Tasers VS. Torture Revisited. Are Tasers Torture?

[Bonobo]

Cambridge on-line:
"1 the act of causing great physical or mental pain in order to persuade someone to do something or to give information, or as an act of cruelty to a person or animal:"

merriam-webster on-line:
"2: the infliction of intense pain (as from burning, crushing, or wounding) to punish, coerce, or afford sadistic pleasure"

NOW... No one here would seriously argue that taser use results in anything less than "intense pain". Some here, however, advance the argument that since the pain is relatively short and usually results in no injury, then it is substantively different than torture. If you think this is a reasonable, as opposed to a "tortured argument", than you might as well stop reading here.

But let me go on about the guidelines for the use of tasers. THEY NEVER WERE MEANT TO BE USED AS A MEANS OF COERCION/COMPLIANCE BUT THEY ARE IN INCREASING NUMBERS! They were originally sold as "defensive weapons" (something they are NOT well suited for BTW.)

I see the compliance issue to be the key one here. Either causing extreme pain to gain compliance is torture or it is not.

Some here will try to say that a submission hold (i.e. twisting the wrist or elbow) is the same thing as applying 50,000 volts by shooting a 2-tipped prong into a person. I must disagree. I have never been tasered, but I have applied and had those types of submission holds applied top me. There is a qualitative difference. When a submission hold is being applied to you, the applier knows how far that joint will go before it breaks. It comes with the training. The person receiving the move really has no choice. They WILL submit. Your body is very resistant to moving in an unnatural direction and the pain is on the order of a fraction of a second as opposed to a 5 second burst of pain that reduces you to a writhing, quivering worm crying for mommy. The defenders of tasers will say it is a short period of time. Well, compared to being tortured on the rack, I guess it is. But it's relative you know. And by the way, lots of these people get the taser 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 times. IF they don't do what they're supposed to. Like, umm, get up or something.

SLC adopts stricter Taser guidelines
http://www.theppsc.org/forums/showthread.php?t=379
"In general, the new policy requires officers be certified to use Tasers and get re-certified annually. It allows Taser use on people who are suicidal and on dangerous animals. They cannot be used as a means of coercion or punishment. And "unless deadly force is warranted," officers cannot intentionally deploy Tasers on the head, neck or genitals. The policy also forbids their use on women who are pregnant.
Assistant Chief Chris Burbank said Tasers can save lives, de-escalating a violent situation and, thereby, making lethal force unnecessary."

[SteppingRazor]

1. Since the courts long ago OKed electrocution as a means of execution...

they probably won't feel any different about Tasers, no?

[mvccd1000]

2. While I DO think tasers are used in far too many situations, I don't think they = torture.

...Although the definition of torture does vary from person to person. I've been hit with a 500,000 volt stun gun because I wanted to experience the effect first hand. I didn't consider it torture.

Locking me in a room and forcing me to listen to country music, on the other hand, WOULD be torture.