Recently Police Review informed us that, concerning Tasers, Amnesty International has ‘voiced its fears about growing use of the less-lethal weapon’ (given that ‘lethal’ is an absolute, how can you have less-lethal?  It’s like being less pregnant or less dead).  Well call me old fashioned but I don’t actually give two hoots what Amnesty International thinks about Taser.  They are entirely missing the point that, although Taser is not perfect, it is much less likely to kill the recipient than a   9 mm bullet, which is the usual alternative.  I cannot remember attending an incident when a member of the beard-and-sandals brigade flung themselves between an armed aggressor and their intended victim and until I see that happen I would cordially invite the do-gooders to go away and campaign for wider cycle lanes or something equally non-lethal.  Faced with a knife-wielding maniac I would rather have the opportunity to temporarily disable their motor functions with something more potent than a half-chewed lentil burger or whatever Amnesty International would prefer we were armed with.  No doubt they mean well, or possibly they just like banging on about matters that they dream up whilst attending their Political Science or Media Studies courses. Be that as it may, the beardies and their bangle-wearing, body-pierced hangers on should realise that this is the real world and sometimes it bites you.