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Don't Taser Me--Taser My Baby!
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by PEP | October 17, 2007 at 02:38 pm
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In a scenario so bizarre that it wouldn't even make Dog, the Bounty Hunter, a mother tossed her baby in front of her as a human shield for a Taser.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (8)
at 16:27 on October 17th, 2007
What is a "Bounty Hunter"?
at 05:54 on October 18th, 2007
Hi Tom, bounty hunter.
at 08:13 on October 18th, 2007
arrrrrrgh!
at 11:56 on October 18th, 2007
Hi PEP, Wow... Yes' I am familiar with the term, but could not work out the connection with the original story. It seem that this is a job for some people in the US. It sound to my ears as coming out of an cowboy movie. Thanks for the link.
at 12:00 on October 18th, 2007
On the other hand, could this have been an instinctive human rejection?. Should Taser guns be used around mothers and babies?.
at 15:08 on October 18th, 2007
On the other hand, I wouldn't put my dog up as a shield between me and a Taser. I can't imagine a worthwhile mother who'd put her child in harm's way to protect herself. Oh, that's right: she was with an armed and dangerous felon who was on the run from the law. Seems like she has a few problems.
I don't know all the circumstances of this case. But I do know this: women can shoot. Women can hide weapons--and have been known to do so--in babies' gear. Sorry, but not all mothers are Madonnas; and in this case, I can not find any reason or excuse for a parent, either sex, to put a child in harm's way to protect themselves. To me, an "instinctive rejection" would be a) staying out of situations like being with an armed, dangerous, and on-the-run felon and b) taking steps to be non-combative and above all else, protecting my child.
For the survival of the species, protecting the young is an instinct. Putting them in harm's way is an altogether different thing, and can't be excused, no matter what political drum someone wants to beat, IMHO.
at 16:07 on October 18th, 2007
PEP, You are right. I just meant that whatever it is we have in our hands, we would place between ourselves and danger. In the case of a baby we probably would turn it away to protect it from danger. You have to excuse me when it comes to crime. We live rather sheltered lives here in NZ. Cheers from a beautiful spring day here in Wellington.
at 23:02 on October 18th, 2007
Hi Tom, you live in a place that I dearly would love to visit someday. And you'll have to excuse me when it comes to my perspective on crime. Unfortunately, throughout my country, drugs and alcohol have created situations in which people, often angry, don't think rationally and they look at police as an enemy to be harmed, immediately. Also, sadly, we seem to have a lessened respect for others, a media-drenched culture that glorifies violence and "gangsta's", weapons, and organized gangs. All that creates a volatile mix for officers every time they come in contact with someone.
Add to that AIDS, hepatitis, someone bleeding, someone puking, and police are also at risk just with personal contact. Police have to touch and transport dangerous people, angry people, drugs-on-board people, career criminals, the deadly violent, and oh yes, dirty people, smelly people, people who deliberately spit at them, and people who, ahhh, sometimes not only puke, but void their elimination processes (and sometimes deliberately in patrol cars). Then add in fists, knives, guns, and other weapons, and police (I'm not discussing bounty hunters in this reply) frankly, need other alternatives to protect other citizens and themselves without shooting as a first option.
So if a suspect refuses to obey, is combative, runs away, may have a weapon,etc. police have to physically subdue them by struggling (and it's amazing how someone who's angry, with their adrenaline up, and on drugs can be dangerous kicking, hitting, biting and spitting to several officers at once even without a weapon!), a baton, bean bags, tear gas, pepper gas, or tasering. Tasering is an option that can be employed without close physical combat or danger to the suspect (relatively), others nearby, or the police.
In our town, an officer can not be certified to carry and use a taser without being tasered himself/herself.