UF Student Tasered at John Kerry Speech; Blackwater USA Banned from Iraq

After a long hiatus due to school, work, and personal affairs, I have finally set aside some time to post another post.

UF Student Tasered in Kerry Forum

An interesting development played out Monday night at the University of Florida. Former presidential candidate John Kerry was holding a "town hall" meeting and during the question and answer session, a student questioned Kerry about his connections with George W. Bush and the Skull and Bones Society.
The long-winded young man ran over his allotted time, and police restrained the man and began to escort him away from the microphone. He resisted, and was tased.
Here is MSNBC's article about the event: Student Tasered at Kerry Forum

Here are some youtube videos of the incident: Student Tasered at Kerry Forum

I'll spare you any further synopsis of the aforementioned event, although I do have a few concerns. What was he doing that prompted police to forcibly remove him from the microphone and escort him out? I doubt it was the simple fact that he was running over his allotted time. I think it's pretty obvious to anyone who reads the article and watches the video that if he had been singing Kerry's praises, then they would have been happy to allow him more time. However, he was asking Kerry pointed questions that he was not prepared, nor wanted, to answer. Precautions are routinely made to screen people entering these "open forums" so that this type of thing doesn't happen. When it does, there are always personnel ready to apprehend and silence those who wish to ask candidates questions they don't want to answer, or are unable to answer. It is common knowledge today that politics is largely image-based, your substance doesn't matter too much, as long as you can make enough promises and choose the right language to express them.

In short, the police involved used excessive force. They had roughly six officers involved in the scuffle, and when they tased him they had him on the ground. He even said that he was willing to walk out if they let him up.

This illustrates a larger trend in law enforcement. When tasers were introduced to law enforcement, officers were pleased. Many police officers claimed that it would allow another step in the escalation of force before a firearm is used. In other words, it would allow an officer to force compliance without shooting the suspect.

This didn't happen. It simply created another group of people that are tased instead of being taken into custody with non-lethal force. Instead of using dialogue to stabilize a situation, officers are too ready to whip out the taser and shock a person into submission and cuff 'em.

They shouldn't have apprehended him in the first place. He was doing nothing wrong, except for arguing against the speaker.


Blackwater USA Banned from Iraq

Blackwater USA, a private security firm (read as, "mercenary company"), had their license revoked Monday, as the Iraqi government cited an incident that resulted in the deaths of 8 civilians and wounded 13.

Here is the article on CNN's website: Blackwater USA Banned From Iraq

This war is by far the most privatized conflict in modern history. Some claimed that in the past America resembled ancient Rome, citing Pax Americana as a parallel to Pax Romana. Now, it seems as though America is taking after Carthage's example: hiring mercenaries to fight it's wars. Recruitment numbers are very low for most of the branches, and absolutely unacceptable for the Army and Marines, the branches who need more personnel than any others. In order to keep forces up, the DoD hires private military companies to patrol neighborhoods, protect objectives, and escort convoys. Some of these companies are not held to the same legal or disciplinary standards as the US armed forces are. This sets a dangerous scenario, where these soldiers-for-hire shoot indiscriminately and wound and kill civilians with reckless abandon. This might seem like an exaggeration, except for the important fact that this is not the first time Blackwater USA has has problems with the Iraqi government, or rather vice-versa.

It's hard to recruit soldiers for the armed forces, when there is all certainty that they will be deployed to Iraq to fight a war that has almost no popular support, and which was begun under false pretenses.