# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/121 "2010-06-15T15:25:49Z")
I knew we could count on you to make excuses for this, **Diogenes**. He restrained the guy by grabbing his wrist and then grabbed him around the neck, neither of which were consented to. That’s not attempted battery, it is battery. It’s that simple. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/122 "2010-06-15T15:25:58Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > That kid could have easily pulled away. He wanted to be grabbed. In soccer terms, the kid was “diving.” Look, **Dio** , i agree with you that these little twerps probably wanted this to happen. They were probably thrilled when he laid his hands on them. But that still doesn’t justify the physical contact. You don’t get to manhandle someone just because they ask you a question. The guy could have walked away without responding to their trolling; he could have tried to answer them in a straightforward and honest way; he could have told them to go fuck themselves. All of these would have been perfectly reasonable (although perhaps not politically savvy, in the case of the last one) responses. But there was no excuse for grabbing the guy, and the congressman was also wrong when he said, “I have a right to know who you are.” He doesn’t. He has a right to answer, or not answer, their questions. But they are under no obligation to reveal their identity to him, and he doesn’t get to grab them in an attempt to force it out of them. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/123 "2010-06-15T15:26:37Z")
> [@bup](#): > > [Definition of battery](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_%28crime%29). There’s no way in hell that the actions on the video would ever result in a conviction for battery. ---
**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, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/124 "2010-06-15T15:26:57Z")
I think he apologized because he realized that, no matter what really happened, they had the only copy of what really happened. They would have to be the stupidest people on earth if they didn’t edit out any incriminating shots and permanently discard them, so don’t bother waiting for the unedited version. Now that he _has_ apologized though, how many of you that have responded with disguised( and in more than one case, undisguised) glee _accept_ his apology? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/125 "2010-06-15T15:27:50Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > I knew we could count on you to make excuses for this, **Diogenes**. He restrained the guy by grabbing his wrist and then grabbed him around the neck, neither of which were consented to. That’s not attempted battery, it is battery. It’s that simple. Get back to me after he’s actually convicted of something. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/126 "2010-06-15T15:28:45Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > It would not support assault charges. > > Yeah, he made contact with them, but I disagree that it wasn’t permissive. They totally wanted it. If they didn’t want it, they could have easily skipped away from the guy. They totally wanted it? You’re nuts. You’re absolutely nuts. You take the contrary position and dig in deep, and for some reason you revel in it. You’re either one of the greatest trolls I’ve ever seen (somehow you get people to like you) or you’re an absolute lunatic. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/127 "2010-06-15T15:28:53Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I think he apologized because he realized that, no matter what really happened, they had the only copy of what really happened. They would have to be the stupidest people on earth if they didn’t edit out any incriminating shots and permanently discard them, so don’t bother waiting for the unedited version. > Now that he _has_ apologized though, how many of you that have responded with disguised( and in more than one case, undisguised) glee _accept_ his apology? That’s a good question. How many of the people here claiming to be outraged are willing to accept his apology? ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/128 "2010-06-15T15:30:58Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Get back to me after he’s actually convicted of something. [I know, right?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=555473) You’re pathetic. You can’t even be consistent from week to week. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/129 "2010-06-15T15:31:13Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > If you mean the part when he hooks his arm around the kid trying to get him to face the camera, I’d say it’s a hell of a reach to try to spin that as some kind of real attempt a a battery. Doesn’t look like much of a reach to me. But either way it contradicts what you said about the guys being able to get away at any time. And you’re embarrassing yourself here. Even if Etheridge was being provoked or if they were bothering him, he acted like a complete jerk and he knows it. Congressmen actually do have to put up with crap from the public sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/130 "2010-06-15T15:31:26Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > They totally wanted it? You’re actually going to deny that they wanted that kind of reaction? Of course they wanted it. That was the only point of approaching him. ---
**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, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/131 "2010-06-15T15:32:09Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > They totally wanted it? > > You’re nuts. You’re absolutely nuts. You take the contrary position and dig in deep, and for some reason you revel in it. You’re either one of the greatest trolls I’ve ever seen (somehow you get people to like you) or you’re an absolute lunatic. Why do you think they stuck the camera in his face, and what do you think the second cameraman was there for? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/132 "2010-06-15T15:33:55Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Doesn’t look like much of a reach to me. But either way it contradicts what you said about the guys being able to get away at any time. How so? The kid could have easily slipped that grab if he wanted. They both could have skipped away from any contact at all. Everything they got was voluntary. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/133 "2010-06-15T15:36:46Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > [I know, right?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=555473) > > You’re pathetic. You can’t even be consistent from week to week. Hey, Ben was actually arrested and charged and the prosecutor said he did it. Get back to me when Etheridge is even _arrested_. ---
**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, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/134 "2010-06-15T15:37:12Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Why do you think they stuck the camera in his face, and what do you think the second cameraman was there for? Even if they were expecting it, he acted of his own free will and without sufficient apparent provocation. The fact that they clearly set him up is probably what will get him out of actually being prosecuted or even charged. But in the court of public opinion, he’s screwed. The video just looks too bad on the face of it, and that’s what’s going to get played over and over. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/135 "2010-06-15T15:38:25Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Did you see it? He grabbed the guy by his wrist and then put his arm around his neck. I’ve addressed those actions repeatedly. They still amount to nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/136 "2010-06-15T15:38:34Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 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?.. I haven’t seen any version of the tape. But we’ll surely learn their names when they file charges. Surely these poor little college kids are going to make the right response to such a heinous event. “Rule of Law” and all that… ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/137 "2010-06-15T15:39:01Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Hey, Ben was actually arrested and charged and the prosecutor said he did it. Get back to me when Etheridge is even _arrested_. He was charged? I’ll be damned. With what? The prosecutor said he did it? Cite? ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/138 "2010-06-15T15:39:06Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Okay, I can sort of sympathize with what must be frustration at yet another pissant who’s certain Obama is up to nefarious deeds (might be a lot to read into “the Obama agenda” but not unreasonably so), but that was a terrible, terrible reaction. > > The assault itself is simply unacceptable as person-to-person interaction goes, and he’s damned lucky he didn’t do more than grab the kid around the neck. Politically, it was just stupid. What public figure sees a camera and doesn’t immediately go into image-defense mode? How do politicians not know by now that anything you do in public will get found out? > > He made an apology, but it’s not going to be near enough. He’s toast. I noticed that he repeatedly asked who they were and they seemed reluctant to say but the physical part was over the top. A sitting congressman should know to never lay his hands on anyone no matter how aggravated he is. I’m sure getting ambushed by bogus reporters looking to provoke something is SOP in DC. but better to ignore them and walk on. I remember a video with Al Franken that Jason Mattera kept touting as AL refusing to answer. [Here’s an edited version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFXr3i5_y1A) that still shows Franken was sincerely trying to respond by telling MAttera to shut up and let him answer, and that the question asked was bogus on it’s face. He was smart enough to say, “Show me where it says that” and then Mattera refused to realisitically discuss the section quoted. ---
**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, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/139 "2010-06-15T15:39:17Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > That’s a good question. How many of the people here claiming to be outraged are willing to accept his apology? I tell my kids all the time that just saying that you’re sorry doesn’t always make the bad thing you did go away. Why should I hold a congressman to a lower standard than my small children? Sometimes sorry isn’t enough - it needs to be backed up with actions. Sometimes the bad thing you did creates a lasting breach of trust with some people. This isn’t new. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/140 "2010-06-15T15:39:31Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Even if they were expecting it, he acted of his own free will and without sufficient apparent provocation. So what? He didn’t do anything illegal. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227.md?page=8)