Thursday, February 17, 2005
Attack of the Stun Gun Grabbers
Local activists are shocked - shocked! - at police shockers
The Austin Chronicle recently reported on a protest by the Austin Spokescouncil (aka "Spokes"), a loose confederation of local leftist activist groups, that railed against police stun guns, also known as Tasers.
The protest was ostensibly to prevent the Austin Police Department from using these alternatives to firearms. In the words of Spokes organizer, Debbie Russell, Taser use is tantamount to "torture for profit." Said Russell, "It's all about our public money going towards these private entities so that they can profit off of abusing human rights." The Chronicle story also mentions that, according to Amnesty International, 80 deaths have occurred in last last 4 years in North America.
This article fails to mention:
Local activists are shocked - shocked! - at police shockers
The Austin Chronicle recently reported on a protest by the Austin Spokescouncil (aka "Spokes"), a loose confederation of local leftist activist groups, that railed against police stun guns, also known as Tasers.
The protest was ostensibly to prevent the Austin Police Department from using these alternatives to firearms. In the words of Spokes organizer, Debbie Russell, Taser use is tantamount to "torture for profit." Said Russell, "It's all about our public money going towards these private entities so that they can profit off of abusing human rights." The Chronicle story also mentions that, according to Amnesty International, 80 deaths have occurred in last last 4 years in North America.
This article fails to mention:
- What neighborhood and civil rights groups think about a less-lethal weapon being taken away from local law enforcement, thus increasing the likelihood of more deadly firearms being used
- How many firearm injuries and deaths have occurred since Tasers were rolled out to APD versus before
- The reaction of the the Austin Police Department or Travis County Sheriff's Office, key stakeholders in the Taser discussion. Have those key stakeholders been engaged?
- The alternatives does the Austin Spokescouncil recommend for times when law enforcement must use force to subdue a violent suspect or otherwise defend themselves
- Of the 80 deaths supposedly attributable to Tasers in the last 4 years, how many of those were caused by law enforcement officers versus private citizens? Of those fatalities caused by law enforcement officers, how many were also attributable to improper training/use, defective equipment or extenuating circumstances (like the suspect being high on methamphetimine at the time).
I hope the Austin City Council will thoroughly explore these questions and different sides to the story before making a public policy decision that could have severe and far-reaching consequences. I also hope the local legacy media will do the same to lend more nuance and intellectual sophistication to this debate.
Local Blog Flogging
Hill Country Views has keen insights into the mind of new DNC Chairman, Howard Dean. Apparently, Chairman Dean might be afraid of himself!
UrbanGrounds examines the wisdom of naming a nuclear attack submarine the USS Jimmy Carter.
The Fire Ant Gazette talks up Peggy Noonan's dynamite article in the WSJ today on the many public services provided by the blogosphere.
There are so many money quotes in her article, but I think the best is: "That you get it free doesn't mean commerce isn't involved, for it is. It is intellectual commerce. Bloggers give you information and point of view. In return you give them your attention and intellectual energy." Here, she nails the intrinsic draw for me and many other bloggers. We have something to say that people want to hear. Now, the means to easily connect the two exist.
Read the Noonan article, Fire Ant's post and his commenters. It's all good!
Hill Country Views has keen insights into the mind of new DNC Chairman, Howard Dean. Apparently, Chairman Dean might be afraid of himself!
UrbanGrounds examines the wisdom of naming a nuclear attack submarine the USS Jimmy Carter.
The Fire Ant Gazette talks up Peggy Noonan's dynamite article in the WSJ today on the many public services provided by the blogosphere.
There are so many money quotes in her article, but I think the best is: "That you get it free doesn't mean commerce isn't involved, for it is. It is intellectual commerce. Bloggers give you information and point of view. In return you give them your attention and intellectual energy." Here, she nails the intrinsic draw for me and many other bloggers. We have something to say that people want to hear. Now, the means to easily connect the two exist.
Read the Noonan article, Fire Ant's post and his commenters. It's all good!
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
More CAMPO fall out
KeathMilligan.net posts videos of last nights CAMPO meeting and the aftermath. Keath expertly interposes the most interesting clips that show why this was one of the liveliest public hearings I've been to. The video of Buster McCracken busting CAMPO's crack numbers guys is telling.
Austin Bloggers Track National Stories
UrbanGrounds highlights the dangers of affirmative action run amok....hopefully not to be replayed at a university near you.
TexasBug (honorary Austin blogger) continues her fine milblogging by digging up an obscure story about a big weapons find in Iraq. Money quote: "It's truly fascinating as to the amount of weapons found and destroyed by our troops." And it's also truly fascinating the amount stories documenting these efforts found and destroyed by the MSM controllers.
KeathMilligan.net posts videos of last nights CAMPO meeting and the aftermath. Keath expertly interposes the most interesting clips that show why this was one of the liveliest public hearings I've been to. The video of Buster McCracken busting CAMPO's crack numbers guys is telling.
Austin Bloggers Track National Stories
UrbanGrounds highlights the dangers of affirmative action run amok....hopefully not to be replayed at a university near you.
TexasBug (honorary Austin blogger) continues her fine milblogging by digging up an obscure story about a big weapons find in Iraq. Money quote: "It's truly fascinating as to the amount of weapons found and destroyed by our troops." And it's also truly fascinating the amount stories documenting these efforts found and destroyed by the MSM controllers.
Monday, February 14, 2005
"It's Valentines Day, and my heart is broken"
CAMPO votes to be more ignorant
I just got back from the CAMPO meeting at the Thompson Conference Center on the UT Campus. It was 4 hours of mind-numbingly arcane detail, public testimony ranging from heartfelt to nearly deranged, and clever politicking.
The main attraction of the meeting was to vote on agenda item 7: "Consideration of a resolution to Obtain Information Regarding the TxDOT/CTRMA Phase 2 Toll Plan and Appoint an Independent Panel to Analyze the Phase 2 Plan". In other words, do more research on the costs and economic effects of the current toll plan.
Councilman Buster McCracken, the item's champion, expertly exposed the incongruous numbers proffered in the current plan (paying $.25 to collect a dime?) in proving the need for the independent panel. Showing an almost Clintonian triangulation sense, on a couple of occasions he fired off an incendiary question sure to inflame the audience's pent up passions. Then, turn around and calmly lecture them for calm.
Sadly, CAMPO voted down the what I thought was a fairly low risk item in a convincing vote, meaning they will not commission and independent review of the phase II toll plan that would study more updated cost information, actual congestion relief estimates and environmental impacts.
One such environmental impact was poignantly spoken by Ms. Becky Helfin (I may have the spelling wrong...My apologies). Gracious, earnest and dignified, Ms. Helfin was a clear contrast compared to some of the other public witnesses, who...uh, how can I graciously say this? - exemplified Austin's weirdness. Opening with the statement "It's Valentine's Day, and my heart is broken," Ms. Helfin explained that as an Oak Hill resident, her and her family would be wedged in between two new toll roads in the current plan. To get into town for work and school, her teenage daughter would have to pay $130/month. Her family would end up paying $500/mo! That's $6000 in new expenditures each year. At this price, said Ms. Helfin, many poorer folk would end up taking the no-charge, stop-light lanes, meaning congestion there would probably increase verses today. That is heartbreaking indeed.
The perfunctory discussion by the board members prior to voting was very unsatisfying. (Senator Barrientos dutifully marched the group towards a vote before the 10:00 pm deadline for vacating the premises. But for heaven's sake, with all the venues in town, can't one be found that does not have the unseemly space and time constraints of the Thompson Center for such a weighty topic?) Mr. Daigh, at Commissioner Gerald Daugherty's behest, implied that a delay in the phase II plan could jeopardize state funds. McCracken retorted that there really wouldn't be a delay and there is no evidence funds would be lost. Rep. Todd Baxter asked if El Paso's independent review led to a loss of funds. It was then 5 minutes before 10:00. Barrientos had to close down this important debate so the vote could happen before the UT witching hour....
Keel - Aye
Sonlietner - No
Aulick - No
Limmer - No
Naishtat - Aye
Strama - Aye
Biscoe - No
McCracken - Aye
Daugherty - No (this was a surprise)
Wynn - Aye (this, too, was a surprise. Maybe he noticed the "Recall Will Wynn" petition booth outside the front door)
After it was all finished, the no's had it with a comfortable margin. More hearts are broken than just Ms. Helfin's. I'll post more on this tomorrow. Stay tuned.....
CAMPO votes to be more ignorant
I just got back from the CAMPO meeting at the Thompson Conference Center on the UT Campus. It was 4 hours of mind-numbingly arcane detail, public testimony ranging from heartfelt to nearly deranged, and clever politicking.
The main attraction of the meeting was to vote on agenda item 7: "Consideration of a resolution to Obtain Information Regarding the TxDOT/CTRMA Phase 2 Toll Plan and Appoint an Independent Panel to Analyze the Phase 2 Plan". In other words, do more research on the costs and economic effects of the current toll plan.
Councilman Buster McCracken, the item's champion, expertly exposed the incongruous numbers proffered in the current plan (paying $.25 to collect a dime?) in proving the need for the independent panel. Showing an almost Clintonian triangulation sense, on a couple of occasions he fired off an incendiary question sure to inflame the audience's pent up passions. Then, turn around and calmly lecture them for calm.
Sadly, CAMPO voted down the what I thought was a fairly low risk item in a convincing vote, meaning they will not commission and independent review of the phase II toll plan that would study more updated cost information, actual congestion relief estimates and environmental impacts.
One such environmental impact was poignantly spoken by Ms. Becky Helfin (I may have the spelling wrong...My apologies). Gracious, earnest and dignified, Ms. Helfin was a clear contrast compared to some of the other public witnesses, who...uh, how can I graciously say this? - exemplified Austin's weirdness. Opening with the statement "It's Valentine's Day, and my heart is broken," Ms. Helfin explained that as an Oak Hill resident, her and her family would be wedged in between two new toll roads in the current plan. To get into town for work and school, her teenage daughter would have to pay $130/month. Her family would end up paying $500/mo! That's $6000 in new expenditures each year. At this price, said Ms. Helfin, many poorer folk would end up taking the no-charge, stop-light lanes, meaning congestion there would probably increase verses today. That is heartbreaking indeed.
The perfunctory discussion by the board members prior to voting was very unsatisfying. (Senator Barrientos dutifully marched the group towards a vote before the 10:00 pm deadline for vacating the premises. But for heaven's sake, with all the venues in town, can't one be found that does not have the unseemly space and time constraints of the Thompson Center for such a weighty topic?) Mr. Daigh, at Commissioner Gerald Daugherty's behest, implied that a delay in the phase II plan could jeopardize state funds. McCracken retorted that there really wouldn't be a delay and there is no evidence funds would be lost. Rep. Todd Baxter asked if El Paso's independent review led to a loss of funds. It was then 5 minutes before 10:00. Barrientos had to close down this important debate so the vote could happen before the UT witching hour....
Keel - Aye
Sonlietner - No
Aulick - No
Limmer - No
Naishtat - Aye
Strama - Aye
Biscoe - No
McCracken - Aye
Daugherty - No (this was a surprise)
Wynn - Aye (this, too, was a surprise. Maybe he noticed the "Recall Will Wynn" petition booth outside the front door)
After it was all finished, the no's had it with a comfortable margin. More hearts are broken than just Ms. Helfin's. I'll post more on this tomorrow. Stay tuned.....
