I argue that we should be concerned about both.
And we need to sound alarms because those who stand on the thin blue line take an oath to protect and serve us -- we the people. Officers of the law must abide by the highest standards of protocol, and, at the very least, officers are required to not violate our Constitutional rights.
It is time to put an end to the Taser madness otherwise known as extrajudicial executions. Here are just some of the most recent Taser victims courtesy of the African American Political Pundit and Electronic Village:
Baron Pikes (Winnfield, La.) - police officer Scott Nugent indicted for murder after he Tased the handcuffed 21-year-old black man to death.
Valreca Redden (Trotwood, Ohio) - pregnant black woman Tased by officer Michael Wilmer when she went to police department for help.
Eugene Snelling (Austin, Texas) - Tased by officer Thomas O'Connor while driving with his mother on Thanksgiving.
Donnell Williams (Wichita, Kan.) - deaf black man Tased in his home.
Major Lemon (Madison, Wis.) - black man Tased while holiday shopping at the local mall.
Darryl Turner (Charlotte, N.C.) - unarmed 17-year old killed when officer Jerry Dawson fired at him with a Taser gun.James Garland (Miami) - unarmed and naked 41-year-old black man killed by police Taser gun while disoriented in the street.
If you feel this has got to stop, then it's time to take the next step. Click here to sign the Petition2Congress "Taser Torture - A call for Congressional hearings."
The Fifth Amendment of the Bill of Rights guarantees that none of us shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law. It is the least we are owed. No officer should be using what we now know is deadly force unless a life is being directly threatened.
Comments: (6)
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By: lisa on 4/29/2009 6:43AM
When I read these stories I thought I was reading about Apartheid Sowetta, South Africa (1976- 1986). As I continued to read, I said to myself this behavior is like a homeland in South Africa and how can we as Americans let this continue. If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything. So, regardless what color the person is, I as an American have had enough of police brutality and am fighting an unjustice that has went on to long.
i encourage everyone to get involved because the next person they inocent person they kill could be you or someone you love.
So its not a black problem its our problem as citizens of a free America.
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By: Jusef on 4/29/2009 4:49PM
This Taser madness has gone on unabated for too long. It must be looked at and dealt with as a "deadly use of force" and we must curtail or stop it's use. I'd like to know if there are any nationwide or regional class action suits that are in progress to halt this abuse.
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By: Adrienne on 4/30/2009 6:30PM
"Taser" is the new Millennium form of "Lynching"!!! However they can wipe us out "they" will do it!!
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By: rich on 6/12/2009 1:49PM
Lynching? "They" will wipe us out? I'm sure we can all safely say that getting rid of a population of people can't be accomplished with a Taser.
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By: rich on 6/11/2009 11:57AM
So everyone here would prefer that police use the amounts of force necessary to take a person into custody instead of a person being tased? A Taser replaces the force of multiple officers. Even if there is a risk, do you actually think it's better to have numbers of officers directly engaged in a situation against a violent suspect?
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By: Susan Smith on 7/28/2009 5:48PM
I've been colorblind about this, yet so concerned, I asked the FDA why this "weapon", touted to have a physiologic effect on all the muscles in the body (i.e., heart muscle included), does NOT require their seal of approval. Do all those on the government payroll who so much as touch one of these have up to date CPR training? If not, WHY NOT? As for extra-judicial execution, excellent point!!! So, statistically, how many Taser killings are there, and how many "accidental deaths" by police bullets? (Consider: #taser deaths/1 million population, in the last 3 years police have used tasers, compared with #bullet deaths/1 million population, in the 3 years before police had tasers.) This might show proportionately more taser deaths than shooting deaths by police.
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