Speak Out Of Turn, Get Zapped
The Taser can be very useful in volatile situations. When police officers are trying to subdue a violent criminal, the Taser can be a safer alternative to a gun or a nightstick.
It also comes in handy when some loudmouth college student tries to disrupt a press conference. The sense of danger must have been terrifying when Andrew Meyer — who had been given a microphone — went beyond his allotted time and continued to ask questions.
Thank God for the
It’s been almost ten years since a group of police officers displayed such bravery and valor. But these Florida officers still haven’t matched the heroism and blind courage of the
This is pretty neat. Sure, those limp-wristed liberals think that Tasers and pepper spray are for emergency use only; for defusing those volatile situations where a gun might be the only alternative. Oh come on. Sometimes officers just like to use these weapons because they can.
It’s like getting a Black Belt in Karate. You're only planning to use it in case of an emergency self-defense situation. But then somebody argues with you or makes a joke about your favorite team, and — POW! Yeah!!
Or maybe you carry a gun when you drive; again for emergencies only — armed assailants, carjackers. But then some #!$&%$#$#$ cuts in front of you on the freeway, and BLAM!!
Labels: Andrew Meyer, Frank Riggs, pepper spray into eyes, Scotia, Taser, University of Florida
posted by Tom Harper @ 12:25 PM
22 Comments:
While the student did deserve to be carted away, considering that he appropriated for himself the microphone and going way beyond his alloted time for questions *and* refused to relent to others, I don't think this deserved a tasering - especially since that woman rent-a-cop tasered him *after* he had been immobolized by the others ...
We are all subject to some type of rights interjection, where we can no longer speak without some type of reaction or interjection by the new police protectors.
We all remember the beatings during the Vietnam era, but now there's a rights interjection that monitors where you stand, how long you speak, how annoying you may become, and being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
What a country we have evolved into and come to be.
Mentarch: Exactly. If this student was violating the law he should be escorted out and/or charged with a crime. But tasered? Unreal.
Let's Talk: You're right, this country has been devolving into something else. Tasers and pepper spray have a purpose, but they aren't supposed to be used just for convenience or vengeance. There's no way four cops couldn't have overpowered and cuffed that student without tasing him.
I would like to hear Kerry answer the questions this kid asked.
That would be in interesting.
so on some blog I read the comment" well, it could have been worse..he could have been shot"...that was pointed out- as if the taser was NOT that bad....oh lordy what the hell has happened to the country.....OUR country???
Larry: I think one of this kid's questions was about John Kerry and GW Bush both being members of Skull and Bones, and he was also asking about impeaching Bush. Certainly nothing to get tasered for.
Enigma4ever: Yeah, that sounds about right. I haven't looked at any rightwing blogs in the last few days, but I figure they're either ignoring this story or they're saying "hey, he got what he deserved."
I could (almost) not believe what I was seeing - tasering after the kid was down. It was like Rodney King all over again. Tasers are supposed to be used to keep someone from causing physical harm. In this case, it was used to keep him from talking. Unbelievable.
I still can't figure out why they Tasered the poor fella. My police officer and firefighter students tell me it's very painful. The only the student did wrong was ask uncomfortable questions and go over his time limit. And I, too, would like to have heard Kerry's replies.
I wonder why Faux--umm, Fox News hasn't covered this (that I've seen)?
The police tried to escort the student out yet he resisted their efforts. Their only option was to escalate their level of force. Those choices are: Pepper spray, Taser, Night Stick, Firearms, Joint Locks. Of those choices ONLY Taser is completely effective, will not harm innocent bystanders and will not cause permanent injuries.
Candace: That's exactly right. Using a Taser just to keep somebody from talking and being obnoxious -- talk about overkill.
Miss Kitty: Yeah, it makes no sense at all. If Faux News covered it, it would be something like "Terrorist thwarted by campus police officers."
Anonymous: Is this a commercial for Taser, Inc.? There were at least four officers involved. How difficult would it be to just hold onto him and put cuffs on him? A Taser -- or guns, nightsticks, joint locks -- was totally unnecessary.
As punishment, local officers lifted the protestors’ eyelids and squirted pepper spray directly into their eyes from just a few inches away.
Slight correction here, the pepper spray was swabbed onto the eyelids of the screaming protesters in Riggs office.
As for anonymous' comments. Andrew Meyer said multiple times, on the video footage, that if the police would let him stand up, we would walk out with them. They did not, continued to hold him immobile and then tased him.
The incident was deplorable.
Kvatch: Swabbed onto the eyelids instead of sprayed, huh? That sounds like even more fun. I never knew how much national coverage that story got. It was all over the news in the Bay Area and Sonoma County where I was living at the time.
we are thisclose to another kent state. or a series of kent states.
the fuse was lit in 2001, not by 9/11, but by the bush administration's reaction to 9/11.
the escalation against u.s. citizens continues.
You gotta love those cops. Guns used to be their favorite "toy". Now a taser has taken its place.
On a side note, did you hear about the 15 year old autistic kid in California who was tasered by police? He ran away from a center he was at, and was seen running in and out of traffic. Rather than stop him by approaching him, the cops chose to taser him. And the SOB spokesperson for the police department had the nerve to say and I quote, "If this were your child, which would you rather have happen? Your child being tasered or hit by a car?" Clearly these people knew nothing about autism and how someone with autism reacts to situations. They also clearly didn't care!!
Spaceneedl: I'm afraid you're right. Police just seem to be getting much more casual about using potentially lethal force when it's totally unnecessary. And that's true about 9/11. Whether or not it was the neocons' version of the Reichstag Fire, they sure have gotten maximum mileage out of it.
ParisLOve2: Yup, they've traded in one favorite toy for the next one. I didn't hear about the 15-year-old autistic kid in California. But it isn't surprising.
There are many decent, honorable police officers in this country that believe in the book, and play by it.
Unfortunately, the flavor of "officer" you find working in small towns, poor counties, and security companies all too often tends to be the frustrated wannabe cop that probably isn't a cop because of some deep personal problems. The desire to lord it over other people usually figures as #1 among those deep personal problems.
Jolly Roger: Absolutely. This isn't to diss cops in general, just the inept ones that get intoxicated on their own authority. If one of these losers has had a bad day, there's no better way to vent those frustrations than to club or tase the first person who gets in the way.
I agree with you Jolly. There are honorable, decent cops out there.
The problem is, the stories that we hear on a daily basis don't involve small cities, poor counties, or security companies. This happens everywhere, and it's going to continue to happen until someone stands up and says enough already. But I don't see that happening anytime soon because the police departments around the country constantly defend their actions no matter how reprehensible those actions are.
When it has gotten to the point where police are now using tasers to silence free speech, something is seriously wrong!! What's next?
that was not me, I sign my name
Erik
ParisLOve2: The trouble with police forces -- and lawyers, doctors and every other large group -- is that they all circle the wagons and protect the guilty members of their group, and this prevents any sort of accountability. And at the same time they complain that they all get a bad name from "a few bad apples." They can't have it both ways.
Erik: Nice try, I know you're a closet conservative (just kidding).
Tazers only just came in this year in NZ (coppers called it a public trail). Guess it gives them a less than lethal option which is obivously a good thing.
Not too cool seeing how often it gets used stateside, still don't think he deseved the zap though.
Damien: Tasers definitely have a purpose, but they aren't for zapping a student just because he won't stop talking.
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