Don't Tase Me Bro!

Wow, so I sure did miss a lot on my extended visit to the Greek island of Crete (you'll get it if you pay attention to the linked Wired article). So Senator John Kerry had finished a speech @ the University of Florida and a during the Q&A portion, an arguably annoying kid is arrested and tasered by the police. This incident brings up a lot of questions and has incited a lot of strong reactions. Below are some comments collected by Wired.com: (My favorite is the very last one in bold) because it most concisely encapsulates my initial gut reaction.

"This was really sickening to watch. In the video the kid offers to leave and walk out on his own, but instead more and more of those officers try to force him on the ground and into handcuffs.

What a horrible way to handle such a simple situation," writes "Aaron," one of Threat Level's readers.

"The University and its police department should be ashamed of themselves and embarrassed of the way they looked in front of a US Senator. Totally unacceptable," he adds.

Meanwhile, "Nightwatch," who says that he's with a university police department, weighed in and says that he and his colleagues agree that the Florida police handled the situation badly.

Taserprotest_7 And "Jon in Austin" writes that as an intensive care unit trauma nurse, he's concerned about the safety of the devices.

"I am an ICU Trauma Nurse, and I know there have been numerous deaths resulting from the use of the Taser device -- and no one knows who that next victim is going to be! It could be any one of us.

"If we don't stand up against the use of the Taser, who will be next?"

(Taser International says its technology is a "safer use-of-force option" on its web site.)

"I don't believe that asking a question at a town hall meeting, EVEN IF it is long-winded and perhaps even a little combative, should lead to this," writes Jon.