Get off my lawn!

[Enrique]

Run time: 00:09 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBcasl2b0Ug   Posted on YouTube: October 30, 2008 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: October 31, 2008 By DU Member: Enrique Views on DU: 1153

 
via Wonkette:

http://wonkette.com/404009/mccain-fan-electrifies-little-boys-who-are-on-his-lawn

This video is magical: “Shawn Turschak of Chapel Hill was tired of someone stealing McCain-Palin campaign signs from his yard. Turschak, with a degree in electrical engineering, hooked up a third sign to a power source for an electric pet fence Monday and also put up a surveillance camera.” Look at the little Obama kid get ZAPPED like a ho and then run home to his father, Joe Biden. Ha ha! DAMN KIDS.

[Liberalatus]

1. Good idea

Its wrong for either side to be doing this. But I'm wondering where a 9 year old got the idea to steal some political signs??

[Connonym]

4. assault with a potentially lethal jolt of electricity, yeah the punishment fits the crime here

I think we should start lethal injections for little kids who steal candy :eyes:

[Clovis Sangrail]

6. but if it would be OK if the guy was protecting his Obama sign.. right? /nt

[Connonym]

7. oh you with your sarcastic presumptions -- of course it wouldn't be okay

assault is assault and in the case of a lawn sign, while I know from firsthand experience how frustrating it is to have a lawn sign vandalized, I unequivocally believe that potentially deadly force should only be used in the defense of life and never property. And before you laugh at the likelihood of this being deadly -- anyone with a pacemaker would be at risk, a pregnancy could be miscarried, a seizure order set off, a person with low electrolytes or with a heart abnormality could be killed. Sudden cardiac death is not pretty. Even if one survives it (which is not very likely) the likelihood of not suffering an anoxic brain injury is even more remote. Tampering with a lawn sign doesn't justify the serious consequences that could result -- no matter what lawn sign it is.

I'm a pacifist and I reject violence as an easy answer to a problem. I don't think this is any more okay than torture or the death penalty. Over and above classifying myself as a Democrat I am a progressive and a liberal first.

[Clovis Sangrail]

10. so we should outlaw pet fences?

somebody with a pacemaker might walk up onto the lawn and touch the 9v pet shock fence... right?

Sudden loss of fingers isn't pretty either but I still use a lawnmower.
I just have to trust that nobody walking down the street is going to run up and reach under the mower while I'm using it.

Luckily running onto somebody else's property and grabbing at their stuff is generally not accepted behavior.
(by society or the police)

I guess the rules are different with political signs.

[Liberalatus]

8. Exaggerating doesn't help

It was barely a jolt at all. He set it up with a pet containment fence that is equivalent of a 9v charge. AND he has a degree in Electrical Engineering, so the guy knew what he was doing. It was not that bad, and besides, you are ignoring the fact that the person, child or not, was doing something illegal, and the guy has every right to protect his property.

[Connonym]

9. you know anyone with a pacemaker? Have you ever known someone with sudden cardiac death?

It's not an exaggeration. It's recommended that people with defibs and pacemakers not even go through a metal detector because it's potentially dangerous. Not only do you not know what you're talking about with regards to the danger of that stunt I also highly doubt your liberal cred with the belief that it's okay to defend a plastic sign with physical endangerment. I don't disagree that the kid did something illegal but it's not for some yahoo to decide to use that kind of punishment. Do you approve of torture too?

[Liberalatus]

11. You sound ridiculous

An argument can be made for ANY kind of action someone takes. If the guy put peppers on his sign, someone could be allergic and end up dead. If the guy put a car alarm on it, someone could have been scared and had a heart attack. Even if he just put a trip wire, or dug a hole and covered it up, the person could have fallen and broken their neck. There will always be a small risk in any action taken, so by your logic, no one should ever take any action to protect themselves, family, property? I realize this is an exaggeration, but it sounds just as spurious as you do to me. The point is, he didn't set up a landmine, or shoot the person or something over the top to protect his little piece of plastic. He also did not set up the jolt with the "intention" of killing someone, or hospitalizing someone, and even if it did happen, it still would not be his fault, as it never would have happened if the person was not stealing to begin with.

Does stealing a little plastic sign warrant you to be killed? No. But that is not what he set up. Does stealing it warrant you to have a little surprise jolt? Sure. I actually think that's not enough. I think a night in jail would do them some good. And if you have a pacemaker or defib, than you should know the risks and special care that you have to take to protect yourself. Just like someone with a lethal peanut allergy. If you aren't sure whether something has nuts, you probably shouldn't eat it.

I am well aware of the "dangers" associated with the stunt. You can doubt my liberal "cred" whatever you mean by that, if you wish. I know where I stand and what I believe in. But you do realize that sounds like a "holier than thou", self-righteous Christian-type attitude, though, right? And no, I do not approve of torture, although that has so little to do with any of this, I'm surprised it was mentioned. But at least you know a little more about me, and where I stand on that issue. Take it easy, its only the internet, mate. Cheers!

[Connonym]

12. This is clearly something where we will never agree so I'm willing to agree to disagree

we're looking at this from totally different angles because I flat out don't believe that we should use violence to protect property and I think vigilantism is an iffy proposition. The guy had a camera, he wasn't looking to find the culprit to turn over to the police (which would have been the right thing to do). He was looking to be a voyeur and record someone getting punished and I think that's a little fucked up.

[RoccoR5955]

2. That's just for kids.

I have a robotic machine gun hooked up to motion sensors in front of my house. One of the neighbors' dogs got turned into dogburger when he peed on the sign! That'll teach him!

[iamthebandfanman]

3. the guy is lucky it wasnt me...

id never steal someones sign....
but if i did and it shocked me and i realised it was intentional...

he wouldnt have either sign by morning, id promise you that ;)

[WhoIsNumberNone]

5. Look closely

That kid is carrying an Obama sign. Looks to me like he's just taking signs indiscriminately.