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Philly Fan Tasered - C'mon, what the hell?!?
What the hell is happening in our country when one of those occasional (usually drunk) loons goes running out onto a baseball field and he gets tasered? It isn’t out of the realm of possibilities that a person can be seriously injured or die from being “tased”. I think people, including police are getting a little too trigger happy with that new gadget. This guy wasn’t even one of those drunks, it was a 17 year old kid caught up in the moment or something. It was just a kid.
Is running out onto the field, at times even naked and/or intoxicated an offense so egregious that a person should be shocked to the ground to apprehend them? Are we not allowed to be idiotic anymore? I’m not condoning fans that run out onto baseball fields either. I just think it is ridiculous the amount of force they used – the response needs to match the offense. Doesn’t it?
How hard is to apprehend one of these guys? He can’t really escape. He pretty much knows he’s going to go to jail. I’m not sure why they run onto the field and I agree it is a foolish thing to do but I have had that urge before, never taking it past just a thought though. Like when you are on the edge of a cliff and get the urge to jump but don’t because of the dire consequences and mess of death or serious injury by jagged rock. Maybe it will be now if getting electrocuted is the consequence of that action?. To me though, these are basically just people who lost a moment of rationality, they aren’t usually terrorists or criminals. They don’t deserve to be hit with a thousand gigawatts of electrical force which renders them unable to move. Do they?
It started with a few rough “tackles” at football games, maybe. I saw a game where the camera didn’t pull away quick enough and you were able to see one of these big lineman guys just splat one of the field running loons. It seemed kind of funny at the time. Not so funny if this mentality of strict enforcement escalated from a hard tackle to electric shock. What will they do next year? Just shoot the drunk guy with a bullet? Two years from now they move from aiming for the leg and now target the head?
I don’t know. But something is seriously wrong lately with America. Maybe, coming from Wisconsin – home of cheese and beer, I have a bigger than I should soft spot for drunks and fools? I don’t think so. I’m sure in the ever increasing red neck tone of our nation I’ll hear, “idiot got what he deserved” but really? Did he? The response just seems way beyond the offense. I sure as hell know I’m done jay walking, at least when I'm in Philly.
Fan Cam Of Taser Event
Counter Reaction by Blogger IntheOT
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Comments
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I have to smile at the last comment cause Jeanie you have 6 hubs all on the power of pepper spray!
Seems people are pretty divided. I do think it was an over-reaction but I think a person sort of has to expect a strong reaction in the current climate when they look like a loon charging a bunch of players on the field. If the kid had a gun on him, the reactions may have been way different. Mine would've been.
As for no one has been killed by being tased. I think a few people have been killed after being tased but I'd imagine none of them were healthy drunk kids trying to outrun the cops!
Thanks for the comments.
I think it is just appropriate to use a taser gun for those violators. They just ruin about everything. Being tased can't kill, just a mere deterrence.
I'm not sure where I stand on the issue, but you certainly have presented a well written and compelling argument. If we took a vote right now, I'd most likely side with you, JB.
Well done ~ Laura
I agree with you JB. I've never been tased but from what I understand it can be very painful, and can cause death at times. To me authorities are abusing this device. If the boy at the game had a knife or another object in his hand, then it would be warranted. It is like an instant punishment system for the person holding the taser.
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Thanks for the replies Swanny and LRC. There definitely is another side to this argument. In these times you have to wonder and I do agree that drunk or not - you have to know there will be some harsh consequences if you pull a stunt like that. I think the officer is on an unpaid suspension while they sort out his actions? So Philly P.D. isn't sure how they feel about it either perhaps?
I don't know, he was running at the players, who knows his motive. I would obv think he is just another drunk fan but what if he had a knife or a gun, etc. We all remember Monica Seles being stabbed at a tennis match. I say TASE him first, ask questions later. If your drunk enough (or dumb enough) to run on the field, you gotta know you are going to get f'd up. I think I'd prefer the Tasr over some of the tackles I've seen over the years.
I think today that folks should not expect when they act in an eratic way to have the police risk themselves or have a kind and gentle capture. It was not excessive force in my opiniion.
If you don't want the capture, don't do the crime.
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