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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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13

Pranksters Crash Lecture by Torture Memo Writer

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(Newser) – If ex-Justice Department hand John Yoo thought he could fade into obscurity after writing infamous memos justifying the government’s use of torture and warrantless wiretapping, he was wrong. An Australian comedian crashed his class at Chapman University School of Law in California last week, dressed up like a detainee from the Abu Ghraib photos, Wired reports.

“How long can I be required to stand here ’til it counts as torture?” he asks, standing atop a desk. “I’d love to move but every time I do my balls get buzzed.” Yoo moves to end class, and a stern woman enters, ordering the prankster, from the TV show Chaser’s War on Everything, out of the room. “OK. I’ll just go to the human-rights class down the road, professor,” he replies. “I think you probably won’t be teaching there.”

In this June 26, 2008, file photo John Yoo, a law professor at the University of California-Berkeley, testifies on Capitol Hill.
In this June 26, 2008, file photo John Yoo, a law professor at the University of California-Berkeley, testifies on Capitol Hill.   (AP Photo)
A comedian pranks John Yoo in this YouTube screnshot.
A comedian pranks John Yoo in this YouTube screnshot.
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Pranksters interrupt John Yoo's lecture.   (IdiocracyIndex)

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13 comments
VIEWING:
 
psycada
Jul 23, 09 12:41 PM CDT
Priceless. I love good ol' non violent protests. Reply
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+11
IN RESPONSE:
godawgs
Jul 23, 09 1:13 PM CDT
So since the same things are still going on in Afghanistan would you be as happy if this protest was against Obama?
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+1
IN RESPONSE:
Snarfeh
Jul 23, 09 1:31 PM CDT
I would, godawgs. A non-violent protest that is also funny can make me laugh even if I don't agree with the protester's position. Funny is funny, imo. A good example was when someone here at Newser called Obama Oblahblah.
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+1
keybored
Jul 23, 09 1:15 PM CDT
That was well done -- no harm, no foul, and he got his point across. Reply
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+5
IN RESPONSE:
PosterNutbag
Jul 23, 09 4:05 PM CDT
OK, we will operate in the Coronaking paradigm where everything is a "free speech" issue. The first people to speak are the international community, including the American generals and heads of state that authored the Geneva Conventions and the army field manual, the say "torture is illegal." Bush speaks to his legal advisors, "is torture legal?" The Yoo speaks, "torture is legal if Bush says it is." This is the part in the script where the "free press" (the only occupation specifically mentioned in the constitution) is supposed to come on stage and repeat once again "torture is illegal." The free press is conspicuously absent at this point. Yoo goes on to retain his claim to being a legal expert while the lawyers and judges of tomorrow spend big money to have their minds molded by a guy who will say anything in order to keep a seat at the table with the Bush's. My question is why does Corona-aching feel that this man is worth defending? And on a related note why do we settle for Australian "balls are buzzing" comedy when clearly this person should go to jail or at least lose his chapman job, or at the very least should be let go by UC Berkeley, a publicly funded school?
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+3
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