Him or me...its going to be him

I have to feel sympathy for that police officer who was involved in that shooting in Christchurch. Right or wrong, none of us outside of that officer know what he is going through. He took a life in a situation which caused for a it's him or me mentality. Placed in the same situation, would any of us really think any differently?

If you put 10 of us normal human beings in a line, and give them a choice with the exact same situation of that officer, would any of us really say, that after smashing cars, property and other things, and the potential to smash into you with a hammer, that a please sir would stop him. At the risk of being nailed (no pun intended) by the hammer and going at him with a batton, is not a viable option. Spray him with the weak stuff we call pepper spray. What would that have done. The pepper spray we use here is about as useful as green top milk...its not milk, its white coloured water. The Taser is the only viable alternative non lethal option, but because of the greenies wanting more 'research' he didn't have those. The guy, went for his gun. Honestly? I think at least 8 out of the 10 of us would have.

This is a decision he had to make in a split second. I'm sure he gave all the warnings he had to give, stop armed police, I have a gun or what ever. Seeing his life fly before his eyes, he shot. My only critisism if any, would be, why not his legs only. But in those situations...who knows. Its so easy to critisise from the sideline. Put yourself in the situation, our thinking is different, more primal, more carnal, instinctive, not logical, planned, careful.

Some of us need to back off and let the police now do their job. Invesitage the incident and determine where to go from here. Personally, this is one more point to the pro taser argument. No doubts that the tasers themselves have their down points. I mean, who would like two sharp barbs in their body streaming electricity in high dosages.

We sit here in our sofa's and cast judgements with the benefit of hindsight, reflection, thought and contemplation, yet that officer made a decision which didn't allow him any of these opportunities. A guy, hyped to the hilt on party pills, likely didn't know what he was doing, but was going to do some serious damage given that one inch of opportunity. Option? Don't give it to him.

Do I think the tazer is a good idea? With the benefit of reflection. Yep. Do I think that police should be armed with lethal weapons? Sure. Why not? A tazer will work, a gun will work. There is obviously more discussion to this, but in the end a decision needs to be made and some action taken.

But you know what, keep Keith Locke out of it. With his attitude, police will likely be armed with super soaker water blasters but will have to shout something insane like, back off, or I'll squirt ya. Hang on...won't he consider that a waste of water? After all, he is a Greenie.

I'm all for the little guy

You know, I'm all for the little guy taking a stand, but at a time and at a crucial time of local body politics, I think the general public would like to hear from the people who have a real shot at making the decisions, rather than some idealists who if they got in to the mayor's office might get shot down by the council at every turn.

Hence why I think that, all good for Mr Suresh Vatsyayann in taking a stand, but to lay on your back and kick and scream and rant like a spoilt brat kid because the big kids wouldn't let you play? Come on man. Why on hell's boiling rocks would I want to vote for you now? Are you going to do this if you get onto council and they shoot you down? Man alive.

This is hardly the racial discrimination shown by the British to the Indian people. If it were, wouldn't they have shot you? Forgive any insensitivity, but wouldn't they have? I think Bryce Johns is right on the money. "The actions of Suresh Vatsyayann showed a lack of class and leadership, while the schoolboy egging on by Joseph Mooney would have been more appropriate in his university class."

You are both standing candidates and I respect that. In reality, for me picking a mayor that's not Mike Redman is going to be a lesser of three evils...the three who have a real shot at the job. But I don't want spoilt, dummy spitting children on council, we have enough of those in Parliament, and we don't need them in our local council chambers. I want people who have a voice, can speak it but when things do not go their way, don't roll on the ground acting like little kids who weren't allowed in the sand pit.

Unfortunately, looking at all reality, Messes Mooney, Wikiriwhi, Harris and Vatsyayann polling less than 1% in the overall scheme of things, won't get the mayor's chains. So, if I were to arrange a meeting of the kinds reported on, I wouldn't want to hear from 4 people out of 7 who aren't in all likelihood going to make it to the job. I've read Mr Mooney's self profile and I an many others spoke to him at the Frankton Markets. I think he has vision, and confidence. Potential is certainly there, I was impressed, not vote turning, but I was impressed. Keep at it. who knows, the next one may do it, or get you closer. But come on Doc. I don't know what you hoped to gain from your little rolley polley.

Like I said, Mr Chesterman, Mr Simcock, and Mr Hennebry. For me, it will be the lesser of three evils. Much like the last US Election, George W. Bush V Senator Kelly. Better the devil you know, than the devil you don't.