I agreed with Eric(and thank you so much, for weighing in). We do need many more details. That tasers are a tool. And that, who's operating the taser makes all the differance.

I agree 12 year olds can be virtually adult in height and weight. Studies have shown that there is a correlation between the amount of explicit sexual materials children are exposed to and their own sexual development/maturity occurring at earlier ages. For some unknown reason, this development is significantly more pronounced in African American females.

I agree these taserings should never need happen against children. But, was this girl a child(more on this later)?

It doesn't mention the race of the officer who did the tasering.

I agree race has something to do with this incident but probably not what we might tend to think. Too bad we're afraid to speak of this aspect as graphically as that picture posted up above.

So I will.

Even though we can interbreed, blacks and whites and orientals have distinct and separate approaches to life. Different priorities and outlooks too. Such distinctions exist within white cultures too(consider Mick and the Frog babes he moons after while looking askance at their culture-or so he intimates-NTL, you get the point:). In too much of black culture police are viewed as oppressors, often justly, in my opinion, because of a cycle of self fulfilling prophecies that have developed. Too, education is often viewed as a chumps game. Some of this wouldn't be as big a problem if we all could admit, "we're different from them", and "nothin is gonna change that", not even education and forced integration; instead of trying to force feed sameness and integration. And let's not forget, that voluntary segregation remains the rule to this day. Too, you might find this odd, but I would argue that the entitlement programs are and were designed as a means of oppressing those who made use of them.

Don't get me wrong, I'm as prejudice as the next guy, in some view or another, but even though I find the idea of absolute equality patently absurd, I unequivically believe in equality before the law. Which, despite our mythology, this nation has probably never practiced. I wish we would give it a good go this century(but that's a fools' wish).

BUT, I didn't make this post for racial reasons. I made it because this incident is another thematic indicator that something is wrong with our nation. And this article begs other questions.

Why wasn't there a fuller report? Have you noticed that trend: lightly detailed reports that too much can be read into. Like what started this conflict, who said what, surely it began before the argument with the officer. Why these incidents often involve black children. What is it about their worldview that enboldens them to push to the point of an officer believing tasering a child is the right and necessary action? What if the child had a righteous complaint and this was simply the simplest route of closing the conversation? Surely we've all met a heavy handed teacher or two. And who's the cop gonna side with before the child? Just what ifs.

As to the definition of children. In olden times, most children were apprenticing by the age of 12. Remember how bored you were locked in a classroom when you had the energy and curiousity for doing? That's part of the problem, the way we stunt our children while calling it education. If this child(sic) had been about something useful for her life, in her estimation...would such an incident occur? Doubtful.

I am insisting something is wrong with our system, education, and generally.

Which is why I say details matter.

Be well, prepared!