Are you planning to buy a taser?

They're available now for personal use. There are even house parties where pink tasers and leopard print tasers are sold and customers can practice on a target. They run about $350.

This disturbs me and I can't identify why. Because we might actually need one? Because society has come to this? Because I wonder if we're really in more danger on the job than anywhere else? Because I'd worry that if I used one and the person had a heart attack and died, I'd be sued? (Yeah, I know. Self defense. But I'd still have to live with it)

I grew up in a small town where nobody locked their doors. My dad died when I was very young and every night my mom and her three daughters slept with unlocked doors. Everybody knew it. We never gave it a thought. Nobody bothered us.

It was a long time ago. Times have changed. But I still can't get my brain around carrying a taser. What do you think?

image from http://www.taser.org/images/taser-c2-7.jpg