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[...] Quick Take: Security Handcuffs Documentary Filmmaker at Katie Couric Journalism Award Event Link:→ Read full article… [...]

I love the explanation from the campus cops. Logically infallible!

[...] Quick Take: Officers Handcuff Documentary Filmmaker at Katie Couric Journalism Award Event Link:→ Read full article… [...]

Mr. Zeigler has now been declared a “Right-wing extremist”, and has been added to our database of potential terrorists. He has also been Red-Flagged, and may receive a visit from the I.R.S. later this year.

Have a nice day John.

WOW, This is not what this age 68 year old NAVY Veteran expects to see on a College campus at USC.
Obviously a guy in a gray suit with a mic. is threatening to California journal eduction. Handcuffs and physical torture by police is what my grandchildren can expect on a campus is there is scary!

It’s called disturbing the peace and resisting arrest, big mouth! Don’t you understand the meaning of, “Move along”? You weren’t invited to the event, you had no business trying to crash it, and you didn’t help things with your arrogant, condescending attitude. What a pompous, narcissist this guy is!

Not only did the police NOT “abuse” this fool; they showed remarkable restraint in putting up with his constant, inane blather. Next time, officer, haul this dope off to the lockup, keep him there as long as you can, and smash the camera.

For the “Laught that one off” jackarse. So, asking questions is the same as disturbing the peace in your mind, you moron? I bet if the guy was an Obama supporter you would be jumping up and down demanding his rights. But since he does not bow down and worship hopey dopey he must be arrested for “disturbing the peace”. What was unpeaceful about his questions you nitwit? Yes, the police abused him and took away his rights because he was not on some leftist list that gives people special rights, like the right of freedom of speech.

Why is Katie Couric getting an award for anything? What the hell has she ever done that qualifies for a citation for excellence? Every high school in America has perky girls; of course, not all of them keep their pompoms fresh and their school spirit peppy as long, but is that really deserving of an award?

americans, wake up the commie press and bambies agenda is on the move,guess what ‘SO ARE WE’

Smash the camera, too? Then how would you have seen the video? It was videotaped by Orange County Films, a legitimate business. They didn’t get any stimulus money.

Shameful.
The Liberals are the most ‘fascist’ people in America.

GET THE LEFT WING ASSESSMENT HERE:

http://noliberalspin.blogtownhall.com/2009/04/16/alzs_leftwing_intel_assessment.thtml

Lots of liberals there.

The Cop is WRONG. You don’t have to be “official media” to video.
Anyone in public has the right to video.

Liberals are fascist.

It get’s real interesting at 6.5 minutes.
Interesting = disgusting liberal fascism.

Liberals have nothing to do with liberty.

Universities and Colleges do not protect the first amendment rights anymore especially when it is against their set value systems… like religion, conservative values, or limited government ideas…

If it had be a code pink member at a conservative gathering the leftys would be crying foul and rant about thier libertys being trampled. The left hypocrisy knows no bounds.

Contrast this with the Tancredo incident and a scary picture of Liberal fascism starts to become clear.

He’s smiling, but it is so sad that we have reached this point in America. How can they arrest him?

I just want to know why the reporter was arrested. I am still not clear why the security guards did that and do they know that illegal imprisonment is a felony? Any aspiring successful attorney would have an easy suit against USC and those security guards.

Katie’s getting an award for lowering the ratings for her news show after taking over.

The USA is getting scary!

HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS ARE AT MAJOR RISK?

Conservatives aren’t allowed to speak, anywhere, any more. If one tries to speak, drown him out and shut down the event. If one tries to question anyone about anything, arrest him. Only liberals are allowed to speak in public. And, don’t forget that a silent conservative protester is a possible terrorist and his mere presence is assault, but liberals can cause all the property damage they want and remain peaceful, even if they beat down people to do it.

I get it now, now that you get it, pass the word. We put up with eight years of Bush and his henchmen doing the same thing to anyone who opposed his policies. Now it’s the Libs turn! There was nothing “silent” about this loud mouth. He deserved to get arrested and resisted arrest in the bargain.

Your right to free speech does not give you the right to crash events and disturb the peace. “Move on” means “move on”; it does not mean start mouthing off.

If this guy was black, he would have been slammed head first into the pavement, cuffed, and dragged away to jail. He’s lucky that he was treated as gently as he was.

Why are liberals anti FIRST and SECOND Amendment?

This is interesting! I am sorry that John Ziegler could not get far with his protest

Why aren’t colleges protecting their Conservative Guest like Tancredo or Coulter?

Democrats and liberals and University constantly preach tolerance, but this proves they don’t walk the walk!

Considering Cronkite’s deceitful manipulation of the TET offensive, it’s a perfect match of award and recipient. May they both die in a fire.

Couric’s award is a reward for her sandbagging interview of Palin.

That said, the award is given on private property and the USC is well within it’s rights to eject a loiterer. Lefties crash events all the time, at this stage in the arrest process, they’re usually screaming their girlie heads off to draw attention to themselves, feigning right-wing police brutality.

I’m no fan of Zeigler. His documentary, while correct, is kind of redundant. Yes, we know the media had a hate on for Palin and….? Would have been far more effective if a documentary was made on the vast left-wing liberal media. The subject should be horrendous journalism (on all fronts) rather than the self evident Palin story.

The GOP candidates lost because they were basically fiscal democrats anyhow. To an voter the question was: Shall I vote for a faux democrat or a real one? This is why the GOP lost the election and why they’ll continue to loose. The republican revolution won the house and senate based on ideas. At the time they called it the contract with America. The rest is history.

Zeigler is simply–in this instance–trying to put an epilogue on his Palin documentary. Better he should collect clips of it under fair-use and work it that way. Now, I guess, he has some footage that can be used to paint the democrats in a much authoritarian light. You can bet he’ll feature it too.

The knee jerk lib posts miss this, thinking its a stab at Ziegler, when–in fact–it’s a coup. Can Koolaid effect the cogitative process? Looks like it.

Payback would be security arresting ANY member of the MSM who tries to ask Sarah Palin questions tonight at her speech in Evansville, IN.

Doubtful it will happen. Conservatives play too nice.

It appears as though english is not the primary language for this gentleman. After being told repeatedly that this was an invitation only event, he refused to comply with their requests. You have every right to be a whining, mewling cretin but not on private property. As usual we have the “I didn’t do anything, it’s not my fault” explanation for moronic illegal behavior.

Never has there been a clearer example of the stifling of free speech. Of course, the obedient little nazis who took this man away were just following orders. I got a good look at these “officers” though, and hope to “run into them” on the street soon.

Rise up true believers! The day of our liberation is not far, and I for one will never submit to the stalinist regime now in place in Washington. Call me an extremist, call me an American Patriot, veteran, tax payer, and send the cops. You can’t arrest us all, and just who do you think makes up the military? It isn’t a bunch of lib afraid of the dark wimps, its real men and women who aren’t afraid of the darkness trying to descend upon our land. Revolution!

All of you so called conservatives are just spouting off words that make no sense. You take an issue that has nothing to do with politics and politicize it to push your own agenda. This is obviously a violation of someone’s constitutional rights, freedom of the press. Under George W. Bush we all saw these constitutional rights infringed upon time after time. Suddenly when you are the minority party you take offence to this, but when you were the majority party you claimed it was for the security of the country.

This is not a liberal vs. conservative issue, but rather a constitutional issue. Last time I checked in the Constitution it doesn’t say anything about a Democratic or a Republican party in there.

USC is a state university therefore it is public property NOT private. This needs to be presued in the courts

Unbelievable! First of all, when did a university campus paid for by taxpayers become private property? Secondly, it is absolutely “legitimate” to interview individuals who are recognizing an individual who does interviews for a living.

Mr. Ziegler represents the public in his endeavor, the constitutional standard for determining media. When it comes to public discourse, he has just as much of a right as any “man on the street” report dispatched by news organization.

It will be interesting to see how Bill O’Reilly handles this tonight.

I see a poster says USC is “private” property. I ask truly from ignorance is this a private or public college? If it is a public college then I don’t see how his standing in front of a building asking questions is an issue. The security guards could have been used to ensure he did not in fact harrass people.

If this were the biology department I would be slightly less horrified than the journalism department.

It is a sad day when brownshirts can run roughshod over a citizen like this. I do hope a lawsuit is in the offing but I doubt the ACLU will step-up and do the right thing. This is a publicly funded institution. There is no excuse for this kind of thuggish behavior. For shame USC. For shame California. For shame America. The violence of these rent-a-cops, I believe, is just a preview of things to come for all of us under our neofacist Obama regime.

This is CHILLING! I cannot believe what I am seeing. This is the beginning of the loss of our liberty…..we must unit and SPEAK up for our freedom or risk losing it forever!

My mistake USC is not a state school from the USC Website:
“University of Southern California is one of the world’s leading private research universities. USC enrolls more international students than any other U.S. university and offers extensive opportunities for internships and study abroad. With a strong tradition of integrating liberal and professional education…”

USC is a private university, not public. Mr. Zeigler’s presence constituted trespass. The university was well within its rights for forcibly removing him from the premises.

As a USC alumnae, journalism no less, I am embarrassed by the treatment of Mr. Ziegler and embarrassed that USC gave an award to Ms. Couric for that sad excuse for “journalism” that the Palin piece was edited into. However, USC is a private university and Mr. Ziegler has no particular rights on private property not granted by the owner: USC. He should have been more cooperative and should have known his obligation to respect private property no matter how sad the circumstance that brought him to campus. Shame on Campus security and shame on Mr. Ziegler for provoking the situation to it’s absurd conclusion.
Even when I was in journalism school, I would constant rail against the “objectivity’ professed by both the working journalists and professors that taught us at ‘SC. We are human and are therefore subjective because of our genes and upbringing. The best we can hope for is to be cognizant of our subjectivities and work to balance them on our journalistic efforts was always what I would advocate. This was scoffed at and by the awarding of this award to Ms. Couric for the sad hack piece on Gov. Palin shows that most “journalism’ has completely decayed into thinly veiled advocacy. Sad. But as we have learned over the years since Mr. Cronkite has retired, he was partially to blame for putting journalism on the slippery slope of liberal advocacy. At lest he was right about the Vietnam War, under the context under which it was being fought at the time (not to win), is was an unjust war for both sides. I sure he is very proud of Katie. I am sadden by my University’s lack of integrity and balance.

The First Amendment reads in part “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech … or the right of the people peaceably to assemble”. For this instance, the First Amendment must be taken in conjunction the Fourteenth Amendment which states “No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States” which is interpreted by the Supreme Court to enforce the First Amendment on the states.

The University is public property, the person in question was not blocking access to or from the event, he was not acting in a disorderly fashion. He was, in fact, “peaceably assembling” and excercizing his COnstitutionally protected right to “free speech”.

The police officers, acting as agents for the university, clearly violated this persons civil rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution. The police officers are liable to civil lawsuit and criminal procesution under federal law. The university, as well as all persons and organizations responsible for the production of the event, are civilly liable for damages resulting from the illegal imprisonment and any and all mental suffering and professional loss of income and reputation resulting from the arrest.

I think the lawsuit will be in the hundreds of millions of dollars and he should get it, he deserves it.

this man is embarrassed by this kind of criminal treatment. I would be too….. I am ashamed and literally mad at the way he was treated. What the frick right do they have to do this to a citizen. These men who abused John should be fired and brought up on charges of law abuse and fraudelent detention and kidnapping of a citizen.

well, what ever they can do. this is an outrage!!!

FINALLY – people are calling this sort of display precisely what it is – FASCISM. How long we have borne this without speaking out, thinking calling it beneath us was the same as obliterating it. This has to be the end of gentility on our parts. How tragically sad for us. But I don’t see a choice.

Truly sorry to see even the few people here who do not see what is happening.

This is the beginning of the end…I want to protest but the cards are REALLY stacked against us this time!

Karlstro,
What were the charges?

How about trespassing and disturbing the peace for starters and resisting arrest to complete the rap sheet?

Katie Couric is a washed up drive by media whore who only wishes she looked or was as beautiful as Govenor Palin. Yes Katie, you are a loser who is not allowed in my home, via t.v., to poision my smart brian. Our numbers are growing and you and your left wing kooks are being exposed. Remenber Katie, Palin is a Governor of an important state, something that you will never be.

For all the leftist whining about GWB, there was not this kind of thing going on under his admin.

0bama and Liberals
- Against free and private labor voting.
- For the anti-constitutional ‘fairness’ doctrine in order to silence the vocal minority.
- Against schools of choice.

Liberals have the corner on fascism, and the kool-aid drinkers go along. Do 0bama voters understand the term “useful idiots”??? Because they are them.

If USC is a private institution then this dope is trespassing and they are within their rights to have him removed. Nobody’s rights were violated here, folks.

The critical issue here is that the incident took place on private property. The security officers and police were well within their rights to honor the request of the property owner to remove a trespasser. If this had been public property, however, he could not have been removed legally unless he was instigating a riot, harassing others, blocking a public way, etc. Whether or not he is a member of the credentialed media is immaterial, the entire issue hinges on whether it is private property on not.

the media, supposed voice of free speech, is now complicit with censorship…Heil Couric, Heil Obama, Heil Napolitano….can book burning be next? You betcha. Free speech is for leftist liberals only. At Chapel Hill, they wont allow opposition to free immigration speak. Heil Carolina! (north)…the bastards have taken over, but Americans will fight for this one..stay tuned.

Doesn’t John realize there is no freedom of speech on American college campuses. You can only speak and think what they tell you to. Get with the program… get with the CHANGE.

SHOCKED!!! We are huge USC supporters and I’m completely shocked and horrified by this. If I weren’t so spitting angry I’d be speechless which is what I guess they want from us – speechless.

I went to the Tea Party in Honolulu to see for myself who was in attendance. Instead of finding neo-nazis and white extremist men I found asian women and plenty of them. Couric is part of the machine that is attempting to portray the realities as anything but the truth….but I saw for my own eyes.

USC better get a grip and fast. Or we are getting a divorce. And shove that merchandise you know where.

The University of South California seems to be private, from the little searching I just did.

The fellow ought to have moved along when asked.

I too would like to know if the USC is private or public. If it is public it seems to me the man has every right to say anything short of threats, or inducing a riot.

Did those who speak against Bush loudly on college campuses have like experiences?

On a personal note, if you really think that every law official has a clear understanding of your rights you might visit south Chicago, to have this preconceived notion altered. It worked for me.

Where is the ACLU in this situation? I cannot believe what I just watched. What was the charge the officers told him for handcuffing him? Clearly this has to be an abuse of power. pathic display of common sense in law enforcement.

Official Media as in State Media?

The Gestapo is not coming THEY ARE HERE!!! Punish free thought and actions that do not conform with the government of the few and powerful. Look around, this is a small example of what our country has become and be very frightened. Please vote to return to our basic rights!

The only thing missing were the black boots and the brown shirts. This is only the beginning. Things are going to get much worse than this, so everyone had better be gearing up for it. The left has mistakenly adopted the mantra that they have a mandate for their corruption. Well, maybe there are that many uneducated idiots in America. Just look at what the fine public school system is turning out. You gotta love that NEA and their communist agenda. However, more than half of the American people are steaming mad and they are gaining strength everyday. Something is going to happen, and it’s up to the socialist crooks whether it’s going to be the easy way or the hard way! There WILL be a way, one way or the other.

It seems to me the whole issue of “private property” versus “public property” is not as straightforward as some would suggest.

I’m not sure what the law is concerning “public forums” in California (IANAL). However, courts have held that journalists have the right to gather information in privately owned “public forums” (i.e., a shopping mall) in other states.

Like I said, I’m not sure what California law states. I’m not sure how universities are regarded by those laws. Even so, the university is just plain stupid for letting this affair happen. As Zeigler points out in the video clip, the irony is off the scale here.

You may disagree with what Zeigler reports. Even so, under the U.S. Constitution, he has a right to gather information to publish what he darn well pleases. USC’s resident buffoons, please note.

Attention———————————————————- GLAD THAT YOU’RE GETTING IT!—————————————
So you are saying the black securtity gaurd is racist against black and that liberals are racist, you are brilliant. If a security gaurd told you to “move on move on” (with no justification) and you were doing nothing wrong you would “move on”, because you are a coward that does not stand up for what you believe in and you judge people like no other. Do your self a favor and watch the video again (this time with out the prejudgment) he tried to access they said no so he stayed out, but he wanted to ask questions on taxpayer funded grounds they frankly said no arrested him and wouldn’t let him ask questions or if he did htey would bring him to jail. I thought liberals were about free speech? You give liberals a bad name which is kind of oxymoronic I guess. Hey maybe if I ask question at a public bus stop or subway I can get arrested. Sounds just to me!!!

They should have hauled this pompous arse off to jail and let him stew there for a while. Right wing extremists across the country are doing nothing now except trying to interrupt events and cause a stir with their ridiculous “we’re turning into socialists” ramblings… after they took our country to the precipice they now want to complain! Disgusting. Hypocrites. Fascists.

Welcome to Nazi America, 2009.
So long, First Amendment, it was nice knowing you.
When do we start rounding up the Jews?
Gentlemen, start your ovens!

Ziggy,

Yes people who have spoken out against GWB at rally’s have been arrested.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-weigant/exclusive-interview-with-_b_60934.html

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=cef_1185830431

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=19307

http://www.mpp.org/states/new-jersey/news/dover-man-arrested-at-bush-rally.html

People, this isn’t just a democrat vs republican issue. This issue with being denyed our constituional rights has been going on for way too long.

Katie Couric is about as smart as a piece of driftwood. She’s an overly botoxed moron, but she is smart enough to know that she (and all “journalists”) must be willing to be “tea bagged” by the communist powers that be in order to keep their jobs, and their large paychecks.

This “award,” like Jimmy Carter’s Nobel Peace prize, means absolutely NOTHING! It’s a completely empty gesture lacking and any importance.

Deep down, perky little Katie knows it.

Now compare Ziegler’s perfectly cordial effort with what the fascists did at the Tancredo speech. The left has no shame. The pathetic degenerates are in charge, thanks in large part to the efforts of faux-journalists like Couric.

Whether the university is public or private is not a critical question. They had set up a media zone for uninvited, general press/media, so the press was invited. Invitation precludes a charge of trespass. Was that open press area clearly marked? Legitimately, do all press gain permission before stepping onto USC soil? I have seen the press, covering some event to crawl all over the place, even when asked to leave by the owner. I think that he was there to grand stand in the form of a journalist. But when that distinction can be made, and “offenders” removed, then what next?

Get use to it Americans !!

This is Obama’s Gestapo in Action !!

Kiss Freedom Goodbye!

While I agree with his reasoning, he should have crossed the street when told to leave. He was on private property.

I love reading the threats by all the self righteous right wing wackos on this site.

“Something is going to happen, and it’s up to the socialist crooks whether it’s going to be the easy way or the hard way”!

Yeah? What are you going to do, big boy? That’s right…nothing! Now go home, read your Bible, and play with your guns!

How come these drug store security guards are never around when Westboro Baptist Church comes to military funerals to protest? Katy Couric is a joke. Matt Lauer cheated on his wife. Rusch Limbaugh is an idiot, and we are all going to hell in a hand basket. I hate what America has to offer as far as politicians and reporters. No one tells the truth anymore, and everyone should know that regardless if what you think about this video, them security cops lied.

But Cindy Sheehan can camp out on the county right of way at the entrance to President Bush’s home, and she is in complete compliance with the law. And Bush’s “henchmen” didn’t lift a finger. They just let her yammer for days and weeks on end until CBS ran out of videotape and had to go home. Viva freedom…

Yes, USC is private. UCLA is the public univ. in L.A. However, USC applies for and receives federal research grants just as do many public univs such as UCLA, Harvard, Stanford, etc.

The issue that I see here is that private univs don’t allow free speech because they have decided they don’t have to (and aren’t afraid they’ll lose their federal grants – they’ve got plenty of endowments), but public univs don’t allow it because they’re afraid of lawsuits that might cost the state money and erode their budgets.

There is LESS freedom of speech on the campus of any educational institution than anywhere else in our society, and is squelched as soon as the campus police can get there. All in the name of higher EDUCATION? How about all in the name of POLITICAL CORRECTNESS?

By the same token, I believe any association or club has a right to control who attends their events, so I fall on their side on this issue, not the side of the uninvited “documentarian.” Were it my event, I’d demand the right to exclude whomever I choose and to invite whomever I choose.

Obviously, there was insufficient probable cause for this arrest. However, citizens are required to submit to an arrest as long as no unjustified force is used. The only force used in this incident was to overcome the resistance offered by the arrestee, so the “abuse” complaint is inaccurate. The cops should get a verbal spanking, and the reporter should learn to respect authority; not condescend to it. Let’s face it, his smug tone and irritating laugh got him arrested.

I was in college in 1970, and all this was well underway then. SDS, the Panthers and Weather Underground could run amok disrupting classes, administration and events, and the campus police just looked on. But, let a conservative group try to hold a private meeting or present a speaker, and the campus police just looked on while the events were busted up by the anarchists. Oh wait, that’s the same thing. There was and is no corresponding mass of examples of conservatives busting up classes and events, while the campus police just look on.

Neo-Fascism is alive and thriving in Obama’s America. The Left will soon enforce pograms to eliminate those of us who do not tow their ideological line. You saw the beginnings of such at the Tancredo event in Chapel Hill yesterday. America will not survive the Obama administration.

Since when is a government supported institution considered private property?

Play by their rules people.

To “Joe”-
Yeah, right, you’re a conservative, and I’m Abraham Lincoln.
You would think these lefties would be good at lying by now. They sure have enough practice.

Liberal fascism on display again.

He definitely has grounds for a civil lawsuit and should certainly pursue it!!!

It’s pretty scary when one inane comment above (probably a slobbering Obama supporter) said the police showed restraint and probably should have been rougher, arrested him and destroyed his camera for exercising his first Amendment Rights. Sounds like Obama people are little Hitlers/Stalins in the making!

Das leader’ s-braune Hemden sind bei der Arbeit in Kalifornien. Liberale geben Nazin einen schlechten Ruf.

K Courik should have been arrested for being a worthless Anchor in dead last place. and they give her an award for bad journalism and bias interviews . shame on everyone involved.

Rush, Hannity, Levine, Coulter, and now this moron? Where did they find this giggling little girlie-man? What happened to the intellectual base of the Conservative movement? Now we are stuck with the mental musings of Joe, the Dumber and his ilk.

Unbelievable!

Where is the A.C.L.U? Oh wait…wrong color…wrong political affiliation.

We gotta play by their rules, it isn’t nice but we have no choice.

The Zigler arrest will become the conservatives ROSA PARK moment

USC is public property is it not? Lawsuit!!! It will help finance your next documentary

kati curick lol got the award for the Palin interview. Go Figure

From :Code of Ethics of The University of Southern California

“We nurture an environment of mutual respect and tolerance. As members of the USC community, we treat everyone with respect and dignity, even when the values, beliefs, behavior, or background of a person or group is repugnant to us. This last is one of the bedrocks of ethical behavior at USC and the basis of civil discourse within our academic community. Because we are responsible not only for ourselves but also for others, we speak out against hatred and bigotry whenever and wherever we find them.”

Ya Right

Sounds to me like the journalist was being detained for not following the simple rules and resisting orders to move in the area marked off for media. I don’t see anything wrong with what the campus police did. With all the whacked out weirdos out there with guns and grenades and walking onto campuses and blowing people’s heads off I don’t blame the security for being extra cautious and taking extra measures to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

would you define foul language please? or stop booting my comment

“Bobblehead curic’s interview of Palin was foolish and prepared with the intent of a certain outcome. That has nothing to do with journalism”. It’s too bad that Palin was too stupid to see it and conduct herself accordingly. You can only look stupid if you are, in fact, not too bright.

The Zigler will become the conservatives ROSA PARK moment.

WOW. I thought only 3rd world countries did this sort of thing. It has now come to Amerika. They (the liberal pansy victim crowd) applaud the demonstrators at the Tancredo speech and they broke a window and caused mayhem, but a well dressed journalist is a threat to poor wittle katie poo’s big day. WELCOME TO the Obama-nation of jackbooted un-free speech. Agree or the dyke of DHS may come after you!!

what do you expect….walter Cronkite is a member of Behemia grove adn the ‘voice’ of the owl “Lilith, the demon of the night, and Katie Couric is a sumbliminal archtype of Hecate, along with all the other popular ‘Kates’ of the day…(moss, hudson, middleton, spielberg,etc…)..and if you don’t like it….

SUE BABY SUE…..I’d have a lawyer on ‘em by sundown. (love the posters that brought race into this one….that is a stretch even for you obama-salami-swallowers.)

Do you think this would ever have happened to Michael Moore? Liberals are for free speech when it complies with their opinion.

Obama’s Citizen Corps are growing, we are taking over this country, if you don’t like it, leave

That’s unbelievable! Where is the ACLU now?

It’s almost as hard to believe as the fact that Katie Couric was given an award for her persecution of Sarah Palin.

Bobblehead curic’s interview of Palin was foolish and prepared with the intent of a certain outcome. That has nothing to do with journalism. The tolerant left loves to shutdown opposing voices and will attack personally anyone that holds a view other than their own. Now that they are drunken with holding a position of power, our rights will be trampled at an alarming rate. Inform yourselves and politely educate those around you on conservative principles, an unregulated free market and liberty. Read the Constitution every day. It is a perfect document.

Big time lawsuit coming here. $$$$$

There is a difference between private property that doesn’t allow public access and private property that does. For example, any mall property is privately owned, but the public is allowed access to it. USC is private, but if they allow public access in any way, then USC may have a serious lawsuit on their hands.

When conservative speakers can speak on campus without having to pay for the private security that campuses all provide free to liberals, when conservative campus groups can get meeting space without filing a lawsuit, when conservative informational posters are left up the same way liberal announcements are, when conservative speakers are allowed to start and finish their speeches on college campuses without being chased off stage while all liberal speakers are allowed to speak in peace, then and only then can liberals legitimately claim conservatives get equal treatment on college campuses. The truth is liberals simply like denying conservatives a voice in college, and they have the power on campus to enforce their will.

Sidewalks are quintessential public fora. Is any other speech allowed on these sidewalks? This handcuffing looks like a kidnapping and is a gross violation of 1st Amendment Rights.

This looks like a good time to contact USC alumni, and demand an immediate end to funding for the fascist campus. In the meantime, Zeigler should get a good lawyer. A claim for massive damages might be available against the entire group, particularly the firm that hired the security guards.

P.S. Don’t forget intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Sue!!! I hope you get tens of millions of dollars! You deserve it.

Laugh that one off, idiot! – EXACTLY. Well, said.

If this place gets 1 dollar of tax money then every citizen has a right to be on the campus. If USC wants to control speech and access then they need to be 100 percent private. No grants funded with public tax money. It USC wants to be a private club then yes they should be able to make the rules. Anybody seen any of the new ACORN census takers? You can recognize them easy enough. Their pants are down around their knees and they usually have a hoody on.

What I don’t think some of you understand is that he was on USC’s campus. That is private property. Anyone not invited to the campus or not possessing a campus ID card can and will be escorted off the premises.

I’m all for freedom of speech, but I’m also for upholding the rights of private property. If you are an invited or uninvited guest on private property, asked to leave and refuse it, they have the right to remove you.

Also the force they used as he was resisting them from escorting him off the premise was neither excessive or unwarranted. No matter how you cut the pie, if you’re trespassing on private property and asked to leave, you need to leave. If you resist leaving they have the right to use force in accordance to the level of resistance of the trespasser.

I bet if an unwanted gentleman was on your property and refused to leave, you would be the first people to contact the police to have him removed.

I have little or no respect for Katie Couric as a journalist, and even less for those who would present her an award for journalistic excellence.

Philosophically I do share many of Mr. Ziegler’s sentiments, but legally he is simply wrong at every level re this incident. USC is a private college, and they have the right to ask anyone to move on or leave for whatever reason they choose. If the person fails to move on or leave, they have the right to use reasonable force to effect their wishes. Legally, it’s a no-brainer.

Mr. Ziegler’s posturing (yes, that’s what he was doing) is more reminiscent of the tactics regularly used by the left to drive home their point. It would be a major mistake to try and wield this incident into some bogus 1st amendment issue. His rights were not violated.

The essence of conservative values is respect for the law. I would suggest to Mr. Ziegler that before going off all half-cocked and outraged, he should first acquaint himself with the law and conform his behavior accordingly.

The security personnel are entitled to an apology.

civil war is coming,or our freedoms will be lost forever.

Katie Couric is a POS. She is an abomination to this Great Country. These rent a cops are an embarrassment to our real law enforcement. Since when is it against the “law” to interview people about an event? The idiots who voted this administration in is getting exactly what they deserve. Katie’s interview of Sarah Palin was a pitiful excuse for journalism.

USA IS NOW NO BETTER THAN CHINA

GESTAPO tactics!… And this is just the beginning of the Obama Master Plan to turn America into a pre-Nazi form of Socialism. All with the approval of the liberal lemmings!

I, too, was on the campus that day to speak to nurses/physicians. The direct path to the department was ‘closed for an event’ and I had to go two buildings away. As I stopped by security to ask directions the officer told me she didn’t know how to get there but just go down this hallway, up the elevator and ask the consierge. That entrance/exit was also blocked for the ‘event’ so I had to go the opposite way. As I exited the building I was 25 feet from the entrance I needed and was stopped by security. I guess I had a bad attitude because I also was threatened with handcuffs. USC… protecting the rights of.., of…, Katie Couric! Yes, her interview was fabulous with Palin, and what did she ask Obama? Let’s see… oh yeah, what do you think the guy in Columbus, Ohio thinks about your drawing a crowd in Berlin, and zero, nada, zip, NO follow-up questions pushing for an answer…………… I’d still do her, though.

Can someone cite one specific instance of this happening during the Bush years? I noted several comments about it happening “all the time” but no specifics.

Constitution? Bill of Rights? Yea, the American people care about these things but not enough to do anything about it. Protests, TEA parties and writing your congressmen are a waste of time. Words are only as good as the muscle behind them. There is only one way to get the government to care about our feelings and that is to mass in the millions and physically remove every last one without exception. Or, you could vote them out of office, that will get them shacking in their boots, whatever. Our founders would be disgusted with the people of this land. Where are the militias, where are the pitch forks’ and torches? There in the same place that your will and resolve are, nowhere. I yawn at your whining.

Right on, I Get It Now!

USC is located in the midst of an overwhelmingly low-income black neighborhood. Do security guards confront and threaten with arrest black crackhead welfare parasites when they step on campus, raising legitimate fears among USC students, or do they let them run wild for fear of being accussed of ‘racism’? To abuse the harmless white guy for simply wanting to ask questions on the sidewalk, while letting black disrupters run wild is factual racism. Enough is enough. A large lawsuit that hopefully depletes USC’s endowment funds for false imprisonment and white-racial profiling is warranted.

Why not just build a 10 foot high barbwire fence around the campus and fly nazi swastikas from the flagpoles.

Suppress dissent at all cost! Welcome to the U.S.S.A. Obama and his minions in the media are fascists plain and simple.

Right-wingers, get a life or go to jail. Stay where you belong. Our new president will not kiss butt like Bush.

USC is indeed private property, so they had every right to toss him out for trying to crash an event he wasn’t invited to. As a journalist, this guy should have done some research and known this beforehand. Quite honestly, I suspect he knew he might get manhandled and set the whole thing up for sympathetic video that he can use to show how the’s being “silenced.” Just my take.

Giggling like a drunken frat boy on a prank doesn’t help his credibility. It’s a private invitation only event on private property. The people holding the event have the right to privacy like every US citizen. The poice were very professional and the suit was unduly antagonistic.

I unfortunately would have to agree with some of the posters here. Eventually, the Libtards are going to keep pushing and pushing until people start snapping. This is going to get very ugly. If it does, Obonga will declare martial law and we’ll all be heading to re-education facilities. Just think it took Hitler 6 months to brainwash the German people.

This is whats coming folks. The fascist state of the Obama dictatorship. History repeats but this time its not in Europe but the Ununited Socialist States of America. Washington & Jefferson must be spinning in their graves.

Okay I’m convinced…USC is a private institution. But using contemporary beltway logic for private companies who get bailout dollars, this is a grey issue since USC receives federal dollars for research.

From the USC Web site:
“In 2007, we ranked 19th among all American universities, and 10th among private universities, in federal research support.”

Why do conservatives always try to invade peaceful pie-throwing contests with speeches?

It is just free speech to shout endless streams of epithets at conservative speakers, or throw pies at them, or chase them off stage and off campus.

It is not free speech to ask a liberal a question.

My mother’s family fled Germany in 1928 and my dad came to America from Italy in 1938. This is all too familiar.

“Right-wingers, get a life or go to jail. Stay where you belong. Our new president will not kiss butt like Bush.”

Spoken like a true commie-pig!

I hate Democrats/socialists with a passion!!!!!!!!!!!

Die, you thieving, tyrannical scumbags!

Next time Ziegler should relieve himself on an American flag while screaming that those who’ve served in the military are rapists, pedophiles and murderers.

Security would’ve hoisted him on their shoulders; carried him Christ-like into the auditorium – and Katie would have personally given him his honorary doctorate.

I have lived and worked in Russia during the bad old days – I see Russia all over again

more proof of the freedom robbing obama reign.

good job, comrade obama

At least Dave is being honest and not hiding behind double-speak.

Liberalen RA Wasteofspace sagte: “Das leader’ s-braune Hemden sind bei der Arbeit in Kalifornien. Liberale geben Nazin einen schlechten Ruf.”

Wahre Worte. Gegrüßet seist du der große Führer Obama.

This Zeigler dude is a complete D-bag.

I thought he was going to pizz himself.

ya think Mike Moore would have gotten into a bush event ??? what a laugh riot that video was. i just wish they tazed him in the nuts.

Burn USC to the ground along with all the other communist indocrination centers…make sure the america hating teachers are inside too

I’d love to see someone piece together video of incidents like this and the dopey CNN reporter-ette insulting the Tea Party demonstrators yesterday, intercut with calls by various democrats demanding the “Fairness Doctrine.”

Today’s crop of “liberals” truely are and always have been Fascists. Now that they’re in power you see their true colors. All the talk of “tolerance” is lip service for the useful idiots and dopes. Just ask Bill Ayers.

Actually, Katie Couric deserves the Joseph Goebbels Award for best propaganda in service of the Regime. She truely is the cutest perky little Eva Braun. When she gets kicked off CBS, I’m sure Obama will have a job for her somewhere in his administration … probably with a Security Clearance.

This type of stuff must get very confusing to Homeland Security. I’m supposed to be the dangerous “rightwing extremist” yet I just criticized someone in the Leftwing media of being a mouth piece for totalitarianism, central control, central planning, media control, etc.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. We can expect to see more defenseless/innocent Americans being handcuffed by the authorities for asking questions and telling the other side of the story. A story that the authorities dislike. The cops were there for a reason and were obviously prepared for a confrontation. The individual is quickly becoming a minority in the new era of post-Christian America.

Shocking….that a white male would be treated so rudely by the police. Now you know what people of color have to deal with every day.

Patrick, Interesting. I have always lived in the Northeast and have been riding motorcycles for four decades. There was a time when we had to travel with a person of color to get served in a restaurant or rent a hotel room; we could be denied service but they couldn’t be. My wife once asked me if it was always like this; she had never experienced prejudice before and it scared her. It wasn’t and isn’t the same as being a racial minority and I’m not saying it is or ever was. But being treated as socially unacceptable, whether black, biker or conservative is hurtful and demeaning. My daughter suffers from prenatal brain damage and she experiences it every day.

This is just one more step down for this network and its irresponsible behavior. No wonder their numbers continue to dwindle! KC is an incompetent liberal leaning woman who doesn’t know the meaning of the word “fair.” Of course, she has plenty of company in the Media. What the media doesn’t seem to understand is that it really is not entertainment, it is really about factual news and fairness in reporting. I guess it is upsetting to the Media that there are many more interesting and honest activities to pursue other than watching biased news and unfair journalism. It all looks so desperate!

Hugo Chavez, Robert Mugabe, and Castro would feel right at home there with Katy and her armed thugs. Amazing!

If he was protesting, it was outside, not rushing the stage and assaulting the speaker lib-style.
If USC actually has a press section clearly defined then fine, (not likely) otherwise its false imprisonment (most likely) which is a felony and he should sue USC and also press criminal charges against the cops to the max!

My bet is he made an obnoxious ass of himself, legally but the libs called the campus cops who seemed at a loss as what he did other then upset the libs one world view so they locked him up knowing that they had no right to do so. . . SUE BABY SUE!

Ziegler has a nice, calm attitude about him. I liked his style … even while being handled by the “police”.

Don’t know Ziegler, but he seems like kind of a chucklehead.

READ the federalist papers to find out the shocking truth about our founding fathers solution to the present state of our union.

America HAS been taken over by corporate elitists and bankers (THE FEDERAL RESERVE).

Our so called representatives no longer
represent WE THE PEOPLE. All your tea parties and useless protests are redundant!

You are just fueling more time for the facists to install a complete tyranny for YOU and your children. IT IS EVIDENT…

There is a patterned design, a premeditated plan to enslave us under that same past history of other failed tyrants and despotic regimes.

This corrupt government and their ABC alphabet spoup lettered agencies are already underway brnading you as a right wing extremist terrorist.

Even the military isn’t immune to their SLANDER
and marginalizing. You need to wake up.

One more thing to remind folks–USC is hardly a liberal/commie flashpoint. It’s a pretty conservative school. So the idea that this is some liberal conspiracy falls a little flat. Considering this guy has been engaging in activity regarding Couric that could be called stalking (hasn’t he showed up at many places she’s been scheduled, handing out his film?), I don’t blame the campus security for tossing him, but from what I remember of my years there, he’s lucky those hamfisted dudes didn’t snap his wrists.

If that is what JZ thought, then he is dumber than a bucket of rocks.

I am a racist,a moron,a child molester and I wet the bed.I have rights too, and we won and Bush is a Nazi and yadda yadda and I love Barack, Michelle is soooo chic!

As much as I sympathize with Ziegler on this, and respect his passion, I suspect his prescriptions need adjusting.

I’m not snarking. I take the same meds, assuming they’re still the ones he discussed on his KFI show. I know how I get when they stop working.

Take care, John.

- USC is a private school, and so this was private property. The campus police DO have the right to remove people not specifically invited.

- The campus police were extremely gentle with Ziegler. By contrast, when Amy Goodman, a journalist with the DemocracyNow! team, went to the Republican convention, she was slammed in jail, and her professional cinematographers (one was a woman) were slammed face-down into the ground and dragged by their legs. All were wearing journalist credential prominently – until these were ripped off by the Secret Service and the batteries to the equipment were unplugged. However Ziegler was treated like a baby – if he got hurt, it seemed to be due to his deliberate way of putting his body in an awkward position; the security were doing their best to move him along without harm.
- The whole thing looked like a setup to me: Ziegler was giggling the whole time. Either he was stoned to the gills, or he knew he was just trying to put them into an embarrassing situation.

Those officers went WAY beyond the limits in their excessive detention. It doesn’t qualify as stalking – maybe trespassing at the most.

Zeigler’s clearly got a case if he wants to sue.

My background – 20 years in law enforcement.

WOW. You would have thought that at least Walter would have come out and stopped this. Katie must be proud.

This is part of the carry over from the Bush Regime. NO FREE SPEECH.

FROM LIFE WITHOUT FREEDOM.
From life without freedom, oh, who would not fly? For one day of freedom, oh, who would not die? Hark, hark! ’tis the trumpet, the call of the brave, The death-song of tyrants and dirge of the slave. Our country lies bleeding—oh, fly to her aid! One arm that defends is worth hosts that invade. In Death’s kindly bosom our last hope remains— The dead fear no tyrants; the grave has no chains; On, on to the combat! the heroes that bleed For virtue and mankind, are heroes Indeed! And oh, even If Freedom from this world be driven. Despair not—at least we shall find her in heaven!

Streets and sidewalks are considered “public property” by law.

An interested diatribe on this from 2007:

http://wbrianwhite.newsvine.com/_news/2007/05/02/697013-who-owns-the-sidewalk-public-space-photography-and-security-guards

Spanghead look at a post from Scott at 1:21 pm it has articles that show this happened at GWB rally’s.

This is what happens when you give slackjaws a badge.

Couric’s interview with Sarah Palin exemplifies everything that’s wrong with jounalism and she gets and award for that?

This country is teetering on the edge. The biggest fraud perpetrated on the people came to fruition when a slimey little charlatan was given the office of president. That was largely due to the miscreants that call themselves journalists.

Wake up people!

John Ziegler has the credentials and is an established reporter and documentarian; he went there to ask questions and has every right to – we must defend that right or lose it ourselves. OSC may be a private entity, but it’s dripping with money it takes from public coffers. You can argue private property rights and you’ll probably be right; then again, since OSC can afford armed, overly zealous guards they probably don’t need any more of our money. The line was crossed when the OSC guards were dopey enough to accost Ziegler; big mistake. I wish him well in the recovery of several million dollars in damages. But the real problem here is a clear trend towards the police state we all fear. We are swimming in cops, lawyers, investigators, judges, prosecutors, special prosecutors; yet we are desperately short of doctors, engineers, inventors, and producers. We lock up more than 3 times the number of people per capita than any other nation on Earth, yet we are the least secure. We are among the most giving and law-abiding people on the planet; but we stand idly by and let our government quadruple the number of federal officials running around with pop guns. All of this to protect us from something we can’t define – in the end we’ve accomplished nothing remotely close to security. The knuckleheads running USC have just painted a large picture of just how ridiculous and out-of-touch our leadership truly is. They had best apologize to Mr. Ziegler fast, fire everyone that had anything to do with this insane affair (especially that guy Hecklemen – what a putz), and be very public in renouncing their behavior.

Maatkare,
Are you Hatshepsut? What’s with you and Menkheprere?

USC gets public funds.

All journalsits are weasels.

The whole thing was a set up. Borat style. Those that lean to the right will have their comments and emails recorded and monitored. No rights were read, film crew rolling w/sound at the right time, and “real” police officers not seen or named.

THIS is precisely what the ‘radical right’ means by the term ‘liberal elite’. There is a club of powerful liberals that control the government, mainstream media, and academic institutions, and as long as you’re a part of that club, you get awards (although age and wisdom has taught me that these ‘prestigious’ awards are nothing more than one liberal patting another liberal on the back) and access. John Ziegler clearly does not belong to that club, and look at the result. HE is the true journalist, daring to ask the questions that non-liberals want answered, daring to speak truth to power.

And puhlease, Katie Couric getting an award for her interview with Palin? Maybe if she’d been equally tough on Biden and pressed him as much as she pressed Palin. Really, Obama campaigned on ‘change’ yet when did Couric ever press Biden to provide one legislative example of ‘change’? Yet she pressed Palin on McCain’s record of reform. No, her award is a joke to fair minded people. Her interview with Biden was nothing more than a powder puff football game between two chums, where Biden was forced to answer such tough questions as “Are you worried about debating a woman?” GASP! Stop the presses! What a TOUGH question.

You go, John Ziegler! Your voice is needed now more than ever. Many of us feel helpless out here watching the liberals turn our country into a dictatorship where conservatives have to be quiet or risk arrest.

Welcome, my freinds, to the Fourth Reich. Financed by Microsft/NBC/GE and George Soros. Made possibe by their useful idiots on the extreme left and the apathetic American population. There will be absolutely no tolerance of Christians or unapologetic European Americans. The detention camps will be opening shortly.

For year end June 30, 2007; USC received at least $240,061,000 in government money!…Private property???…I don’t think so! Unfortunately the libs interpretation of freedom of speech is only when your views agree with theirs! I would hope John Ziegler will contact an attorney for the way he was totally insulted and disrepected by the campus employees! Hit ‘em in the pocket book, that will get their attention! -pc.

Heckelman…remember that guy’s name, everybody.

Why didn’t campus security handcuffed Katie for being a Journalist? Or she says that she is, I don’t know.

Can you say …Sig Heil!!! Mien Fuhrer!!! If not, you had better learn how to say it.

I thought I lived in the United States of America, not in 1930s Germany.

Yeah! That Couric broad doesn’t deserve any kind of award! I mean, she exposed our sweetheart, Sarah, to be the boob that she was and deep-sixed the McCain campaign as a result. Those questions that Katie asked were soooo tough. Maybe she should have asked Palin what color the White House is.

I would suggest that a lawyer be contacted and the video shown. Sue USC and the campus policemen. Take everything they own.

Obviously most of you guy fail to realize that USC is a private university thus they can arrest for trespass or pretty much anything they want. He was not arrested by law enforcement rather a private security force employed by USC.
He was not on public property. Maybe he should have asked permission like every other news/film organization such as espn, fox sports… the result may have been very diffrent.

Re: Amy Goodman

This isn’t apples to apples. She was covering a protest that splintered off and became violent, as windows were broken and tires were slashed (as reported in the LA Times). While journalists have the right to cover events, the two situations are entirely different. She was not at a quiet, peaceful event trying to ask questions like John was. Show us an example that compares apples to apples.

Thats what happens when you pay a “glorified MALL COP” $12.00 per hour to enforce the law that the liberal collegeturds believe in. I guess USC SECURITY FORCE is where all the can’t make it TRUE COPS end up, I guess this was the most excitement these MALL COP have had in a long time. Hey Security Guard Lt. Heckleman I hear that they need a deputy in Mayberry PD……after Barney Fife retired, they need someone to be stupid and uninformed, DUDE your a JOKE!!!!!!

This is good stuff. Clearly the guy had no interest in interviewing Couric. If he did, he would have left when he realized it was an invitation-only event and he wasn’t going to get to see her. Oh…wait! He was there to be a jerk-off! When he figured out he wasn’t going to get to see Katie, he decided he’d make a video of himself! Quit trespassing. When you’re asked to move, or leave…do it. Did the cop go over the line? Yes. But, that is exactly what that guy wanted. The only thing he’s documenting is how obnoxious people can be.

This is Obama’a America

I think a larger point is being missed here. Yes, it was private property. Yes, they should be able to make people leave if they are disturbing the peace. But since when is asking questions disturbing the peace? Well, it isn’t. This man was asked to leave and then finally detained simply because he is a conservative. Had he been Code Pink, Moveon, etc., there would have been no issue whatsoever.
These guys aren’t campus security anymore. They’re the thought police.

In the not so near future, citizens who work in the field of law enforcement, security, etc., will have to decide for themselves the difference between what is morally right and what their job dictates that they do. Rights afforded each and every citizen in this country are being encroached upon illegally. With President Obama as our top official…citizens will see more and more of these kinds of videos on a regular basis. Very sad to see. Our Founding Fathers actually gave us the “RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS” to take back our country in the event Government oversteps its boundaries. As long as citizens are armed and willing to fight for their Constitutional Rights we have a chance. The minute citizens are no longer willing to rise up…we are all sunk!! Just look at other foreign countries today to see the results.

since when is being on a public sidewalk a crime? If being a jerk was a crime, the libs would be locked up.

Somebody find out heckelman’s phone number and post it. I want to ask him a few questions.

This guy is a notorious nutball. He was fired from KFI a while back. He also seems a little drunk. and why does he keep laughing and smiling if he’s so upset? It’s time someone took this lunatic down.

Dude-

Give your number first and he can call you.

It would have been much more interesting had John Ziegler got a press pass –don’t tase me bro!

Obama = Hitler? Really? I’m a staunch fiscal conservative, and I disagree with much, if not most of what President Obama has sought to accomplish during his time as president, but it’s truly offensive to hear people equate the President of the United States with one of the most evil rulers in modern history. I wasn’t alive 60 years ago, but I’d like to think that my grandfather (and any other WWII vets) would have punched in the mouth anyone so ignorant as to refer to our president – whether liberal or conservative – in such a manner.

Some of the resorts to extremes in anonymous public forums can be explained by posters’ knowledge that they will never be held responsible for what they say (like the “tough guys” who talk trash about blacks, except when blacks are around). Nonetheless, such posts demonstrate a level of ignorance and hyperbole that appears to be common among our generation.

If you’re ridiculous enough to equate GWB or BHO with Hitler, does it really matter whether you’re a liberal or a conservative? People (yes, even friends and family) who hear you making such ludicrous claims probably assume you’re being just as ridiculous when you talk about other subjects, and probably don’t believe much of what you say in general. Please realize that if you are ignorant enough to make such comments, you probably don’t really know much about the “cause” you claim to support (be it Democratic or Republican, or neither), or the cause you claim to oppose.

Comparing the democratically-elected leader of the greatest country on Earth to Hitler does not mean you are a right-wing wacko; it just means you are a wacko.

heckelman – do what the libs do – hire a trail lawyer and sue them!

Good job campus security

This guy gives conversatives a bad name.

Private property – check
Invitation required event – check
UNINVITED Silly, self-absorbed, man-child seeking attention – check

Good job campus security.

What is really disturbing (beyond the fact that if you hold views that aren’t leftist on a college campus you’re threatened with violence, pied or shouted down) is…that Katie Couric recieved an award?! For what?..the gummiest ,cheesiest smile plastered on a shill ever?

“This video was shot and edited by Orange County Films. John Ziegler was not involved the the production or editing of this video in any way.”

Right. The receiver for his wireless mic just mysteriously attached itself to OCF’s camera, huh?

Liberal Fascism is here and your freedom is on the way out..

Since when did the USC campus become “private property?” Since when is a citizen not permitted to stand on public property! I hope this guy sues USC for their entire endowment.

I cannot believe this happened, even in LA!

Everybody SING!!

HEIL! HEIL! The gang’s all here…..

This is BS! University gets federal funds and therefore people have the right to gather peacefully. This guy wasn’t blocking anyone’s path to or from the event, hell, there wasn’t anyone to block. Wake up people, we are turning into a police state. If you are against any libtard agenda you are screwed! Mock my words, another civil war is around the corner!

Oh and Mickey – just because the idiots, (Thanks greatly in part to ACORN, Soros and dead people) that Obama was democratically elected in this great country DOESN’T automatically mean Obama couldn’t possible be another Hitler!

Let’s not forget the world and all the people of Germany who ALSO democratically elected Hitler thought Hitler was the next greatest thing to pancakes….in the beginning!

Call me Wacko all you want, when your kids have no choice but to join Obama’s (aka Hitler’s) “volunteer” youth army don’t come crying to us!

Private property? I thought privately owned bars and restaurants are private property too. But the State has deemed them to be places of public accommodation. Thus subject to govt jurisprudence (e.g., smoking laws).

So which is it? Is USC private property or a place of public accommodation?

If it’s the latter then his rights to peaceful assembly were denied. He should hit some entity with a 10 trillion dollar law suit.

This is the worst! What can these security guards be thinking! They are harrassing and taking away an American citizen who is merely standing outside asking questions, making sure he does not interfere with anyone else. This reporter was treated worse than in Nazi Germany! This is a police state and these campus toy cops should be sued and fired!!

Someone please explain to me how USC receives
millions of federal, state tax money to fund their
liberal programs is deemed ‘private property’? Where do these tax funds come from? From taxpayers across the U.S. How on God’s earth do these simpletons think they will get by with this?
Be prepared to be sued state of california and usc. You libs think you have the upperhand for good but just remember ‘He who laughs last laughs loudest’.

This is the kind of treatment that Michael Moore, another guy who does documentaries, should be given anytime and anywhere he takes his fat arse and his camera.

John…. sue the school and the police. I think you’ll find a very very understanding jury. Of course if it goes before a judge, we’ll just get the Thomas Moore Society to run it up the Supreme Court flag pole for numerous Constitutional violations.

As for all the USC students whose liberal brains are mush and defended the campus police…someday you’ll get yours. But it wont be by the “Right-Wing radicals”, it will be by the hand of your own fascist government

I think a lot of people are missing the point. USC is a private university. Their campus is private property. They give right to pass to students, faculty, staff, and invited guests. The reporter was deemed to be none of the above, so he is trespassing. His detainment by campus security was the same as anyone detaining someone trespassing on their property. What the video doesn’t show is that USC security has a tight working relationship with LAPD and he was probably quickly handed over to LAPD for processing.

One’s first ammendment rights do not override anothers right to property and control of their property. He was not detained for speaking, he was detained for trespassing.

Now an interesting question is, Are USC campus security personnel swarn peace officers in the State of California? On the state college campuses they are, like UCLA, Cal Poly, etc. I don’t know about USC.

Oso

Liberals are Marxist…get the picture.

My Country will NEVER be Communist, period.

1. Soap Box
2. Ballot Box
3. Ammo Box

#3 is coming to a town near you.

sue..sue..sue..sue..sue..sue..sue..please sue those jackbooted thug nazis.

This individual was standing on private property. USC is a privately owned school and reserves the right to no permit individuals on its campus. Similar to right-wing religious extremist schools who refuse to allow gays and lesbians access to their facilities.

What a jerk. When on private property and asked to leave you must leave. Or be removed. I am so tired of people thinking they can do as they please with no thought to rule of law. I wish that people like that would have the book thrown at them. I own a business and I see this type of behavior way to oftem. I for one am tired of people making up rules that suit them with no idea of the right and wrong way of doing things. And then crying foul when things don’t go there way. There are rules people start following them or get them changed.

USC is a private university. They can set the rules for his conduct on their property, including putting limits on his speech.

But this really goes to show that any fairy with camera and microphone can call himself a filmmaker toady.

Welcome to Obama’s America. Free speech is always the first thing to go in a despotic regime. I’m going to miss this country.

OBAMA POLICE ARREST GREAT PATRIOT JOHN ZIEGLER

THIS SHALL NOT STAND

THE UPRISING IS NEAR

Kate Couric is one of the ELITE. Or so she (they) thinks. She is one of the LEFT trying to destroy the country is all.

It’s frightening what’s starting to happen in this Country. We’re starting to resemble the U.S.S.R. pre-Gorbachev.

This is why there were Tea Parties yesterday. Anyone that isn’t for Obama or the Democrats is being arrested, their speech suppressed or their rights taken away from them. It is called Communism folks and you are watching it happened right in front of you.

Love the old geezer rent-a-cop picking his nose in the opening shot, Barney Fife is proud…
Katie probably promised the geezer a little something after the awards if he put John in cuffs.

for all that claim that USC is private property and has the right to ask anyone to leave…. I’am sure that you would all support their private property rights if they chose not to allow or remove persons on campus based on race or gender? Maybe they could have different drinking fountains or something??

Actions speak to the nature of the action, if there has been a historical policy of allowing political protest on the campus (gee I wonder) then I would think that they would have a hard time defending this action.

“”"For all the leftist whining about GWB, there was not this kind of thing going on under his admin.”"”"

What??????????????? What????

Oh, LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOL!!

Private property or public property.

Trespassing or not.

Does anyone really believe they would have treated a liberal film maker the same?

Hey, let’s be fair! This was supposed to be all about Katie and her remarkable skills as a propagandist. Here are a few other people that might receive a
Journalist as Progagandist Award

Ziegler should have just complied with their instructions. He resisted and caused his own self inflicted injuries. The campus Police should have arrested him. He learned he can get away with his stupid antics.

Zeigler broke no laws. He was on a public street. He is legit media. His constitutional rights were definitely violated. Typical of statists–they cannot stand for anyone else’s voice to be heard. Hope he sues.

Do all you idiots think this is news? Soon you will all have Natinal Ids and geeze if ya had nothing to hide you would not complain about having your phone taped right? Idiots

usc still receives gov funding i guarantee it. therefore is it really private?? me thinks not.

USC is a private university…as such it is private property and he must leave if asked. I don’t agree with Couric or her “journalism” but private property must be respected.

I’m scared. For the first time in my life, I am scared of my country.

I’m soooooo glad these people are out of power. AMerica finally woke up.

Hey John… you know how BO got elected, and you know who he needs to stay there … so watch your back around his media operatives … you don’t want to wind up on the same list as
SEAN HANNITY

Gee, since when did RULES become a handcuffable crime. John should have them them his RULES were that he could do whatever he wants as long as he doesn’t brake the law…………..OH that’s right rules are not law, they detained him illegally. I’d love to be his lawyer.

“Ed” is correct. USC is a private university, and not part of the University of California public school system. Even if it WAS part of the UC system, the university administration has the right to enforce the rules. In this case, Ziegler was not acting as a journalist, but as an advocate. He was not there primarily to interview anyone or to cover the event, but, according to the information provided with THIS VIDEO, he was there to distribute his own videos. In short, he was being disruptive. If he’d been on a UC campus, I can guarantee that the UC police would not have been as restrained, nor as gentle, as were the USC officers. All he had to do was move off of campus property and there would have been no problem.

Who the hell is Zeigler? He comes across as a dope.

Just a bunch of California leftests at each other, stupid is as stupid does!!!!!!!

I did not read all the posts, but I did read several and I did not see anyone mention the fact that USC is a state school and therefore it is PUBLIC property (owned by the public) and not PRIVATE property (owned by a private individual or private enterprise).

Facts:
1) He was NOT disturbing the peace
2) He was NOT violating a LAWFUL order by a police officer
3) He was NOT trying to force his way in. Once he was told he could not attend, he did not attempt to enter.
4) He was NOT impeding anyone else.
5) He WAS exercising his right to free speech.
6) The officers were GUILTY of false arrest (once they limited his movement, it was an arrest by definition.
7) The officers were GUILTY of illegal confinement or possibly kidnapping (when they handcuffed him and forced him to and help him at a particular location.
8) The officers were GUILTY of abuse of power.
9) The officers were GUILTY of violating his civil rights
10) The officers were GUILTY of battery when they illegally touched him (actually harming him)

I could go on. I a retired police officer. I was not clear if these guys were sworn officers (campus police) or just security guards. If they were security guards, I would not want to be their employer right now with the potential criminal and civil penalties. If they were sworn officers, then shame on them because any academy graduate would know that they handled that completely wrong.

Dan Stant – I’m curious, so you think the best way to get out of this mess is to spend trillion more of what we don’t have? I mean, the reason why we are in this mess is because people and government were spending way more money then what they had. Now with Obama we are just spending way more (making Bush’s spending look like chump change)

Don’t you think we should have learned a lesson from Bush’s overspending and cut government spending, not DOUBLE our deficit.

Would the tone of these comments be any different if that were Michael Moore out there asking questions? Why can’t anyone see that our right to free speech has been corrupted by a ‘Free Press’? Nobody had ANY issues with the criticism of W. or any of his cabinet, Nobody has any issues with criticism of Fox News for ‘Right Wing Propaganda’, but now that the story has changed the character names but not the plot line, suddenly it’s ‘despicable’ and ‘unethical’. It’s time for both sides to SHUT UP and realize the problem is in the mirror. Turn off your idiot boxes and take back YOUR country.

They probably flew in all of katie’s tv viewers.

If she was doing any worse she may have recieved two awards.

Hopefully President Obama will be able to reverse the disastrous course that the conservative Republicans have put this country on for the past eight years. The U.S. economy is in shambles, the military is mired down with two expensive wars, and the world teeters on global depression, and all these twits worry about is disrupting a journalism award. Go have a damn Tea Party or something, but get the hell out of the way of the people that are trying to fix this mess.

what crime was committed? If a non sworn peace officer {security guard} detains and hand cuffs someone they MUST call the police and have that person arrested, if they don’t then they did NOT have the right to detain and handcuff making THEM guilty of kidnapping, false arrest.

that is what they teach you to get your security guard card, the fact they carry guns does NOT make them real police

If this out of control drunk (Zeigler) comes on my private property, he won’t be treated as nicely as he was by the USC guards. What is next from the far right? Do they think they have the right to invade everyone’s privacy and force them to undergo indoctrination? Get a life.

[...] Freedom of the Press? Dur, whazzat? Jump to Comments No, really. [...]

Read the “Pruneyard Decision” from the California Supreme Court – it allows public speech on private property. Period. Do not write anything else here unless you have read this first. No one likes a moron.

SMARTERTHANYOU NICE CALL….

It’s so funny to see liberals get bit in the rear by their own stupid rulings.

I’m sure Zig’s lawyers are reviewing Pruneyard as we post.

Freedom of Speech only applies to left wing, politically correct lemmings. Disagree with the libs, and they will shut you down.

If you notice, this video was shot and “EDITED” by Orange County Films. I’m just wondering if there is more to the story than what they are showing??

Were the students who interputed the speech given by a conservation arested this week? UNC has some real issues. I think people who graduated from there shoud stop sending money. My kid was invited for a visit to UNC. No way would we send her there.

‘Duh I’m just wondering if there’s more to the story than we see…’

Duh…. yeah, there were another 400 guys just like him hiding in trees with secret nerve agents and they were swooping down on people using carbon fiber bat wings…but that was edited out.

You tools of stupidity, how I pity thee.

USC does privately funded reasearch but is a State of Kalifornia school.

Pruneyard, in a nutshell, allows public speech on private property where ideas/information/opinions have been traditionally diseminated i.e. the town square of old. Commerce has nothing to do with it – in fact, selling anything while engaging in this speech makes you into a squatter/illegal vendor, subject to eviction. If it’s expected that free ideas and information are exchanged on the property, then you cannot restrict others from doing the same. It’s been applied across the board for 30 years, and universities are the quintessential idea forum.

WELCOME TO THE RISE OF THE NEO HATER LIBERALS. This is the new world according to Obama? If you disagree in any way, you will be silenced. If that doesn’t work, you will be imprisoned. If that doesn’t work, then what? You will be killedmaybe? Plain and simple, make no mistake, the path is set, the course is charted.

RE: Pruneyard Decision mentioned above.

I read a little about the decision, but fail to see how it directly applies. A shopping mall represents private property whose function as a center of commerce is open to all society. Does USC’s private campus have an open-access policy to all of society? Frequently, educational institutions are quite guarded regarding random visitors on campus. For example, if the campus involved in this episode was a private high school in LA, would anyone even bat an eye regarding the removal of an uninvited guest to campus?

For the many people who believe that this incident shows a bias against conservatives, I disagree.

Having videotaped many cops, security guards, even soldiers up close, once they say to stop, they mean it. If you do not have press credentials for whatever event it is, especially if you are on private property like a campus, you do not have the right to not be apprehended by the authorities present. I am not crazy about that; that is just the way it is.

One can avoid that by being respectful and tactful, neither of which John Ziegler is. He clearly mocked the officers and put them in a difficult situation by challenging their authority, on tape no less, which they do not like. That he was released without charge and allowed to keep his footage is remarkable.

As for allegations of liberal bias at USC, my first week there as a student featured a rally by the Young Republicans, the largest extracurricular group, against a law that would allow homosexuals to have the same protection against discrimination that blacks and other minorities have. It is very white, very rich.

Ziegler himself discredits the cause he claims to lead. Having sat down and interviewed him specifically to give him the opportunity to air his views, I was stunned and disappointed by his lack of supporting facts and arrogance. While many people might agree with some of his views, he does not set an example that I think most conservatives would want to follow.

Here is our sit-down interview:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-wellington-ennis/sarah-palins-greatest-def_b_179260.html

Here is my review of his film about Sarah Palin, “Media Malpractice”:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-wellington-ennis/review-sarah-palins-makeo_b_179158.html

Did you notice that the security guards had the appropriate brown shirts on? This reporter desrves a lot of credit to have remained as controlled as he was. I would have went nuts if that were me being manhandled by those brownshirts. Talk about freedom of speech. You have freedom of speech if it fits the leftists agenda. Katie Couric received an award for lowering the ratings on the evening news program when she took over. Also, the award was for trying to make Sarah Palin look like a fool.
Couric is an overpaid teleprompter reader, just like Obama.

This video is proof that freedom of speech exists only if you are a left wing radical. Notice that the security guards had the appropriate brown shirts on. This reporter showed more class trhen the so-called security guards who kept him from doing his job. Katie Couric received an award for two reasons. One reason was for lowering the nightly news ratings for the CBS evening news when she took over for Dan Blather. His ratings were already low. The other reason was for trying to make Sarah Palin look like a fool when she interviewed her during the election. That interview was supposed to be great journalism? Give me a break.

It appears USC was within its rights to have him escorted off the campus. However, given that it is a learning institution where freedom of speech is touted everywhere, it appears very shady to say the least. As long as he stayed outside of the building, I don’t see the problem. The problem is he’s not a leftie and they can’t stand it. Amazing.

Where was Orange County Films when I needed them? Though I didn’t take it to extremes, a la John Ziegler, my attempt to cover the 2001 Grand Opening of the relocated Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum was thwarted when a publicist who offered me press credentials the day before inexplicably went postal after I arrived for the ribbon-cutting ceremonies.

She assaulted me, without provocation, even though, had I violated any rules there were plenty of officers around, hired by the Country Music Foundation for purposes of crowd control (the star-studded event was open to the public), to control credentialed media as well.

The Hall of Fame security personnel, with whom I made a written complaint, was quite sympathetic to my plight. Ironically, Beth Gwinn photographed me at the event and one of the photos, which appeared in the following month’s edition of the Journal of Country Music, offers evidence that I was at all times where I was supposed to be in pursuit of my professional duties. Nothing more, nothing less.

When Tina Young and her superiors Kyle Young and Elizabeth Thiels did not allow Rev. Joe Ingle of Nashville’s Neighborhood Justice Center to mediate as we all had agreed in advance he should be allowed to do, by recommendation of Davidson County’s Night Court Commissioner, I was reluctantly forced to prosecute.

Stacy Harris
Publisher/Executive Editor
Stacy’s Music Row Report
http://www.geocities.com/stacy.harris/

Katie deserves an award for “Perky Twit.” Cronkite deserves one for “Leftist Liar.” But, John Ziegler was a complete ass in this video. If you are asked to leave private property, and you resist reasonable efforts to remove you, then you get no sympathey from me.

“It really hurts!” Well, John, most of us learn that lesson before we become teenagers. I hope no one connects you with political conservatism. You ought to grow up. Anatagonizing those whose task it is to enforce the rules is immature, to say the least.

This is some of the best news reporting I have seen in a long time. John Ziegler was doing a standup job and should be proud of his accomplishment in this encounter with the police. I hope for the sake of all Americans that the police, and the supporting authority(s) are proscecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

I feel that all involved in the arrest should be lpublicly humiliated for denying John Ziegler his freedom of speech and ask questions.

Classic comments!

- references to nazis
- references to brown shirts
- references to fascism

Honestly, the guy was being a loudmouthed idiot and he knew it. He was being even worse than Michael Moore, who at least has the sense to shut up and move his increasingly large butt off private property when he’s being told by security staff to move on.

We need a group of lawyers that will stand up for the citizen when the authorities step on our civil liberties. We can call them the “American Civil Liberty Union” or aclu for short. What , they already exist? WELL WTF? WHERE ARE THEY Now?

Quick call Paul Moyer on this LOL

This entire event was designed to produce a confrontation. Had John simply been there conducting interviews, he would have had a legitimate purpose of being there as a freelance Journalists but the minute he brought along his video, his credibility went south.

The Security Officers failed when they put on the cuffs and did not call in the Police to finalize the citizen’s arrest. Legally, John could file a lawsuit but, he has no damages so even if he won his lawsuit, he would win nothing in a civil court.

Publicity stunt from an egomaniac. USC is a private institution, and cops were within their rights to boot him (no invitation, no press credentials). However it would have been better just to ignore him as he wasn’t causing any trouble.

I used to listen to John Ziegler on AM 640 in Los Angeles, which he was fired from because he is not a smart man. USC is a private university. Therefore, he was on private property. Therefore, he’s trespassing. Not sure why this is so difficult to understand…and I’m not even a liberal!

“Not only did the police NOT “abuse” this fool; they showed remarkable restraint in putting up with his constant, inane blather. Next time, officer, haul this dope off to the lockup, keep him there as long as you can, and smash the camera.”

The free-speech wing of Leftism has spoken. Dissent gets you a beating, and your equipment destroyed. Thank you for confirming what we already knew about your putrid, anti-free speech ideology.

Now if instead of Ziegler, there had been a mob of screaming violent muslims thugs, trying to disrupt a talk by someone they didn’t like, campus police would have done absolutely nothing.

USC is a PRIVATE university. The guy was on PRIVATE property. Private property owners have the COMPLETE authority to grant or rescind access, for any reason, or for no reason. It’s their RIGHT, whether you agree or not. Any other arguments you may have are red herrings. Private property trumps free speech, freedom of press, etc. By the way, private property (land and effects) is a conservative value, yes it is.

USC takes federal funds. (That’s how students who aren’t covered by scholarships; PAY.) And, the word “Federal” is key. They can be prosecuted.

But for what? I sure hope there are lawyers who watched this who can see if a documentary film maker, trying to expose a problem, can have his cameras turned off. (It could have been worse.) OR: What would the “real” police do, if there was an arrest? Yes, I’m surprised Ziegler wasn’t arrested. And, I only assume the Los Angeles Police didn’t want to touch this thing with a 10′-pole. Hence, no arrival of the “men in blue.”

Even IF USC was a public university, the administration has the COMPLETE right to kick people out. As an example, you can’t go and hang out at a public elementary, middle, or high school if you’re not a student or teacher. The administration can kick out students (suspension or kick out permanently) and teachers from the property for cause. You must receive permission. Fort Knox is publicly owned, can’t go in there either. Deal with it.

DRUDGE has this up. I came here through links I followed at Drudge’s site. Where this has headline space. Dunno about Katie Couric’s usual numbers of viewers. But I’d bet Drudge has brought millions of people who got to see this one.

What did they see? And, empty campus. And, it seemed this “private award” … what other name you ever want to give it … doesn’t represent “ethics.” It’s got OPPORTUNISM written all over it.

And? The clips alomst 12 minutes long. The campus police must have been in touch with the LA Police Department. That’s why there were “limits” on the statement “We Will Arrest You.”

For Ziegler? He’s getting more than 15 minutes of fame. For USC? Not a brilliant way to handle this issue. Sorry. We still have a FIRST AMENDMENT. And, Ziegler has a credential. He was doing a DOCUMENTARY. Said so. And, now? Covered. Plus, after the camera was “disabled” … the sound continued. But the Los Angeles Police Department never showed up. Do you know why?

dear daymo..splain to me the part about private property (land and effects) is a conservative value, when they are bulldozing you house for public domain usage??

If he was black (or a pirate) they would have kissed his ass and escorted him into the event…..welcome to the new era of Nazi Obamaland, a democracy.

Gene April 16th, 2009 – 1:21 pm

“They should have hauled this pompous arse off to jail and let him stew there for a while. Right wing extremists across the country are doing nothing now except trying to interrupt events and cause a stir with their ridiculous “we’re turning into socialists” ramblings… after they took our country to the precipice they now want to complain! Disgusting. Hypocrites. Fascists.”

You’re an idiot. What precipice you moron? What policy of Bush brought us to the “precipice”? A recession is now the precipice? It’s funny because Libs make this claim all the time but they never point to any policy or state exactly how Bush got us into our current situation. On the other hand, Conservatives can tell you exactly how Dem policies led to this. The ease with which you guys lie is astonishing. You just shout slogans and seem to have no desire to understand what led to this problem. The sad thing is that at the end of the day I don’t see how you think it benefits you to lie and distort. What magical think happens in your life if people with “D’s” next to their names get elected? The beliefs and policies of the people with the “D’s” is what caused this crisis you keep professing is so awful. It doesn’t even take that much investigation. What do you gain by lying about it? How is your life made better by going out of your way in misplacing the blaim? I think we can all agree we’d prefer to have a more vibrant economy so why do you refuse to look at what actually caused the problem? I just don’t see how this benefits you unless you are running for office. If I looked at the evidence and found it was Bush’s policies that led to this then I would have no problem saying so. My goal is to fix the problems and learn so as not to make the same mistakes. I bet my life that if Obama echoed the exact same policies that Bush enacted you’d all of the sudden be for them. And that I just don’t understand. What do you gain from it? How does that “D” so affect your life? Like I said, most conservatives can point to Lib policies and explain how they led/lead to disaster. I almost never read a post from a lib pointing out specific conservative policies and how they lead to an ill functioning government. Instead, almost all of it is just name calling and tripe about “failed policies of the last 8 years”. What policies failed? Iraq? Last I checked we deposed a despot (which was a goal and aim of the Clinton administration) and now their is an American friendly democracy burgoning there. When Clinton advocated “regime change” in Iraq were you against it then? I know you weren’t because you’ll cheer ANYTHING a lib advocates while booing ANYTHING a conservative says. I just don’t understand how this helps you in your life. What is so magical about that “D”? I really think you’ve been so brainwashed by a parent or teacher that you actually think Democrats are “good” and conservatives are “bad”? That’s about all it comes down to. And this is from the crowd that thinks they are such deep thinkers. On the other hand, we don’t think most of you guys are “bad”. Instead, we think your just naive and too emotion based in your thinking. However, if a person with “D” next to their name were to advocate things that I thought were prudent I’d have no problem voting for them. The letter isn’t that important to me. You guys railed for years about Bush shredding the Constitution and now that Obama is doing just that you could care less. Why? At the end of the day I don’t think you guys really stand for anything except wanting power.

What a sad day for USC. There is no excuse, (private property), for the behavior of the employees of USC. Of course being a Berkeley graduate I am partial to free speech. If the video showed even one person being acosted or interfered with I might give USC the benefit of the doubt. The USC community should be sure to tell future students that USC allows only speech that is approved.

I’m not going to bother reading any of the other posts here. The bottom line is that USC is a private university. While my thoughts are that any university should be encouraging open thoughts and freedom of speech, I guess private universities don’t think that way. So regardless of the philosophies behind speaking one’s mind, the fact remains that Ziegler was not invited to the event and decided to disobey the university’s rules. They asked him to stop and to leave. He didn’t. They detained him, which he resisted (yes, what he did constitutes resisting, like it or not). The security guards here did what they were instructed to do by administration and did not violate anyone’s rights by doing so because of the fact that it was not on public property. This video would have been outstanding evidence to convict Ziegler of trespassing and, depending upon whether the guards were deputized, resisting arrest, and that is the truth of the matter.

One moe thing Gene. Fascist? What the hell are you talking about? Do you even know what the word means? “Fascists” were a political party with certain ideologies. Current Liberal ideology is much closer to “fascism” than any conservative stand. All I can think of is that you think it means “murderer” or “warmonger” and therefore feel it’s clever to apply it to us conservatives. After all, we’re the “bad” guys right? We just love murder and war right? You know….for some reason us conservatives just like blowing things up and the death that often follows. After all, it couldn’t be that sometimes you just have to fight in order to protect the long term peace. You know…like with that Hitler guy.

<<>>

While this was addressed to someone else, I am familiar with Pruneyard. It does not give carte blanche for people to do what they want on private land, including so called freedom of speech. There are restrictions on times and locations. The person requesting permission under freedom of speech must obtain PRIOR permission from the property holder and follow protocol. Mr. Ziegler apparently did not do that, or so his cameraman recorded. You should really educate yourself on what a case law actually entails before you start spouting it off because no one likes a moron.

ziggy isn’t quite aware of ’school property’ and ‘univited guest’ and ‘iron’…oh and also idiocy.

should’ve tazed him bro

This is not private property. BTW when did Leftists begin respecting private property?? There is a whole list of trespassing harassment against conservatives by liberals.

The arrogant and condescending attitude? Lock him up and break the cameras? This school looks about as ridiculous as can be. He was peaceful, and, God this is serious, speaking, which is allowed. Not using fighting words, not blocking a soul, and a real cop would have realized this behavior is acceptable, but OK, a little tiny pain in the ass who would have gone away. Now they look like the incompetent buffoons they are, giving several different versions of rules they were making up as they went along. How pathetic. Over the years, and I support cops in their duties more than most, but over the years, cops have spotted photographers taking pix of various scenes, and the cop has decided he does not like it, and orders the perfectly legal photography to stop, or, even more idiotically, seizes the film or camera, leading to the cop’s downfall. These sad campus guards were oh so close to doing the same thing. USC, may God save you. Thanks. bill

A cult of personality or personality cult arises when a country’s leader uses mass media to create a heroic public image through unquestioning flattery and praise. Cults of personality are often found in dictatorships or on the USC (UNIVERSITY OF STALINISTIC COMPROMISE)campus during an award ceremony for one of its’ own, namely katie couric, a darling of contempt within the “news” arena (meaning circus), and trapeze artist.

For all of those who keep insisting USC ddin’t target this man because of his speech you have not been to the SC campus lately.

They DO NOT eject all people who are on the campus uninvited. Homeless and other loiters are often on campus and the security passes right by them.

This man was targeted because of what he was saying.

That said, if they had asked him to stand on the grass and he didn’t then that is another matter.

All in all a frigg’n PR debacle for SC and the people who run the Cronkite award for journalism. I wonder if these folks got a hold of the manual from the people who ran the Joseph Goebbles Awards for Journalistic achievement!

I guess if you are on the USC campus using a video camera and asking people questions it is now considered illegal. As for Katie Couric getting an award, it is just like when Al Gore got the Nobel Peace Prize, liberals love giving each other awards whether they deserve them or not.

I’m not sure if USC takes any public funding but if they do. How can they hold a private meeting on a campus that takes public funding?

Hmmm…was anyone arrested at the Univ. of N.C. when they overran Tancredos speech….no? Liberals are the biggest hypocrits on earth. They hate the Constitution, but often sight their first amendment to free speach when convenient.

Man alive, I thought the officer showed great restraint in not pulling out his gun and shooting him! :)

He should have been able to video his story in front of the ceremony but when he said he wasn’t resisting he reminded me of the “Don’t taz me, bro” guy.

Why Katie Couric would get any award is a mystery to me.

So if USC is “private property”,…. how may I go about ensuring that my PUBLIC FUNDING no longer goes to that school?
I am outraged!
Ziegler, you have earned yourself a new fan!

USC is a private school, this is completely legal. Ziegler is pretending he doesn’t know this. It’s a shame that demagoguery feigns the guise of journalism. However, I don’t think U.S. journalist in general are very far from the former.

USC
University of
Socailism &
Communism

For those who think I don’t know what I’m talking about—I worked there in 1999. I had these opinions before this video but was glad to see proof on video of their fascist antics.

Maybe I missed it but why were the two photographers allowed to walk everywhere, but the guy with the mic detained? Seems to me the USC police would have detained all of them if they were really enforcing the rules they cite.

What are the words “Katie Couric” and “journalism” doing in the same sentence?

I am what you would call a “lefty liberal”, and I am completely disgusted at the fact this man was detained.

He was no threat to anyone. This is America, there is no such thing as “official media” you freakin’ idiots. He had every right to be there doing what he was doing.

Yummo! Yummo! I can see a few lawyers just rubbing their hands and smacking their lips on this one!!

Sure makes me wish I was one! Think of the money!!

This is an outrage. I respect John Ziegler and he is a very good journalist. His film was excellent. Those officers should NOT have cuffed him and it was obvious they were instructed to get him away from the event. The marks on his wrist says it all…..Just horrible…

I think it should be made clear that USC has NO police department. USC Public Safety Officers, are NOT Peace Officers, they operate under 830.7 of the california penal code, as private higher education security officers with a Memorandum of Understanding with the LAPD which mean they must respect the 1st Amendment. They are not allowed to claim to be Peace or Police officers. USC is a private organization but because of the MOU with LAPD they are still beholden to the constitutino and ziegler is protected from unlawful search and seizure.

Federal Law prohibits two or more persons unlawfully infringing upon a persons civil rights under the color of Law. As operating under 830.7 CPC USC security officers were operating under the color of law.

sue them, and have LAPD / LA Sheriffs revoke the MOU with the university.

This is awful. We as Americians are looseing all our freedoms. United we can stop this. Americians unite.Get off the couch. Protect our right to free speach, and all the ohter liberties we have before we lose ever thing.

This does not surprise me in the least bit. These whiney liberal 4 year olds practice and support this kind of BS all the time. If John Ziegler does NOT sue the pants off these infants I will be EXTREMELY disappointed. The only thing more disgusting than John being arrested for doing nothing wrong, is that Katie Couric actually received an award for her garbage interview.

Well, I guess it’s not a dream, freedom of speech will just be something that I try to explain to my grandchildren in private….unless of course it’s some weirdo left speech about sex, homosexualty, wife beating (perfectly acceptable, just watch any Hollyweird film), rape, you know, the stuff the left likes to talk about. What the hell has happened to this country when you can’t stand on a sidewalk and say whatever you want. I just don’t get it. Then I come here and read lefties spewing hate and calling names. Wow, I don’t get it. I just don’t get it. Good grief what kind of home were you people raised in?

Just to set the record straight. Those private security guards are not police, or peace officers. They obviously do not have the knowledge and training that all california peace officers have. I am a peace officer, and a fully trained Police Officer, Sheriff Deputy, State Peace Officer would never do this.

John, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP??? WHO TO CALL, EMAIL ETC. I AM OUTRAGED !

wow, so that interview with Sarah Palin was really cutting egde, huh? Bottom line, Couric needs Sarah Palin. HA HA HA. How are those ratings, CBS?

You know what? What did Mary Kay Ash do when she saw man after man win awards and get promoted after SHE trained them? She started her own AWARDS. Come On fellow conservatives, lets start our own prestigious awards, with even more glitz, and more bling, and maybe even a pink cadillac. 5 FOX shows top the cable ratings.

YAY!!! SARAH.

John,
Sue them. Katie Curic, the two security guards, the suits that were in the film. I’m a retired police officer and I am appauled by the actions of management.

By the way, there is NO LAW against resisting arrest from security officers, even operating under 830.7 CPC

again, sue them and have LAPD revoke the MOU with USC Public Safety

Well, this is to be expected from the neo-fascist left. They disrupt speeches by those they dont like, yet dont you dare try to do the same. They’ll have you arrested.

In response to the post “Laugh that one off, idiot!”. Contrast the treatment here with the treatment of dozens of protesters at UNC earlier this week when Tom Tancredo (a conservative) was there to give a speech (it should be easy to find through Google). The problem is that there is a vast difference in how liberals and conservatives are treated at colleges and universitites. Liberal protesters are allowed to disrupt events with little or no consequences (UNC earlier this week being a standard example), but when a conservative (in this case literally one conservative) shows up to criticize an event, the treatment is very different. I have seen a lot of events where school administrations and security are willing to tolerate demonstrations by liberal groups, but that tolerance does not extend to conservative groups, the problem is the double standard.

Let’s see a Public / State Financed College is Private Property? USC Is Owned by the Taxpayers of the state. He was attending or attempting to attend a PUBLIC Function being held on this Open Campus. An event that was a newsworthy gathering of other journalists and media types. These campus security clowns obviously have never read much less understood the Bill of rights has they were trampling the hell out of it here. USSC has previously ruled that once these campus cops put him in cuffs & forcibly detained him he was under arrest. At NO Time was he Mirandized. Sue the F out of these clowns.

Since when is it a crime being annoying? If it were every Liberal alive would be in jail!

These guys aren’t officers. They’re idiots in uniform who are trampling on the rights of free citizens. I hope Ziegler sues the pants off of USC and the security officers should be required to turn in their plastic badges. They wouldn’t make a scab on an police officer’s derriere. They can’t even answer simple questions asked by Ziegler. They’re not worthy of wearing guns, cuffs or even impersonating an officer. What a bunch of TOOLS.

OK, The question that leaps right out at me… How can any portion of a tax-payer funded campus like the University Of Southern California be considered private property? Next question… How does the Cold War, Austrian born, Governor of California feel about the blatant suppression of the press and human rights violations we see on display on this video?

I sent an email requesting USC to tell me how they justify the arrest of John Ziegler.

http://www.usc.edu/contact/

No profanity, nothing nasty, just a straight up question of WHY

Ok, he might not be elite media . .. but he IS a journalist . . . imagine if Katie Couric were handcuffed like that. USC should be proud of themselves . . . their policies are like Nazi Germany!

I can’t believe Couric got an award for her obviously bias “interview”. As others have said Couric is a washed up, self expousing tool of a faultering network.

Do liberals really think public colleges are “private property”? This is outrageous and I don’t recall any videos of the liberal media being attacked by security for standing on a sidewalk. This is scary stuff for every American. How could these officers justify their behavior! ARe we next!

Wow! I thought liberals were stupid, but now they’ve proven it! Just read their rants here on these posts! I thought stupidy had reached an all time low before now, but I see they can get lower! Fascism is alive and well in America….look to your left!!

Ziegler I hope you will take the left wing approach and SUE THE pants off those people that did this to you!!

I’m shocked that anybody…..even the brain dead lefties,…. would not be outraged about this event!

If something like this happened during W’s watch, most of you would be crying for blood. This man did nothing wrong by reporting from location as many reporters do everyday. This is an absurd use of law enforcement. Smart ass liberal reporters are given high praise for “sticking it to the man”. Not this guy is considered a terrorist just for wanting to know why anybody would want to award Katy Couric for helping to sway public opinion, I thought you were supposed to just report the facts. Not have an opinion.

It’s UNBELIEVABLE the hypocricy of the so called Progressive Left… and quite frankly intolerable. Every aspect of their agenda, and their tactics, are straight out of the Communist Manifesto. An ideology based wholy on lies and deception. Fortunately, America is begining to awaken to what the liberal movement is really all about. Power & Money… nothing else. Their power, and your money. Americans will not take too much of this. Liberty… or death.

Would someone like Walter Cronkite recommend this action be taken by University police force? No…
I wonder who ordered the police action.

It is a little odd that USC, which has real security problems – (students getting murdered in crosswalk, yearly issue of rapes and theft), are so quick to turn out troops to protect phony reporters from having to face straightforward questions. I doubt Michael Moore will be doing something on this!

Everyone who believes in Free Speech and Assembly should be outraged.

Our constitution requires this — Are we now part of Russia & Cuba

Maybe he should read a California penal code book and look up penal code section 602K.

He’s a pretty bad actor too, trying to make it look like excessive force.

Once an agent of the proprietor asks you to leave the said property and you refuse..you are subject to arrest for trespassing. That isn’t a very hard concept to understand…

This is truly sad… he really wasn’t doing anything. With USC’s history of protests… this was nothing! So much for the bill of rights and Freedom of Speech…

The guy, Ziegler, would have been on firmer ground if he had pulled his stunt at a public university. At least arguably, he would have been on PUBLIC property. But USC is a PRIVATE institution, so it’s PRIVATE property. In that respect, Ziegler was trespassing, then he refused to leave when they asked him. That is a crime. He got what he deserved.

USC seems like it went a long way toward trying to accommodate him. They offered him a designated area in which to pull his stunt.

That didn’t suit him because nobody would have watched the video — nobody would have cared. Seems like his whole schtick was to to goad the cops into arresting/handcuffing him so that Drudge would play along and people would pay attention.

The dude has a weird fetish for Sarah Palin. If I were her he would creep me out.

Jesus H Christ

How many times does someone have to post that USC is a frakkin PRIVATE university? i.e. private property and subject to the will of the owners.

That means they can restrict or deny access to any damn body they want, for what ever reason suits them.

He was asked to leave and did not, end of story, no excessive force was used.

I am as right wing as it gets, I’m also a 16 year police veteran IN LOS ANGELES. He was wrong and the university had every right to remove him when he refused to leave when requested. Period, full stop.

Hope all you Obama voters are happy now.

More right-wing insanity. He no more has a right to be on private property to ask questions as I do to go to George W. Bush’s house to ask questions.

These nutty people have such a bastardized view of reality that some of them need to be put away.

How very tragic. In my lifetime I have never observed/witnessed anything as tragic as the abolishment of our first and second amendment rights. Obama was elected by the machine. You don’t have to be an MIT grad to figure out who he is not !!! So it’s come to this, folks who don’t agree with him are being targeted. Katy Couric — I can’t believe she is even allowed to open her mouth on television. The award is a travesty to truth, honesty, and integrity in journalism.

Couric’s legacy will be the info babe kept alive by liberals who so desperately want her to SUCKceed. Wouldn’t be supprised to see her go conservative in a few years when she is used up and spit out of her current home and try to go to work for FNC. LOL They hired Rivera didn’t they !

Revolution Calling.

This is OUTRAGEOUS. The Brownshirts are coming. My personal opinion is that Obama is well along with a Marxist-Socialist agenda.His homeland security chief is branding American patriots as potential terrorists. Apparently the Obama administration wants to stifle all dissent. Maybe all the guilt voters will wake up in future elections and clean house in the Senate and House. I use to go to the Eastern bloc communist countries in the 60’s and 70’s. All indications are the BO is heading our nation in that direction.

Whats the phone # for USC?

Sue them, John. (I don’t say that lightly or often.) They had no right to rough you up.I am sure if the event did not seem political to them, they would not have bothered with you. My future husband is an USC grad. We had planned to set up scholarships in our parents names at both our universities when we retired. USC won’t see that in their future.

Ha ha, loser conservatives.

Yes, poor, sad, attention-whore John Ziegler couldn’t trespass on private property and disrupt a private event he wasn’t invited to. I guess conservatives think that means his rights were violated.

This guy is desperately trying to create a career for himself, having flunked out of his KFI radio gig. What a moron. I’m only sorry the cops didn’t go full LAPD on his rightwing, entitled backside.

His yelps of pain here only whetted my appetite. I’m hoping he tries this again at the White House, so we can enjoy full-fledged Secret Service-level beatdown tactics.

It is all the crazy prof. teaching these kids. Most of these college prof. couldn’t hold a real job yet we pay an enormous amount of money for kids to be taught to be radicals and hate our country.. Hope he files a law suit and hope he wins..

Well, well. I have spent about an hour reading rants from both sides of the political spectrum. “He was on private property, giggling like a frat boy, asked courteously to move on…..” “Welcome to the Obama-nation, left-wing hypocrites, Gestapo tactics of the libs, remember this come next election time……” AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL DO COME NEXT ELECTION TIME? VOTE THE SAME PEOPLE BACK INTO OFFICE, BOTH LIBERAL DEMOCRATS, AND SO-CALLED CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS. “Oh, my Congressman votes just like I want him to. It is the other Congressmen that are to blame, etc, etc.” Term limits, and making a clean sweep of both Congress and the White House of career politicians is the only answer. I truly despair for my country. And by the way, just so you know, I am a white, conservative, Christian Southerner…..guess that makes me a fringe group, right-wing extremist. I also own several guns. The new DHS report is right about one thing…..some people are going to get so fed-up with the shenanagins of our politicians, both right and left, that there is coming a day when there is going to be violence. I am sick of both major political parties. STRICT INTERPRETATION OF THE CONSTITUTION is also what is needed, and if a majority of the people don’t agree with it, or want something new from government….AMEND IT!

It’s amazing how many ignorant conservatives (a redundancy, I know) think that USC is a public university, taxpayer-supported, etc.

And it doesn’t even matter to them how many times it’s posted that it’s a private university.

Just like conservatives. Facts can’t ever enter their thick, boneheaded skulls. And that’s one reason why Ziegler ended up taking the walk of shame out of USC.

I like Zig, and I understand his point and I think this doc is an important one. However, not only is USC private property, and thus USC can do what it wants, BUT ALSO USC security guards are actual commissioned peace officers, and carry guns (parts of the surrounding neighborhoods aren’t so safe). In fact, most of the leadership of USC DPS are former Sheriffs and LAPD. Not only do they have the right to stop him, legally they can throw him in jail. He should have gotten a current graduate student or an money-donating alumnus to go with him as a producer. It would have been much harder for security to stop them because their main justification for removing him was that he had no legit business on campus.

my cat just dropped a big one in her box,
can she get the couric award now, too?

If you think things look scarey now, just wait for 6 months to pass. Things will only get worse.

Please! Katie Couric receiving an award? For what — slander?
She should be facing charges in a court of law for her shameful and calculated attack on Sarah Palin with the end result of making her look foolish in the eyes of American Idol type voters. Her Machiavellian approach to reporting is revolting. She was better off doing some taste test of holiday cooking with Matt Lauer. No one can really take her reporting seriously– and come on — who is giving her advice on clothing and hairstyles– She must be going with the Mao look this year.

Mr. Ziegler,

Please… PLEASE take legal action and press charges. What those campus police officers did is outrageous and shameful. Clearly an egregious violation of your rights as an American. I’m stunned.

They need to be prosecuted and held accountable for their actions. They should NOT be allowed to get away with that.

Also, if an investigation shows that others were involved in directing their actions, those parties should be prosectued as well.

Please! Don’t let them get away with it!

Where’s the ACLU now? Where were the campus cops to arrest the goons at Tancredo’s fiasco, or at The Minutemen’s event at Columbia University in ‘06? He wasn’t disturbing the peace or harassing anyone attending the event. Anyone not actively particiating in the slobbering love affair with Obamaniacs are having their liberties stomped on. Regardless of the argument of whether or not USC is private property, an institution of higher learning is supposed to pursue knowledge and embrace opposing views, and engage in dialog to better understand alternate viewpoints. The ACLU would have been all over something like this in the Bush years.

Journalism is truly dead. What a lot of people commenting here fail to realize is that Ziegler is not a Republican….just someone analyzing a bizaare lopsided, “in the tank for Obama” presidential campaign. Freedom, apparently, is also dead. What a shame. Ziegler has every reason to press charges for the way he was needlessly handled. And an award for Katie Couric for journalism excellence, especially in the Palin interview? Don’t make me puke.

USC is a private university. Mr. Ziegler can legally be removed from USC by the campus police for trespass. He is fortunate they didn’t charge him with causing a public disturbance and resisting arrest.

WHERE ARE THE BROWN SHIRTS SS Or GESTAPO? welcome to the world led by the messiah you know the man who gave that idiot chris matthews a wet tingly feeling down his leg
FOXNEWS 3,390,000
MSNBC 1,210,000
CNN 1,070,000
CNN HEADLINE 909,000

FOXNEWS O’REILLY 3,980,000
FOXNEWS HANNITY 3,239,000
FOXNEWS GRETA 2,947,000
FOXNEWS BECK 2,740,000
FOXNEWS BAIER 2,401,000
FOXNEWS SHEP 2,185,000
COMEDY DAILY SHOW 1,777,000 more than these cnn msnbc clowns
MSNBC OLBERMANN 1,499,000
COMEDY COLBERT 1,446,000
CNNHN GRACE 1,336,000
CNN KING 1,292,000
MSNBC MADDOW 1,149,000
CNN COOPER 1,021,000

The Katie Couric journalism award for her treatment of Sarah Palin wouls have been news enough, but this just takes the cake.

Unbelievable. Do what we say or else. Just start a collection for a lawsuit on violation of civil rights and I’ll even contribute.

what is going on in this country has been going on for years but in a very subtle manner as opposed to this day and age. the first main objective in the beggining was to keep blacks and whites separated. this goal was achieved until the advent of rap music and hip-hop. then they devised the class warfare approach with little fanfare for that one. now they have chosen to create a civil war split along party lines as is it is easier to quell this type of chaos as it would be to a full fledged revolution of the masses. it is all about supreme power over the masses. make no mistake, WE ARE SCREWED!

I think everyone should stop watching the CBS evening news. Katie Couric is not reporting the news, she is feeding us with information that the liberals in the media think we should hear. Mr. Ziegler is more honest in his news reporting than Katie Couric will ever be!

Honestly, I’m shocked and upset!! What can we do to prevent this kind of treatment! This is CHANGE alright! God help us all!

Public or private? It’s a red herring. All colleges and universities take federal money. Therefore, there is no such thing as a truly private college or university. Citizens have the right to stand on
sidewalks for as long as they want to as long as they are peaceful and do not harass others. The U.S.
Constitution says so.

Haha, listen to all the crybaby conservatives, whining about Katie Couric. How dare she allow Sarah Palin make a total idiot of herself!

Why do you idiots blame Couric? Even after Palin failed miserably in a Couric interview, she went back for more!! How stupid is this woman? And how stupid are all of you for putting this intellectual midget on a pedestal?

As for this guy, he just seems like a moron. Even more moonbatty than Michael Moore. I half expected him to scream “Don’t taze me, bro!” at any moment. What a victim.

Okay, Americans. Let’s have an honest conversation…Do we want to support and defend our Constitution or not? If you vote “Yes”, then we need to get past the (R) or (D) behind our names. We have to face the fact that we are now being subjugated by a group of oligarchs who would like us to think that the enemy is our fellow American. I don’t care if you are a liberal or a conservative. If you believe in the Constitution and want our Republic to survive, you have to educate yourself about who is REALLY the enemy. Start with the Federal Reserve and follow the money. Time to raid the FED!!!!

Whitney O.-

No, the Constitution does not say so. You’re not educated.

Furthermore, your notion that USC isn’t “private” because they take some federal money is laughable.

Using your “logic,” since you make use of publicly-funded roads when you drive around, I have every right to invade your home with video cameras. You don’t do conservatism proud.

Well, if his rights were infringed upon and there is a plan of action that average citizens can partake in (like petition signing or calling the courts)for him–let us know.

Be very afraid America!! This is only a taste of what was set in motion last November. Maybe someone will actually pay attention next election cycle. What a world we are beginning to make for our children and grandchildren. I am so ashamed.

Geesh! I thought I would find freedom in this USA country. Where’d I put my passport again???

Most of us have been annoyed by obnoxious kooks at kiosks or aggressive panhandlers, but we can’t do anything about it because it seems these people are somehow protected by law. They’re even allowed to come onto private property (like at a shopping mall) and practice their 1st Amendment “rights” (that’s what my local supermarket tells me when I ask why they can’t chase them away). If they can cuff and eject John Ziegler, who was pretty harmless on the scheme of things and is in fact pursuing a legitimate journalistic goal, then why can’t they crack down on the jackasses that annoy ordinary citizens? Sure, they can assert Ziegler to be a criminal on technical grounds, but it seems he’s been singled out, and his “crime” was more of a political violation than a property issue.

This is what happens when small men with a little power attempt to use it without reason, decency or common sense. These silly USC metermaids have no concept of a university, its unique obligations to freedom of speech and enquiry, and the role of the media therein.

Mr Ziegler was laughing at them in disbelief and contempt, it would appear. These USC metermaids will not be laughing when the inevitable lawsuit is launched against them.

We have tenure at universities like USC in order to protect freedom of enquiry. The juvenile behavior of the boobs in cop costumes brings enormous discredit to USC and its reputation in academe.

If USC President Sample uses good judgment he will apologize to Mr Ziegler, and bounce these silly and arrogant metermaids off campus — permanently. Anything less rationalizes their shockingly dumb behavior.

Imagine Rush Limbaugh getting an award from some right wing media group and Michael Moore is filming in front of the building of the event and he gets handcuffed by security and is threatened with arrest. Would the same people who are in support of the actions taken by the security personnel in the Couric award have the same opinion of handcuffing Michael Moore?

Can non-students walk on the USC campus? I don’t know the answer to the question. Could 60 minutes film the outside of buildings on the campus?

This guy is trying to be provocative. It makes interesting film. If it is OK for Michael Moore then it should be OK for this guy.

Katie Couric-UGH!
I haven’t trusted her since she got that HIDEOUS bit ‘0 plastique surgery to boost her poor showing as news anchor! Someone should have reminded her not to use the same surgeon as Michael Jackson…That over-stretched MUG of her’s has pulled her once-pert nose clear out of joint! Since her purposely UGLY interrogation Governor Palin, my family and I run for the remote directly after local news to avoid looking at the squint-eyed harpy!
Also no one here has mentioned that ‘Ole Katie’s award venue: USC “ANNENBERG”….humm…Annenberg….Can you say Obama/Bill Ayers???? MY, MY! Those A.C.O.R.N.s sure don’t fall far from their tree!!!

He was not credentialed press. He was just some yokel with a camera crew. He was not in the designated press area. He was protesting at the entrance to the venue. He was asked to move along, since he was on private property. He refused. Security was called. He acted like a buffoon. He resisted. He was handcuffed. He continued to act like a 5 year old. The campus officials actually offered to let him stay if he would simply remain in the press area. That was a concession on the part of USC. He decided he wanted to be a protester, not a documentary film-maker, and that’s about that.

USC is private property. Bottom line. This guy was an idiot, he acted like a fool. All of you conservatives saying this is fascism would have been posting that he should have had his brain bashed in had this happened a couple years ago and had he been a liberal. Hypocrits.

what can I say Ryan. You should hope and pray that you don’t get handcuffed and dragged off public property some day. Cause if some yokel $12/hr security guards can do it to a news reporter, then they sure won’t hesitate to do it to any one of us in the future. It’s just a sign of things to come with this fascist future we are staring at. Party affiliation will mean nothing very soon. If we don’t stand up for everyone’s rights under the constitution and norms of the society we were raised in (which is rapidly disappearing * -note: DHS police bulletin calling anybody that opposes Obama’s agendas, takes a single view on any political issue, a potential terrorist), then neither we nor our children will have the freedom to say anything we believe very soon, very soon. They couldn’t find enough things to accuse him of, none of which were true! He was singled out because he dared to voice an opinion different than the liberal organizers of the event. That is all. We will all be “shut up” soon if we don’t protect our civil liberties. Doesn’t matter who is in office. We are seeing the norms of our society changing at an alarming rate. So, Ryan, what are you going to do about that, when they come to arrest you for having an opinion different than the ‘accepted’ one?

Katie Couric got an award for journalism!! LMAO

Private property? Does USC not receive public funding to one degree or another? That makes John a partial owner of that property. Oh, wait. University campi get to pick and choose which Constitutional amendments apply on their property, don’t they? Pinheads.

Wow! Another rent a cop making his mark on society. Welcome to Obamanation, where speech is a freedom only for those who tow the party line. Sound familiar? Ask those who came here from eastern Europe!!!

NO NO NO Will the republicans quit making this a partisan issue? IT IS NOT. This isn’t right whether you are republican or democrat or reptile hybrid.

The protest should be on the basis of being AMERICANS and this is NOT the way we want things done.

We’ve turned into a fascist state and the democrats helped that along and so did the republicans.

It is time to stop the partisan crap and stand united against violations against common sense.

The guards should have had long black boots on.

“He was not credentialed press. He was just some yokel with a camera crew. He was not in the designated press area. He was protesting at the entrance to the venue. He was asked to move along, since he was on private property. He refused. Security was called. He acted like a buffoon. He resisted. He was handcuffed. He continued to act like a 5 year old. The campus officials actually offered to let him stay if he would simply remain in the press area. That was a concession on the part of USC. He decided he wanted to be a protester, not a documentary film-maker, and that’s about that.”

So, unless you have press credentials, you have no Constitutional rights (or should I now refer to said rights as privileges?). Additionally, unlike your socialist protesters, I did not notice any bricks thrown through windows nor signs of any other physical violence. (UNC Chapel Hill)
Like your use of the term “Yokel”. Denigration of Citizens is the first step towards dehumanizing your enemies.
So, when do you propose to start burning us at the stake?

“USC is private property. Bottom line. This guy was an idiot, he acted like a fool. All of you conservatives saying this is fascism would have been posting that he should have had his brain bashed in had this happened a couple years ago and had he been a liberal. Hypocrits.”

I think, Sir, that USC may have to do without any more public funding, as you have unilaterally decreed it to be a private university.

Please spell “Hypocrites” correctly, and reread your Constitution.

Oh, as for the misuse of the term “Liberals”, we are taking that away from you and replacing it with one that is a bit more concise;
Socialist.

Can you hear us now?

Say you wnat a revolution? Check out this song at: http://www.myspace.com/rogerweber

You’ll be ready.

I am going to try to settle the Private property argument right now. We can all agree that government funding comes directly from the pockets of tax paying citizens of this country. Right? Well here is a list of links which prove that USC accepts government funding. This tax payer funding provides revenue for USC at many levels.

http://www.usc.edu.au/University/MediaPublications/News/MoreNews/2007News/GovtFunds.htm
http://www.usc.edu/research/for_researchers/funding/federal
http://robotics.usc.edu/?l=Projects:funding

Just like a Library, a police station, a public high school, and a bank that accepts a bailout! They all take tax payer money. They are all under the control of the tax payers. That is what we are told every day by you people on the left who are defending the actions of these rent-a-cops.
I ask once again what portion of any institution, which accepts government funding, AKA tax payer money, can possibly be considered private property?

“And that the said Constitution be never construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the Press, or the rights of Conscience; or to prevent the people of the United States, who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms; …”
Samuel Adams

Interesting that Adams ties in freedom of the press with gun ownership. Perhaps the latter helps protect the former?

“No government ought to be without censors; and where the press is free no one ever will.” TJ

And if that doesn’t work…

“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of PATRIOTS and tyrants.”

Is it that time yet? Don’t sell that rifle too soon…

I didn’t say that, DHS, Thomas effing Jefferson did. Go arrest him. Jack-Booted thugs!

USC is a Private/Public property.(tax-payer funded isn’t the issue) He was upsetting the people enroute-into the venue. Someone obviousely complained to security.
USC can put him off property…camera or no camera….kind-of, “We have the right to refuse service to anyone.” (rule)
That said… why was he denied to attend the event in the first place?

We’re stuck with this total anti-Americanism until the mid-terms, on Nov. 2nd, 2010.

Laugh that one off, idiot said: “It’s called disturbing the peace and resisting arrest”

This was not disturbing the peace, genius. It was a journalist on public property asking questions to people passing by, which happens every day in this country.

“they showed remarkable restraint in putting up with his constant, inane blather.”

Yes, let’s give the security officers medals for putting up with a man’s first amendment right.

“Next time, officer, haul this dope off to the lockup, keep him there as long as you can, and smash the camera.”

Sure…nothing like false imprisonment and destruction of property caught on tape to further their careers…

All things being equal, I wonder if the level of defense for USC and these rent-a-cops would be this high, had the reporter been black.

I’m an old hippy, and back in the day, speaking out on college campuses and getting arrested was the tree-hugging liberal thing to do. Liberal or conservative, we all have rights, and I believe that Mr. Zeigler’s were violated. Write to USC and tell them you support freedom of speech for everyone.

What Lynn said!

I’m thinking of moving to Texas.

Breitbart is getting a lot of hits for this. I think they put him up to it. Great going guys.

kd – yea sure – and they paid the security guys to behave like idiots.

DRIP, DRIP, DRIP That is your American Freedoms dripping away as a result of the complete ravaging of our American System by the Liberal Left. They are not interest in what you have to say. As we saw at the Tea Parties. The left, CNN, Nancy Pelosi are just ignoring the American people, unless, of course, you agree with them. The American people have to meet again, with more people. Just Like McArthur, “We Will Return”.
Tom Tancredo cannot speak at an engagement he was invited to. Only the LEFT can Speak. Wake up America. See what is happening around you.
God Save America.
The left is targeting our Military after they have fought and died for your freedoms.
WAKE UP!!!

There are assigned areas at any event these days. What’s missing is any communication regarding this area except after the fact.

The disturbing part is so called “law enforcement” does whatever they want with zero oversight. Seems to be alot of trickle down Authoritarianism as of the last Administration.

You teabaggers are funny when you are getting your butts beaten at the polls. Facist blah blah blah socialist blah blah blah gestapo blah blah blah. You guys lose an election you lose what little brains you had left. Get a clue the MAJORITY of Americans are sick and tired of your crap, keep it up and you and yours will go the way of the dinosaurs.

private property, and he seems to be the only one who has issue w/ the ceremony

showboat.

This morning I was thinking about our journalism schools as a possible root of the poor journalism/press we have in this country. This was before I saw this clip. Journalism sure has changed since the 60’s. Nobody can argue with that. It is all Left/Right reporting now. No checks and balances and certainly not reporting facts. The media has successfully divided the country and continues to do so with the propaganda and interviews with “experts”. It truly amazes me how well they have done. All of us used to depend on the press but they have truly taken advantage of this and we, as Americans, have fallen in the trap. I didn’t think it could get worse but it is. I never heard of Ziegler before but what I could see from the video, he was clearly doing nothing wrong and the situation could have been handled better. Sad times for this country continue with poor journalism. At least I know now that the schools seem to have some responsibility for this.

I admit that Zielar is an a$$hole, but I don’t see what that has to do with the right to cover an event.
You don’t need a permit to protest against Bush, the war, Rush Limbaugh, or UCLA while standing on campus, but you DO need a permit to present Katie Couric in a questionable light? Scary! And this also should remind people not to save a lifetime’s worth of money to send your kids to fancy universities.

If USC takes one penny from tax payer money, any citizen should have the right to go on campus and exercise all the rights given under our Constitution.

“Right-wingers, get a life or go to jail. Stay where you belong. Our new president will not kiss butt like Bush.”
Dave, you are an imbecile. What you should have said is our new President will not kiss butt like Bush UNLESS you are a Saudi King, European, South American dictator, a convicted terrorist, a hate-spewing pastor, tax cheat, or a member in good standing of Hamas. My apologies to any extremists that I may have forgotten. There, fixed it for ya Dave!!

The privacy issue is narrower than whether the host institution is a private or public organization, my legal friends tell me. The issue is whether the event was ‘open to the public’ or an ‘invitation only’ event. However, my ‘legal’ advisors also say that Ziegler should not have been arrested, and certainly should not have been cuffed painfully. He did not attempt to escape, and did not show any violent response whatsoever.

It should have been explained to Ziegler that this was a private event, therefore open media coverage was not required under Freedom of Speech. He should have been told to stand behind the barricade, or the police would physically take him there. If he would not stay behind the barricade, then he would be arrested. I don’t believe the police had a right to just make him ‘leave the premises’, unless there was some threat or risk of violence; such risks or threats would have called for an immediate arrest.

Its punk cops just like this that I just LOVE to hear about on the news who get clipped in the line of duty!

RT
http://www.privacy.pro.tc

I posted some comments on this last night before my bedtime. Seems that no one, right or left, wants to live by the Constitution, only rant about “rights” being violated or saying that Ziegler was a buffon violating private property rights. BY THE WAY, those jackbooted Gestapo security guards are just average working Joes. They were told by a higher-up to force the gentleman off the sidewalk. Yeah, they MAY have violated his freedom of speech, but they were working to keep their jobs. Failure to have followed their orders would have resulted in job loss. Can’t blame them for that. Blame the higher-ups who told them to do it.
I have been a Republican all of my adult life, but the last four years have made me reconsider and go Libertarian. I say live by what the Constitution says, if you don’t like it, amend it to make the U.S. what you want it to be. Think about this: The Framers wrote a document that did not give voting rights to everyone in the nation just because of birth; only propertied white males. Now, because of interpretation and amendments, anyone with the ability to be born here can do it. Lots of people with nothing to lose make some of the stupidest choices for candidate election….see what we have come to because of it. Originally the states set the voting requirements for their states, now the Fed. Gov.’t does. We have come a long way from that, haven’t we? I myself would mind seeing some of the amendments starting with #11 going to #27 scrutinized by the public more closely.
As to the current situation here in our country, it is getting bad, but read your history (if you can find one that is truthful and not politically correct), there has been a lot of this in our background. I am more in fear of a total collapse of our nation in a few more years because of accumulated debt and misinterpretations of the Constitution that this guy being roughed up. Check out the censorship during the Civil War and WW2. The treatment of Civil Rights protestors in the 1960’s, etc., to see that this has happened all before, and will continue to happen. Those in power, be they Liberal or Conservative, always have stepped on the citizen.

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I thought that is public property???
Sounds like a law suit to me. Welcome to CHANGE AMERICA…United Socialist States of America

For all the idiots that think USC is a private university, think again. They are supported with public funds. Regardless the SCOTUS has already ruled about protesting on private property.

Ziegler wasn’t really even putting up much of a protest either. Maybe next time he should stop traffic like in SF then they cant do anything.

Liberalism is the new fascism.

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Welcome to the Bolshevik Revolution Alinsky-style!!! It really disturbs me that no by-stander bothered to step up and challenge the blatantly illegal actions perpetrated by the “civil authorities” in this instance.

Don’t misunderstand me, I am as law-enforcement friendly AS ANYONE, and MORE-SO THAN MOST, but these officers acted “illegally under the color of the law”, and as such they need to be reprimanded by a “controlling authority”.

This video documents the tyranny that our forefathers warned us against; it’s high-time to do something about it.

“Dave April 16th, 2009 – 2:39 pm

Right-wingers, get a life or go to jail. Stay where you belong. Our new president will not kiss butt like Bush.”

No, Omuslim just bows down to a misogynist goat-humper. I would suggest that you libtard Nazi’s stay out of OUR way. Oh, and stay behind that barbed-wire fence that surrounds your little concentration camps.

OMG, BooFreakingHoo, IDIOT! You were resisting and twisting and turning in those cuffs. Had you stood still and done as the officers asked you wouldn’t have your baby booboos. I have a booboo bunny for my toddlers if you’d like to borrow it. You were disturbing the peace, moron. Do you not understand at YOUR OLD AGE, when an officer of the LAW asks you to remove yourself from Private Property, it’s not open for discussion. YOU MUST LEAVE! Great example you’ve set, if you have kids. Would you allow your kids to defy authority as you did? That was extremely childish! Grow UP! Go ahead try and sue, you’ll lose and look like an even bigger moron!

“Right-wingers, get a life or go to jail. Stay where you belong.”

“GET A LIFE OR GO TO JAIL”?!!! Is this the same as “agree with me or shut-up or go to jail”? If that is what you mean, you get a red star and permission to move to the front of the class.

Alinsky said that Marx was wrong when he advocated VIOLENT revolution, that Communism could be accomplished without blood-shed; all that is needed is to conquer from within. Well, you commies have accomplished that, by virtue of a complacent, uninformed populace.

I say, “Let the counter-revolution be bloody; VERY, VERY BLOODY. And let’s start with the likes of whoever posted the quote at the beginning of this post.”

Correct me if I’m wrong, but USC is a university that receives public funding, correct? So a private citizen on a sidewalk on the campus of a publicly funded university was arrested for trespassing?!? USC is famous for it’s activist rallies. How come those people aren’t arrested? A large crowd certainly blocks a sidewalk more than one man and a camera man.

“”"Next time taze the jerk! April 16th, 2009 – 1:04 pm

If USC is a private institution then this dope is trespassing and they are within their rights to have him removed. Nobody’s rights were violated here, folks”"”"

— Hey dumb arse USC is not a private institution, it is totally public and funded by the Californian Taxpayers, so STFU!

Jimma

This noise about public property v. private property is a red herring; since when did liberals EVER respect private property? The answer is NEVER!!! Liberals don’t believe ANYONE is entitled to private property; it is counter to their ideology, so don’t fall into debating with them an issue that is a distraction from the topic.

The issue here is “illegal acts committed by civil authorities while acting under the color of the law”. This is why you are so wrong Ms Tracey; you obviously are lacking in any critical thinking skills, so if you have a college degree I believe you have an excellent case for suing to get your paid tuition refunded for malpractice on the part of any institution of “higher learning” you may have attended.

Let’s put an end to the public property v. private property discussion right now.

Scenario:
An african-american couple seat themselves at a diner for a meal; the waiter informs them that this establishment does not server “their kind”; the couple get indignant and loudly protest; the police are called. Question: Who is going to jail? And who is facing a major civil suit for violating anothers’ civil rights?

Clue: It’s called “public access to private property”, such as stores, restaurants and UNIVERSITIES!!!

You know, these liberals make all Americans look stupid!!!

Call the USC School of Journalism and tell them what you think. They can be reached at the following number:

(213) 740-3914

This guy was trespassing, and the school and campus police had the right to escort him off of the property. BUT, go on youtube and watch any “Code Pink” video before you condemn this guy.

I posted some comments last night, which contained no profanity, or anything offensive. And Breitbart deleted them.

My rights have been violated!! Waaaaaaaa!! My First Amendment rights state that anything I write MUST be preserved on anyone’s private website. I only wish I had a camera crew to document this travesty of justice!!!

Just more liberal facists at work comrades. Welcome to Amerika.

What do you expect from a state with a republican ex nazi governator. California Uber Alles!

Tea-bag all liberals. Since when have they ever supported private property? Marxist hypocrites!

How on Earth does, in 2009 America, the concept of private property elude a Republican leaning journalist? How does it elude the Drudge Report?

The owners of the property have every right to remove anyone they wish, at any time, for any reason. Ironic as it may be that Katie Couric is being awarded for that interview, this guy has no right to be on someone’s property.

USC is a private University, so the campus is private property. While they may have had a right to remove the guy, they were stupid to do so. Shouldn’t the USC administration encourage the peaceful expression of differing opinions? I would think they’d see that as a good thing.

Unless part of the story was edited out (a real possibility), it didn’t appear the the man was causing any problems. By removing him, they only drew attention to him and his cause, particularly because the video camera was rolling. Had the rent-a-cops just left the guy there, NOBODY would be checking out his video online now. By arresting him, they made him an instant online star. Good move, morons!

This goes to show how these security offices are useful idiots. This is what the Dems encourage.

USC is a private institution, not a state owned public institution, thereby giving them the lawful means to remove people deemed as necessary. I still don’t agree with the way he was treated, however, they could have arrested him for trespassing.

The ignorance on this page is amazing. I’m seeing right wing this, right wing that, but John Ziegler is more a libertarian than anything. We are in an age where more and more people are fiscally conservative and socially liberal. I think people who agree with the entire set of ideals from a particular party have long since passed. Don’t believe me? Listen to KFI 640am in you’re in southern California and you’ll see that he is neither a Republican or a Democrat.
P.S. Not everyone who doesn’t believe with a leftist’s views is a right wing, conservative, gun-toting, oil loving, anti-abortion, Nazi.

As an Alum…I’m disgusted. Hey USC – Not another Friggin’ dime to you. Don’t bother calling or mailing anymore.

Even though USC is a private institution, does anyone believe that if the event had been held at UCLA that the same problem wouldn’t have erupted?
Liberals are the true fascists in this society and we’re starting to see evidence of it more and more each day. They are and always have been the promoters of politically correct language and expression, not the conservatives.
I know that Greta Van Sustern covered this story and interviewd Ziegler thursday night. Does anyone know of other media coverage of this incident by any of the networks?

The comments on this are hilarious. If this would have happened while Bush was in office the arguments would have been completely opposite. I don’t understand how Obama is even freaking relevant to the video. It’s just conservatives looking for something to have a tea party about. The exact same thing would have happened four years ago. Morons.

I’m a “evil fascist” liberal and no I don’t think he was treated fairly. He acted like and asshole, yes, but he wasn’t doing anything wrong. Like ALWAYS just don’t argue with police. Idiots.

I beg all of you to take a hard look at what’s really important here.

And for those of you that think we live in a fascist nation, go live in North Korea for a year. You people are so unbelievably stupid it’s mind blowing.

I hate to tell you guys this, but John was legally wrong. I agree with his message, and I don’t think the University should have done what they did, but looking at it from a legal standpoint, they had every right to do so. Having worked as a School Police Officer before, I know that such Universities are indeed considered PRIVATE PROPERTY. Being a journalist does not give you the right to trespass on private property if they choose to kick you off. He could have easily asked them where their property ended, and filmed from there. They DON’T have to have a reason to trespass you from their property. Like I said, I think it was wrong morallly, because he wasn’t harming anyone, but legally he was wrong and could have been arrested.

LOL! He cries, “Why are you hurting me!” Dude was being a jerk to the cops. If he was black he would have been tasered.

If USC oficially encourages visitors and demonstrations – as Mr. Z says their information operator told him they do – they will have partially waived their private property rights vis-a-vis free speech. Mr. Z should quickly get copies of their pplicy and pursue the matter in a suit for damages. If he lets it lie, the next time they will be better prepared. (USC did not anticipate he’d bring cameramen so did not instruct their police to repress them also- next time they will.)

Does USC pay for the water system, sidewalks, Asphalt roads? I am curious if they truly own it all or whether the municipality and State own common infrastructure.

If so, standing on the side walk in front of the building is not something they can eject you for.

If they do own it all, they can probably eject him.

The details are what are missing from all this conjecture. Hope a Journalist actually wants to track down facts in the aftermath (Who am I kidding)

All Liberals love to be tea bagged…

Where does USC get its funding from?

Guys I’m telling you. All the sidewalks and building are all OWNED by the University. I am a police officer in a University town. Usually the Universities own huge tracts of land, including the sidewalks and streets. The Universities pay to pave and maintain the streets/sidewalks. I’ve worked on campusues. They CAN allow people to demonstrate but being private property they do have the right to rescind it at ANY time. Even though I don’t agree with how they handled it, it was perfectly legal. I agree that if he had been a liberal reporter, they probably wouldn’t have done the same thing, but being private property, they DO have the right. It may not seem fair, but it’s perfectly legal. The University I work near has done the same thing many times. If the laws are the same as they are in my state, they did nothing LEGALLY wrong.

Not that Wikipedia is 100% accurate by any means, but it appears USC is a private university and Zeigler was lucky not to have been charged with trespassing.

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

FARK USC!!! I will never watch any game or anything that has USC on it!!
FARK th libtards!!!

why was he not pepper sprayed like any other person who resisted arrest?

PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE PROPERTY

This entire incident rests on that issue. Is the property that this man demonstrated on public or private?

We do know that liberals are terrified of conservative reporters and demonstrators.

But we are getting a lot of “last laughs” recently, with a large % of print media going down in flames. (Seattle Post Intelligencer is another, hopefully NYT is next).

From my research it appears that this incident took place on private property…even though a significant % of their financing comes from government.

If you are interested in freedom of speech, you should boycott those venues that promote liberalism, because liberals are basically cowards and demand government support of their “religion.”

sanjosemike

I may have missed this, but would ANYONE video-taping or walking in that area have been arrested and handcuffed? Was he the only person on the campus who wasn’t invited to the event, or what?

At least he wasn’t throwing pies.

He was on private property harassing people. They had a legal right to remove him. End of story.

The campus is PRIVATE PROPERTY. Michael Moore has also received the same treatment SO in the future STAY BY THE CURB unless you want PUBLICITY……..Oh wait ….publicity..he needs publicity……

To Teodin:

In my professional opinion, he could have been…legally. However, I don’t think the officers really wanted to act. However, they don’t have a choice. If they were told, by school officials, to remove the person from campus, they have to do it. Once they weigh whether or not it is legal, they don’t have a choice. I think the officers showed great restraint. They had a legal obligation to remove the person and they did it. I think they could have used more force, but wisely chose not to. It would be no different than someone trespassing in your home and you call the police to remove the person. Would you want the police to say, “Well, I don’t personally agree with removing him because he’s homeless and doesn’t have a place to stay”. No..they can’t. If it is a legal arrest or removal, the police have to comply. These officers did nothing wrong. The University is at fault for not allowing free speech.

If John is not allowed to ask questions as a reporter at a university, then neither is any other journalist. But we know that’s not true because we’ve all seen reporters at universities asking questions when something criminal has taken place on campus – it’s called freedom of the press. The press is to pursue issues that the public wants to know about; especially where tax payer dollars are being spent. But we all know that NBC,CBS,ABC,CNN would all be allowed to cover any story on a state campus because they have the same political views as state colleges. In other words, freedom of press only exists for the liberals . . for now. What idiots liberals are! Do they really think that their freedom will continue if they have a different opinion versus the govt.? How about the liberal press; do they actually think they will have anything to investigate when freedoms of speech are taken away?! They will be told what to report – or else. Liberals – everyone loses their freedom, yours will be next.

Well said SANJOSEMIKE

USC is a private institution. Go to the university’s website at http://www.usc.edu
The home page declatres USC to be one of the best private research universities in the country.
With that said, I have spent 25 years working in higher education and there is no bigger scam than schools calling themselves “private” while they receive massive amounts of government funding/contracts for their faculty research programs. In addition, its students can receive federally funded pell grants, SEOG grants, federal work/study funds, and government subsidized student loans. There are only a handful of colleges/universities in the USA that are truly private, where neither the institution, students or faculty receive funds from federal tax dollars.
Technically, USC is a private university, but its existence depends on the federal and state tax dollar thru secondary means, not thru direct tuition/room/board charges. Overall, higher education is definitely controlled by liberals in the board rooms, classrooms, administrative offices, and student organizations. I’m not surprised that this incident involving Ziegler occurred. However, what happened to him was a disgrace. He wasn’t causing a scene or preventing anyone from entering the J-school building where the ceremony honoring Couric was held. I don’t know what legal options he has, but I hope there are many!

I resent the term liberal being used to describe the authorities/police in this video. As far as I know 90% of cops would no sooner be called a liberal then they would agree to scrape off the idiotic “support our troops” bumper stickers off their paddy wagons (private vehicles too I’m sure).

Any boot licking rent a cop moron is going to do what ever they can to emulate how cops act, and so they were only acting like the Republicans have taught them to the where possible “destroy all freedoms not specifically granted to the Bush family”.

I would like to know if this university gets any tax payers money and was any no trespassing sign posted. The liberals are anti America and should move to the countries that support them. Freedoms are under attack in America each and everyday. This man was not hurting anyone but exposing Coutic’s bias.

He should sue everyone involved for millions, and look into potential criminal charges.

IF he was on private property, and IF there is no US Court ruling on protesting/reporting on private property, then he should have been asked to leave. Conservatives, listen to what you are saying. One of the guiding principles of our nation from founding to now is that a property owner has certain rights, one such being the ability to remove people from your property. Don’t abandon one principle just to try and play martyr or victim over another. Crying the victim game is a tactic of the left. “If he had been black, he would have been tazed.” Notice how the left leaning posts also use the tired old race card? Stand up for all of our nation’s principles, VOTE! RECALL ELECTED OFFICIALS! PETITION! IMPEACH THOSE OFFICIALS AND JUDGES WHO VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTION. TAKE A STAND, BUT DON’T WHINE. Calming down somewhat…..I am one who is really tired of being played a sucker by both the Democrats and the Republicans. Why don’t we true conservative citizens unite in a new party that truly represents a return to Constitutional government? I am going Libertarian.

I’m pretty liberal, voted for Obama and disagree with John on a lot of issues, but this clip is disgraceful! How in the hell a journalism school could threaten to have him arrested for covering the event is absurd, vulgar and offensive. There was obviously a public interest in this story and as such John was working as the press, which is his constitutional right. He should have been allowed in and failing that, should have at least been allowed to as those going in and out of the event if they would like to be interviewed.

Jeers-

Tom

Ziegler is an idot. The cops and security guards told him repeatedly to leave (private property last time I checked). Unfair and illogical as that request might have been, they were in their legal right to ask him to leave.

There is no excuse no matter how you try for this reporter to be treated like this.Where is the aclu,where is Al Sharpton,where is Jessie Jackson.the press does not have to be invited.I am seventy five years old man I fought in Korea to keep my country free,now I see it was all in vain.We have now been overcome!!!!!!The second amendment is next.
Cordially,
Ross Nesbit

SUE!!!

First of all, the piece that Couric did WAS NOT journalism. File it under partisan, lying, gossip opinion piece.

As for this incident, why are you surprised? This is what half of America voted for. Socialism. Your Rights as you once knew them are gone, plumb gone. :-(

There was no reason to ask him to leave, he was not holding up the massive crowds from going into the building, (oops, there wasn’t a crowd!)
This is just another example of the new “Hate Crimes” against anyone on the Right. If this had been a fox news person receiving an award and a liberal reporter was standing outside trying to interview people you can darn well bet that this would have turned out far differently!

Isn’t it funny how so many things that we were always told “could never happen here” are happening here?

Good show Ziegler. Bravo for exposing the institutional lock box of tortured interpretation and application of Freedom of Speach at USC. Therefore, It makes the journalistic award honoring the Chip Munk a sick joke and proof of how twisted and perverted the mass media complex is.

Ted April 17th, 2009 – 2:14 pm

SUE!!

————————————————
He was on Greta/FoxNews last night, she told him the same thing, “SUE”!

Typical moron behavior by this guy. Owning a video camera does not make you a member of the media. In most cases, events on private property require media to be credentialed, and even if you have a credential, it can be revoked at any time for any reason. Otherwise, why don’t we all just force our way into the pressbox for the Super Bowl?

This is typical of the Liberal community, they will cry for law enforcement any time someone is posing a challange to their agenda. They will call the police or use their own bullies to silence those whom pose questions they wish not to answer.
This journalist was not harming anyone,annoying or getting in the way of any one who was at the site of the award; and if the university whishes to host a public event such as a journalism award, then they should honor other journalists who are peacefully covering the event and not pick and chose whom may express the right to a free press. There is so much irony in this event; I guess we had better get used to the saying ( do as I say and not as I do). Its a liberal favorite!!!

they a’int private no mo

Although USC is a private university, Ziegler still had free speech protection. That’s because California has a statute called the Leonard Law which extends 1st Amendment protections to activities at private high schools, colleges, and universities. The Leonard Law was used by Stanford students over a decade ago to strike down Stanford University’s overly broad “speech code.”

Looks like Herr Obama’s Brown Shirts are out in full force to crush freedom of speech. It happened at Georgetown University a few nights ago also. This can only happen in this FASCIST REGIME! What’s next, the Gulag??? I hope this reporter sues the pants off everyone involved in this shameful debacle.

This comment is directed to ( laugh that one off, idiot) Please remove the laugh that one off from your name and it will more correctly identify you as who you are!!!.

Katie Couric,

The Diva of Dumbness,
The Vixen of Vitriol,
The Heroine Of Hoaxes,
The Bottomfeeder of Bull,
The Princess of Preposterousness,
The Queen of Idiocy,
The Fool of Folly,
The Sovereign of Silliness
AND
The Monarch of Malapropisms???????????

THAT Sorry Excuse for a So-Called Journalist???

God Help Us, All!!!

To Mr. Ziegler: Take the advice of many top notch Lawyers and SUE SUE SUE SUE SUE!!!!! Make sure you include at least 2 dozen John Does. Hope you get a few million and shut down the MARXIST practices of the MSM and this administration! Go for it!!!!

Please stop using “Journalist” and “Catie” in the same sentence.

And who exactly is “The Media” anyway? What gives certain things the title of “The Media” and others not? The first amendment does not apply ONLY TO “THE MEDIA”.

And even private institutions holding public meetings must allow the public on their property.

It’s amazing when the Socialists/Marxists/Communists pull their really insane crap they have people bowing down and kissing their feet. When a Conservative just wants to peacefully ask a few questions suddenly he is a terrorist and criminal.

This guy was clearly resisting arrest, and being a giant douche in the process. If I was one of those security guards I would have maced him to the ground, at the very least.

Billy,

The Leonard Law applies only to students enrolled at the college and not to visitors, etc.

Again, the college has the right to grant or refuse permission/access to non-students at any time for any reason. Private college campus’ are not technically public places. They allow people to come and go but can revoke that privilege at their discretion. This guy has no prayer in a lawsuit.

Wonder why there aren’t any awards being given to journalists for their hard hitting interviews of “the anointed one.” Oh thats right, there weren’t any. Journalism, what a JOKE.

Some of you just don’t get it. As a legal expert, it doesn’t matter whether he was “blocking a crowd”, whether there were trespass signs, whether you are liberal or conservative. The law allows a private university (private property owners) to ask someone to leave EVEN without a reason. It’s just the law. Even though they university might get federal funds, it doesn’t matter. The Leonard Law does not apply. I don’t think he should have been kicked off either, but as a professional in the field, this guy could have been arrested. You can all speculate all you want to about what COULD or SHOULD be legal or not. It was NOT legal for him to stay once he was asked to leave. I would be a years salary on it. You can all argue the fact all day long, but I reserve the right to say “I told you so” when or if he tries to sue. I think they should have let him stay, but my OPINION (and yours) doesn’t mattter. The LAW matters and the in this unfortunate case, the law was on the side of the PRIVATE UNIVERSITY (again, it doesn’t matter whether they get federal funds–maybe it should, but it doesn’t). That’s the law…..not opinion.

I hear a lot about private property but isn’t USC a taxpayer funded school? Which means he had every right to be there. I’ve been to many events that were by “invitation only” but those left-wingers were allowed to be out there screaming their heads off about how Republicans are this Republicans are that with there signs, etc. This guy was making a documentary and wasn’t even in anyone’s way…I guess they were expected some great mass of people to come in and praise Couric…cue the crickets. If his name would’ve been Michael Moore he could harrass and video tape anyone. This is a sure sign of the times…like that reporter in Florida who dared to asked “unauthorized” questions during the campaign. The Constitution was tromped on here and the rent-a-campus cops were so proud of themselves.

Billy sez:
And who exactly is “The Media” anyway? What gives certain things the title of “The Media” and others not? The first amendment does not apply ONLY TO “THE MEDIA”.

Media are usually accredited and credentialed. For example, you can’t just cover the Super Bowl because you claim to be media. You have to apply for a credential, list the place you work for and who owns/supervises it, and then wait for them to grant you permission once they have vetted you and decided that you are worthy. You can certainly buy a ticket and blog from the stands, but insider access will not be allowed without a credential. Same with this event. That’s just the way it is.

Billy then sez:
“And even private institutions holding public meetings must allow the public on their property.”

Nope. Look it up. You are there at their pleasure and they can ask you to leave for any reason, at any time.

The guy was doing nothing wrong – the liberals are angry because he filmed the “Media Malpractice” video which showed the media for what it is. Liberals cannot allow the truth to be told about them. Currently, they are going after the internet, and have a bill going thru Congress to allow Obama to have total control of the internet. They are claiming it is for “national security.” Baloney! It is the liberal way to keep news from getting to conservatives or anyone with a different view than the liberals. The liberals are ruining America.

Some of you just don’t get it. Hitler politely asked the Jews to march into the gas chambers and they were polite and did so. This guy should be polite and leave.

Rush can get by with 1/2 his brain tied behind his back. Some of you can’t.

I agree. I don’t care if this guy is a righty or a lefty, if he was trespassing in Montana folks here would tend to shoot and ask questions later. Get off my land, dude. Take your right to free speech of my private land and shove it.

USC is a private, nonsectarian, research university. The university’s right to private property trumps this a**holes right to free speech (on their property)

Although I appreciate what John was doing, I think the university is within their rights to remove him from bothering the guests. It’s a private college. Asking people why they are attending the event can easily be considered harassment.

Liberal reaction to this is hysterical, however. Look at what some of these fools are saying in the comments! Children.

Welcome to the fascism. Revolution is near folks.

OK, now I see what it is going to be like living under the obozo regime. I hope he sues the f*** out of these rent a cops.
F*** liberals.

If this were that fat tub of lard micheal moore, you can damn sure bet he wouldn’t have been asked to leave.

This guys arrest is chilling. he did no wrong, and done nothing to deny anyone of their civil rights. Saying that that this place is private property is stupid. He didn’t block anyone from anything, and I hope when he takes them to court, how is this college going to defend how people can come and go on campus.
What is worse is that two people with badges used force to remove someone who just wanted to ask questions. Since when does Katie Couric become a g-dess, and needs body guards for a bogus award.PEOPLE NEED TO BE REMINDED OF OLD SOVIET UNION STYLE TACTICS THIS THIS DISPLAYED.
Why is it that liberals always try to restrict something, then try to get things banned when it actually helps to keep us safe. This man’s arrest is sad, and those who put the cuffs on should be fired. Because a socialist is in power doen’t mean that the Bill of Rights does not exist. Those who deam that this was OK to have him taken away are brain dead wimps. Yes brain dead wimps.

Katie Couric is a journalist? News to me!

Sorry, this guy made himself look stupid and gave real journalists a bad name.

When I first heard this story, I thought he was on the campus of a public university. But considering USC is private, this clown does not have free reign to do squat.

Journalists do not have free reign to come into your house, they do not have free reign to enter your business without permission and they do not the right to do as they please on private property.

Again, the commenters here need to be clear of the facts – USC is a private university. USC has the right to permit or deny entry to anyone they see fit. They have the right to allow or prevent any journalist from coming onto their campus, as the administration sees fit.

Had this been UCLA or some other public institution, then this guy would have been in the right. But apparently, this “journalist” doesn’t know the different between public spaces and private spaces.

Maybe he should go back and do some basic research before he makes himself look so stupid again.

Sorry for the type’os in my previous text. I hope this guy stands outside a football game, and hires people who wear the other team’s colors and then deny them entrance to the stadium claiming it is private property, and their opinions on USC are not valid so they can take their time, money and beer back to where they came because some fascist assholes say its ok.

Katie Couric is a journalist? News to me!

I just love all these liberal Baghdad Bobs. There’s no American tank behind me — no one’s civil rights were violated here. Looking down their nose at conservatives, feeling all superior about — well, nothing. But still, they don’t think anything bad is going on, and surely nothing bad will happen to them.

Ooops. Anybody remember the clown trying to question Kerry? Don’t taze me bro!

To the “Glad that you’re getting it!” numbskull. Give me ONE example of a peacefully behaving liberal journalist being arrested at a conservative media event or any similar instance that coulud be attributable to the Bush administration. The fact is that you can’t because it never happened. That is the difference between freedom and the false reality that you and your ilk want to create. Leftist ideaology can’t stand on it’s own merits and must depend upon muzzling their critics by intimidation or force. Look at Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, China et al. The American peoople are waking up to what is happening. Get over yourselves! You found a charismatic young guy who won a popularity contest in a bad economy. So Congratulations. Let’s see Crazy Nancy, Fat Barney or Dingy Harry (world’s most dangerous wimp) sell their bag of crap without their Guy Smiley mouthpiece. We will see if the folks that were so charmed by him will turn out in droves to support Congressional Dems in the 2010 mid-terms given the crap they have pulled over the last 3 months.

Katie Couric a journalist? Since when? The CBS evening news has low ratings. Just because she did 1 interview with Palin does not make her a credible journalist. Walter Cronkite was a great journalist and to put Couric that kind of level is a sham.

to PhilB
“When I first heard this story, I thought he was on the campus of a public university. But considering USC is private, this clown does not have free reign to do squat.”

WRONG – suggest you look up Pruneyard v. Robins –
individuals may peacefully exercise their right to free speech in parts of private venues regularly held open to the public, subject to reasonable regulations.

I would take Mr. Ziegler’s case and win.

What burns my butt is that we elected these congress clowns to represent our rights and all they are doing is trying to control us with overspending and bailouts. I never would have thought to see the day that this would happen to America. God help us all. The only people that we can depend and trust are ourselves. Hopefully, the government will wake up and try to help the American people instead of themselves.

Argh. Why does everything have to be politicized to death? As dumb as the Couric award ceremony might seem, Ziegler was clearly being a nuisance, and event officials had the right to remove him from their property.

To: JUDGE

“WRONG – suggest you look up Pruneyard v. Robins -
individuals may peacefully exercise their right to free speech in parts of private venues regularly held open to the public, subject to reasonable regulations.

I would take Mr. Ziegler’s case and win.”

WRONG: In this case the University has the right to tell them WHERE they can protest. They speifically told him WHERE he could stand and even put up a barricade. He refused to stay behind it. You could take this case, but you would LOSE.

One thing I don’t understand, as a conservitive, is why so many of you conservitives are so eager to give up private property rights. I think it was stupid not to let him be, but it’s still private property and when they ask you to leave, you gotta go. They could have easily asked where the property line was and talked to people from public property. They were just trying to cause a problem to get publicity. I’m saying this even though I normally side with John and I believe in his message. Another thing: in most states even if the arrest is false, you still cannot resist arrest. I’ve tried cases where the original charge was dismissed but the person was still found guilty of resisting. This is a clear cut case of trespassing and possibly resisting (depending on the wording on “resisting” in California).

Cecil you’re an idiot. Many settlers had land donated to them by the government and it’s been passed down to generations. Does that mean their property is not PRIVATE and people can just come on their property. Just because you THINK it’s NOT private property, doesn’t make it so.

Where did all these sidewalk attorneys come from. Check the law. It’s private property. Actually, the Supreme Court has ruled that its psuedo-private property. But they have ruled over and over that they have the right to tell them WHERE they can protest and if they don’t comply, they have to leave. John was asked to stay behind the barricade, multiple times, but refused. This is a clear-cut case of trespassing. I feel sorry for John because he does good work and I believe in his ideas. He should have got legal advice before he decided to break the law. I feel bad for him. They should have let him stay. They made the situation worse, but they did not violate the law by making him leave.

Maybe USC police should be stopping sexual assaults at their frat houses rather than stopping freedom of speech…

if I’m correct,,, and thats a usc campus it was built with a lot of tax dollors on public land donated to them,,,, hence not private property. at any rate, even the cops could not make up their minds,, is he media or not, allowed if yes. I hope he talked to his lawyer very quickly after this happened. This is “not” what I defended my country for.

You said it. “Politicized” Her interview was politicized. He was there because her interview was politicized and biased. He was there because she was being awarded for an act of advocacy masquerading as journalism. The event organizers admitted that she was being honored due to the fact that she “impacted” the election. Since when was that the job of the media? OK dumb question. It obviously is now. She could have done an interview with Biden that would make him look just as stupid but she chose not too. Plus, Biden looks like Walter the Ventriloquist dummy. Check it out at http://totallylookslike.com/2008/10/01/joe-biden-totally-looks-like-walter-2/

“if I’m correct,,, and thats a usc campus it was built with a lot of tax dollors on public land donated to them,,,, hence not private property”

Wanting something to be a certain way doesn’t make it so. Private property. Period. If you get a Federal grant or loan on your house does that make it public property?

Example of FREEDOM in OBAMA’s America.

Learn it, live it, love it, we voted for it.

Richard

That’s a great point.

“One thing I don’t understand, as a conservitive, is why so many of you conservitives are so eager to give up private property rights”

For a conservative you surely don’t know how to spell the word.

That being said, you are correct and I find it hilarious that the idiot in the video, who calls himself a Libertarian, is complaining that he’s being kicked off private property. That, to me, was the irony in it all.

Apparently the so-called actress Janeen Gorofolo, I think I spelled her name wrong, thinks all the people at the tea parties are red-necked, white trash Obama haters and they are racist. So you can’t have freedom of speech at a tea party without being a racist while Obama is president.

To Anonymous:

“That being said, you are correct and I find it hilarious that the idiot in the video, who calls himself a Libertarian, is complaining that he’s being kicked off private property. That, to me, was the irony in it all.”

There should have been a comma before and after the phrase “and I find it hilarious”.

Do you see how childish you were to correct my spelling? So I was in a hurry and didn’t proof read. Big Deal. Most of the time when people point out such things it’s because they don’t have an intelligent answer. In your case, you actually had an intelligent answer, but chose to be the spelling police. Like I’ve said before, I think this guy should have been allowed to stay, but he was wrong according to the law. That’s all that matters. What does the law say. It is clearly NOT in his favor. It doesn’t matter if the University gets federal tax dollars. If they are a private college it is private property. If the Feds want to change that and say they can’t get federal dollars, than they can do that, but currently they can accept federal money and still be private. Sorry guys.

Yes Franco American, that is the strategy. Call your opponent a racist or homophobe and you don’t have to explain why it makes sense to borrow trillions from the Chinese, then print more when they cut us off, causing currency devaluation, rampant inflation, destruction of business and economic depression. That would require economic and math skills and those things are hard for actresses! Much easier to make fun of people who drive pickup trucks!

Where are the “brave” First-Amendment-Loudmouth-Liberals on this one? In our Left-Leaning (tax supported) colleges they whine:”I may not agree with what this filmaker or Ugly George are saying, but I will Defend To The Death their right to say it…” Funny how Lefty-Libs always change the subject (usually to Bush-Bashing or how Rush Limbaugh is the secret ‘fuehrer’ of the GOP) when confronted with their Deafening Silence on issues like this. Recently, the ever-corrupt NYPD had to issue orders prohibiting arrests of citizens carrying cameras on NYC streets-because it was happening! The ACLU & NYCLU barely squeeked on this…

Hey DemoFascists…show us one, just one incident that happened of this sort during the Bush years!
Just one.
Skip the hyperbole and your useless talking points.

This is hilarious. What a narcissist jerk.

Texas Red April 16th, 2009 – 4:17 pm

Heckelman…remember that guy’s name, everybody.
—————————————————–

Why?

I’m glad the security guards did their jobs and protected the law-abiding citizens from this crazed man. I’m also glad that this crazy man didn’t have a gun.

OBAMA IS TURNING THIS COUNTRY INTO A POLICE STATE

WE MUST BEGIN TO ARM OURSELVES

JOHN ZIEGLER IS A GREAT PATRIOT AND A HERO, WE MUST SEEK REVENGE ON THIS AGRESSIVE POLICE ACTION

God help us all! I am shocked and so mad seeing the way this man’s right to free speech was trampled on! I hope and pray Ziegler sues their butts off! Especially the fat instigator at the beginning of the video who complained to security about him.
You idiots on the board who can’t see what an infringement on free speech this was, must be from communist countries or have communist professors brainwashing you so much that you don’t understand those security guards and the fat guy who complained to the security about Ziegler in the beginning should be sued!
He did nothing wrong. He was only asking questions. USC is obviously a very liberal school that only agrees to free speech for libs like Katie Couric or cop killer and terrorist William Ayers. Would William Ayers have been allowed to stand on the sidewalk and ask questions? Wouldn’t any reporter be allowed?
How about a web news reporter?
Don’t you lib idiots realize if you had been there your lib questions would have been allowed today but maybe not a month from now?!! My son taught at USC and he will be ashamed to hear about their behavior. I will pass the word about this horrible example of a school and more importantly what a joke and irony for the so-called “news” business. I’ve worked for an ABC local newsroom and for NBC TV Traffic and advertising departments and I’m appalled although I’m aware how conservatives are scoffed and made fun of in that venue. They refused to tell the other side of news stories when I worked there and insisted only on one lib-sided viewpoint coverage.
It’s ok for professors to assign “The Communist Manifesto” and porn-filled novels for their students to read, but try the Bible and professors get fired (ask my son!)…try Rush Limbaugh or any other conservative viewpoint books and it’s not allowed.
The libs who have trashed or disagreed with Zielger on this board don’t get it that someday someone will come for them if they don’t also stand up for free speech irregardless of the side of the speech fence you’re on. Learn the lessons of history in places like Nazi Germany, in the Soviet Union, etc.
Alexandr Solshenitzyn said in his novel the Gulag Archipelago that the Russian people lost their big freedoms because they stopped fighting for their little freedoms.
Wake up, libs, you could be next!
We are on a fast road to fascism.
I hope and pray Ziegler sues their butts off!!

All of you so-called lawyers out there who are fixated on the “private property” issue, how about viewpoint discrimination? Were only liberals allowed to be on the sidewalk? Why wouldn’t Ziegler have been allowed to walk around the campus, because he was in a suit? They were waiting for him. The libs are the most fascist of anyone and hate free speech unless it is their viewpoint being espoused.

Would a lib with a mic have been granted equal access?

Too bad there wasn’t a lib around also with a mic or hippies with pro-Obama/pro-Katie signs to compare to their treatment or being allowed to stay versus Ziegler with his questions/conservative viewpoint.

Sounds like viewpoint discrimination to me. Even though it’s public property would racial discrimination be allowed?

For all of you social/marxists with a gleeful smile on your pathetic faces. study history….
this is exactly what happened in Russia and the whole of the Eastern block you pathetic genx idiots…..
the nation is on the verge of a revolutionary war
and you sit laughing like the inconsequential human’s that you are. tyranny is racing towards up. which has nothing to do with Barack our new President for all of you true bigot’s…. no one man could pull this off himself. this has been coming down the tracks for about 150 years the first attempts by world bankers…. study
history and prepare for your fate you laughing fools…..

michae,
It’s not about bigotry with Obama. Obama was mentored by communist, Frank Marshall Davis and by Socialist communist preacher Jeremiah Wright. Obama was supported by the so-called “Progressive” party which is code-word for Socialist and has members like Jane Fonda and some of the Weatherman Underground terrorist types as members.
I was for conservative African American candidates, but not this pro-communist, non-naturalized U.S. citizen, Obama who has no respect for the U.S. as a free nation.

Past precedent for lawsuits for discrimination of the public taking place on private property:

How about Denny’s restaurants being sued for racial discrimination by African Americans. As I recall, not only employees sued, but so did African American customers for being denied, I think it must have been, equal access.

So, why couldn’t Ziegler, if he so desired, sue for viewpoint discrimination which occurred albeit on private property, but at or near a function designated as open to the public?

“According to [James Grant, Executive Director of Media Relations for USC], in the days before his eventual appearance on campus, Ziegler publicly announced his intention to demonstrate at the Couric event. USC was happy to accomodate Ziegler, and provided him with a designated area, where he could register his protest, be seen by event attendees and the student body, and pass out whatever materials he wished. These arrangements were ready upon Ziegler’s arrival.

However, according to Grant, Ziegler showed up for the event making unexpected demands. He was no longer a demonstrator. Now, he was a journalist, with cameramen in tow, insistent that he had a right to enter the event. Told that the event was invitation only, Ziegler contended that he had the right to range up and down the entryway and stick microphones into the faces of attendees.

Said Grant, ‘The University both respects and facilitates the right to free speech, but we reserve the right to set reasonable ground rules that respect the rights of everyone, and provide for the safety and security of the University community.’ Ziegler, opting against the ground rules that had been mutually agreed to, was given the choice of leaving campus or being arrested, and eventually chose to leave campus.”

OK, in nearly 500 comments by this time, someone may have already noted this. A while back someone said:

“I am sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and you disagree with this administration you’re not patriotic. We should stand up and say, ‘We are Americans and we have a right to debate and disagree with any administration!’”

April 28, 2003 at the annual Democratic Party Jefferson-Jackson-Bailey Day fund raising dinner in Connecticut.

Sure, I know that Ziegler wasn’t specifically disagreeing with the administration, just the mechanism that put the current administration in place. Plus, it’s not Ziegler’s or the current batch of dissenter’s’ patriotism that being questioned but their (and my) character that’s under scrutiny. Specifically, because of the color of the President’s skin, every dissenter’s character is being judged.

You know ive just set back and kept my mouth shut about all thats jone wrong with this country but no more
I have always thought that the press always goes to far with their freedom of the press and the way everyone wonts to sue but after what i saw done to ziegler i think he should sue because those officers did what they were told to do and if this leftis behaver is left un punished then i belive that this once great country will fall to peacies.So sue ziegler and hold no punches back

i bet my attorney is smarter than a 5Th grader. Mr. rodeo and MRI grant(he got hired because of his name—get-it ‘GRANT’(GRANTLESS), NOT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE MORE HONORABLE ULESSYES S GRANT,(whom would shoot Mr. grant out of his miserable job) What you all (RODEO=CIRCUS CLOWNS COME TO MIND AND COW POOP) HAVE IS A PROBLEM WITH A PERSON BORN IN THE US MAKING A FILM AGAINST YOUR MOMMA.

USC, even though it is a private university, the property is quasi-public because it is open for everyone to enter. There are public libraries on their campus that must be available to all equally. If this was not a ticketed event where admission was charged, anyone has the right to be there. USC was worng on this one. I hope he uses a Trojan when he jam them.

Mr. Ziegler was NOT given a clear answer as to why he was handcuffed and shoved around. If you were handcuffed and shoved around YOU TOO SHOULD ASK FOR A LAWFUL ANSWER. Obviously the gentlemen who were trying to answer his questions were not very well prepared to answer. They should have had their information together before they decided to arrest Mr. Ziegler. THe authorities looked awful dumb in this one. OF COURSE…NO PROFESSIONALISM BY THEM JUST SHOVIN’ A PEACEFUL PERSON AROUND. and USC…what’s wrong with them… that they are afraid of one person on a sidewalk WITH NO ONE AROUND!!!

John! You were clearly harrassing people! … Trying to get into a PRIVATE event! This is much different than just handing out your film or fliers or standing there with a protest sign. Our freedom of speech does NOT include getting in people’s faces and crashing PRIVATE ceremonies! You are just a guilty of the “spin” as those you are trying to harrass!

What troubles me is the double standard. If he had been there with a sign supporting same sex marriage, or making CA a sanctuary state for illegals, or such, and yelling through a megaphone, he likely would have been surrounded by cameras, being interviewed, and ignored by security.

But he seemed to be blocking no one, nor was he creating a disturbance until the big wigs and security stepped in, so why, other than for reasons of political correctness should security have taken notice of him?

Notice where the video STARTS — with John telling us the campus cops have a problem with his behavior, but we don’t get to witness it for ourselves, when obviously his crew recorded it.

Why doesn’t he want us to see what he did to make the school remove him? “Just asking questions?” Show us. Telling us to take his word for it is an insult, when his behavior on camera is so embarrassing and unprofessional.

If he isn’t drunk, he is simply unhinged. Flopping around like a fish and screeching, “I’m a journalist just like Katie Couric” is the only “irony” I saw here.

It is a private university when it comes to tuition. But the campus itself is OPEN to anyone.

John had every right to be there and was NOT harassing anyone. It was the other way around!!

[...] Scott put an intriguing blog post on Breitbart.tv » Officers Handcuff Documentary Filmmaker at Katie …Here’s a quick excerpt22All+I%27m+trying+to+do+is+ask+questions%21%22%3CBR%3E%3Cbr%3E+John+Ziegler%3A+John+went+to+USC+to+witness+and+ask+questions+about+Katie+Couric+getting+the+Walter+Cronkite+journalism+award+for+her+interview+of+Sarah+Palin. [...]

i confer all of you are morons , of which you shall see

Cops/campus cops are always power tripping. Although this occurred in USC, it happens everywhere folks and it seems no student will stand up against this anti-Constitutional activity. Bunch of sheeps. Bottom-line, f$@k cops.

Ziegler wasn’t guilty of anything. If he was in a clown get-up shrieking at the top of his lungs he would have been accepted as engaging in “a celebration of freedom of speech and the exchange of ideas”. Of course, if he looked like that he would be on the left wing because conservatives don’t act like that.

[...] joined CNN as an assignment editor. Usefull Posts In search of Katie Couric | HooplaNow…Breitbart.tv » Officers Handcuff Documentary Filmmaker at Katie Couric Journalism Award Event….Video: John Ziegler Says Katie Couric Winning Walter Cronkite Award Proves Journalism Is [...]

To say he wasn’t expecting a confrontation of any kind is ridiculous. He was blatantly confrontational during this entire incident. He was yelling at passers by and causing a disruption. He was acting as a protester, not a journalist, and was treated as such.
Invitation only means invitation only. What’s next? Demanding entry to the Oscars?
That being said, he shouldn’t have been arrested, because he has every right to do this.

He didn’t heed the instructions of a police officer. Scumbag should have been tasered.

Ziegler, my dear boy, you are so incredibly obnoxious. Looking back at the video I hope you can understand how anyone, regardless of their political affiliation, would find you frustratedly annoying. Doubt you will though. I’m sure you see it more as a trophy episode for yourself. Their is nothing noble or witty about your little performance either. However, a master of the obvious you are; disrupting an awards ceremony. An AWARDS CEREMONY! My God, do you not understand the nature of these events? They’re designed to praise the work of the honorees. Why would a pest that sounds more like Michael Moore’s cranky little sister than a journalist be welcomed. That is what you consider yourself isn’t it, a journalist? What a joke. Borat is more of a journalist than you could ever be. Try daytime television.

Speaking of journalism, since when does having a website make someone a journalist? When this happened you were an unemployed former talk show host trying to sell a film nobody cares about. Even now that you’re back on a fourth-rate radio station, you’re still not a journalist, just a pathetic guy trying to get publicity. Next time you should select an event that actually gets media coverage and then you can get your 15 seconds of fame by being annoying. You learn that in Journalism 101. Maybe you should take a course.

Thank God they didn’t allow this bigmouth condescending jerk in. I swear if I had to spend more than a few seconds in the same room with John Ziegler, I would punch him right in the mouth.

This is not ‘journalism’, it’s small-minded provocation. I used to do this as a high-school student with similar results.

They should have thrown him to the ground, put a knee on his back and on his neck,then handcuffed him and drug him like the dog he is. Let me see, a professor gets arrested at his home, taken and booked for “disorderly conduct”, and this punk goes free. That is the epitome of this sick, demented backward system.

Mercy john:
I am or was one of your KfI listeners, and really am interested in your views, and what you have to say.
I have one question which your Attorney has probably already pointed out to you, as if you were not aware of it in the first place…LOL
Isn’t USC, a publicly funded State College?

I do know how you are so good at bringing out the worst in your enemies, too.
Did you forget, that nearly all Schools of Higher Learning were infiltrated long ago by the “Others?”
They will continue to dominate people more and more, until it becomes a Totalitarian State as so many others are.

A little off subject:
Did you know the Bible foretold the takeover of the King of the South by the King of the North, before this wicked system is replaced by Christ, the Messiah, and his Faithful Bride Class?
Christ and his co-rulers will then lovingly rule the Earth, and it’s inhabitants, with all of this worlds governments wiped clean off, along with everyone who supports them and their immoral connection with False Religions of the Earth.

False Religions of all sorts, have been allowed to dabble in the various governments business of ruling, even causing and backing wars, and encouraging their misled followers to take part in killing their fellow men. Soon, this world’s governments will lay bare false religion, and burn her with fire, and it will never rise again.

The scriptures also say that just prior to what the scriptures refer to as, the, “Great Tribulation, such as the world has never seen, No, nor will see again.”

Until the time is here for God’s Government to completely change the face of this Earth, and the lives of the survivors of God’s War of Armageddon, things will continue to worsen, and the War of Armageddon, contrary to what many people seem to think, is NOT nuclear war.

The Scriptures refer to that Great War, (Armageddon) as the “War of the Great Day of God the Almighty.”

What an arrogant, smirking, showboating boob. He is no more a journalist than Drudge or Breitbart. Who in the world does he think he is, whining about rules of decorum that he thinks do not apply to him. No wonder he can not keep a job. If he acts like that at his place of employment, his problems are obvious. And his small, but noisy, group of followers represents the worst in America.

One more thing. Several posting here say Ziegler did not film the episode. Yet he refers to “his” camera. Somebody is playing fast and lose with the truth, and not for the first time!

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what an idiot…he’s OBVIOUSLY trying to cause trouble for no reason, and has no right to. I’m GLAD they arrested him, i just wish they would’ve held him a lot longer with no bail!

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