A Teach Peace Moment - Andrew Meyer's Arrest (be sure to see where he asks John Kerry why he conceded the 2004 election even though he actually won and his call for Kerry to prevent war with Iran)

Does anyone with his hands behind his back and on the ground deserve to be shocked with 50,000 volts of electricity?

On September 17, 2007 at the University of Florida, Andrew Meyer took 90 seconds to ask three questions in a public session with John Kerry. His microphone was shut off when he asked John Kerry "Were you in the same secret society as Bush? Are you in Skull & Bones?" Meyers is asking valid questions as people have wondered if Kerry quickly conceded because of something the public does not know (e.g., his oath of lifetime loyalty Skull & Bones, etc.).

Please ask yourself the following four questions and discuss this with friends and family.

1. Did you notice how Fox, CNN, and other major news networks reported what happened to Meyer differently from what is shown in the extended video? For example, the corporate media conveniently failed to mention important details like he was trying to prevent a new war with Iran and that he was at the microphone for 90 seconds.

The video clips and pictures by Fox, CNN and other "mainstream" media outlets incorrectly portray Meyer as dangerous and breaking the law (click here to see Fox's Bill O'Reilly and click here for CNN). Travis Reed for The Associated Press on September 19th, discredited Meyer's serious questions in his opening paragraph with "a known prankster who often posts practical jokes online." Reed goes on to intensify his attack with "details from his online writings and videos raised the question of whether his harangue during the forum was genuine or some kind of a stunt." The next paragraph in Reed's article answers this question by citing a time where Meyer held a sign "Harry Dies" referring to the latest Harry Potter book. By the time Reed describes a photo of Meyer "licking a woman's face and making a suggestive pose as he stood behind a fake cow," Reed has discredited Meyers in the eyes of many readers. The reader is left thinking why bother reading the rest of this article to find out if this is a legitimate free speech issue. The finer details like Meyer's attorney, Robert Griscti, believes Meyer was shocked after he was already handcuffed for doing something perfectly legal gets lost in the shuffle.

2. Does this incident, if ignored by peacemakers, teach Americans that it is sometimes ok for citizens to be shocked with 50,000 volts of electricity for asking the wrong questions?

3. Could Andrew Meyer have resisted illegal arrest without providing the media with video clips of an angry person that needed to be subdued?  Anger and passion are two different things. Ray McGovern's May 4, 2006 exchange with Donald Rumsfeld is a classic example of how the mainstream media was forced to report the content of the exchange between these two people. When security personnel tried to remove McGovern he calmly asked "This is America, huh?" The McGovern and Rumsfeld video is provided below.

4. Should members of Congress and other public officials be asked the "Are you in Skull & Bones" question?

In summary, sometimes both sides fail to act peacefully. The polarization of our country is facilitated when only one side is presented as being 100% in the right. Andrew Meyer's behavior was legal and did not justify the violence inflicted on him. Discussing what happened to him in this sad incident is important because it can help peacemakers be more effective.

To contact the media or representatives in Congress to express your thoughts, click here.

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