Another "shocker" from Taser International

Taser International has announced that it will offer a pump-action Taser shotgun that will allow people to be "subdued" from a distance of 65 feet.

This latest addition to their product line gives police and other law enforcement officers the ability to safely electrocute their victims from far enough away that they won't be emotionally stressed by hearing the agonized screams of people writhing helplessly on the ground.

The law enforcement community is sure to hail the introduction of this new weapon to an ever-growing arsenal of "humane" alternatives to guns, which includes the old standby tear gas as well as the new "vomit inducing flashlight".

Additionally, the shotgun Taser may fit neatly into the critical needs of the U.S. Forest Service, which will soon find itself hard-pressed to defend our national parks.

Taser, for their part, seems to be following the standard business model. They created their niche, and are expanding it incrementally by continually introducing "new and improved" versions of their original product. It's the way good business is done in America.

With that in mind, we can expect to see, in succession:
1. Darts filled with depleted uranium, able to pierce the heaviest clothing and the toughest hide.
2. Foot long darts for sure stopping power in case the "electric don't work".
3. Elimination of the wires because they're "too limiting".
4. Exploding darts.
5. Night vision capabilities.
6. Sniper scopes.

Remember how this all started? The Taser was introduced as a non-lethal means by which police officers could subdue mentally impaired, irrational people in situations where they posed a danger to themselves or others and who could not be calmed down by negotiation. It sure seemed like a good idea at the time, didn't it? Except it didn't stay restricted to those situations for which it was intended.

It was only a short time before the Taser was distributed to entire police departments with guidelines, of course, outlining when it could be used, but it quickly became the weapon of choice to be used in any situation where an officer simply would not allow anyone to question his authority. With the "non-lethal" option of forcing compliance in hand, the need for restraint disappeared, as did the need for a reasoned response to a perceived threat.

Couple that with the fear-mongering of the Bush government, which results in everyone being viewed as an enemy, police agencies no longer see the people they encounter as human beings, and no longer have qualms about using excessive force. They have become as paranoid as the rest of the population, and thus have become the very people on which the Taser was originally intended to be used.

And make no mistake, the proliferation of these types of weapons, and the "improved" capabilities of them, means that they are no longer intended for their original stated use. It is clear beyond doubt that they are to be used for "crowd control", to quell any peaceful demonstration or protest, by any group with a grievance, for any reason our government chooses.

Your right to assemble, your right to air grievances, and your right to free speech are being ground to dust under the boots of the thugs now in control of our country.