CT:College suspends student for asking questions about gun control

dailycaller.com ^ | 2 April, 2014 | Robby Soave

[marktwain]

A Connecticut community college suspended a student veteran for his aggressive questioning of Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy during a public forum, prompting a First Amendment advocacy group to condemn the college for its flagrant disrespect for free speech and due process.

The student, Nicholas Saucier, tried to get Malloy to answer questions about his support for gun control legislation, which has put Saucier’s ammunition manufacturing business in jeopardy. Saucier followed Malloy to his car after the governor finished speaking at a public forum at Asnuntuck Community College. The exchange took place in October of last year, and was captured on video.

Shortly thereafter, Saucier received notice from the administration that he was suspended on grounds that his “continued presence on campus would present a danger to the persons, property and/or academic process of the College.”

The student was officially charged with engaging in harassment and showing disrespect for Malloy, in violation of ACC’s student code. Administrators claimed that Saucier became increasingly hostile, called Malloy a “******* snake,” and reached into his pocket for something that could have been a weapon. (It was actually a video recording device.)

[wideawake]

It's a journalist's job to "get the story" - and it's a public activity.

Following people around as a hobby is going to get you in trouble.

Everyone knows this.

[I want the USA back]

What? you thought there was freedom of speech? Welcome to the new world. There is no freedom of speech for normal people. Only for those who want to destroy the country that once guaranteed freedom of speech.

[vette6387]

“Colleges are the places with the least freedom of speech and thought”

Time for another lawsuit. Taking money from these bastards is the only thing you can do in these instances. I guess the BLM in Nevada “learned” about free speech from college campuses.

[katana]

Just two episodes in and the characters in Turn are already becoming iconic. This one, Col. Rogers of the Queen's Rangers, seems to be pretty accurately portrayed as a semi-drunken but clever Scots-Irish frontiersman. Willing to do whatever for the King's coin, not unlike the bas****s in so many modern Federal agencies. The information I've been able to find about the real Col. Rogers is fascinating. He captured Nathan Hale (probably the only Revolutionary War American spy most people had ever heard of before this series began airing) and tricked into him putting his neck in the noose. But was otherwise a raging alcoholic who died penniless after going back to England with other defeated Loyalists.

[Justa]

I’m pretty sure a public official in a public space (parking lot of community college) does not have the legal right of ‘privacy’ or ‘respect’.

The Gov was there to speak with the public, not at them.

I doubt the private business owner and student is at fault by the guidelines of the college other than the snake comment.

[cripplecreek]

Wiki actually has a pretty decent write up on Robert Rodgers. He went from great pre American hero to someone you wouldn’t want to be seen with.

I was amazed at the line in the show about making the Captain’s murderer “Something even lower than a sodomite”.

[stremba]

Don't you know? You have to go to school, get a degree in journalism, and become a card-carrying liberal before things like the First Amendment apply to you. Just like the Second Amendment only applies to militias, the First only really applies to licensed journalists

[stremba]

So long as he didn’t trespass or attempt to do so (eg attempt to get into Malloy’s vehicle), why shouldn’t he have followed Malloy? Is it a crime to follow someone? I’m not sure that it’s even harassment if someone shouts questions at another person in a public area, even if the person being questioned has asked for the questioner to stop. Malloy was certainly well within his rights to ignore the questions and walk away, but the student did nothing wrong here (unless there’s more to the story, of course).

[KC_Lion]

In my spare time the other day I was reading the Wikipedia article about East Germany, I was quite surprised.

It is less than kind. At least to me anyway.

[cripplecreek]

True enough, things not getting much political attention are where Wiki is much more reliable. As always its better to use wiki as a place to start searching rather than using it as a primary resource.

Robert Rodgers was unquestionably a piece of garbage but he was a fascinating guy who still has an effect on us today like Rodgers rules of ranging.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangers_Standing_Orders

[wideawake]

Shouting questions in a public area is classic First Amendment activity.

But following someone around is a good way to draw harassment and/or stalking charges.

Especially when that person is an elected official, where you could be suspected of tracking his movements to find out where his security is most vulnerable.

[wideawake]

Nothing he said should be an issue.

It is the following of Malloy that raises red flags.

[ohioman]

Give it a rest. The guy did nothing to be suspended.

[wideawake]

You give it a rest.

Following people is a bad idea.

[stremba]

I took the article to mean that he followed Malloy to a parking lot, which is still a public area. If he did that and continued to ask questions, I don’t see the problem. Like I said, there may be more to the story than that. If so, that could well change things.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks marktwain, sidebar: The “Assault Weapon” Rebellion.

[ohioman]

It’s not worth kicking him out

[TurboZamboni]

watch the rat scurry:

http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2013/05/23/Mattera-Franken-Schumer-Interview