by Marilyn M.
Member since:
February 14, 2007

I'm Afraid, I'm Very Afraid

November 15, 2007 01:56 PM UTC
views: 0 | comments: 20

I'm Afraid, I'm Very Afraid

by Marilyn Mackenzie

 

Today on the noon news, there was a report of still another taser incident, this time at the Vancouver, Canada airport.

Some will say that this man, who became agitated, then even vilolent (but not with people - he threw a computer and a table, supposedly), had it coming to him.  But as far as I've seen, there has been no explanation about why the man had already been in the airport for 10 hours after arriving before he got so upset.  And they haven't explained why his mother, who waited 6 hours for him, was finally told that he never arrived.

In 10 hours, you would think that any airport could have figured out what language the man spoke (not English) and have found someone who spoke his language.  One would think.

Thankfully, another traveler caught this incident on tape, because the airport police can no longer claim that the man was fighting them.  He was not.  And while he was on the floor, having been tased with 50,000 volts, they tased him again.  The man died.

This makes me afraid.  Afraid for myself.  Afraid for others.

I'm wondering if we shouldn't all be wearing clothing that says:

"I have a heart condition.  I cannot be tased."

Or..."I'm over 50.  Tasing could kill me."

I watched a Canadian broadcast about this (without any footage of the incident) where a woman said that the majority of tasing incidents seem to involve someone who is not armed.  She also indicated that tasers were originally introduced to police all over the world as an alternative for guns - so they didn't kill people!  They are not to be used on someone who is not resisting, supposedly.

Are you afraid?

 

Here's the link to ABC's coverage: 

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=3870024

Comments: 20

Juan J Martinez Nov 15, 2007, 2:04pm UTC
With all the new gray areas created, by the Homeland Security legislation, it is frightening at how out of hand the people whose job is to protect us can get. It seems they think, they have the go ahead and right to abuse the ordinary citizen and in the long run they can.
Money $. Nov 15, 2007, 2:20pm UTC
I think Tasers should be outlawed. It's only a matter of a time before they fall into the wrong hands. Just imagine how easy it will be for people to mug you or rob you. All they will have to do is taser you and you are defenseless. This is one invention that should have never been created.
Donald M. Nov 15, 2007, 2:29pm UTC
I think I even heard that they were thinking about letting some citizens apply to carry them just like a permit to carry, with a gun. Dont know if it was truth or rumor, it was on TV. Who knows. The news media, how they twist words.
Marilyn M. Nov 15, 2007, 2:31pm UTC
One news site mentions that there are 2 kinds - one with lower voltage sold to the general public and one with higher voltage that the police use. If the one with lower voltage stuns people, why would law enforecement need a stronger one? So they can kill with them? Which is what they're doing!

Before tasers, Vana, they used night sticks and bruised people. I think they like tasers because they, supposedly, don't cause any permanent (or obvious) injuries. Right. Dying is not permanent???
Marilyn M. Nov 15, 2007, 2:32pm UTC
And, yes, it scares me that criminals can also use them.
Nancy S. Nov 15, 2007, 2:33pm UTC
I know cops lives are in danger all the time. We have some violent & evil people among us. The incidents I've seen on TV or read about, show 20 cops facing 1 man. They all get scared & shot him or tazer him. I saw 1 person handcuffed that they tazered. Ridiculous. If they can't handle the job in a reasonable manner they should be fired. No need to tazer someone more than once, when it's really necesary.
wiaka's just ... curious Nov 15, 2007, 2:36pm UTC
This incident is an outrage. This man had been in the airport for ten hours before this happened. His mother had been waiting for him for six hours and was told he never arrived.

Here is the link to U-Tube of the video and an eye wittness, you make the call whether there was a need to pin this man down and repeat the tasing by the mounties. Not one but two tasers were used on him.

Canadian Taser Incident

I hope this link works.

Blessings
Cheryl W. Nov 15, 2007, 2:43pm UTC
I believe the tasering is being overused. I think it should be one of the last options in dealing with someone. On the news I hear of school kids being tasered and such. I worked for almost seven years with children who were violent and had no thought about physically attacking me. But I was trained in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention, and was able to restrain them or talk them down so that no physical force was needed at all. It looks to me like the taser is often used because it is the easy way out.
Carol Roach Nov 15, 2007, 10:36pm UTC
I think the whole idea is horrible, police shoot be given strict rules on when to use those things and when not too.

I have seen reports of american police tasing a woman as well, just because she was drunk, and they wanted to get her into the police car. It is abuse
Katie D. Nov 16, 2007, 1:50am UTC
I'm scared.
Cristina S. Nov 16, 2007, 7:01am UTC
this is awful!!
Marilyn M. Nov 16, 2007, 7:43am UTC
Olga, I've known a number of cops. Some were friends. Alll had the same mentality - shoot first and ask questions later. That has always scared me. I've had friends beaten up by cops, but they always stopped short of killing. I always figured that a cop would never really shoot someone without good reason. But this taser stuff is obviously being done to people who are unarmed and, often, not resisting arrest or fighting them. One jolt would do, but when a person won't stop squirming after being tased (have they ever been tased?), they do it again.

I really do think we'll have to start carrying signs or wearing them on our clothes.

"I only speak English." (or Spanish or French or whatever)
"I have a heart problem."
"I have a pacemaker."


"
Tara R. Nov 16, 2007, 9:35am UTC
Wow...I watched a couple of the videos related to this event. The one thing that really stuck out in my mind was the woman who stated that there is not enough knowledge about what the potential harm of using/misusing a taser can be. I do not think that these should just be put into the hands of anyone. I think that training (extensive training) should be required by anyone who carries one...not just a demonstration on how to use it!
Renda B. Nov 16, 2007, 9:35am UTC
This is so sad.
Marilyn M. Nov 16, 2007, 10:28am UTC
You're right, Tara. There needs to be more training and control.
Phyllis R. Nov 16, 2007, 11:15pm UTC
Marilyn I too saw this and I had thought the same thing as to why he was there for 10 hours!! There appears to more to this story then what we are being told at this point. I just saw last night on our local news that a local sheriff's department has received numerous tasers for the first time. It showed an insert of the officers in training with their 'new toy' and the funny thing was they were required to use it on each other before they were allowed to use on the job. Now I do not know what voltage they were using, but one officer stated he had been shocked by electric fences numerous times and that was much worse than the taser! I can not say I am afraid, but it certainly warrants some concerns!!
Glenda Bixler Nov 17, 2007, 9:33am UTC
Yes! I hardly travel any more as a single woman...yet I used to travel all over the country on my own... Anything and everything is possible...!
JoAnne D. Nov 20, 2007, 10:32am UTC
I thought taser were only used as a last resort, I think they should not be so free to use them.

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