If you only got your information about Taser from it’s several Facebook pages or blog, you would think that there was universal enthusiasm for this 50,000 volt forced compliance weapon. The glowing praise expressed in chatty accolades would be appropriate to discussions of the latest iphone iteration or Droid functionality.

Lingering on Taser Facebook pages, you’d think that it wasn’t very often that Taser related deaths related occur. And when they do happen? You could be persuaded that it’s always the fault of some drug addicted or genetically challenged skell whose body just couldn’t handle what had to be done.

What alarms me is that so many law enforcement officers and singularly enthusiastic supporters of Taser appear to ignore the fact, fundamental to our justice system, that we are ALL presumed innocent until proven guilty. Time and time again, officers are caught on tape as they shock compliant and/or ailing, men, women and children – too many times in the back.

Call me crazy, but that’s how I expect cowards and sadists behave – not officers of the law. There’s nothing honorable about Tasing a 10 year old or a pregnant woman celebrating a baptism, or looking to surrender her child to responsible authorities or a man who’s doing exactly what officers are asking him to do.

I understand that many people see the ravages of crime and don’t feel much empathy with anyone who finds themselves in the grasp of law enforcement.

But my ‘justice’ streak vibrates even harder than my thick ‘law and order’ streak. There have been 50 Taser related deaths in the United States so far this year. That’s 50 too many.

READ MORE: Stop Taser Torture – Blogging for Justice