Sunday 18 November 2007

News Flash: 62% of Free Press Readers are Idiots

Online poll results from the Free Press website:

The death of Robert Dziekanski was regrettable, and the police may have been a little trigger-happy with their 50,000 volt toys, but it is undebatable that the use of a Taser is still a far better option than the use of a gun in subduing an unruly person in close quarters. May is either very short-sighted or a political opportunist who doesn't mind seeing people die if it means more votes for her. I hope it's the former. But you would think Free Press readers would know better after reading this.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why is the "other option" automatically a gun? When did it stop being "four trained police officers can subdue an unarmed man"?

Yes, tasers are less dangerous than guns, so long as the police are judicious in their use. They often aren't. But do you think the four cops would have been so casual about drawing their guns against one unarmed man in an airport in full view of civilians? No, if they hadn't had tasers they would have had to try talking to him.

Regardless of what Elizabeth May thinks, I think taser deaths (and general taser overuse against unarmed people) are a problem, are indicative of serious, systemic problems in the recruitment and training of police, and I think something needs to be done about it pretty quickly. And I don't consider myself idiotic for believing these things...

JVSC said...

Stupid Blogger software... That was me above, but it signed me in with the wrong account. Doesn't matter, my genius remains unaffected by my inability to properly use a computer.

cherenkov said...

I do understand your point, as coincidentally I myself am a genius as well. However, in close quarters, if somebody is armed and cannot be reasoned with, the Taser is probably your best option. Review the use of the Taser? Certainly. But keep it as an option.

 
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