Don't Tase Me Bro!

Ok...by now you've all seen the kid getting Tased.



My first reaction, of course, was anger. I thought it was unnecessary brutality. I thought it was shitty (and stupid) of the cops to Tase the kid. (I 'm not sure what the whole thing says about Free Speech, but let's just say I find the use of "Free Speech Zones" to cordon off protesters to be a bit more troubling.)...In any case, suffice it to say that I find the whole thing infuriating. So let's get that baseline out of the way...

Now let's move onto what my other reaction is: At almost every slightly controversial or political speech I have attended (at least since I've been in Cambridge), there is always someone like this kid. There is always someone passionately idealistic, dogmatically convinced of their rightness (and righteousness), and an absolute conviction that the data points and dots they've connected in their minds is sacred gospel - that they are truth incarnate. (For some reason they're always...semi-hippies too.)

I discussed my first encounter with this last year when I attended a speech by Pascal Lamy, the Director General of the WTO (who has absolutely no authority by the way. His speech focused primarily on poverty alleviation and changing the international trade paradigm to pay less attention to the free-market approach (the Washington Consensus) and instead turn to a more humanitarian, more practical, and softer Geneva Consensus. As expected, about 8 or 9 young hippie types wearing "NO WTO" bandannas would stand up every 7 minutes or so and start railing against the WTO, until they were bodily dragged from the premises. (Incidentally, from the perspective of someone who has studied international trade, development economics, and issues of development and policy...these people clearly knew very little about the subject apart from the slogans and fearmongering they attempted.)

Another student made an attempt to argue the Global Warming case in front of Justice Scalia during his friendly visit to the university. Besides the fact that impassioned statements such as "How can you look at yourself in the mirror at a face that will be responsible for killing millions of our grandchildren?" don't go over particularly well with Scalia-types, the zealous self-righteousness which infected his diatribe made it completely certain that his words would have no effect whatsoever.

I have nothing against challenging these speakers with honest questions. I don't begrudge them their belief in their causes. I think they may serve a greater purpose in many respects. I also respect their courage.

...That doesn't mean I don't think they're irritating. That they're dogmatic ideologies aren't so completely wrong that I might have to declare myself conservative just to not be associated with them. That they often have nothing useful to say. That there's a remarkable consistency in their unwillingness to listen. Just because I believe in freedom of speech, the power of dissent, and in the accountability of our governments does not mean that I actually give a shit what you say. So sure. Speak. I still think you're a douchebag.

Here's a meaningful contribution in the aftermath.
The bandanna around his neck is for later.

Anyhow, I'm not sure how I got off on that. I just get very irritated whenever someone has to be dragged bodily from one of these speeches. The indignation about their right to speak, which is accompanied by semi-violent resistance just leads me to think that they aren't actually collecting the dots on what it means to have the freedom of speech...much like the moments when you're 5 years old and poke another kid in the back with a stick, to which the kid objects, and your response is "what're you gonna do? It's a free country" thus rendering him speechless.

....Because there are people who stand up during these forums and ask hard questions. Very hard questions. And they do it without the hostility and self-aggrandizement we so often see. And even when they get upset and get into sometimes heated and important discussions with the speaker, never do we see these people dragged out forcibly.

And finally, I'd like to just note that Taser boy is actually an asshole. He stood at a busy intersection with a big sign that said "Harry Dies" while waving the last Harry Potter book around. Who cares if it's true, not true, or whatever. It's fucking annoying. He's a dick.

So I say, let's take back the Tasing from the Kerry speech, rewind the tape...and drive-by Tase the kid as he holds up the sign. Then, truly can it be said that justice is served.