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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: combjelly who wrote (355025)	10/16/2007 1:51:43 PM
From: longnshort	Respond to of 1582684

Odd argument "With the release of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' memoir, 'My Grandfather's Son,' all of the old smears directed against him since his confirmation hearings 16 years ago are once again being trotted out," James Kirchick writes in the Los Angeles Times. "That he's 'incompetent.' That he's 'not qualified.' That the only reason he was appointed is because he's black. In other words, that he's a product of affirmative action or, more precisely, an 'affirmative-action hire,' said Mr. Kirchick, who is on the editorial staff of the New Republic. "Last week, for instance, liberal Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson wrote: 'I believe in affirmative action, but I have to acknowledge there are arguments against it. One of the more cogent is the presence of Justice Clarence Thomas on the U.S. Supreme Court.' "Robinson's comment echoes many previous attacks. In 2000, for example, Newsweek columnist Anna Quindlen — another liberal who has written in support of affirmative action — declared that Thomas' 'judicial resume was mediocre; he was chosen because he was conservative and black, an affirmative-action hire by an administration that eschewed affirmative action.' "Many liberal Democrats aren't willing to say out loud what Robinson and Quindlen wrote so clearly. After all, they're conditioned to defend racial preferences, which they insist do not promote 'incompetent' or 'unqualified' people. But that doesn't mean they don't think it. Even The American Prospect magazine, a liberal journal that sees its mission as 'beating back the right wing,' ran an article two years ago calling Thomas the 'most visible affirmative action hire in all the land, a token black nominee whose lack of qualifications was so painfully outed during his confirmation hearings.' "How can you support a policy of racial preferences and then attack one of its supposed beneficiaries as undeserving? This, ultimately, is the intrinsic hypocrisy of the Thomas bashers."

To: combjelly who wrote (355025)	10/16/2007 2:04:00 PM
From: tejek	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1582684

"Frankly, I think the problem stems as much from the users as the taser themselves." Actually, I think the users are more to blame. Why did they taser him twice? In the cases where there have been video of a controversial arrest, the law enforcement people usually taser several times, often in very short order. Usually before the target can regain control of their muscles. So this is likely a training issue. You're probably right although I have to believe a surge of electricity in a body that is not in top shape can do some damage too. There are plenty of videos of tasers being used on Youtube. In most cases, they taser the guy once, he goes down, and they take control of him. Which is totally different from the cases where they use it like a nightstick. Whack him, if he isn't limp, then whack him some more. Which isn't how the device is supposed to be used. I am reminded of a case in Houston some years back. It was before Lee Brown was police chief and was one of the cases that led to his hiring. An officer noticed some activity in a warehouse, after hours. He entered the warehouse and a guy with a screwdriver came at him. He drew his weapon and shot the guy, who kept coming and feel to the floor at the officer's feet. Who then continued shooting, reloading several times. If I recall correctly, there were in excess of 20 rounds expended, most of which hit the pile of hamburger at his feet. In other words, the cop panicked. Which is probably not what you want. That's right. Many of them panic. Another aspect........the taser seems to bring out the Sado in some of these guys. There is the video of the cop tasering a drunk woman......she would try to comply with his commands but he would taser her again. Its sickening to watch.