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03/09/2007 Archived Entry: "The Trouble with Tasers"

"THE TROUBLE WITH TASERS." CrunchGear investigates why Taser is so eager to sue medical examiners and scientists who question the safety of its products.

That's one of the troubles with Tasers. The article (thanks, EA!) is fine as far as it goes. But it also makes one classic assumption that buys straight into Taser's own marketing propaganda: that a non-lethal (or more correctly, less-lethal) weapon is always a welcome alternative to a firearm in a police officer's hand. That would be true if officers were using Tasers only in situations where they might once have used a firearm or a club. But we're seeing waaaaay too many instances in which cops are using Tasers instead of politeness and human reason.

Although not Taser related, This latest misuse of SWAT tactics from Ohio shows the same mentality. Police in civilized countries don't treat innocent people this way. Police in civilized countries don't use military tactics as a first resort in ordinary law enforcement -- ie. a shoplifting and fencing case.

Free people don't accept lame, bureaucratic -- and typical -- explanations that the most heinous behavior by police is acceptable as long as "procedures were followed." (And police in civilized countries don't Taser people merely for questioning or non-violently resisting "authority." Or Taser people who are having epileptic seizures or suffering insulin shock.)

Posted by Claire @ 09:34 AM CST
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