Stop Taser Torture – Blogging For Justice Day” Dec 4 2009.

Today is Stop Taser Torture blogging for Justice Day.   I join this effort in solidarity with so many bloggers of all walks of life concerned about taser torture in America. Speaking of Taser Torture, now we learn from Raw Story, for at least the second time in three weeks, police officers have shocked an unruly 10-year-old child, and, once again, the child's adult guardians are supporting the move.  According to Raw Story Sheriff's deputies in Pueblo, Colorado, Tasered a 10-year-old boy after arriving at the child's home Monday evening, after the boy had threatened them with a stick and a length of pipe. As of Thursday evening, the boy remained in a youth jail, according to KCNC channel 4 in Denver. The deputies involved described the boy as an "out-of-control juvenile." The Colorado incident follows a similar case last month, when a 10-year-old girl in Ozark, Arkansas, was Tasered after kicking an approaching officer in the groin. In that case, the girl's mother had suggested to the officer that he use a Taser. More HERE "A two-foot piece of pipe can do a lot of damage, I don't care who's swinging it," Daniel Bilby told KCNC. Bilby said the police could have done more harm to his foster son -- whose name is being withheld because of his age -- if they had tried to tackle him. Capt. Jeff Teschner of the Pueblo County Sheriff's Department told the Pueblo Chieftain that the officers were justified in their use of force. "They followed all policies and procedures. This was appropriate use of the Taser device," Teschner said. The Chieftain reports: Deputies Mark Myers and Randy Mondragon were sent to foster parent Daniel Biby's home to help with an "out of control juvenile" who was reportedly destroying property. Mondragon said the boy had threatened Biby with a pipe and a stick, and had thrown a landscape timber at Biby. Mondragon said that when deputies arrived, the boy ran away from them holding a 2-foot-long pipe. "This lad, we have a long history of (him) running away. I don't know what his entire psychological profile is, but obviously he has emotional distress," Teschner said. The recent incidents of Taser use on children will likely spur debate on the ethical and safety issues involved in using conducted energy weapons on youths. AAPP says: The problem is, it's not just kids that police are tasing, many police departments are using tasers to torture even nonviolent    people who are often those who are incoherent,    hallucinating, wheelchair    bound, suicidal,    unarmed, deaf, handcuffed,    blind, pregnant, students,     or just didnt move fast    enough for an officers liking. Taser torture in America is continuously growing not only in volume, but in the level of how liberally, unwarrantedly, and excessively tasering is being used across the U.S and many other countries." What can we do? As reported by Amnesty International,Taser policy is most often a local issue. Individual law enforcement agencies – city and state policy, sheriff’s departments, and campus police -- decide if they are going to employ the weapons, and what rules will govern their use. You can help lobby your own city or town to suspend use of Tasers pending thorough safety research, or to limit their use to situations where they are an alternative to deadly force. *** To improve your town’s Taser policy, you first need to establish the facts. If your city uses Tasers already, what policies are in place to govern its use? One place to start is writing to your police department to request information about how Tasers are employed and to get a copy of the use-of-force policy used by the police. Use-of-force policies vary widely. Some departments allow the weapons to be used in cases of “passive resistance,” including when the individual is refusing to obey a verbal command. These policies allow for the weapons to be used in situations where, in many cases, no weapon would otherwise have been used (See the case of Darryl Turner, a 19 year old in North Carolina who died after being shocked by a Taser. He was not holding any weapon and had his hands by his side Case Study of Darryl Turner. Many departments authorize officers to employ the weapons when an individual is “actively resisting.” This is better, but still short of Amnesty International’s recommendation, given the unanswered safety questions with Tasers. If you find that your town uses Tasers but does not require all of Amnesty International’s recommended policies on their use, you can work to get your local police to revise the use-of-force policy so that Tasers may only be used in more extreme circumstances. Amnesty International's list of recommendations to law enforcement agencies on Tasers. Get the word out about Tasers in your city, gather public support, and work to convince your local authorities that it is within the interest of public safety to improve the policy on Tasers! For a packet of further resources for campaigning on Tasers, please contact your AIUSA regional office Contact Information for Regional Offices Support the Stop Taser Torture Movement STOP TASER TORTURE - DONATE You can also join Stop Taser Torture Movement and donate to the movement Also, you could support the efforts of these great organizations and bloggers: Ft. Worth Chapter You can also sign the petitionTaser Torture In America - A Call For Congressional Hearings Just do something! Please...

Joblessness for 16-to-24-year-old black men has reached Great Depression proportions - The Washington Post

According to The Washington Post,  joblessness for 16-to-24-year-old black men has reached Great Depression proportions, 34.5 percent in October, more than three times the rate for the general U.S. population, The Washington Post reports. Young black women have an unemployment rate of 26.5 percent, while the rate for all 16-to-24-year-old women is 15.4 percent. For young blacks, race statistically appears to be a bigger factor in their unemployment than age, income or even education. Lower-income white teens were more likely to find work than upper-income black teens. Even blacks who graduate from college suffer from joblessness at twice the rate of their white peers.    Some studies examining how employers review black and white job applicants suggest that discrimination may be at play. "Black men were less likely to receive a call back or job offer than equally qualified white men," says a Princeton University sociologist. "Black men with a clean record fare no better than white men just released from prison." Read More: More HERE AAPP Says: OK you folks who have blind faith with our President. Why is the President not having his cabinet Secretaries address this issue? Has anyone heard from the department of labor secretary?  America's core cities needs a massive jobs program. It's no wonder our communities have not exploded. I'm glad the haven't because they would only taser a another black man to death. Join me tonight on the 10:00 PM EST on African American Political Pundit's "Political Slugfest Show."  We want to address this particular issue. if you can handle the truth.

Standards For police Taser Use supported By Publisher of Tasered While Black Blog

f  http://stoptasertorture.blogspot.com I just finished reading the Police Executive Research Forum's Taser policy guidelines. The forum is a research group for police chiefs and administrators funded by the U.S. Department of Justice. There are 52 standards that were released in 2005. It was an attempt to standardize police department Taser policy nationally. The guidelines are a good start, and should be adopted in State Legislatures across America. Hopeful Canada would do the same. Do I want tasered outlawed, yes. Yet in the interim, strict policy must be created and enforced. Some of the police forum's standards provide stricter guidelines for Taser use and improve internal oversight, training and medical care for people shot with a Taser. These standards cover issues not adequately addressed in thousands of police department across the United States, Canada and other countries. Results include your SearchWiki notes for Chicgao sun times, taser. Share these notes Copy and paste this link into an email or IM: See a preview of the shared page Blogger, African American Political Pundit, who also publishes the blogs, Stop Taser Torture, Tasered While Black said, "every police department in the United States should compare it's Police Department's Taser policy with the forum's standards." He also said,  there is a need for all police departments to establish a clear policy on providing medical treatment from medical professionals to people shot with Tasers." The bottom line is police agencies should be required to contact emergency responders whenever the police respond to a call where they believe a Taser might be used." The blogger said, "It's time for police departments to take corrective action and it's time for Congressional and state legislators, along with state police agencies to take the lead in developing strict requirements, such as those spelled out in the Police Executive Research Forum's Taser policy guidelines." Don't forget to join us on December 4th. “Stop Taser Torture, blogging for Justice.” as we raise awareness and trigger a global discussion. Contact us at: StopTaserTorture@gmail.com to register your blog. Please place a button on your blog. http://stoptasertorture.blogspot.com

Police in Texas taser torture for low-level, non-violent misdemeanors like disruption of class or disorderly conduct

According to Cameron Langford at the Court House News Service, Police in Texas public schools are increasingly using force against children, including Tasers and pepper spray, and the "overwhelming majority" of police "interventions" involve "low-level, non-violent misdemeanors like disruption of class or disorderly conduct," a public interest group says.      Texas Appleseed claims the Spring Branch Independent School District is putting students at risk and violating the law by refusing to release its "use of force" policy.      More than 75 percent of Spring Branch, a suburb northwest of Houston, is black or Latino. The school district claims its use of force policy is exempt from disclosure because of the exception for law enforcement.      Texas Appleseed says it sent open records requests to 24 Texas school districts, seeking their police departments' use of force policies, and 11 produced the documents. The group say its investigation revealed accounts of police in Texas public schools using pepper spray and Tasers on students.      "The public interest in ensuring full dialogue around policies relating to use force on Texas school children outweighs any risk to SBISD-PD's ability to affect arrests or engage in law enforcement on its campuses," Texas Appleseed says in its complaint in Harris County Court.      Appleseed says that reports of Texas school police using pepper spray and Tasers on school children are becoming more common. It says the data its has received shows the "overwhelming majority of law enforcement interventions on Texas school campuses involve school-aged children cited or arrested for low-level, non-violent misdemeanors like disruption of class or disorderly conduct."   Read More HERE TWB Publisher says: I'm glad to see that a watchdog group wants Info on Police Use of Force Against Schoolkids. It's time to stop the torture of school children in our public school system. Where is the U.S. Department of Justice when we need them to protect our children? Texas is not the only state torturing our children.  ENOUGH is ENOUGH  Join up with: Black Perspective.net Black Women In Europe Charly Miller 's Taser Collection of Articles of Tasers Educate yourself about tasers Electronic Village Excited-Delirium From My Brown Eyed View It All Goes Here No More Tasers Pam's House Blend Petition for Congressional Hearing on Taser Torture Petition to Ban Taser Use by Police in U.S. Police-brutality Blog Prevent Dangerous Harm Stop Taser Torture Taser Deaths In Canada Taser Deaths.org Taser Watch Taser.org.uk Tasered While Black The Duck Shoot The Superspade Truth Not Tasers THE INTERSECTION OF MADNESS & REALITY  Sign up now!  Let's build a blogger movement to stand in the gap for our children!

Americans "Filching" Canada's Health Insurance System by the Thousands

A report, released by the Ontario Health Minister – and cited in the New York Times – indicated that thousands of Americans are illegally taking advantage of Canada’s health care system. According to the study, which was originally conducted from August 1992 to February 1993 (yet still holds a lot of water in the midst of a national health debate), 60,000 claims were made out on behalf of people who had American drivers’ licenses. Presumably Americans who are uninsured are finding affordable ways to bypass the high cost of health care in the U.S. The consumer site, Affordable Health Insurance states that over 45 million Americans are uninsured, and many of these uninsured Americans have apparently found the benefits of Canada's health care system. Canada's Health System The Canada government stipulates that legal residents qualify for free medical care as long as they are able to produce health cards for identification. The same report indicated that the lack of controls cost the health care system as much as $691 million annually. Although Americans are not the only ones taking advantage of Canada’s system, they are the most prevalent simply because of proximity (90% percent of Canadians are within 100 miles of the United States). Many Americans choose to avail of Canada’s system because of their dissatisfaction with the health insurance system of their home country. Changes in the Health Care System As a result, stricter policies are suggested to be put in place to save money. Canada’s officials have suggested the criminal prosecution of those committing fraud, monitoring of card use, and collection for medical services provided from ineligible users. A proposal to redesign the health card is also in place. One of the suggestions is to put pictures on the card to prevent them from being routinely borrowed by ineligible individuals. Finally, doctors are required to be tougher when it comes to screening potential patients. A new bill in the Ontario Legislature states that if a doctor has reasonable grounds to think that the health card is fraudulently used, liability on confidentiality grounds no longer applies. The Canadian government has indicated that the illegal use of its resources is a temporary phenomenon and will ease up once America successfully pushes for its health reform. Sources Affordable Health Insurance (for statistics related to uninsured Americans) New York Times (for information about the study) Health Canada (the federal department responsible for maintaining Canadians' health)

Congressional Black Caucus Members Under Investigation

The Washington Post is reporting that House ethics investigators have been scrutinizing the activities of more than 30 lawmakers and several aides in inquiries about issues including defense lobbying and corporate influence peddling, according to a confidential House ethics committee report prepared in July. Dozens in Congress under ethics inquiry Ellen Nakashima and Paul Kane staff writers with the Washington Post are reporting the a number of members of the Congressional Black Caucus are being investigated for defense lobbying and corporate influence peddling, according to a confidential House ethics committee report prepared in July. Rep. Charles Rangel . (AP Photo) The document also disclosed that ethics committee staff members have interviewed House Ways and Means Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) about one element of the complex investigation of his personal finances, as well as the lawmaker's top aide and his son. Rangel said he spoke with ethics committee staff members regarding a conference that he and four other members of the Congressional Black Caucus attended last November in St. Martin. The trip initially was said to be sponsored by a nonprofit foundation run by a newspaper. But the three-day event, at a luxury resort, was underwritten by major corporations such as Citigroup, Pfizer and AT&T. Rules passed in 2007, shortly after Democrats reclaimed the majority following a wave of corruption cases against Republicans, bar private companies from paying for congressional travel. According to Wapo Rangel said he has not discussed other parts of the investigation of his finances with the committee. "I'm waiting for that, anxiously," he said. There is more.. According to Wapo, Politico, and The LA Times, the committee did not detail the two newly disclosed investigations. However, according to the July document, Rep. Maxine Waters, a high-ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee, came under scrutiny because of activities involving OneUnited Bank of Massachusetts, in which her husband owns at least $250,000 in stock. Waters arranged a September 2008 meeting at the Treasury Department where OneUnited executives asked for government money. In December, Treasury selected OneUnited as an early participant in the bank bailout program, injecting $12.1 million. AAPP: Voters in their congressional districts need to take a hard look at these Corrupt Congressional Black Caucus members. It just may be time to throw these folks out of office. I know if any of them were representing me, I would vote them out of office in a heartbeat. I guess Cathy Hughes would do the same thing. If I were Obama I would not meet with the Congressional Black Caucus until they stop standing up for crooks, get there act together and purged those who bring the group into disgrace. I'm also getting a bit tired of these Congressional ethics inquiries, that have been dragging on for sometime despite vows to end corruption. I guess I can understand why some democrats are worried that one of their own could cost them their jobs.

Tasers, Taser International and messages of the Heart

Well it looks like Taser International has said Uncle. The Makers of TASER devices say don't aim at chest. As reported by many bloggers, including the Electronic Village, news outlets and internet sources, Taser maker Taser International is advising police agencies across the nation to avoid aiming the devices at a suspect’s chest. The Arizona-based company says such action poses an “extremely low” risk of an “adverse cardiac event.” The Atlanta Journal reports that Law enforcement in Atlanta, Gwinnett and Clayton County said they are in the process of scheduling training for their officers who carry Tasers. “It won’t be a huge change. It’s a difference of a few inches,” said Sgt. Tony Kessler, a training officer for the Clayton County Sheriff. “We still have the back and other parts of the body.” Gwinnett Police spokesman Cpl. David Schiralli said the Taser manufacturer only “recommended aiming lower towards the abdominal region,” but said the 279 officers who have Tasers will be retrained. Cobb County Police are already ahead of the game, spokesman Officer Joe Hernandez said. Cobb’s 100 Tasers are carried by only veteran patrol officers, the Tactical Team, Burglary Apprehension Team and robbery interdiction squad. More HERE The advisory, issued in an Oct. 12 training bulletin, marks the first time that Taser has suggested any risk of ill effects on the heart from the use of its 50,000-volt stun guns. More HERE Electronic Village reports, Taser International, the maker of taser guns is advising police officers to avoid shooting suspects in the chest with the 50,000-volt weapon, saying that it could pose an extremely low risk of an "adverse cardiac event." The advisory, issued in an Oct. 12 training bulletin, marks the first time that Taser has suggested any risk of ill effects on the heart from the use of its 50,000-volt taser guns. Electronic Village goes on to report that critics, including civil-rights lawyers and human-rights advocates, called the training bulletin an admission by Taser that its guns could cause cardiac arrest. For years, Taser officials have said in interviews, court cases and government hearings that the stun gun is incapable of inducing ventricular fibrillation, the chaotic heart rhythm characteristic of a heart attack. More HERE There have been more than 400 deaths in the U.S. and 26 in Canada since 2001, according to a study by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Tasers have contributed to more than 30 of those deaths, according to medical examiners. Three of those occurred in the Gwinnett County jail after deputies used a Taser on combative inmates. Autopsies showed two of those deaths were the result of heart attacks, but did not cite what caused the cardiac arrest. The other death was ruled the result of “excited delirium” – a combination of cocaine, alcohol and physical exertion that excited his heart too much, according to the medical examiner. A spokeswoman for the Gwinnett sheriff said Taser International's training bulletin has already been sent out to all of the deputies who carry Tasers. More HERE "All future training will have it incorporated too," sheriff's spokeswoman Stacey Bourbonnais said Thursday. Tasered While Black Publisher: Well it looks like this announcement by Taser International is having major impact on law enforcement standard operating procedures. Let's see if it make any difference on the streets of Amderica, or will cops actually aim at the chest in the future, as a way of killing people? Boulder, Colorado ACLU wants Tasers holstered New Guidelines For APD On Taser Gun Use - Albuquerque News Story Metro Police Change Taser Policy Police rethink stun-gun policy Read more on tasering at the following blogs. Tasered While Black Police Brutality Blog Electronic Village a. cameron ward & company, barristers and solicitors canadian civil rights movement cbc - a deadly landing cbc - taser database cbc - taser tests cbc - the truth about tasers charly miller - tasers creekside don't tase me bro educate-yourself electronic village evidunce (new) excited-delirium feral cops (new) getting it right it all goes here no more tasers petition - outlaw law enforcement use of tasers prevent dangerous harm RAIDH (France) setting fantino straight stat - stop taser abuse today taser nation taser org uk tasered while black tasered while latino (new) taserfilm (new) taserwatch the duck shoot - taser-watch (new) the taser deaths blog Taser of The Day/ Gizmodo Truth Not Tasers Taser Watch Excited-Delirium Tasered While Black

Business Roundtable Shines Light on U.S. Health Care Shortcomings

I imagine the Business Rountable to very similar to depictions of the Knights of the Round Table: Large, well dressed men sitting around a round table (who would have thunk) discussing how powerful and wonderful they are and then getting down to solving the problems of the world. In reality, the Business Roundtable is a group of modern-day powerhouses-the CEO's of America's largest corporations, in fact. The purpose of the Business Roundtable (to be referred to as BT throughout the rest of the article) is to unite these bigwigs and hope they can churn out some good solutions to the world's problems. I mean, who better to address all the poverty and despair in the world then some of the wealthiest folks in America, right? Sarcasm aside, I find myself impressed with a recent study that the BT released, comparing the success/cost of health care in the United States with that of European countries. Considering that the recent economic malaise has sent numbers of former employees to the ranks of the uninsured - or even, gasp, resorting to self-employed health insurance - the findings are grim, a little nauseating. Still, there may be nuggets of wisdom the U.S. Government can take to make some much needed changes. The U.S. Health Disadvantage Here is a little bit on what the BT's study found regarding the United States health care system. It's estimated that the United States spends nearly $643 billion more every year on health care than other industrialized countries like France, Germany and Japan. The BT rounded up 19 different metrics of looking at a method for measuring the impact of health care spending on U.S. global economic competitiveness. What did the BT find? "The United States stands at a 23% disadvantage relative to five leading economic competitors: Canada, France, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom (the so-called G-5 group); and a 46% disadvantage relative to the emerging competitors of Brazil, India and China (BIC).” To continue, the report states “As a group, workers and employers in G-5 countries spend approximately 63 cents for every dollar we (U.S.) spend on health care. The gap is even wider when we look at the BIC (Brazil, India, China) group; they spend just 15 cents for every dollar we spend on health care. These health spending gaps persist after adjustment for our higher per capita GDP (Gross Domestic Product).” Take a minute to let all of that sink in. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll recall that a few months prior I wrote a piece about the different health care models in large countries around the globe, how much they cost for the country in a given year and how much they cost consumers. Most industrialized nations have something similar to a universal or nationalized health care system. There are variations, of course, but they all stand in a similar ilk. The United States really stands all alone in it's little corner while those in European countries not only spend less, but get more thorough, easily accessible and affordable care. What is wrong with this picture? One thing I did read that lightened my spirits a bit is this: the study "has had profound influence on the thinking of Obama’s White House staff of economists and analysts." Let's make some changes here people. photo credit: hans s

The Next Great Depression Is Just Around The Corner

U.S. Job Seekers Exceed Openings by Record Ratio Despite signs that the economy has resumed growing, unemployed Americans now confront a job market that is bleaker than ever in the current recession, and employment prospects are still getting worse. Job seekers now outnumber openings six to one, the worst ratio since the government began tracking open positions in 2000. According to the Labor Department’s latest numbers, from July, only 2.4 million full-time permanent jobs were open, with 14.5 million people officially unemployed. And even though the pace of layoffs is slowing, many companies remain anxious about growth prospects in the months ahead, making them reluctant to add to their payrolls. “There’s too much uncertainty out there,” said Thomas A. Kochan, a labor economist at M.I.T.’s Sloan School of Management. “There’s not going to be an upsurge in job openings for quite a while, not until employers feel confident the economy is really growing.” Duh. What the fuck do people expect? The United States wilingly destroyed its manufacturing base and outsourced most of the jobs. We all can’t be cashiers at WallyWorld. The last I heard, capitalism only works if folks got the money to buy shit. Hey, somebody tell that commie rat Marx to stop laughing. And lately, the only thing a Visa card is good for is cutting your throat. Maybe I’m wrong, but wouldn’t it be a great idea if this country made a serious investment in our infrastructure? Besides creating jobs, it would make me (and a bunch of other people) feel a lot better knowing the bridge I’m driving on ain’t gonna fall down. Fat chance. If the Republicans and the treasonous Blue Dog Democrats are able to kill the public option in Obama’s timid, not-so-ambitious health care plan, did you think they’ll let keep any of his other empty promises? No wonder my father idolized FDR. That was a president who knew how to get things done. As he told opponents of the New Deal, “They hate me, and I welcome their hatred.” Bipartisanship, my ass. In enacting sweeping social reforms, Roosevelt was more of a gangsta than Obama will ever be. Anyway, at least it'll be easy to find the unemployment office. Just follow the long long line over there.

"Skinhead", A Poem by Patricia Smith

They call me skinhead, and I got my own beauty. It is knife-scrawled across my back in sore, jagged letters, it’s in the way my eyes snap away from the obvious. I sit in my dim matchbox, on the edge of a bed tousled with my ragged smell, slide razors across my hair, count how many ways I can bring blood closer to the surface of my skin. These are the duties of the righteous, the ways of the anointed. The face that moves in my mirror is huge and pockmarked, scraped pink and brilliant, apple-cheeked, I am filled with my own spit. Two years ago, a machine that slices leather sucked in my hand and held it, whacking off three fingers at the root. I didn’t feel nothing till I looked down and saw one of them on the floor next to my boot heel, and I ain’t worked since then. I sit here and watch niggers take over my TV set, walking like kings up and down the sidewalks in my head, walking like their fat black mamas named them freedom. My shoulders tell me that ain’t right. So I move out into the sun where my beauty makes them lower their heads, or into the night with a lead pipe up my sleeve, a razor tucked in my boot. I was born to make things right. It’s easy now to move my big body into shadows, to move from a place where there was nothing into the stark circle of a streetlight, the pipe raised up high over my head. It’s a kick to watch their eyes get big, round and gleaming like cartoon jungle boys, right in that second when they know the pipe’s gonna come down, and I got this thing I like to say, listen to this, I like to say “Hey, nigger, Abe Lincoln’s been dead a long time.” I get hard listening to their skin burst. I was born to make things right. Then this newspaper guy comes around, seems I was a little sloppy kicking some fag’s ass and he opened his hole and screamed about it. This reporter finds me curled up in my bed, those TV flashes licking my face clean. Same ol’ shit. Ain’t got no job, the coloreds and spics got ’em all. Why ain’t I working? Look at my hand, asshole. No, I ain’t part of no organized group, I’m just a white boy who loves his race, fighting for a pure country. Sometimes it’s just me. Sometimes three. Sometimes 30. AIDS will take care of the faggots, then it’s gon’ be white on black in the streets. Then there’ll be three million. I tell him that. So he writes it up and I come off looking like some kind of freak, like I’m Hitler himself. I ain’t that lucky, but I got my own beauty. It is in my steel-toed boots, in the hard corners of my shaved head. I look in the mirror and hold up my mangled hand, only the baby finger left, sticking straight up, I know it’s the wrong goddamned finger, but fuck you all anyway. I’m riding the top rung of the perfect race, my face scraped pink and brilliant. I’m your baby, America, your boy, drunk on my own spit, I am goddamned fuckin’ beautiful. And I was born and raised right here.

Police taser unarmed, legless black man in a wheelchair

Yes, you read it --- California police in Merced California have used a taser on unarmed, leggless black man in wheelchair. The Huffington Post, The Raw Story, News One and other news outlets and bloggers are reporting on the Tasing of a black male amputee in wheelchair by 2 white officers. Victoria A Patton of the Mercedes Sun Star reports that the man who was Tasered, Gregory Williams, 40, a double-leg amputee, spent six days in jail on suspicion of domestic violence and resisting arrest, but the Merced County District Attorney's office hasn't filed any charges. Watch the video of his tasering/arrest HERE Photo Source: Lisa Jane Merced Sun Star Williams is black, and the two main arresting officers are white, but it's unknown whether race played any role in the incident. Williams, who was released from jail on Friday, said he was manhandled and Tasered by police, even though he said he was never physically aggressive toward the officers and didn't resist arrest. Williams said he was humiliated after his pants fell down during the incident. The officers allegedly left him outdoors in broad daylight, handcuffed on the pavement, nude below the waist. Williams said the Sept. 11 arrest also left him with an injured shoulder, limiting his mobility in his wheelchair. A handful of residents in Williams' apartment complex said they witnessed the incident and supported Williams' charges. A short video clip, shot by a neighbor and obtained by the Sun-Star, shows Williams sitting on the pavement with his pants down, his hands cuffed behind his back. A Merced police report, written by the responding officers, says that police tried to reason with Williams before the arrest, to no avail. The officers wrote that Williams was uncooperative and refused to turn his 2-year-old daughter over to Merced County Child Protective Services, among other allegations. In the report, police also say a hostile crowd gathered as the officers tried to perform their duties. The Merced Police Department spokesman declined to comment on the matter, saying he can't discuss it because the investigation is internal. Both the officers remain on duty. Read the excellent report on how this all happened HERE Tasered While Black publigher says: "Let's see if President Barack Obama says anything about this! Our president was quick to support the black elite from police abuse, lets see if he is as quick to denounce this situation. by-the-way who is runnining the Civil Rights division at the justice department? It time for the U.S. Justice department to take the gloves off and stop the continued pre-trial electrocution of black folks in America. The NAACP has joined the fight against tasers abuse. Black Bloggers have called for 'Congressional Taser Torture Hearings. There are many bloggers who are concerned about the growing taser-happy police state we find ourselves in. It's great to know that some cities are saying 'No' to Taser Guns. Let's get the congressional hearings going. It would be great if you would sign the petition calling for Congressional Hearing on Taser use in our country. Thank You, TWB Publisher African American Political Pundit

NAACP Joins Fight For Federal Taser Standards

The Publisher of Tasered While Black says: Finally the National Office of the NAACP is discussing the issue of Black folks getting Tasered While Black. We salute the fact that Ben Jealous has joined in this fight. I hope that the National office of the NAACP's new involvement is sincere, and is not just another PR effort that they have been famous for in the past. Let's see if the NAACP will join the already established effort of the Afrospear and Tasered While Black to gain a Congressional Taser Hearings or will they go it alone, and establish a new effort for PR purposes... Only time will tell. Benjamin Jealous As reported on the NAACP Website and the Afro Newspaper in Baltimore Maryland, (September 17, 2009) - The NAACP is renewing a push for federal standards on police use of force after the shooting of an unarmed Black man by two White police officers inside a church while day care children watched, the Associated Press reported. According to witnesses, the man was surrendering but officials in Rockford, Ill., deny this description of events, saying Mark Anthony Barmore attempted to grab an officer's gun after they cornered him in the church. However, both sides agree Barmore ran when officers approached him in the church parking lot, highlighting the suspicion and fear that can poison relationships between police and minority communities across the country. "There are no national standards for the use of force (or) training for use of force," Benjamin Todd Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACP, said Sept. 11. MORE HERE

White Anti Obama Movement, Guns and Black Folks

Let's call it, like it is. A 99.9 % White Anti Obama movement marched to the U.S. Capitol today to protest Obama health care reform, higher taxes and what they see as out-of-control government spending. One has to wonder where these folks were for eight years when George W. Bush was detroying America? I guess Castro is right. The conservative advocacy group made its way from California, hosting rallies in about 30 cities. CNN has full Coverage. "Obamacare Condense Cream of Crap soup" reads a sign in Sparks, Nevada. In Dallas, Texas, a darker mood prevails. A homemade sign with "Obama Lies" features a bold, black swastika. As the tour moves on, Nazi imagery becomes more prominent -- and sometimes confused. One sign at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, has Obama's portrait sandwiched between pictures of Adolf Hitler and communist philosopher Karl Marx. In Canton,Ohio, Obama and Hitler adorn a sign reading "Hitler made great speeches, too." As reported by CNN, The Tea Party Express tour has been free of violence, but occasional outbursts of vitriolic hatred toward the president combined with some menacing outward appearances often overshadow the more moderate tea partyers. iReport.com: Weigh in on health care In Louisville, Kentucky, two young men in camouflage fatigues roamed the crowd trying to recruit new members for their militia called the Ohio Valley Freedom Fighters. They bear signs reading "AK-47s: today's pitchfork" and "Quit worrying. Start your militia training today." In Jackson, Michigan, a young man didn't need a sign. He was carrying the real thing: A loaded AK-47 assault rifle and two loaded handguns. "I don't want a revolution. I don't want a civil war," he said. "But it is a possibility. It's there as an option, as a last resort." More HERE AAPP: I wonder when President Obama and his administration will take a bolder stance on these fools carrying guns at these so called peaceful rallies? It's time for the Justice Department to stop these reckless fools. But that is just one African American Political Pundit's opinion. Then again, check out the recommended arms that white groups are stock piling against black folks. Maybe, just maybe black folks should start arming ourselves - JUST IN CASE. What is your opinion? This whole situation is so disgusting its laughable. I wonder what Richard Pryor would say about public option health care and guns? We can get a sense of that HERE. ---- African American Political Pundit is a 2008 DNCC Credentialed Democratic National Convention Blogger. He is also a BlackTalk Radio and BlogTalkRadio host, who shares this blog platform with others interested in candid, honest, reciprocal conversation about political and social issues impacting our diverse American communities. Join in on the conversation every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 10:00 PM EST on African American Political Pundit's "Political Slugfest Show." If you can handle the truth!

False Apologies

Crossposted from Left Toon Lane, Bilerico Project & My Left Wing click to enlarge Yesterday Joe Wilson did not fail to entertain again. He emitted several apologies that really weren't. In one interview he claims the GOP leadership told him to apologize, it wasn't something that came from his heart. Now he claims he is sorry but wants people to send him money. His false apology was never in response for being wrong. He wrongfully claims that the health care bill offers insurance to illegal immigrants when in fact it has a section devoted to denying health care insurance to illegal immigrants. So if you read his apologies, he only apologies for his behavior and not about being out of touch, willfully ignorant and plain-assed wrong. So in that spirit, I give you today's strip! P.S. No one really complained.

The Wingnut View Of Reality

Crossposted from Left Toon Lane, Bilerico Project & My Left Wing click to enlarge

Tasered While Latino

You have heard of Tasered While Black now it's also Tasered While Latino. As reported by blogger, When I Write, In their own backyard at a Baptism, police in Manassas didn’t exactly kick in the door and wave the .44, but they did taser a pregnant woman and a 55 year-old man . I can’t wait to see if Barack Obama will invite this family for Tecate on the White House lawn. Police were responding to “a noise complaint at a child’s baptism party. By the time they left, a grandfather and a pregnant woman had been Tasered… The 55-year-old homeowner is a church family counselor and a bible study teacher. More HERE

Deaf Handicapped Black Man Tasered In Bathroom For Taking Too Long

So President Barack Obama is meeting Cambridge Police Officer Crowley and Professor Louis Gates over for a beer tomorrow evening? I have already talked about the fact that Professor Louis Gates was not Tasered While Black and as many other bloggers like Yobachi over a the Black Perspective.net have noted: "Black folks get harassed by cops everyday in racial profiling situations that result in much more dramatic consequences than Dr. Gates suffering the inconvenience of being taken down to the station for awhile. Folks who don’t have the money to scare the police off with expensively lawyers and don’t have the notoriety of Dr. Gates to get their charges dropped, and actually get caught up in all the fines, court cost, bail, and lawyers fees involved with having to go through the legal process; costing hundreds to thousands of dollars to people often living paycheck to paycheck or not even working regularly." Well here is just the case. Check out how Mobile, Alabama Police Tasered a deaf and mentally disabled black man for staying in the bathroom to long: I don't know why black folks don't get it. Professor Gates didnot go through what the average black man goes through. I wish he and Barack would address the real issues, and stop paying attention to Professor Gates ego. What About the tasering of Antonio Love: by Alabama Police? But then again why should we expect justice? We sure should not expect any justice from a majority of the police departments, like the Houston Police Department as an example. If you get tased in Houston and file a complaint nothing will be done other than a general paper pushing cover-up. According to Roma Khanna of the Houston Chronicle.com the Houston police investigated 69 complaints about officer Taser use between December 2004 and May 2008. Of the allegations: 5 were sustained. 0 involved using the weapon on people. 3 prompted officer counseling. 5 remain under investigation. 56 were closed with no wrongdoing found. Source:— Houston Police Department Get this folks, there is more, as reported by Chron.com The Houston Police Department has found no wrongdoing in some 1,700 incidents in which its officers intentionally fired a Taser, despite investigating about 70 complaints — including one officer who shocked his own stepson and another who discharged his stun gun on a 59-year-old woman during a dispute over laundry. Over the last four years, only five officers have been disciplined for misusing their Tasers, although not one of the five actually shocked a suspect, according to records obtained by the Houston Chronicle. Instead, HPD reprimanded officers for threatening people with their stun guns, repeatedly discharging them while off duty and brandishing the weapon in a dispute in an elementary school carpool line. "If that is how they deal with family problems, how are they dealing with the public?" asked Shirley Baker, whose grandson was shocked by his officer stepfather. Use of Tasers, sold as an alternative to the deadly force of firearms, has been controversial since HPD first purchased hundreds of them late in 2004. The weapon quickly triggered public criticism with findings that officers often used them on unarmed people who committed no crime and that the vast majority were black. Houston Mayor Bill White in November 2006 called for an independent analysis, overseen by Controller Annise Parker's office, which is expected to be made public Sept. 8. Parker has been publicly critical, saying last year that HPD's system for tracking Taser use is insufficient and despite claims that each deployment is reviewed, it "can't (be proven) with a paper trail." Police officials maintain the Taser is a useful tool that has reduced injuries to both officers and suspects. Each incident, they say, is closely scrutinized. "To have (69) complaints and only a few sustained — that is reflective of successful use," said Assistant Chief Brian Lumpkin, who oversees the HPD internal affairs division. "The numbers show that we have used Tasers responsibly." HPD officers deployed their Tasers 1,724 times between December 2004 and May 2008, triggering 69 internal affairs investigations. More than half began after citizens filed complaints. Five probes remain open, but investigators found no wrongdoing in 56 others. Among the people who filed complaints were Thoang Do, 59, a woman shocked during an altercation at her laundromat. Read More> UPDATE: Ripa says: Well I'll be a "jungle monkey". Don't look now but a racist Boston cop gets fired.Up Enjoy your Beer President Obama, Cambridge Police Officer Crowley and Professor Louis Gates. H/T JWriter and My BlogTalkRadio Co-Host, Antoinette for the link. Read more at the blog, Tasered While Black