Brian's right: Taser Boy should never have been tasered (though I do believe the guy was being an asshole*-- spouting more of that conspiracy theory nonsense, trying to draw weird connections between Kerry and Bush through the wild-eyed Skull and Bones argument).
Unfortunately, because I am a cold, cruel asshole, I admit I laughed at the Taser Boy YouTube video found here.
*Did security have the right to taser Taser Boy as they did? I would have to say no. I haven't read up on whether they followed proper procedure, but even if they had been following proper procedure, I'm unconvinced he deserved a tasering. Nothing on the video suggested he had become violent. He was loud, he was obnoxious, but he didn't seem to be a danger to anyone else, and he didn't seem nearly as crazy as that fucker at UCLA who, in my opinion, probably did deserve his tasering. That dude was nuts.
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2 comments:
Hmmm...campus security police not have the "right" to taser the perp?
What could possibly be the other actions or methods used by the campus security police?
Could they have politely asked him to leave? I believe they did that.
Could they have more forcefully asked him to leave? I believe they did that too.
Could they start using body languange in addition to verbal requests? Check.
Could they then start physically touching the perp to remove him from the area? Check. Each and every time they did so he resisted, and in some cases resisted with as much or more force that was used upon him by the campus security police.
Could they use a baton? They could have but the use of such a device often leaves bruising, broken skin and cuts, and sometimes broken bones. It also escalates the confrontation without the campus security police actually having positve control over the perp. This often leads to a more violent reaction on the perp's part especially when the perp has failed to comply to previous methods.
Could the campus security police have been more physical? Use of this method can and does often lead to injury to the perp and in some cases the administering officer. What often goes through the mind of such an officer is, "Am I going to risk physical injury to myself over a shithead such as this?...and Why?...and is it worth it?"
What the campus security police is thinking about right now is campus officials have asked for the removal of the perp, and he's not complying. What to do next?
Ah yes...the XM26 Taser...the police officer's best friend (next to his Glock, of course). Often the sight of one will gain compliance over the perp (as in "Don't tase me bro'!"), and if indeed the perp is just thowing a ruse and keeps on being beligerant and noncompliant, one 5-second blast is all that is often needed for said perp to understand who is in charge.
Having been tasered before (during my certification to use the device and not for being a dumbass), I can most certainly say that I'd rather be tased...
...than be beat around the soft and hard parts of my body with a baton.
...or be physically handled and placed into submission locks with the often resulting bruising, ligament and tendon damage, and possibly a broken bone.
...or be sprayed with mace...which really wasn't an option in a closed setting such as this. Although I will say that the thought of John Kerry being downwind of the spray could possibly bring tears to my eyes...from laughing my ass off.
Really and truly, one little 5 second ride of lightning and the cuffs go on and we're done.
Frankly for what it is worth, the campus police, were very patient and handled the situation with due respect to the perp. They followed their escalation of force rules most likely to the letter.
What would have prevented such an outburst in the first place is better planning by the event organizers to prevent such a embarrassment in the first place. If anyone's actions (other than the perp's) should be questioned, the event organizers should be at the top of the list.
Sorry for the long post. I know longer live in Korea (after living there from 99-06, but often use your blog and RJK's to keep up with what's going on over there.
Keep up the good work!
From comments posted by Sonagi over at the Marmot’s on this, apparently the guy who got tased forged to the front to ask his question after questions were closed – said he’d waited two hours and he was going to ask his questions. The lead up is key as it sets the context. That’s why the police (campus police rather than the average rent-a-cops, though some would ask what’s the difference) were already around him as he started talking; he’d already been a trouble maker that night.
I guess one line he crossed was using the term “blowjob,” and shortly thereafter the mic was cut. As he wouldn’t move on, the police tried to move him on. He resisted that, which escalated things. What’s apparently in the report but not on the various YouTube videos is that they had a cuff on one wrist but couldn’t get it on the other as he was fighting it; resisting arrest. All he had to do was stop resisting and he would not have been tased.
Given the context of the whole situation and that he was in fact resisting arrest, I think he did deserve to be tased.
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