Fred Shapiro, editor of the Yale Book of Quotations, has proclaimed “Don’t tase me, bro” to be the phrase of the year. If you’re not already familiar with this phrase, which quickly became printed on t-shirts and uploaded as ringtones, it was voiced by University of Florida student Andrew Meyer on September 17th as he was asking John Kerry questions at a forum. Meyer, basically, wouldn’t keep quiet when asked, so campus security tried to remove him, and ultimately gave him a shot of taser juice. The incident was controversial, but the security guards were ultimately found to have committed no wrong.
What? You never saw the video? Awww dude, you gotta scope it now:
Equally controversial has been the latest video of a supposed highway speeder in Utah. Unnecessary, excessive use of force on someone that didn’t need it, or lousy punk that needs to do what he’s told? Watch the following video and decide for yourself. My favorite quote in this one is “He took a ride with the taser.”
The use of tasers has grown considerably within police departments and so has the controversy. Police officers in some states have even used them in public schools. A case in particular involved an officer that tasered a 6-year old boy in Miami, because the boy was threatening to injure his own leg with a shard of glass. Two weeks later, a 12-year-old girl skipping school “took a ride with the taser” in Miami-Dade.
How has Taser International Incorporated responded to this controversy? Good question, they’re developing a NEW way to deliver electrical juice via a 12-gauge shotgun. That’s right, they’re calling it the “eXtended Range Electro-Muscular Projectile,” or XREP for short. This new shotgun shell is designed to deliver blunt-force trauma with super sweet electrical juice. Scope this flick for a full explanation:
Following up on yesterday’s post, my family jewels feel like they took a ride with the taser.
- Ranger Man
2 responses so far ↓
1 GeologyJoe // Dec 21, 2007 at 8:26 am
It always appears that they (police, security etc.) are always WAY TOO QUICK to resort to firing the tazer.
Take your second vid. for example. Sure the kid was acting like an ass and actually may have just received a warning if he followed instructions but there was no reason the cop had to drop him. His back was turned. There was no threating words or gestures.
Aggravating.
I love the screaming gf. funny. The cop should have zapped her.
2 ryan // Dec 21, 2007 at 4:20 pm
There is an unfortunate situation when it comes to less then leathal weapons. Beaurocrats who control police policies are always trying to find a way to manage them and make them more safe. Outlawing the choke hold and shifting from mace to tazers is all following the new technology to try and get that perfect way to incapacitate without harming. As we get closer to that cops are more likely to use them. Before tazers cops just beat people, I would prefer getting tazed to beaten any day.
I am a liberterian but definintely a law and order guy. I really believe that people who screw around with the cops should get tazzed or beaten. Cops need that descression for their dangerous and complicated job. Obviously sometimes they step too far out of line and should get censured.
Conversely I honestly think tazers save some lives because cops do not need to reach into the other holster to solve the problem.
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