Police beating on each other. I'm neutral on the Police. I know several and know them as regular people just doing a job. I know if you want the attention of the Police it's just not that hard to arrange for yourself.
And one more thing, it's not too late for John Kerry to answer why he didn't protest the Ohio election results. And give us the real reason, not that he just did it for the good of the country. Plus I'd enjoy hearing about the Skull and Bones thing. What is it, a social club or is it a secret society of insiders trained in carrying out the public function of a puppet Government under the thumb of a Banking-Corporate-Fascist-Socialist thinly veiled, but so far untouchable, Oligarchy? So how about Mr. Kerry, you did say you wanted to respond.
http://blog.myspace.com/hosshoss777
I am a simple man of eclectic interests and tastes with no particular academic credentials. I still perceive, think, read and write somewhat. Writing music is a hobby of mine
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