Watch out, some AWESOME cop might taser/torture you while you are yawning... ------------------------ NEW YORK (CBS News) ― A United Nations committee said Friday that use of Taser weapons can be a form of torture, in violation of the U.N. Convention Against Torture. Use of the electronic stun devices by police has been marked with a sudden rise in deaths - including four men in the United States and two in Canada within the last week. Canadian authorities are taking a second look at them, and in the United States, there is a wave of demands to BAN them. The U.N. Committee Against Torture referred Friday to the use of TaserX26 weapons which Portuguese police has acquired. An expert had testified to the committee that use of the weapons had "proven risks of harm or death." "The use of TaserX26 weapons, provoking extreme pain, constituted a form of torture, and that in certain cases it could also cause death, as shown by several reliable studies and by certain cases that had happened after practical use," the committee said in a statement. ------------ http://theshitnews.co.nz/content/view/50/ The United Nations Convention Against Torture has decided that being stunned by a taser is painful enough for it to qualify as torture. The committee said that studies carried out overseas showed the taser was dangerous and can cause death. "The use of these weapons causes acute pain, constituting a form of torture," the UN committee concluded. For those of us unfortunate enough to have been included in the test runs of the tasers, it’s nothing new, however a report is due from the New Zealand Police in a month detailing the effectiveness (or lack of) of the weapon. The comments on torture, pain and general unpleasantness of the taser are included in the committee's thirty-ninth report and have been made two weeks after unarmed Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski died in a taser related incident. YouTube has kindly provided everyone who knows how to use a computer with footage of the incident when Mr Dziekanski was shot by police using stun guns at a Canadian airport. "We have been keeping a close watch on the deployment of the taser in the UK and the reports that have emanated during their trials and implementation," Jon Neilson said, police spokesman. “Certainly we must take into account some of the studies conducted overseas in less awesome countries, but we shall not let our awesomeness be tarnished by refusing to use lethal weapons on petty criminals.” A report from our splendid men in blue is expected in December, with the decision regarding the tasers’ long-term use to be made in January.
Awesomness? Some official spokesperson in favor of tasers is using the term awesomeness? And since his country is so awesome, it's ok to use the taser? Holy fucking shit. Unless that's some sort of sick joke, but it's not coming across like that. I read your whole post. I think I may hurl now.
Here's my humble opinion of tasers: If there's a situation where the safety of an officer or bystander is in question, the use of ANY means necessary (up to and including DEADLY force) is 100% justified. Now, that's a situation where the person is a BONA-FIDE threat. This is especially true if the situation involves, for example, a female cop dealing with a large burly aggressive man on PCP/Crack. She shouldn't have to assume 1 iota of unnecessary risk in a situation like that. Neither should the general population that this madman is walking around amongst. Now I would HOPE that you would all agree with me there. That being said, an unacceptable percentage of the time they're used when the person is posing little/no threat whatsoever. I would call that unnecessary force, and in turn outright brutality for which there is no excuse. So what's the solution? Do we need to completely get rid of this tool which actually does have some use? Maybe...if too many cops want to keep on spoiling it for those who would responsibly use it, it might be necessary to take it out of their hands.
The real trouble is not so much the weapons as it is the police. They have virtually been given a blank check as far as what they are actually ALLOWED to get away with. Lack of proper training, superiors who condone or even order their violent tactics, lack of proper screening of police officers, lack of proper supervision. Lack of citizens review boards... The entire NATION'S police force needs a complete overhaul, ALL their "accepted" practices need to be scrutinized, known rogue cops need to be FIRED, cops with cocky egotistical and violent attitudes need culled out. Their entire WAY of BEING needs to change. They are after all being given the authority to exercise godlike authority over the common citizen, and so their manner and actions should reflect that. They should be held to MUCH HIGHER standards than the average person, their conduct needs to be impeccable. If all these changes could be implemented, they MAY find there is not so much NEED for force...
So... a police officer's life is more important that the average citizen, especially if that citizen is just your normal Joe Baggadonuts who reaches for his cel phone and some cop THINKS he's in danger. That little "whoops" has cost a few lives of late. Yet you seem to think that this is acceptable. You're a real piece of work, Michael. Elucidate if you will. Exactly WTF are you doing here? It has plenty of use if painful torture were legal. It's not even legal to use against enemies of the state in times of war, much less for Law Enforcement to use against citizens. Law ENFORCEMENT. ENFORCEMENT, not judgement, not punishment, not Law Whoops I Killed Your Son With A Torture Device. You keep right on hoping. I can only assume the current influx of neocon brainwashers will continue to rise until after next November's election. I can hardly wait.
Eh. I'm not sure 50,000 volts of electricity is justified to use on a person or that civilians should be able to posses such a weapon and carry it around. They can't carry a taser in Canada but they do have 3 different civilian models in the USA.
Awww...poor little zoomie doesn't like being exposed to opinions that differ from his own? Too fucking bad. I'm here to stay, bitch.
"Too fucking bad. I'm here to stay, bitch." Perfect example of the mentality required to support human torture.
Your god will punish you for that Mikey... And I enjoy sensible political discourse. Just not with the closed-minded.
I can't believe you actually have the balls to call ME closed minded after the post you made in the Chavez thread. You invalidate entire debates based on the fact that I believe in God? YOU are a closed-minded hypocrite, and people like you are the problem.
The guy's sending me PM's and calling me out in threads...sorry if I don't have the patience of a saint.
Savage "I'm here to stay, bitch" You will not be for long if you just going to be plain insulting, give your opinion but calling someone a bitch who just mildly crosses you is going a bit far and can raise complaints. Yours Balbus
zoomie "The guy's sending me PM's and calling me out in threads...sorry if I don't have the patience of a saint" Why are you PM'ing him?
I've pointed out time and time again that all this hate is doing is making it where nobody can have a discussion. AND rather than bringing us out of the darkness it keeps us there. Hate is why the world is so fucked up. We can disagree without hating each other. What makes personal attacks between individuals any different than what the stupid "government" does to ALL of us? I'm pretty sure that when someone is not what they appear, when someone is trolling, when someone is working for the "government" that they will show themselves easily here, simply due to people being too smart to buy into their CRAP. But those assholes need love too. ALONG with a proper education. Which they will NEVER get when "peace loving hippys" turn verbally violent. Just my 2 cents. My advice? Express your opinion nicely and intelligently. If someone attacks you over it, they need to be drawn out to see what they are REALLY all about. If they continue to act like idiots, chances are they either have serious issues or they work for the "other side". We give them credibility by spending a lot of time allowing them to get under our skins. We take away from their credibility by simply being sure of our positions. Yin and yang. Get over it. People who have things figured out live better than people who don't. KARMA. You can't escape it. And it's not for you to dish out. It will happen anyhow.
Why? Because the individual obviously has issues with anyone who believes Democracy in America is a lie. Read my posts in this thread and in the one he referenced. The debate consistently turns ugly when he resorts to name calling. I sent him the text below and when he did it a third time I reported him for it. As earthmother said, we don't need the hate here. You can't have a debate with someone who behaves like a spoiled child. I'd certainly appreciate it if someone could tell me how my opposition to arming law enforcement officers with known torture devices makes me closed-minded. That would seem to me that some people think that it's OK for the police to zap people with 50,000 volts at their whim. Calling him out??? What is this, the old west? Yes Michael, meet me at the OK Corral at sunset... get real, man. You have 60-something posts. We've conversed in FOUR. Yeah, I'm singling you out just like you're not overly defensive. Really. Get really real, please?
Wow dude...you actually reported me. I'd bet that if you could, you'd have me thrown into the Gulag. Look so I did make 1 or 2 off color comments. They were unnecessary and for that I apologize. I won't be making that mistake again. But yes, let's "get real" as zoomie just suggested, and realize that we're grown ups here and me calling someone an ass (someone who PROVOKED ME FIRST, mind you) isn't the end of the world now, is it? Now let's see if my dissenting opinions get snuffed out so you don't have to be bothered by them anymore. I guess that's the heart of your agenda, zoomie. Both on the small scale of this forum, and probably on the larger political scale as well.
Then I too apologise. As I see it your "dissenting opinions" are little more than those of the current administration. Michael, I have no scale, I don't believe in the overthrow of the US government or that the CIA planned and perpetrated 9-11. The heart of my "agenda" is the freedoms that we held dear in this country that are slowly being taken from us in the name of safety. Being a Socialist doesn't mean I intend for anyone to take over this country and change our political system. I only became a Socialist to seperate myself from the way our country is being conducted. I live my life as I see fit, according to my morals and beliefs. I have little in the way of savings or possessions and I like it this way. I'm 44 years old, a veteran of the first Gulf War. I've worked nearly every day of my life since I was 15 and have never accepted a penny from any level of government in welfare, unemployment social security or disability. I grudgingly pay my taxes and want nothing further to do with the how this country is run. It's not really about party lines it's about hypocrisy. It's about the immorality of war and starting wars without justification. It's about the total lack of justice that prevails in this country. It's about the persecution of people who only want to stop persecution. It's about leaders who lie to their constituents and we don't care about the truth, we only care about the lie. It's about being spoonfed bullshit by a media that claims it is impartial. It's about piecemeal destruction of our planet by corporations and world leaders doing nothing about it but attending fundraisers. It's about leaders promising to do something about crime yet in 2007 to date 270 people were murdered within 25 miles of my front door. And there are still 4 weeks left. It's about the ludicrousness of people telling me that because I don't believe as they do, I'm wrong and I'm going to end up in some evil, mythical place for eternity. I don't care if you have differing opinions, discourse is good, just don't step on my toes or insult me in promulgating them. I'd be happy with one law: Stop hurting and killing each other. That's me. That's what drives me. Kinda throws a monkeywrench into the works of what you accuse me of being, huh? I don't even care if you don't care. But maybe you understand my position a little better. Why don't you tell me who you are.
