Gainseville Sun: "So who is Andrew Meyer?" (He could be a DUer!)

[Bluebear]

So who is Andrew Meyer? Up until Monday, he was a relative unknown, operating a Web site called theandrewmeyer.com, where he shares humorous anecdotes and hashes out criticism of the war in Iraq.

Meyer, a senior in UF's College of Journalism and Communications, has written comedy sketches for a local television station and aspires to work in the national media, according to his friends. He has also freelanced for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, where he publishes columns on college life.

Friends of Meyer say he's extremely political, noting that he has been passionate about the 2004 election, which he thought Kerry rightfully won.

"He's not crazy or anything," said Robert Campbell, a UF student and a friend of Meyer's. "The only thing he is is a little bit extreme with his views."

While some are critical of Meyer's ranting at the Kerry forum, others are embracing him as symbol of free speech. Huddled among a crowd of protesters, one wielding a sign that asked "who will guard the guards," Austin Flickstein rallied against what he described as the silencing of a young man who had a right to be heard.

"Yes, his questioning went a little bit beyond what some of the administration's ears are used to, but only because he was expressing some thoughts that haven't been heard for a very, very long time," said Flickstein, a 21-year-old UF student. "And then it was force that they used to suppress the free speech. The issue here is our suppressing of free speech. Yes, Tasering is unnecessary. But what is most creepy and scary about this is why did six cops need to tackle a man down and Taser him when he was already on the ground because he was asking questions?"

http://www.gainesvillesun.com/article/20070919/NEWS/709190330/0/sports

[groovedaddy]

1. And they were all legitimate questions

Are they using this guy as an example?

[Bluebear]

2. I dunno, I think 8 out ot 10 here were pro-taser for the guy

Which surprised me.

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

3. He may have been rude if he jumped to the front of the line,

but I think his questions were right on. And when Kerry said he would answer the questions, if the cops had just stopped and heard the answers we might be having a very different dialog here. I have tried to contact Meyers several times, but his mail bounces back "his AOL mailbox is full".

[blm]

25. People DO blame the cops for over-reacting - just as Meyers deserves blame for over-reacting.

But what is happening is a concerted effort to pin the blame on the one person who acted MOST APPROPRIATELY - John Kerry.

I also believe the students ahead of Meyers had THEIR rights violated by Meyers who believed his rights were superior to theirs.

People entered that theater by an agreement with the opportunity to be heard.

The questions Meyers asked had also been asked by others before him, but the spin has been that Meyers was taken down BECAUSE Kerry directed he be taken down because of the questions. Something that Kerry has NEVER done in his entire 35 career in public life.

[groovedaddy]

31. I just meant his questions, not his behavior

8 out of 10 - really?

[trumad]

4. Americas biggest wimp.

[Bluebear]

5. Not even close.

[Hissyspit]

6. Are you quoting Bill O'Reilly ironically? n/t

[lateo]

8. Quoting Bill O'Really?

Shame on you.

[trumad]

10. Yep--- I agree with him 100 percent.

[lateo]

11. Not surprising in the least to be honest.

[trumad]

13. Really--- too bad...

The guy didn't need a taser... but before he was tasered he acted like a little whiny baby.

[Bluebear]

12. Wowee wow wow.

[trumad]

14. What---you just get tasered...?

[Bluebear]

15. No but I'm sure you would cheer it if I had!

:hi:

[trumad]

16. Nope--- I didn't cheer when it happened... I thought it was unnecessary

But it doesn't mean that I thought the guy wasn't a major drama queen before it happened.

[lateo]

7. No no no...he could never be a DU'er

He is too much of an attention whore who has a website to promote...oh and he is an asshole.

[Bassic]

9. And that excludes him from DU how? nt

[baby_mouse]

17. missing sarcasm tag syndrome NT

[Bassic]

19. Oh I see. Sorry 'bout that. nt

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

18. Have you read this from his website that he's promoting?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1846580

Oh yeah, and one more thing, if he's such an attention whore, how come he didn't appear on The Today Show yesterday and had his attorney appear for him. You would think an attention whore would want a nationwide audience viewed by millions.

[lateo]

24. Sarcasm

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sarcasm

sar·casm
–noun
1. harsh or bitter derision or irony.
2. a sharply ironical taunt; sneering or cutting remark: a review full of sarcasms.


—Synonyms 1. sardonicism, bitterness, ridicule. See irony1. 2. jeer.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

27. Honestly, how was I to know it was sarcasm? There were many posters saying

that same thing over the last couple of days and meaning it.

[lateo]

28. I know and I apologize for not including the...

sarcasm tags on it. I will do so in the future to avoid this sort of thing. Sorry bout that.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

34. It's ok and you have no idea how delighted I am that you were being

sarcastic!

Peace. :hi:

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

20. exactly

sark tags aren't even necessary

[merh]

21. It doesn't matter who he is or whether he is a DUer or an FReep

He has rights and they were violated. Dismissing the violations because he was challenging Kerry and asking tough questions is just wrong.

Shutting him down because he asked tough questions was wrong and was censorship.

Being tasered as 6 cops hold you done if fucking criminal.

[Bluebear]

22. But that's because...

you get it. You always do :hug:

[merh]

23. awww you are too good to me

thank you always :hug:

and you get it too, you always do :loveya:

[Apollo11]

26. This reminds me of a discussion I started earlier today on General Discussion (Politics)

Just because it's where I mostly hang out.

It has received attention from a couple of the DUers who think "Liberty and Justice For All" should not include loud-mouthed college kids, and cops always know exactly what they are doing ...

Check it out here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3534921

[lateo]

29. Ah yes.

I saw them in GD doing the same thing.

[Apollo11]

30. Here's a more recent article from the same reporter

I already posted this in the "Editorials & Other Articles" Forum

The Gainesville Sun, September 20, 2007

Taser sparks UF debate

For an emerging group of University of Florida student activists, Andrew Meyer is a catalyst - not a martyr.

Regardless of what students think about Meyer, the UF student who was Tasered by police at a political event Monday, some now say Meyer's story has provided them with a national platform they intend to use.

Assembled on campus in protest Wednesday, students said Meyer's story has renewed ongoing concerns, particularly about free speech being stifled on UF's campus.

Justin Newman, a UF student who's participated in recent protests, said Meyer being silenced with a Taser gun is just the latest and most public example of affronts to free speech at UF. While many UF Police Department officers have actually helped promote open discourse on campus, others have been oppressive and have used intimidation tactics, according to Newman.

"Andrew Meyer is not a martyr," Newman, 24, said. "He is not a martyr for this cause. He happened to have it happen to him, which got everybody speaking about it, but this is an issue that's been occurring for quite some time."

(...)

Read the full article here:
http://www.gainesvillesun.com/article/20070920/NEWS/709200326/1007/NEWS

[fishnfla]

32. Correct me if I'm wrong

Most DUers respect the rules of the forum within which they participate, or they don't stay here long

Most DUers would not disrupt a discussion with Sen Kerry in such a fashion

Most Duers are looking forward to the next election battle, not the last.

[Apollo11]

33. Not sure about most DUers

But I would love to ask John Kerry very direct questions about why he did not prevent the GOP machine from stealing the 2004 election, and why he does not support impeaching President G.W.Bush.

And I would expect that I would be allowed to have the Senator answer my frickin' questions without a bunch of cops grabbing my arms and trying to lead me out of the room while Kerry was still talking.

But y'know - Hey - maybe that's just me? ... :eyes:

[lateo]

35. So...

Because most people behave a certain way...everyone is expected to behave that same way? So when someone comes along and disturbs the sheep like herd everyone should be upset since everyone acts the same way?

[Apollo11]

36. Good point!

And a very early morning kick!

:kick:

[Apollo11]

37. Andrew Meyer is a smart guy who gets it 100%

How do I know this?

I took 2 minutes to visit his website and read his thoughts on the War in Iraq, the mainstream media's coverage of the War, and public opinion in the USA.

I strongly recommend people to go check it out:
http://www.theandrewmeyer.com/columns/iraq_the_media_and_shannons_dad.asp

[zeemike]

38. WWMIPD What would my ideal politician do?

Faced with the same situation.
When the mike was cut off he would have said "turn it back on"
As the cops started to grab him he would have said "Officers leave him alone and let him finish and I will answer his questions"
And had the cops ignored him he would have come off the stage and insisted that the cops back off even to the point that they would arrest him as well.
That is the kind of leader we need in this country right now.

[JNelson6563]

39. I've caught some of the footage of him

He went about his "asking questions" in the most obnoxious way that was guaranteed to get him shut down. Some people don't realize that the loud mouth asshole behavior that is tolerated on the tubes doesn't fly in the real world so yeah, the guy *could* be one of our keyboard commando DUers.

Julie

[Fly by night]

40. It is encouraging to see how few DUers bothered to respond to another Andrew Meyer (Weiner) thread.

Maybe the fever has broken and the irrelevancy infection is about to pass.

Sure hope so.