Thursday, Lafayette, Indiana

And with that obnoxious prankster Andrew Meyer, a University of Florida student became an Internet celebrity. When he wouldn’t shut his yapper at a John Kerry lecture he goaded the police into attacking him and eventually using a stun gun to quiet him down. And as is always the case today, it was all caught on tape. We hear him yelling for help, claiming his innocence and even warning witnesses to “remember him” because he believed he was going to be “killed” by the government or the cops or someone. Huh?

There are no heroes in this pathetic spectacle. Meyer, has a website where it’s clear that he is a publicity seeker - he wasted no time trumpeting his victimization on the web with story links and calls for action. Lost in the story as the ACLU and - of all people - Amnesty International - expressed their outrage at the “excessive force” used by the police. In fact, even if the police over react, the tape clearly shows the showboat resisting reason as well as arrest. It was a battle he was not going to win.

Meyer lost his moral high ground against the authority because of his own belligerence. Had he submitted, first, to shutting up and following the civil tone that others were using and second obeying the police even as he was yelling his protests, he could have exposed the impropriety of his being muzzled. But because he acted like a spoiled lunatic, and then screeching like a child he leveled the field. Everyone looked bad - a situation that Meyer himself ignited.

Making a case against unjust the force by authority is credible when it has been inflicted upon a civilian. Meyer was anything but civil. He seems more like an immture, self-promoting clown. Why do I get the feeling that he will soon be on the lecture circuit for $5,000. a speech?