Maggie's Farm

First I've seen of it. My kid came home upset from school about it. The guy seems to have (and, no, I am not being trendy here) some kind of issue, perhaps Asperger's. He does not realize the danger he is in. He acts obnoxiously, doesn't realize that the spectators would rather make sure they get him on film than rescue him or intervene.

I was fascinated by the bleached blonde filming him writhing as the police manhandled him.

I found myself thinking that this kid isn't dangerous, he is just oblivious to social cues. His tone, his mannerisms were identical to those my kid (w Asperger's) uses when trying to get a point across, when being ignored.

Don't get me wrong, people have to learn how to fit it. Whatever your diagnosis or quirks, there is no excuse for being rude to an invited speaker. But as one of the comments on the You Tube noted, Ann Coulter is frequently far more obnoxious and nobody tasers her. Being free to be obnoxious is part of our birthright as Americans, one of the reasons the rest of the world detests and envies us.

But that Japanese proverb about "the nail that stands up gets hammered" is fast becoming as true in this former home of the free, the brave and the quirkily individual as in its place of origin.

Absolutely no need to taser that kid. Keystone cops, only they have done their part to sicken me and deter me from ever visiting Florida. I dare say an opinionated Yankee like myself wouldn't be welcome anyway.

Hecklers are jerks, but six cops manhandling one confused, dumb, awkward kid? Reminds me of the Latin American countries I grew up in, where they later dropped such kids from helicopters for daring to ask awkward questions of the regime.

There is hardly any free speech in this country any more. Not for conservatives and Christians like myself, or for leftists, or twittish undergraduates.

Consider our friend and gadfly, Habu, on this blog, whether he is a real person or someone's wild and engaging creation. He could not speak his mind freely anywhere but anonymously on a blog, or some thugs would haul him off. And we would all be the worse off for not hearing from him. Wild ideas, people going out on a limb, ferociously criticising each other, debating, however hard on the inflated egos of politicians and fat cats tho they may be, are part of what built this country.

If that kid were mine, I would read him the riot act for inviting the attentions of thuggish cops, but I would still support his right to speak his mind. Sticks and stones and tasers may....but words will never hurt anyone decent.