[at-l] Apples and Oranges

[thornel at attglobal.net (W F Thorneloe)]

I wasn't there, hence my conjecture would be meaningless. In the
two assaults in question, de-escalation of the assualt required
conversation (therapeutic?) for the allegedly mentally ill man
and physical restrain for the allegedly intoxicated man with a
record. When police arrived, control was maintained at the scene
with a variety of directives and physical restraints. FUBAR
required a progression of restraints, including a paddy wagon,
yet still managed to create another "incident" while in custody.
(Have you ever considered how therapeutic a Miranda Warning can
be?)

In neither case was it necessary to "kick ass" of the perp. In
neither case would "kicking ass" maintained control. Assaults by
an authority make future management more complicated - the perp
now has a good reason to defend himself from contact with the
authority. It is vital for the authority to maintain control of
him/herself and the situation - calling for backup and employing
a show of force rather than employing  force. The paper work is
much less. 

This doesn't begin to consider the perp's reactions after
violating social/cultural taboos of assault. 

This also fails to consider that alcohol is only one of many
possible intoxicants. For instance, the persistant energy of the
RAT PACK suggests there were other stimulanting factos. 

Your question is much like asking "What would you do if you were
at the base of Tray Mt and you had blisters on your feet?" You
wouldn't fly up the mountain, nor sit and await the blisters to
heal or the mountain to erode. You wouldn't plan your strategy
for Mt. Albert. You would do what needed to be done  -
progressively placing one foot ahead of the other.

De-escalation of violence requires controlled responses. A rush
to engage violence with violence can get a person injured or
killed - making a worse situation. 

OrangeBug

--- Shane Steinkamp <shane@theplacewithnoname.com> wrote:
> I think we're on different pages of the same book, so let me
> ask you a question directly:
> 
> IF YOU had been there, and witnessed those events described as
> they unfolded, and there you stand now, at this very moment
> watching someone choke a woman, what is YOUR course of
> action?  To intervene with some level of force, to engage in
> therapeutic conversation, or to wait for the police to arrive?
>