politics - student gets tazered at john kerry talk

if you haven't seen it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqAVvlyVbag

think about it for a bit and let it settle in. what does this mean for our country?

i don't think there's anything conspiratorial going on here. i don't think kerry's people removed him cuz of the probing questions - the security guards were doing their job cuz he was breaking the rules of the event.

however, i do have a problem with the rules. the first amendment guarantees that the government will never suppress free speech, but it seems like we americans do a fine job suppressing ourselves anyway. don't say anything controversial at work, cuz you may get fired! or in this case, don't try to make a lengthy point at the mic cuz you may get forcefully removed! this isn't about the first amendment and law - it's about free speech in our culture (as reflected by the rules of such events) - or there lack of.

on the BBC, there was one event where tony blair and a member of the audience were literally shouting at each other. was that against their rules? hell no - it was damn good television!

american political culture is tragically restrained. this has the de facto effect of suppressing free speech and making politics generally dull and boring, motivating the population to censor itself. perfectly constitutional, but pathetically unhealthy.