Posted on 06/14/2010 10:14:03 AM PDT by jessduntno
Democratic Rep. Bob Ethridge of North Carolina lost his cool on camera in a video that is making the rounds of the conservative blogosphere today.
Ethridge was walking down the street when he was approached by a pair of camera-wielding questioners.
As one asks if Ethridge "fully supports the Obama agenda," a visibly agitated Ethridge asks, "Who are you?" He repeats the question and appears to slam the camera with his hand.
In the edited video, which you can watch above, Ethridge is then shown holding the wrist of one of the questioners and repeatedly asking him to identify himself.
The two people will only identify as students and say they are "just here for a project." In the video, the face of the student in the shot with Ethridge is blurred.
"I have a right to know who you are," the congressman says, holding one man's arm. The pair refuse to tell him where they are from and repeat that "all we are is students."
Ethridge then grabs one of the self-identified students by the neck and pulls him next to him, apparently so that his face will appear on camera.
Ethridge apologized for his actions in a statement Monday.
"I deeply and profoundly regret my reaction and I apologize to all involved," he said. "Throughout my many years of service to the people of North Carolina, I have always tried to treat people from all viewpoints with respect. No matter how intrusive and partisan our politics can become, this does not justify a poor response. I have and I will always work to promote a civil public discourse."
You can see what appear to be the two unedited videos here. In comments on that site and others, commenters are calling on Ethridge to be charged with assault.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
I think they work for Halliburton.
And what law requires that?
/johnny
If you take something from somebody's person with the intent to permanently deprive them thereof, it's either larceny or robbery. It rises to the level of robbery if it's taken using the threat of physical harm or actual physical harm. A pick pocket, for example, would be committing larceny rather than robbery because there is typically no physical harm or threat. He would argue here that he was trying to stop the video rather than take the camera so there was no intent to permanently deprive the kid of it; therefore, there wouldn't be either larceny or robbery. That argument would probably prevail. Perhaps vandalism or intentional destruction of property would stick, however.
no law, just courtesy.
Doesn’t everyone agree that the occasional old guy grabbing a kid by the scruff of his neck and letting him get some old fashioned bad talk from his elders is something we need more of not less.
I mean couldn’t you grab a kid like that and say any of the following:
Dont curse in public
Pull up your pants
quit getting girls pregnant
quit talking like a fool
quit being disrespectful to people
quit acting like a gangster
quit voting for dems
respect your Momma
respect your Sister
respect your granny
The list is endless. We need more neck grabbing! Not less.
Did you guys notice that the Congressman also took a swing at the kid which he ducked.
None that I am aware of.
However, it is a professional way to proceed. I used to do that even when I was a reporter in college as these kids are.
Watch the vid again, he takes a swing at the kid after he has him by the wrist.
LOL!
The rat is screwing citizens everyday and he doesn't know their names.
What goes around comes around!
My daughters brownie troop saying: You get what you get and don't throw a fit!
“When your opponent brings free speech to a fight, you bring ...”.
Its not like he gave them time for that before he launched his attack though, and then the kids were probably scared a little bit that a Congressman could go ballistic out of the blue like that.
My blood is BOILING! It is time...
Haliburton? LOL!
Who are they? I am curious. Bet they work for Breitbart.
Any kid doing this for a college course, would have willingly said for what school and ided himself.
I am not excusing the old guy altho I understand him and think a man ought to be able to have a few and walk down the street without cameras in his face.
LOL! Stop it, Laz. *grin* You have not changed a bit since I first saw you posting ten years ago. *snicker*
I saw that. Looks like he wanted to grab him by the ear or something. lol.
Hey, anything’s possible. Next time, perhaps they’ll know better and have an even better story.
In the meantime, Mr. Etheridge should be in a world of trouble.
Veddy clevaah!
This is DC, under Dem control. Anybody takes a swing at a Dem congressman, the cops will take you away, your cameras will be confiscated, and any contents will be "lost". You will be charged with assaulting a congressman and jailed.
The kids did the exact right thing. The congressman's career is toast.
I say we follow the example of the guy that Etheridge assaulted. Stay cool.
The democrats want conservatives to become a bunch of hotheads so they can use it against us.
To a point. There may come a time when turning the other cheek will no longer be a rational response.
“Would you have grabbed them by the neck and assaulted them?”
lol! Never would I do that nor do I feel that Etheridge responded appropriately.
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