Taser-Related Deaths in Canada

major.tom · Post by **major.tom** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:44 am

https://www.cbc.ca/news/interactives/map-tasers-canada/

I was surprised to see the number was so high (18 to date, including 3 since September).

They're so "safe" that they're (apparently) illegal for anyone but law enforcement. Makes perfect sense.

If anyone has any statistics for other countries readily at hand, please post them here.

SpursFan1902 · Post by **SpursFan1902** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 5:57 pm

I don't have any hard and fast stats ( I save the stat space in my brain for sports!), but I did see a report on either CNN Headline or BBC America regarding tasers in the US. Apparently they are legal for personal protection purposes in some states, Arizona being one of them. The "in" product party now in the trendy homes of Phoenix and Tuscon are now "Taser Parties" in which the attendees get a little lecture, some stats, and they pick the one they want out of a catalog, similar to Body Shop or Tupperware. Don't look suspicious in AZ, you might be yelling "Don't Taze me, Lady! Don't taze me.."

Mandy · Post by **Mandy** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 6:22 pm

I started a related thread a few weeks ago :
https://couchtripper.com/forum2/viewtopic.php?t=5746

Marcella-FL · Post by **Marcella-FL** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 7:08 pm

based on the referenced thread and this one I ask:
so what is the solution? Do you think the world's police forces should NOT be armed? Is there really an effective non-lethal "weapon" out there?

Marcella-FL · Post by **Marcella-FL** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 7:09 pm

Post by **Skylace** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 7:13 pm

I always loved that ad Marcella. And you're so right about what do we do? I think it's silly to think that our police should be totally unarmed. And sadly, even with weapons that are not as deadly as guns or even tazers you are going to have people who are killed.

Mandy · Post by **Mandy** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 7:18 pm

You ask what do we do.

How about draining the swap of hatred / disatisfaction which leads to violence.

The police have always been armed, and always will be. The issue with Taser is they are used when they should not be.

The police have become trigger happy (as seen in the London underground shooting & coverup)

Marcella-FL · Post by **Marcella-FL** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 7:31 pm

Mandy wrote:You ask what do we do.

How about draining the swap of hatred / disatisfaction which leads to violence.

Suggestions on accomplishing this? Drugging the world's water supplies? Puppies on every doormat? Big ass rain and start over?

Unfortunately, conflict goes down to the lowest rung. Unless someone can figure out a way to decode mankind's DNA to omit that bit that causes us to be jealous, angry, dissatisfied, etc etc there will never be 100% peace love and understanding.

Post by **Skylace** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 7:35 pm

Mandy wrote:You ask what do we do.

How about draining the swap of hatred / disatisfaction which leads to violence.

The police have always been armed, and always will be. The issue with Taser is they are used when they should not be.

The police have become trigger happy (as seen in the London underground shooting & coverup)

Have you looked at our history? Have you ever seen people? The human race will always have violence. To think otherwise is just a fantasy. I'm sorry, we're animals, we act that way. We are territorial and are prone to great acts of anger as well as love. That's life. The good and the bad of it. Violence is going to be with us until the last of our species breathes it's last breath. And the same about our love and compassion.
I'm not being pessimistic, just a realist.

Post by **faceless** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 7:47 pm

I'd reckon the important question in this should be how many crimes the introduction of tazers have prevented, where good practice using old methods wouldn't have worked.

Post by **Skylace** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 7:59 pm

That's a much better question Face. And it would also be interesting to look at how often tazers are used in place of other methods where someone has not suffered any ill effect. I honestly don't know how often tazers are used. That would be very important to know.

I have one friend who was tazed by accident. In New Mexico you do not have to be a police officer to carry one. My friend is a principal at a high school there and a student brought hers on campus. It was taken from her. She was pissed because she said it wasn't in the handbook you could not have one. He took it out of the holster it was in and it went off accidentally. He's a big guy. About 6'4" and 270 pounds. It knocked him back in his chair and he wasn't able to move for about 3 mins. He's fine now. (except for maybe that short term memory

)

Mandy · Post by **Mandy** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:32 pm

Skylace wrote:Have you looked at our history? Have you ever seen people? The human race will always have violence. To think otherwise is just a fantasy. I'm sorry, we're animals, we act that way. We are territorial and are prone to great acts of anger as well as love. That's life. The good and the bad of it. Violence is going to be with us until the last of our species breathes it's last breath. And the same about our love and compassion.
I'm not being pessimistic, just a realist.

Reduce class division, reduce inequality, then you may be on the right track.

Crime is not endemic in all societies. Anglo saxon capitalism seems to have a bad crime record. Blame society, not mankind.

Post by **Skylace** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:37 pm

Mandy wrote:
Skylace wrote:Have you looked at our history? Have you ever seen people? The human race will always have violence. To think otherwise is just a fantasy. I'm sorry, we're animals, we act that way. We are territorial and are prone to great acts of anger as well as love. That's life. The good and the bad of it. Violence is going to be with us until the last of our species breathes it's last breath. And the same about our love and compassion.
I'm not being pessimistic, just a realist.
Reduce class division, reduce inequality, then you may be on the right track.

Crime is not endemic in all societies. Anglo saxon capitalism seems to have a bad crime record. Blame society, not mankind.

What? I think you've been reading some weird history books. Ancient societies outside of Anglo saxon capitalism have had histories filled with violence. China, Meso-America, and lots of others. Violence is in Russia, Africa, and throughout our culture and history. Human sacrifice, wars, slavery, etc.
It's not all our society, it is also our nature.

Mandy · Post by **Mandy** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:55 pm

Skylace wrote: What? I think you've been reading some weird history books. Ancient societies outside of Anglo saxon capitalism have had histories filled with violence. China, Meso-America, and lots of others. Violence is in Russia, Africa, and throughout our culture and history. Human sacrifice, wars, slavery, etc.
It's not all our society, it is also our nature.

Ask yourself which society has killed more people than any other EVER. Some societies are safe ... you can leave your door unlocked and be sure the house is safe.

Post by **Skylace** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:59 pm

Mandy wrote:
Skylace wrote: What? I think you've been reading some weird history books. Ancient societies outside of Anglo saxon capitalism have had histories filled with violence. China, Meso-America, and lots of others. Violence is in Russia, Africa, and throughout our culture and history. Human sacrifice, wars, slavery, etc.
It's not all our society, it is also our nature.
Ask yourself which society has killed more people than any other EVER.

Not ours. If you go per captia it is actually going to be earlier cultures when sacrifices by the thousands took place.
If you look at recent studies for the last five years (until 2006) violent crime in the States was on the decline. It has just again begun to rise.
I'm not going to argue this with you. Capitalism is not the cause of violence in our world. It existed before it and will continue after it. Period.
Other can do the circle arguments with you where you ignore what was stated and then just ask a leading question in a hopes to prove your point. I for one am done.