People across campus will remember these famous words screamed by a University of Florida student as he refused arrest during a question and answer session with 2004 presidential candidate and Senator John Kerry. Pleading not to be Tasered, Andrew Meyer, a fourth-year telecommunications student, struggled on the ground and was ultimately shocked, despite being surrounded by officers at the event on Sept. 17, 2007. Whether Meyer deserved his punishment seems to be a moot point as Tasers are becoming more popular than ever. The term Taser is actually a brand name for an electroshock weapon manufactured by Taser International Inc. The weapon uses compressed gas to shoot two electrodes that attach to an assailant’s body and administer a high voltage shock to cause temporary paralysis. They are considered nonlethal because they typically produce a current of much less than 10 milliamperes, although some can create peak currents of up to 18 amperes, more than enough to kill a person.
Tasers are most commonly used by police officers in situations where firearms are not considered necessary or safe, but recently their reputation as a nonlethal alternative to firearms has come into question.
In the past month, a startling number of people have died from being shocked by a Taser. Taser victims can suffer from cardiac arrest and shock after being hit with a Taser, and it seems every couple days a new story about a Taser death pops up. Many of these deaths occur after a victim is repeatedly shocked due to the shock not being strong enough the first time it is used.
These weapons are very dangerous, especially in cases where one shock is not enough to stop an attacker. Tasers are marketed to consumers as items to protect loved ones and family, yet their reliability seems to be hit-and-miss — sometimes they kill an attacker and sometimes they have to be used repeatedly before they are effective. Even though they are very dangerous and work with mixed effectiveness, very little is done to control their purchase and use.
The scariest part of the whole thing is that right now, without a background check or permit, anyone can go on Taser International’s Web site and order a consumer variety Taser. Taser International has recently even introduced a low cost Taser that costs only $299 and comes in “four designer colors.” After seeing this I wondered what is stopping someone from getting an electric blue Taser from this Web site and going crazy in a class here at N.C. State.
Before buying a Taser product, consider the message your purchase is sending companies like Taser International. Buying a Taser without any kind of background or sanity check may be convenient, but the reality is they are dangerous and unreliable at the same time.
Trying hard not to sound like the poster child for the NRA, I must say at least a firearm is a reliable source of protection, and there are more background checks in place for the purchase of a firearm than a Taser. As it stands now, the average person walking down the street has zero protection from being shocked with a Taser; a fact that leaves many feeling quite shocked.
What do you think about Tasers? Shock us and send your thoughts to [email protected].
