This was too funny not to share. Jac Wilder VerSteeg of the Palm Beach Post wrote an editorial with the above title about the UF Student at the Kerry speech.
This is how it starts:
"Don't Tase me, bro!"
That's a quote uttered during an event that demonstrates the intimate relationship between democracy and idiocy. The relationship is dysfunctional, but it strengthens both partners.
He doesn't defend Andrew Meyer, but rather goes on to take another tack by starting with this observation: "Given what politicians try to get away with, it's a wonder more people don't act like belligerent idiots."
He discusses the press opportunity that occurred the day after the incident when the President gathered a large group of slavish followers in order to continue the Iraq War propaganda. He told them, "If we were to retreat from the Middle East, the enemy ... would follow us." He then asked the crowd to contact members of Congress and tell them "The commander in chief wants to succeed." They cheered "USA! USA!"
This is what VerSteeg says about that:
Which event is better for democracy? The one where a pesky wacko berates a politician and gets Tasered, or the one where political groupies let the most inane claims and statements go unchallenged?
If only somebody in that crowd of Bush fans had asked: "How are the terrorists killing Americans in Iraq going to follow us home? They can't sneak in through Syria. If our homeland security department is too inept to stop them at our borders, why aren't you focusing on that crisis instead of setting up U.S. troops as sitting ducks in Iraq?"
Then, just as the Secret Service rushed him, the questioner could ask: "If the commander in chief wants to succeed, when the heck is he going to start?"
You'd have to be an idiot to confront a powerful politician like that. But democracies encourage that sort of thing, or are supposed to.
If it were up to me, the people who don't ask questions would get Tased, bro.
(emphasis added)
Amen.