Are Tasers Getting a Bad Name?

I don't think so. Even though some cops are using them too quickly and when they don't need to, all they're doing is showing just how well they work in the hands of a responsible individual who needs to defend him (her)self. A friend of mine asked this question and opined, "My own point of view is that the tasering of the student was unjustified. Even if he was just being stupid and annoying, he wasn’t endangering anyone." My friend is right. He was completely surrounded by at least six cops and was being held down. They didn't need to "taze" him. Just as the big, burly cop didn't need to use his stun gun on a small woman he was trying to arrest (shown on national television). Just because some cops overreact, doesn't mean that stun guns aren't an effective countermeasure to the danger (fomented by ignorant politicians who don't understand that criminals, who break the law for a living, will not obey a law that says they can't be armed) presented by thugs who use intimidation and beatings to ply their trade (Only about 17% of all violent crime involves a gun in the hands of the thug). I suggest more and better training for the cops who are indiscriminately using their stun guns when they don't need to, even though deciding when it is proper to use one is simple. If you are not in danger, don't use it. And don't use it for frivolous purposes, such as for "shocking the dog" (That dog will hate you forever). That student might have been hurting, but at least he is still alive. If they had shot him, he might not be. My friend also said, "Getting tasered might be painful, but at least you get to live." I wonder how many times in the past, people have been shot to death because stun guns hadn't been invented yet. Just remember this lesson: Tasers are very effective when used responsibly. Always use yours responsibly.