I am in no way unique when I say I’ve watched the horrifying video from the University of Florida in which a student is "tasered" by campus police during a speech by Sen. John Kerry. Even a blind viewer can discern that this is an outrage and that the campus cops are guilty of suppressing free speech. This is an ugly demonstration of American intolerance and it is shameful.
The University of Iowa (where I now teach) recently decided to arm campus police despite opposition from student and faculty groups. One can understand the university administrators’ fear that the unspeakable violence at Virginia Tech could happen anywhere and at any time. .
But then you watch this video and see campus security dragging away a student who has in effect done nothing more than exercise his right to free speech. He doesn’t even resist arrest and they shoot him with a taser. One can be forgiven for believing that the cops at the University of Florida used the taser simply because they had it.
Others in the "blogosphere" will opine that this incident in Gainesville represents "Bush’s America" or they’ll carry on about John Kerry’s pathetic droning and inappropriate joke as an innocent man takes a technological beating right before his eyes.
The real issue is that the University of Florida gave the cops a taser. Other colleges and universities are quickly arming their security forces with real handguns.
Yes, I am in no way unique. I am chilled to the bone.
S.K.
Planet of the Blind 