# Congressman attacks student for daring to ask him a question **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 15, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227 "2010-06-15T00:25:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/61 "2010-06-15T07:04:58Z")
How about we get the unedited video before we go off partially cocked? If he assaulted someone without provocation, then he should be indicted and resign. If he was adequately provoked, different story. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/62 "2010-06-15T10:17:56Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > How about we get the unedited video before we go off partially cocked? If he assaulted someone without provocation, then he should be indicted and resign. If he was adequately provoked, different story. I don’t agree that provocation=justification, but I agree that actually seeing the unedited video is a good idea. I think the comparison to Tom Green in this case may be accurate. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/63 "2010-06-15T11:04:57Z")
I don’t care whether the guy was a Democrat or a Republican, but the man is either a) seriously and disturbingly paranoid, b) involved in some heavy shit in his personal or professional life, or c) both a and b. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/64 "2010-06-15T11:52:01Z")
> [@descamisado](#): > > Did you watch the same video I did? Granted the student sticks the mike in his face to get a comment, but he grabs the kid’s wrist and holds it for quite a long time, even after the student asks him to let go. Then he grabs him by the neck _and_ restrains him by putting his arm around his shoulders AND THE STUDENT NEVER EVER TOUCHED HIM. Pay close attention to what happens right before he grabs the kid’s wrist. I’m not sure, but it looks like the kid is pointing a canister of pepper spray at the Congressman and he quickly snatches it from the kid. He is still holding it as he begins to walk away. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/65 "2010-06-15T11:55:22Z")
BTW, the clip I watched was posted in post #20. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/66 "2010-06-15T12:02:46Z")
That was actually the student’s mobile phone, not pepper spray. You need to sort your x-ray vision out. ( He was probably using the voice recorder. ) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/67 "2010-06-15T12:04:57Z")
I, too, would like to know what happened between the time they were filming him walking, and the time the camera was almost shoved up his nose, and why the plant had his fist balled up when the Congressman grabbed it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/68 "2010-06-15T12:12:10Z")
If the “student” is just there to take an innocent picture of the Congressman with his cellphone, why was it shoved into his face, and why did this “student” bring an extra cameraman for this? The action happened so fast, there wouldn’t have been time for a friend to whip a separate camera out, so it must have already been set up and running. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/69 "2010-06-15T12:22:24Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > Turns out that this ‘student’ was a plant by Breitbart. You know, the guy who set up that whole ACORN nonsense. This is why we try to get context before snap judgments. Cite please, not that I don’t believe you I’d just like to be able to prove it to my rightie friends when this comes up. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/70 "2010-06-15T12:37:09Z")
If there were some kind of pepper spray, the congressman would have mentioned it in his apology. He appears to be an asshole, and a stupid one at that. You can’t physically assault people. ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/71 "2010-06-15T12:47:37Z")
This was obviously a “set up”. These aren’t a couple of little political neophytes if they are able to recognize a little known congressman almost instantly just walking down the street. A second camera is naturally SOP for these operations. That said, Etheridge was way out of line. He should have just walked by. They weren’t pestering him, they just asked him a question. Perhaps they would have followed him down the street, but we will never know because it never got that far. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/72 "2010-06-15T13:14:39Z")
> [@Baracus](#): > > This was obviously a “set up”. These aren’t a couple of little political neophytes if they are able to recognize a little known congressman almost instantly just walking down the street. A second camera is naturally SOP for these operations. It obviously was, and Etheridge was a fool for not seeing it. Or rather, I believe he did see it, but instead of dodging the trap he threw himself bodily into it. Whether or not he was justifiably provoked, the provocateurs had the cameras, and given all the stupid shenanigans that have been going on lately, that’s a bad combination to screw up in front of. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/73 "2010-06-15T13:22:29Z")
Clearly, the legislature must remove and forbid any funding of the House of Representatives. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/74 "2010-06-15T13:32:54Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > Quite crying for Jesus’s Baby Children. Lesser men would have grabbed the camera and beat him with it. I’m with **Robot Arm** in that this is not the guy’s greatest moment, but damnit, sometimes I want to smack the little old lady in front of me in the grocery store line that can’t find her coupons and wants to write a check. It’s human nature to be annoyed with people that are being annoying - especially if they are _trying_ to be annoying. > > The congressman never went all Sean Penn on the guy. What does a little old lady and her checkbook have to do with a video of someone being phsically manhandled for asking a question? Are you saying you should have the right to punch her in her dried-up ovaries and she should just get over it? God, you’re retarded. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/75 "2010-06-15T13:35:33Z")
Does it matter that the guy could or couldn’t have broken away? You’re still not supposed to lay hands on someone else. I can’t believe people think it makes you a wussy for not wanting some creepy drunk to grab your wrist or neck. > [@DanBlather](#): > > But you do shove cameras in their faces and block the sidewalk and keep pestering them with inanities. I didn’t see that they were blocking the sidewalk. But I don’t see what’s all that wrong with what they did. Again, don’t become a politician if you don’t want people pestering you. It’s kind of par for the course. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/76 "2010-06-15T13:37:38Z")
I’m not surprised it was a setup. I’m also not surprised that we haven’t seen the unedited video. Sure, the Congressman overreacted- but, as has been pointed out, we haven’t seen the unedited version. However, I think this is important to highlight: > [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Welcome to Obama’s America. This is exactly the reaction the kid wanted, for exactly this reason. Nowadays, policy and experience aren’t as important as never being caught in a situation which can be edited to support your opponent’s agenda. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/77 "2010-06-15T13:46:59Z")
I think it’s great that the guy never answers the question “who are you?” with anything except “we’re college students”, which isn’t exactly an answer to the question. I suppose that neither of the guys have names? Or is it just that they didn’t want to provide them to the congressman? Hey, I’ve got an idea! Let’s get someone to follow these 2 guys around with cameras until they do something stupid, then post it on youtube! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/78 "2010-06-15T13:50:25Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > Turns out that this ‘student’ was a plant by Breitbart. You know, the guy who set up that whole ACORN nonsense. This is why we try to get context before snap judgments. So? The guy who was videotaping George Allen when he made his comments was working for the Webb campaign - that didn’t change what Allen said, did it? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/79 "2010-06-15T14:10:00Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > So? The guy who was videotaping George Allen when he made his comments was working for the Webb campaign - that didn’t change what Allen said, did it? The Webb campaign did not have a history of releasing James O’Keefe’s selectively edited video footage to make it look like Republicans and/or Republican-friendly groups Were Doing Bad Things, did it? If I see an unedited version of the footage released by law enforcement personnel or some other disinterested party, I’ll bite. Until then, I’m not buying any of this shit. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/80 "2010-06-15T14:25:40Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > If I see an unedited version of the footage released by law enforcement personnel or some other disinterested party, I’ll bite. Until then, I’m not buying any of this shit. About the only thing I can think of that would merit Etheridge’s reaction would be one of the two guys threatening his family. But then I wouldn’t have let him go until I could get a cop on the scene. And I certainly wouldn’t have apologized without reservation the way Etheridge did. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227.md?page=5)