Reading all the comments people have made, whether online or in the paper, I think that people are somewhat misguided in their anger. What happened to Meyer was wrong, but what didn't happen was even worse.
Everyone is clamoring that this is evidence we live in a police state or that we no longer have freedom of speech.
That's not correct. If Meyer had been able to control and present himself like a more reasonable person, this wouldn't have happened.
I know that he was probably riled up and has a strong belief in what he was saying, and that's alright with me. But if he could have done it in a more reasonable tone, it would have been more effective.
The real shame is that people didn't care enough to stop it. One woman yelled for the officers to stop, but no one else cared.
I guarantee people who were there are now outraged that it happened. They're yelling at UF President Bernie Machen to act. But what were they doing to stop it?
We don't live in a police state, or somewhere without the First Amendment. We live in a country where people are happier to protest and complain after the fact, when they know they are safe, sound and free from Tasering.
