resurrectionsong

January 27, 2004

Protecting Free Speech

Al Franken has outdone himself. In the name of protecting free speech, he physically assaulted someone who was, you know, speaking.

Wise-cracking funnyman Al Franken yesterday body-slammed a demonstrator to the ground after the man tried to shout down Gov. Howard Dean.

The tussle left Franken's trademark thick-rim glasses broken, but he said he was not injured.
[...]
The trouble started when several supporters of fringe presidential candidate Lyndon Larouche began shouting accusations at Dean.

Franken emerged from the crowd and charged one male protester, grabbing him with a bear hug from behind and slamming him onto the floor.

It's good to know that Franken wasn't injured, although I'll simply assume that the other man has vanished into the ether since we know neither his name nor his condition. If my assumption isn't correct, I hope the man presses assault charges.

Funny stuff, this. I'm no fan of Larouche or his supporters--no fan of hecklers for that matter--but this isn't really the appropriate way to handle the issue. I mean, there was no need to body slam the uncouth heckler.

A simple headlock should've done the trick.

Read the story.

(Another one taken from my early-morning Drudge perusal.)

Posted by zombyboy at January 27, 2004 07:44 AM | TrackBack

Comments

Let me see if I understand this correctly. When someone on the left tries to shout-down someone on the right they are protecting free speach, but when someone on the left tries to shout down someone else on the left it is an offense punishable with physical violence.

Obviously these people are the product of the Atlanta public schools.

Posted by: StumpJumper at January 27, 2004 08:24 AM

I would say that noogies are also appropriate for LaRouche supporters.

A while back, I read Franken's take on Rush, and in it, he would take something that Rush had said, then present his own take on it and say of Rush, "What a dick."

I would just like to say of Al's assault: What a dick.

Posted by: mtpolitics at January 27, 2004 08:46 AM

You guys make me giggle.

In public, unfortunately. Everyone in the cubes around me thinks I'm a complete nutter now.

Posted by: zombyboy at January 27, 2004 08:54 AM

Umm, ahh. Z, I don't mean to be insulting or anything, but have you ever considered the possibility that you are a complete nutter?

Posted by: StumpJumper at January 27, 2004 09:41 AM

You've been saving that up for years, haven't you?

Posted by: zombyboy at January 27, 2004 09:46 AM

I mean it in the nicest possible way!

Posted by: StumpJumper at January 27, 2004 11:10 AM

Go on , Zombyboy, body slam him!

Now that it's, you know, okay and all...

Posted by: McGehee at January 27, 2004 02:40 PM

Heh. Heaven is body slamming Al Franken.

Sounds about right to me.

Posted by: zombyboy at January 27, 2004 03:14 PM

Why *anyone* would take Al Franken at all seriously is well beyond my ability to understand. Don't they have security around for these kinds of speeches?

Posted by: Dana at January 27, 2004 11:29 PM