Haiti: is Hurricane Katrina II - Haiti 2010 - Grimmer by the hour!

OK, let's call it the way it is. The AID to Haiti is being snarled at the airport by the United States. and, like Hurrican Katrina, the bigots are coming out. I have been amazed with the level of hatred towards the victims of of the earthquake. 

The bigots seems to be coming out of the woodwork. From that idiot Rush Limbaugh admonishing his listeners to not send money to aid the victims of the earthquake in Haiti, to Pat Robertson, the so-called Christian minister and all American bigot who is insinuating that the earthquake was a sign from his god. 

Not only do we have to deal with these two moron's we also have to deal with the utter failure of the United States being able to help the people of of Haiti. even the Voice of America is reporting that aid workers and authorities in earthquake-ravaged Haiti warn tensions are rising as survivors become more desperate, waiting for food, water and medical care to reach them. More HERE

But four days after the quake reduced the capital to rubble, the relief efforts are moving slowly.  Aid workers report patience is wearing thin, and without some help soon, the situation could degenerate into lawlessness and chaos.

There have been numerous reports of looting.  Witnesses also report men with machetes have been roaming the streets at night, helping themselves to whatever they can find in wrecked homes. 

Haiti's capital is now devoid of a functioning police force.  When the earthquake struck, it destroyed the city's prison, allowing thousands of inmates to escape. More HERE

AAPP says: It's difficult to watch the videos of Haiti.  Its' clear that lessons have not been learned since Katrina. Now we learn President Barack Obama is enlisting the support of two former presidents in the U.S. effort to help earthquake-ravaged Haiti. As reported the the Washington Post,  Obama will meet today (Saturday) morning with George W. Bush and Bill Clinton in the Oval Office. Why the hell did the President include George W. Bush, or for that matter Bill Clinton in this effort? 

We already have seen what a screw up George W. Bush made of the Katrina horror, and let us not talk about the previous dashed hopes of Haitians regarding Bill Clinton.

AAPP says: "President Barack Obama wants people to think that the United States' reaction to the catastrophe in Haiti: is "Swift, co-ordinated and aggressive" as he pledged a stellar effort in his first comments about the earthquake on Wednesday, and then repeated it twice on Thursday. In other words: This will not be Hurricane Katrina II. Yet, Unfortuntely, It is This Is Hurricane Katrina II - Haiti 2010."

 

As reported in the NY Times, An immense relief operation was under way, with cargo planes and military helicopters buzzing over the crowded Toussaint Louverture International Airport. But three days after the earthquake struck, with many cries for help going silent, not nearly enough search and rescue teams or emergency supplies could make it here.

The United Nations said it had fed 8,000 people, while two million to three million people remained in dire need.

Patience was wearing thin, and reports of looting increased, as another day went by with no power and limited fresh water.

There is more, as reported in the NY Times, Some people were bracing for the worst. Harold Marzouka, a Haitian-American businessman who was hustling his family onto a private jet to Miami, said he could feel the tension rising and feared that hunger and desperation might prompt an explosion of violence.“If aid doesn’t start pouring in at a significant level, there will be serious consequences on the streets,” he said. “People are in the shocked and frightened phase. But the next phase will be survival.”
In New York, the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, said he recognized that the slow pace of the relief effort could make people in Port-au-Prince restive.

For rescuers and those buried, every hour that passed was an enemy.“The time window is ever shrinking,” said Florian Westphal, a spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva.

AAPP says, "It seems that we spent billions of dollars to re-engineer FEMA and other Federal agencies to respond to emergencies of this type, yet we can't maker common sense decisions like dropping food, water, and medical supplies to the people in need.  What is wrong with the Federal government? is this all a plan to depopulize Haiti?"

Listen to what other black folks think about the situation in Haiti on my BlogTalkRadio Program, as we talk about how the Haiti aid is snarled by the United States.

Taser Torture of KANKAKEE, Ill. Black Junior High Student

Taser Torture continues - January 13, 2010 (KANKAKEE, Ill.) (WLS) -- Kankakee police responded Wednesday after students at a junior high were Tasered during a demonstration.

"This Taser demonstration was not authorized by the Kankakee Police Department nor was it authorized by Kankakee School District 111," a statement said. "Misuse or abuse of the Taser by any police officer is strictly prohibited by the rules and regulations of the Kankakee Police Department And is subject to discipline. The officer in question was immediately placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation."

School officials are investigating. And one mother is talking about how her son was Tasered.

The mother wanted to stress that her son and the other students in the classroom were not being reprimanded for misbehaving but that the officer was just goofing off. She understands school is a place for an education, but she says this is one lesson her son won't soon forget.

"A cop came in and then he pulled out his Taser, and was like, 'I'm giving out free runs for the Taser to try it out.' And then everybody was like, 'I want to try it.' And I said, 'I'll try it in my finger.' And he was like, 'Let me get you in your thigh,'" said Miles Maiden.

Miles, 12, says the off-duty Kankakee police officer entered the classroom at Kankakee Junior High School and shouted, "Who wants a Taser?"

Miles says the officer then went around the room and Tasered at least three boys, one in the buttocks.

Miles says the officer is friends with the teacher, and last week the same officer came to the classroom and Tasered some of the students in their fingers. More HERE

Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh should be placed alive in a shallow grave

OK, I know I should not say this, but I wish both Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh could be placed together, alive, in one shallow grave, in Haiti's earthquake torn country. I would urge that no one dig them up.

I wish this because of their color aroused hatred. 






As an example, how about Pat Robertson's claim that the Haitians may have brought this upon themselves by making a "pact with the devil" back when the country was created. 

Check out Robertson's claim at, Faith & Reason blog. Said Gibbs: How could this stupid bastard say something that could be so utterly hateful?  No sorrow from Pat Robertson, an alledged man of the cloth. 

People of the cloth kill me with their comments like, "its an exciting time" when 911 happened, and the ignorant statements of Pat Robertson. and how about that drug addict, Limbaugh, who -- arguing that Obama is using the rescue to promote his political fortunes -- asked people not to donate to Haiti.

What a bigoted moron. I truly wish Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh could be placed alive in a shallow grave. Of course not buried close to humans.

I guess I should be ashamed of myself for wishing this on human beings, but then again, they are proving that they are not human.

Destruction in Haiti - Is America Doing Enough? Katrina 2 - Haiti

As reported by The Washington Post, makeshift morgues are appearing everywhere in this earthquake-ravaged capital -- on the sidewalks, in highway medians, outside crumbled buildings. Desperation is mounting. Nearly two days after a massive earthquake, there are no sirens and very few signs of international aid organizations bringing assistance. Electricity is out, there is no sanitation, and food and water are hard to come by. Long lines stretch at the few gas stations that are operating.  Is America doing enough?

Washington Post readers, VMonroe Valnesio said it best, " We were watching the news last night about the tragedy that’s hit Haiti. At one point, we became agitated and asked why it was taking the US so long to respond. After all, Haiti was just a few miles away. Then, this morning when I awoke, as usual, I turned on the news. On CNN a General, who has been put in charge of the military response, was asked about how and when he would be responding. He stated that he first needed an assessment. That response caused my coffee to boil over. Some forty-eight hours had elapsed since the quake, folks!!

Those, who refuse to learn from the lessons taught by history, will surely repeat mistakes earlier made. Our leaders learned nothing from bombing incidents pre 9/1l, for example, our marines in Lebanon and we have already forgotten the lessons, which we should have learned from 9/11. Japan, China, Iran, Indonesia have all experienced Haiti-like calamities in recent years. And we have had our share of deadly earth quakes, tornadoes and hurricanes. 

Yet, we seem to have learned nothing from these disasters including Katrina.
What common needs arise from all such disasters? Water, food and medical supplies are foremost. Portable generators, fuel, blankets and tents would be next. Additionally, there is a crucial need for a detached group of profession people, who can mobilize, organize and direct the flow of people and resources in the affected areas towards common recovery goals. One doesn’t need an assessment in order to put these things in motion. Furthermore, security must be included at the top of the priority list, especially, in today’s world when terrorists will seek any opportunity to pilfer weapons, ammo and explosives. Where are these things located in Haiti and who is looking after them? 

Given all the history as cited above and the closeness of Haiti, it is inexcusable that it takes so long to have boots on the ground there. The above cited materials should be packed, palletized, stored in a warehouse and ready to load on a plane on a moment’s notice. 

Why isn’t this the case? All Americans should be asking this question. Your own life could be weighing in the balance next."

Let's talk about it tonight on the slugfest! 


Why don't we have thousands of boots on he ground? why don't we have inflatable hospitals on the ground now? Is this becoming another man made disaster? 

"If you can handle the truth."

How you can help!

Teddy Pendergrass RIP

PHILADELPHIA – Teddy Pendergrass, who became R&B's reigning sex symbol in the 1970s and '80s with his forceful, masculine voice and passionate love ballads and later became an inspirational figure after suffering a devastating car accident that left him paralyzed, died Wednesday at age 59.

The singer's son, Teddy Pendergrass II, said his father died at Bryn Mawr Hospital in suburban Philadelphia. The singer underwent colon cancer surgery eight months ago and had "a difficult recovery," his son said.

"To all his fans who loved his music, thank you," his son said. "He will live on through his music."

Pendergrass suffered a spinal cord injury and was paralyzed from the waist down in the 1982 car accident. He spent six months in a hospital but returned to recording the next year with the album "Love Language."

He returned to the stage at the Live Aid concert in 1985, performing from his wheelchair.

Pendergrass later founded the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance, an organization whose mission is to encourage and help people with spinal chord injuries achieve their maximum potential in education, employment, housing, productivity and independence, according to its Web site.

Pendergrass gained popularity first as a member of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes on songs including "If You Don’t Know Me by Now," but it was his solo hits that brought him his greatest fame. With songs such as "Love T.K.O.," "Close the Door" and "I Don't Love You Anymore," he came to define a new era of black male singers with his powerful, aggressive vocals that spoke to virility, not vulnerability.

His lyrics were never coarse, as those of later male R&B stars would be, but they had a sensual nature that bordered on erotic without being explicit. More HERE

RIP Teddy Pendergrass Urban Network

Son says soul singer Teddy Pendergrass, injured in 1982 car crash, has died

Hip-Hop Wired 

Harry Reid Is No LBJ, The NAACP and the CBC are a Disgrace on Color Issues

Harry Reid says he is a champion of African American causes. The President of the United States, The Congressional Black Caucus, even the NAACP are also championing Harry Reid now.

I ask all of the readers of this blog to show me the money, or show me the legislation that Harry Reid has authored which has assisted black folks? I don't know of any significant legislation Harry Reid as head of the Senate has supported to address the economic plight of black folks, do you?

Harry Reid is no LBJ, who overcame southern resistance and convinced Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed most forms of racial segregation.  He is no John F. Kennedy who originally proposed the Act and had lined up the necessary votes in the House to pass his civil rights act by the time of his death in November 1963, but it was Johnson who pushed it through the Senate and signed it into law on July 2, 1964.

OK, Mr. President, NAACP, and and Congressional Caucus, has Harry Reid moved any legislation through the congress, like a civil rights bill, the Voting Rights Act, which outlawed discrimination in voting, thus allowing millions of southern blacks to vote for the first time?

What legislation has Harry Reid supported to assist poor and socially marginalized populations during this recession? What jobs program has Harry Reid pushed to make sure the various stimulus packages addressed the recession and it's impact on black America?

And while I'm wondering, what has the CBC, The NACCP and Barack Obama done to address the high joblessness in black America? If you know, please let me know.

PS: Hat Tip and Shout Out to my fellow bloggers, Jill and Jack and Jill Politics for exposing Harry Reid for who he is, fellow BlogTalkRadio host, Black Achievement USA, for his candid talk on Harry Reid about black politics in America, and Skeptical Brother for exposing Micheal Steele for who he apears to be.  Now I can go back to semi-blogger retirement for the next 5.5 Months, or until I get the urge to comment on a hot political issue of the day.

You can always join me on my most popular BlogTalkRadio program, "African American Political Slugfest" to get my latest obeservations on political and social issues of the day.

Old Negro Leaders and Old Steppin Fechit Supporters of Harry Reid

I just finished reading how old guard "negro orgainizations" such as the NAACP have run to the defesnse of Harry Reid.. Garance Franke-Ruta at the washington Post has a great article on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and  how he described then Senator Barack Obama in 2008. Reid who says, "I've apologized to the president. I've apologized to everyone that, within the sound of my voice -- that I could have used a better choice of words."

Now Reid says,  "And I'll continue to do my work for the African American community."

AAPP: Oh, he got the "Affrican-Amerrican" words rights this time. Hmmm.

Reid who described Obama as a "light-skinned" African American "with no Negro dialect," is gaining support from every old fart "negro" group and leader he can get to brown nose, including the NAACP chairman Julian Bond who has been the biggest negro clown in NAACP history. Speaking of clowns, as reported by the Washington Post, NAACP branches of Reno and Las Vegas also accepted Reid's public apologies, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal, saying in a statement Sunday that Reid's voting record -- which had "the highest ratings on issues of critical importance to the African-American community" -- showed his true regard for African Americans. "One need only look at Senator Reid's proven record of leadership on civil rights and social justice to know where his heart truly lies," said Lonnie L. Feemster and Frank Hawkins Jr. in the statement.

AAPP: It's interesting how these negro opinion makers and colored civil rights groups are coming out of the closet to champion Harry Reid and his "brown bag skin color politics of days that should have gone by."

Some say that Harry Reid only said what white Americans think. Many white Americans seem to believe that light skin blacks who are Harvard educated are OK "negroes" to whites, while dark skin blacks who are graduates of, let us say, HBCU's, are not OK or "safe" to whites, or for that matter Senator Reid, Barack Obama, or negroes inside the NAACP and other "colored" organizations that have failed the black community.

I'm reminded of how Senator Reid stood by the door trying to keep now Senator Roland Burris out of the United States Senate. One has to now wonder was Reid refusing to seat Burris due to the color of his skin, more than the need to have Burris testify under oath that he is unblemished by the Blagojevich stain.

With all these "negros" supporting Senator Reid, I realize more and more why black folks are in such bad shape in America. Our caricature acting steppin Fetchit negro leadership, continues to support whites of both parties who could care less about black folks.  Take for example in the new book,  "Game Change," by John Heileman and Mark Halperin, it is alleged that former president Bill Clinton told the late Sen. Ted Kennedy that "a few years ago this guy [Obama] would have been getting us coffee." Damn, is the bigotry coming out in washington, or was it always there and balck folks in leadership continue to sweep it under the rug.

So as these negroes continue to back those who support color aroused hatred towards black folks, we should all remember this on election day, and run against these color aroused,  hate mongering politicans, and their negro supports, to and bring new leadership into Washington.

Regarding the old negro leaders and their useless negro organizations, they will die out anyway...

Listen to this blogtalkradio program on this issue.
 

Negro: Harry Reid's " "The Magical Negro" - Obama “light-skinned” and has “no Negro dialect."

Special Post: So is Harry Reid a color aroused bigot? Did he say "code words" which we would expect out of Republicans, skinheads, and birthers? Is he bringing up memories of Jim Crow and slavery? Why is he using the word ""Negro" ? Why is the word negro becoming in vogue by whites, and the Obama administration. Read more HERE 

No Harry Reid didn't say, Obama “light-skinned” and has “no Negro dialect" that's why he could be President. 

Damn, did the Senate President just call the President of the United States, a light skinned house negro, who knows how to talk with whites? Did the president of the United States, just say, "that's OK Boss." ?

Now we have a former black man, who some blacks consider the next generation  "uncle tom,"  in the name of Al Sharpton - who is now standing with Reid. I guess "The magical negro" is the operative word in 2010.

 

Damon Winter/The New York Times

The NY Times, Washington Post, Politico, Huffington Post, Chicago Sun Times are reporting that Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, apologized on Saturday for saying that he believed Barack Obama could become the country’s first black president because he was “light-skinned” and had the advantage of carrying “no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.”  More HERE

Get this, as reported by the NY Times, the apology was prompted by the release of a new book on the 2008 presidential campaign, which reported that Mr. Reid privately urged Mr. Obama to seek the presidency more than three years ago despite his limited experience and the historical obstacles to making a successful bid for the White House.

Harry Reid response: 

I deeply regret using such a poor choice of words,” Mr. Reid said in a statement. “I sincerely apologize for offending any and all Americans, especially African Americans for my improper comments.”

The remarks from Mr. Reid were the latest in a long-running series of statements that several political figures have made about Mr. Obama, which have underscored the uneasy evolution of race and politics in the United States. Mr. Reid telephoned Mr. Obama on Saturday to apologize.

AAPP:  "That apology is not accepted, not by this African American Political Pundit (AAPP). You should resign Senator Reid. What are you saying, black folks that are dark skin should not be President?  Black Folks who have dark skin should pass the harry reid "bag test?" 

And what is this word "Negro" and "Negro dialect."



Maybe GOP Leader, "Fried chicken" Steele should resign as well.

Question No. 9 on this year's census form asks about race, with one of the answers listed as "black, African-Am. or Negro."

Read more: HERE

But, President Barack Obama has accepted Harry Reid's comments saying:

“I accepted Harry’s apology without question because I’ve known him for years, I’ve seen the passionate leadership he’s shown on issues of social justice and I know what’s in his heart,” Mr. Obama said in a statement released by the White House. “As far as I am concerned, the book is closed.”

AAPP: "Ouch! Mr. President, with all due respect,  “As far as I am concerned, the book is not closed for the African American community.” - “You have accepted Harry’s apology without question because you have known him for years." Well Mr. President, you have known a bigot for years. This man, Harry Reid needs to resign." He is part of a culture in America that should be alarming to all reasonable people in America. I urge you to watch this video and then ask the question, does Mr. Reid add fuel to the fire of these bigots: 

NOTE: Harry Reid's comments about Barack Obama are contained in a passage of the book “Game Change,” by political journalists John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, which is set to be released by Harper on Monday.

You can contact AAPP via email at: africanamericanpoliticalpundit@gmail.com

UPDATE:

PS: Hat Tip and Shout Out to my fellow bloggers, Jill and Jack and Jill Politics for exposing Harry Reid for who he is, fellow BlogTalkRadio host, Black Achievement USA, for his candid talk on Harry Reid about black politics in America, and Skeptical Brother for exposing Micheal Steele for who he apears to be.  Now I can go back to semi-blogger retirement for the next 5.5 Months, or until I get the urge to comment on a hot political issue of the day.

You can always join me on my most popular BlogTalkRadio program, "African American Political Slugfest" to get my latest obeservations on political and social issues of the day.

More Negro stuff below:

Reid Shill Stephanopoulos Stresses 'Negro Dialect' Supposed To Be ...
The Washington Monthly
Majikthise : Harry Reid apologizes for "negro" comment
The Negro Dialect | The Black Sphere
Harry Reid 'Negro' Comment: Reid Apologizes For 'No Negro Dialect ...
Reid Repents for 'Negro' Remarks - Political Punch
Negro-Gate
Harry Reid: Obama 'Light-Skinned' 'with No Negro Dialect' - Big ... 

Speaking of "Negro" ... : Greg Laden's Blog
Reid apologizes for “no Negro dialect” comment about Barack ...

Landmark Taser Torture Court Ruling In America - Special Post

I have come out of Semi-Blogger Retirement to write this special post on Taser Torture in America. I want to thank Rikyrah for the link, and Hudson Sangree and Kim Minugh at SACBEE.com for their excellent reporting of this landmark decision.  As reported by SACBEE.com, A federal appeals court on Monday issued one of the most comprehensive rulings yet limiting police use of Tasers against low-level offenders who seem to pose little threat and may be mentally ill.

In a case out of San Diego County, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals criticized an officer who, without warning, shot an emotionally troubled man with a Taser when he was unarmed, yards away, and neither fleeing nor advancing on the officer.

Sold as a nonlethal alternative to guns, Tasers deliver an electrical jolt meant to subdue a subject. The stun guns have become a common and increasingly controversial tool used by law enforcement.

There have been at least nine Taser-related fatalities in the Sacramento region, including the death earlier this month of Paul Martinez Jr., an inmate shot with a stun gun while allegedly resisting officers at the Roseville jail.

As lawsuits have proliferated against police and Taser International, which manufactures the weapons, the nation's appellate courts have been trying to define what constitutes appropriate Taser use.

The San Diego County case is the latest ruling to address the issue.

The court recounted the facts of the case:

In the summer of 2005, Carl Bryan, 21, was pulled over for a seat-belt violation and did not follow an officer's order to stay in the car.

Earlier, he had received a speeding ticket and had taken off his T-shirt to wipe away tears. He was wearing only the underwear he'd slept in because a woman had taken his keys, the court said without further explanation.

During his second traffic stop in Coronado, he got out of the car. He was "agitated … yelling gibberish and hitting his thighs, clad only in his boxer shorts and tennis shoes" but did not threaten the officer verbally or physically, the judges wrote.

That's when Coronado Police Officer Brian McPherson, who was standing about 20 feet away watching Bryan's "bizarre tantrum," fired his Taser, the court said.

Without a word of warning, he hit Bryan in the arm with two metal darts, delivering a 1,200-volt jolt.

Temporarily paralyzed and in intense pain, Bryan fell face-first on the pavement. The fall shattered four of his front teeth and left him with facial abrasions and swelling. Later, a doctor had to use a scalpel to remove one of the darts.

Bryan sued McPherson, the Coronado Police Department and the city of Coronado, alleging excessive force in violation of his Fourth Amendment rights.

The officer moved to have the claim dismissed, but a federal trial judge ruled in Bryan's favor.

A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit affirmed the trial judge's ruling on Monday, concluding that the level of force used by the officer was excessive.

McPherson could have waited for backup or tried to talk the man down, the judges said. If Bryan was mentally ill, as the officer contended, then there was even more reason to use "less intrusive means," the judges said.

"Officer McPherson's desire to quickly and decisively end an unusual and tense situation is understandable," Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw wrote for the court. "His chosen method for doing so violated Bryan's constitutional right to be free from excessive force." . Read More HERE

AAPP, publisher of the blog, Tasered While Black and Stop Taser Torture said: "This is a great landmark ruling. I'm glad to hear that this Federal Judge had the guts to stand up for what is right, rather than to follow the script layed out by Taser International and Police Departments for so many years. We still need to work hard to get these weapons of American Torture outlawed in the United States.  Limiting the use of tasers by police is one gigantic step forward in that regard."

We will be talking about the taser torture decision tonight on my blogtalk radio program. Join us, to find out what average black Americans think about the taser torture issue and other issues impacting America.

Blogging Via BlogTalkRadio

I have stopped blogging for the next 6 months. You can however hear my political observations on political issues of the day on blogtalkradio. Want to hear black folks views regarding President Barack obama, Congress, black conservative and liberal thoughts, green party issues, the Congressional Black Caucus, The NAACP, Crime, Violence, Tasering updates, faith issues, gay an lesbian issues, health care reform, Black politics, and much more... Come on in and join the conversation. Call in on Monday, Wednesday or Friday at 10 PM, EST at 718-508-9867... "If you can handle the truth."

Tasering of another 10 Year Old - Today is Stop Taser Torture blogging for Justice Day.

 

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...

Afghanistan, Is President Obama Another U.S. Presidential Warlord?

How long does it take a mild-mannered, anti-war, black professor of constitutional law, trained as a community organiser on the South Side of Chicago, to become an enthusiastic sponsor of targeted assassinations, 'decapitation' strategies and remote-control bombing of mud houses at the far end of the globe? More HERE

That was a great question made by, Alexander Cockburn a number of months ago. Now we know the answer. Not long. Now after months of debate, President Barack Obama has spelled out a costly Afghanistan war expansion to a skeptical public Tuesday night, coupling an infusion of as many as 35,000 more troops with a vow that there will be no endless U.S. commitment. As reported by MSNBC, His first orders have already been made: at least one group of Marines who will be in place by Christmas. 

 

President Barack Obama outlines a new strategy in Afghanistan during a press conference Tuesday night. 

Obama has said that he prefers "not to hand off anything to the next president" and that his strategy will "put us on a path toward ending the war." The fact of the matter is Obama campaigned on a pledge to 'decapitate' al-Qaeda, meaning the assassination of its leaders. His course is set and his presidency already permanently stained the ever-familiar blood-red tint. There's no short-cut in counter-insurgency. More HERE

The mild-mannered professor is bidding to be as sure-footed as Bush and Cheney in trampling on constitutional rights. He's planning to restore Bush's kangaroo courts for prisoners at Guantanamo who've never even been formally charged with a crime! He's threatening to hold some prisoners indefinitely in the US without trial. Is this the change you can believe in? 

AAPP: I must be one of the 10% of black Americans not feelin' the President and his war mongering policies. One day Black america willl wake up and ask, OK, Black President, yes,  but am I better off than I was 4 years ago?

"The president's speech could have been written by George W. Bush speech writers. Like so many Americans I have grown tired of war, tired of crooked politicans, tired of crimes in American streets, tired of taser torture in America. I'm just sick and tired about being sick and tired. The President of the United States has lost major credibility with me, and probably with most black independent voters."


I guess I will be voting green Party next Presidential election.


Check out the great fact checking by The Washington Post:

President Obama addresses cadets as he speaks about the war in Afghanistan at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

8:44 p.m. -- Timeline for withdrawal
"I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home. Taken together, these additional American and international troops will allow us to accelerate handing over responsibility to Afghan forces, and allow us to begin the transfer of our forces out of Afghanistan in July of 2011."

This is likely to be the most controversial notion in the speech -- that the president can flood the zone with troops, and that in the same breath he can talk about removing them from the country. In a superficial way, it resembles Bush's surge in Iraq, but Bush was truly limited by troop availability and thus even if he wanted to keep them longer it would have been difficult.

Obama is careful to offer a caveat -- "we will execute this transition responsibly, taking into account conditions on the ground" -- but that date is likely to linger in viewers' minds. This administration has had real trouble meeting deadlines -- witness the difficulty with closing the detainee facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba -- so it will be interesting to see how much of an albatross this date becomes.
--Glenn Kessler

Obama's timeline for the start of a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan is likely to stir some concerns in military circles, even though the pace of that eventual drawdown remains vague. Many in the military will recall how both in Iraq and Afghanistan previous predictions about the need for fewer troops proved overly optimistic and destabilizing when drawdowns were undertaken without regard for deteriorating security.
In addition, some U.S. military officers may worry that the Obama timeline, while a warning to the Karzai government, could also encourage Taliban insurgents who seek simply to outlast the military offensive.
--Ann Scott Tyson

8:40 p.m. -- Parsing the cost
"Our new approach in Afghanistan is likely to cost us roughly 30 billion dollars for the military this year, and I will work closely with Congress to address these costs as we work to bring down our deficit."

Administration officials say this short-term troop increase will be paid for through a supplemental appropriation--something Obama had said he would not do and a practice which Democrats had heavily criticized during the Bush years. Republicans are content to simply let it paid through deficit spending, but some leading Democrats are talking about a tax or a surcharge that would fall heavily on the most wealthy. Expect a big fight on this question.
--Glenn Kessler

8:35 p.m. -- The logistics of deployment
The president wants the 30,000 additional troops to begin deploying in early 2010 and arrive at the "fastest pace possible." But getting all those troops to Afghanistan by mid-2010 will be a huge challenge for the military.

In addition to identifying and preparing additional units for deployment, the Pentagon faces an enormous logistical challenge in moving troops and their supplies to Afghanistan. Because the country is land-locked, everything has to arrive by air or by ship and then be moved by truck through Pakistan. Shipping goods from the United States to forward-operating bases in Helmand province is a journey that can take weeks.

Then there is the challenge of housing the new troops. Unlike in Iraq, there are no unused military installations in Afghanistan into which the new forces can move. Combat engineers and contractors will have to construct and expand existing military facilities, which could take months.
--Rajiv Chandrasekaran

8:31 p.m. -- Point, counterpoint
"I recognize that there are a range of concerns about our approach. So let me briefly address a few of the prominent arguments that I have heard, which I take very seriously."

This is an effective section, laying out the case against worries that Afghanistan is another Vietnam, that the U.S. can keep going with the current troop level, and that there should be no exit strategy. The president is talking to several audiences here -- first, Democrats who want to quit the war, then doubters in his own administration (such as Vice President Biden) and finally Republicans who dislike deadlines for exiting a war.
Quoting Eisenhower is a nice touch--he doesn't often get cited in presidential speeches, but he was an ex-general skeptical of military demands and a fiscal conservative.
--Glenn Kessler

8:26 p.m. -- Does this deployment amount to a surge?
In deciding to add 30,000 troops in Afghanistan, is President Obama about to oversee a "surge"?

Based on advanced text of the speech, Obama will not use the 's' word to describe his military escalation during his speech tonight. But he did advocate a "civilian surge," and a senior administration official used the word "surge" - a loaded term that defined President Bush's escalation in Iraq, which Obama fiercely opposed - to describe the new policy in explaining it to reporters earlier today.

"The concept that he'll describe is to surge American forces to do several things," the senior official said, speaking on anonymity according to the ground rules laid by the White House. "He will also announce that this surge, if you will, will be for a defined period of time."

Obama has used Iraq as a frequent counterpoint, arguing once more that it had been a distraction from the Afghan front - and reminding the audience that he had opposed invading Iraq "precisely because I believe that we must exercise restraint in the use of military force, and always consider the long-term consequences of our actions." But he also welcomed an Iraq comparison in one respect - saying he would oversee a withdrawal from Afghanistan as, he said, he has done in Iraq. "Just as we have done in Iraq, we will execute this transition responsibly, taking into account conditions on the ground," Obama said.
--Anne Kornblut

8:23 p.m. -- America's war?
"Of course, this burden is not ours alone to bear. This is not just America's war. Since 9/11, al Qaeda's safe-havens have been the source of attacks against London and Amman and Bali.... Because this is an international effort, I have asked that our commitment be joined by contributions from our allies. Some have already provided additional troops, and we are confident that there will be further contributions in the days and weeks ahead. Our friends have fought and bled and died alongside us in Afghanistan. Now, we must come together to end this war successfully. For what's at stake is not simply a test of NATO's credibility - what's at stake is the security of our Allies, and the common security of the world. "

These are likely lines from Obama's many conversations with world leaders -- especially from NATO countries -- in recent days seeking additional troops. But so far it is not clear how much success he has had. Britain has offered up just 500 troops, but French officials have made it pretty clear no more troops are coming. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to Brussels on Thursday to help make the case with NATO allies.
--Glenn Kessler

8:22 p.m. -- Fact checking Obama on 2010 deployments
"Let me be clear: there has never been an option before me that called for troop deployments before 2010, so there has been no delay or denial of resources necessary for the conduct of the war."

This is technically true, but it is also the case that McChrystal's September report insisted that reinforcements were needed as quickly as possible to arrest the decline in Afghanistan and shift the momentum away from the Taliban. McChrystal has since said that he supports the policy review that the Obama administration conducted.
In addition, Gen. David McKiernan had made a request for an additional 10,000 U.S. troops that technically did not go before President Obama because it was not forwarded to him by the Pentagon -- but the request existed and was referred to by Gen. McChrystal in his report.
--Greg Jaffe and Ann Scott Tyson

8:20 p.m. -- Fact checking Obama on troop requests
"Commanders in Afghanistan repeatedly asked for support to deal with the reemergence of the Taliban, but these reinforcements did not arrive. That's why, shortly after taking office, I approved a long-standing request for more troops."

Both of General Stanley A. McChrystal's predecessors asked for additional troops from the Bush administration. In spring 2009, Gen. David McKiernan asked for additional troops and received about 21,000. He also wanted about 10,000 additional forces in early 2010, but the decision on those troops was deferred. McKiernan was fired from his command a few months later.
--Greg Jaffe

8:15 p.m. -- Obama's history lesson
President Obama took an unusual tack with the start of his speech -- a lengthy description of the war's history and the connection between the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and the war now being waged in Afghanistan.

As is so often his custom, Obama used the moment to regret partisan divisions. He said that the debate over Iraq had "created a highly polarized and partisan backdrop," and called for the citizenry to stop being "split asunder by the same rancor and cynicism and partisanship that has in recent times poisoned our national discourse." But the very timeline he laid out seemed destined to be seen forever through a political lens, with new troops arriving just before the congressional midterms in 2010, and starting to draw down at the outset of the next presidential election cycle the following summer.

While the recollection of the start of the war is reminiscent of former president George W. Bush, Obama's recounting of the the votes in Congress and the support of the United Nations and NATO is clearly an effort to reestablish the legitimacy of the enterprise--something Bush rarely felt he needed to do.

The president skipped lightly over Iraq, and the fact that the surge he opposed as a senator helped set the stage for the drawdown of troops in Iraq that he celebrates. Instead, he faulted Bush for the situation he confronts in Afghanistan: "while we have achieved hard-earned milestones in Iraq, the situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated."
It's interesting the president feels the need to recount this history at such length, almost as if he is trying to escape the moniker of "Obama's war."
--Glenn Kessler and Anne Kornblut

7:35 p.m.
President Obama will culminate a months-long review of Afghanistan strategy tonight with a prime-time speech from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The president is expected to announce an accelerated deployment of 30,000 additional U.S. troops to the region and set July 2011 as the date when he will begin withdrawing forces after nearly a decade of war.

AAPP says:  Great Job Washington Post!


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