Pass it on...

Taser has been seriously damaged over the past few months, especially over the last week or two at the Braidwood Inquiry in Vancouver. Witness after witness is tearing their pro-taser arguments to shreds, and exposing their potentially-massive liability for apparently providing inadequate information and faulty training.

I hope that this modest little blog is contributing. I think that it is.

For example, about two weeks ago I posted my observation that the RCMP in Kamloops were not quite frightened enough by the 82-year-old (3-inch) knife-wielding patient that they couldn't approach him within an arm's length to zap him with a taser, three times, in Drive Mode. This small observation brought into sharp focus the necessity of even using the taser, and it made their official explanation about the perceived risk from this potential slasher look quite phony. [LINK]

So far as I'm aware, I was the first one to point out this discrepancy.

Now, in the Prince George Citizen newspaper, an opinion writer, Paul Willcocks, has made the same point.

Special to The Citizen (21 May 2008) - ...Earlier this month police zapped an 82-year-old man, who needs oxygen just to walk, as he lay in a Kamloops hospital bed. He was delusional because he couldn't catch his breath and refused to drop a knife with a three-inch blade. But he wasn't enough of a danger to prevent an RCMP officer from approaching close enough to press the taser against his stomach and zap him three times. ... [LINK][LINK]

I don't know if he coincidently noticed the same thing, or if the idea came from this blog. I'm not concerned about claiming credit; I just want to make sure that all such observations and information is passed around efficiently so that opportunities to rebut pro-taser arguments or explanations are not missed. That is actually the primary purpose of this blog. I want to provide the analysis (which is quite simple in most cases) which leads to the stupid pro-taser aguments and excuses being shredded instantly.

The way forward is clear - this blog address (www.Excited-Delirium.com, don't forget the dash) needs to be passed around. Also, the other blogs on the same issue (Truth ... Not Tasers [LINK] for example). There is a list of related blogs in the right-hand column.

Everyone concerned about tasers needs to pass these links around to the decision-makers, the reporters, the editors, civic leaders, members of police boards, etc. That is what is most-needed at this critical juncture.

For example, if you read a story about tasers in your local newspaper and they provide the reporter's e-mail address, then send the reporter a quick e-mail with a pointer to this and other blogs. Or write an e-mail to the editor.

If you can find the contact information for your local leaders, make sure they know about this and other blogs. Many of these folks have not been given any information except that originating from Taser. Look at the recent 4-minute discussion at the Victoria Police Board where they passed a new Taser Use Policy that (in my opinion) violates the Criminal Code of Canada. Just a tiny bit of information might make all the difference in such cases. [LINK]

The vast majority of the pro-taser arguments are subtly flawed. You have to be an informed skeptic to see the flaws. That's the primary purpose of this blog.

Pass it on.

And don't forget the dash.

www.Excited-Delirium.com