UCLA Student Tasered (repeatedly)

[kermujin]

This is beyond dreadful:
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/no ... 6taser.htm

No, wait. This discussion is far more disturbing and upsetting:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/di ... id=2619308

What?! Are these people *really* bickering about whether the behaviour of the cops was appropriate or not?! What the hell is going on in this world?
And why on earth did all the students just stand around asking for badge numbers while this poor bugger was zapped again and again? I'm stunned that they didn't move in en masse and restrain these baby gestapo.

I don't know if I can handle much more of this stuff (in related news, someone waiting in line -- IN LINE -- for a playstation was shot). I think I'm gonna go find some video of puppies and kittens.

kermujin

[Telexx]

That's the most depressing thing I've seen in a long time...

FFS.

Telexx.

[blanc]

police say he was not harmed in the incident. I was harmed watching it. american unis - what are you?

[kermujin]

I found it so upsetting to watch, for a large part because of the *utter lack of intervention* on the part of the witnesses. I'm not suggesting that beating on the perpetrators would accomplish anything, but certainly it couldn't have been too much for the group to restrain them. And cuff them.

Gah. I made the mistake of following along from there to watch the videotaped (by police) incident where a woman in her car was stopped (for nothing) and asked to produce identification. In the end, she was hauled out of her car and charged with resisting arrest, obstruction of justice, and interfering in the duties of a peace (!!) officer.

Good lord.

[Dreams End]

Ghandi said (paraphrasing) that a violent response to injustice is better than no reponse. Are we in agreement that one of the most disturbing things about the video is the lack of any response from the students. I'm not a brave person...or at least that's not been tested in many ways for me to know...but I would not be able to sit there and watch that. Maybe I need to start saving for a bail fund?

[kermujin]

DE, you're absolutely right. That's the thing that disturbs me the most. I mean, where is -- at the very least -- the fight/flight response of these people? Do they think they're watching the latest iteration of 'Saw' or some other piece of desensitising bullshit?

Boy, I'll tell you, this one is really, really getting to me.

[Hugh Manatee Wins]

Intervening would have led to more violence against the interveners and then hard jail time.

I know someone who did intervene and the police lied about it putting him on a path to months of time with violent criminals.

The only reason he didn't do time was that the cop's witness changed his story at the last minute and this lead to a minor plea deal.

Seems this friend of a friend saw a scuffle on the street and called the cops.
When the cops came one of them was nearly breaking some guy's neck so the one who called the cops in the first place ran out to...intervene.

He was then arrested and the cops claimed all kinds of lies to put him away.
It damn near worked.

Moral: When a cop in 'weapon mode,' they have impunity.
Document with camera or video and follow up. Don't become another victim.

[OnoI812]

kind of off Topic... but, I'm sitting here listening to those knuckleheads "Opie and Anthony". They have some Cop on who brought in all these Cop tapes of the police Tasing bums and even one of cops tazing a six year old child. It is extremely surreal in a horrifying way to listen to O&A have a grand ole time calling the taser the greatest invention on earth and laughing at the cop describe stories of tasing "liberals" to howls of laughter. Then just as you think the whole segment has pushed you to the far reaches of the twilight zone, They intersperse the whole thing with auditions for their "homeless shopping spree" segment.

So they're interviewing this bum they found down on the streets, and he's going on and on about how he knew he wanted to be a bum since he was 4 years old and he first saw "huggy bear" on Barretta. You could hardly understand the guy between the slurring, and moments of lucidity. Anthony ponders on what it must be like to live on the streets and not have to worry about taxes and payments and stuff , and asks him if he's ever afraid. The bum profoundly declares that "fear" is only False Evidence Appearing Real", further snapping out of his stupor, he suddenly recognizes the cop..." Hey , I know you, you're from homicide". O&A commend him for getting that one right, then the Bum quizically asked the Cop " hey, you went to college , didn't you, I only have a fourth grade education , I'll bet you I can recite something you can't ." Then he asks O&A if the'll give him $ 51 in food stamps if he can recite something the cop can't . They ok it, and he starts reciting the preamble to the constitution. O&A and the cop could do nothing but be impressed but mocking at the same time because they clearly could not match what the bum was doing.

The cop personally gave him $50 then went on to play more taser clips of kids and dogs getting tased.

It was incredible, O&A are such dicks, but they had to give it up to the guy.

And when that Bum mentioned the false evidence part, i couldn't help but think of Neil Peart's part 1, 2 & 3 of fear, I always think of those songs when some kind of weird sychronicity comes in conjuction with the mention of the word.

The clips were incredibly brutal, the cop clearly enjoys them.

[yesferatu]

Tasering is just torture out in the open...no dark, poorly lit room. This is amerika.
Torture is applying pain until the required compliance is acheived. That is the definition. Now you can see where we are at as a society.

[blanc]

yes intervention is dangerous and police fabricate evidence
mass organised boycott of uni to draw attention to this crime and demand justice is not dangerous. just one suggestion
what is a university in usa

[kermujin]

I guess I'm thinking more along the lines of overthrowing or revolt, than just intervention. I can't imagine the adrenaline surge one would feel seeing this go down. How could you resist the urge to physically stop it from happening, particularly when there was such a larger number of folks watching than perpetrating?

On the other hand, I have also known one or two people who tried to stop police violence and ended up in a world of trouble as stories changed and/or were fabricated.

But really, if we're not willing to make these sacrifices, do we deserve the change we wish for?

Bah. I'm going to go have a glass of wine and try to put this aside for a while. Cheers, folks.

[chiggerbit]

Actually, kermujin, I'm thinking it went down just the way it should--on record. By not intervening, the focus stays right where it belongs--on the cops. Bad for the kid, but.....ain't technology wunnerful? Besides, intervention would NOT have helped the kid. Gutsy kid, wasn't he? Frankly, I had a hard time watching the video all the way through, and I probably would have done someting stupid, had I been there. I'm glad it turned out the way it did. What's with California, anyway?

[MASONIC PLOT]

Flouride is a mild sedative. Its in the water.

[Sweejak]

Tasers used as cattle prods. Nice.

Two from Mack White

http://tinyurl.com/t8avq

http://tinyurl.com/y7j5sc

[blanc]

I'd expect a number of voices of instant protest at least, library staff?professors?