– North Dakota Becomes First State to Legalize Drones Weaponized with Tasers, Tear Gas, Rubber Bullets & Sound Canons (Liberty Blitzkrieg, Aug 26, 2015):
It is now legal for law enforcement in North Dakota to fly drones armed with everything from Tasers to tear gas thanks to a last-minute push by a pro-police lobbyist.
With all the concern over the militarization of police in the past year, no one noticed that the state became the first in the union to allow police to equip drones with “less than lethal” weapons. House Bill 1328 wasn’t drafted that way, but then a lobbyist representing law enforcement—tight with a booming drone industry—got his hands on it.
– From the Daily Beast article: First State Legalizes Taser Drones for Cops, Thanks to a Lobbyist
You could see the writing on the walls years ago. In an increasingly authoritarian, lawless, surveillance state like America, it was always inevitable that drones would be weaponized. In North Dakota, this is now a reality.
Although I haven’t written much about domestic drones as of late, I published many articles on the topic several years ago. In the 2012 piece, Drones in America? They are Already Here…I warned:
Like with any new technology, drones can be put to good use or to evil use. Just like nuclear power can harness energy or destroy humanity altogether, drones could do a lot of good, but the problem is that the government is clearly moving more and more towards a surveillance state so we must be extra careful. Stay vigilant.
Apparently, North Dakotans weren’t particularly vigilant, and now the state has become the first in the nation to legalize weaponized drones; not a distinction they should be proud of. What started out as a bill to require police using drones for surveillance obtain warrants, turned into a law that puts tasers and tear gas on them. Go ‘Merica.
The Daily Beast reports:
It is now legal for law enforcement in North Dakota to fly drones armed with everything from Tasers to tear gas thanks to a last-minute push by a pro-police lobbyist.
With all the concern over the militarization of police in the past year, no one noticed that the state became the first in the union to allow police to equip drones with “less than lethal” weapons. House Bill 1328 wasn’t drafted that way, but then a lobbyist representing law enforcement—tight with a booming drone industry—got his hands on it.
The bill’s stated intent was to require police to obtain a search warrant from a judge in order to use a drone to search for criminal evidence. In fact, the original draft of Rep. Rick Becker’s bill would have banned all weapons on police drones.
Then Bruce Burkett of North Dakota Peace Officer’s Association was allowed by the state house committee to amend HB 1328 and limit the prohibition only to lethal weapons. “Less than lethal” weapons like rubber bullets, pepper spray, tear gas, sound cannons, and Tasers are therefore permitted on police drones.
Even “less than lethal” weapons can kill though. At least 39 people have been killed by police Tasers in 2015 so far, according to The Guardian.
And just in case you’re wondering why North Dakota rolled over so easily. The state is desperate for “economic growth,” even if that growth expands GDP via fascist panopticon surveillance.
Drones in North Dakota are a profitable enterprise in a state hit hard by the oil bust. Companies that market machines for agricultural and commercial use have been popping up in industrial parks on the outskirts of Grand Forks for the better part of the last three years. The university, one of the city’s largest employers, even offers a four-year degree in drones. The Air Force has partnered with the private sector to create a drone research and development park, too.
Drones are overwhelmingly seen as a good thing in North Dakota, which is perhaps why few noticed when HB 1328 passed with a clause allowing them to be armed with non-lethal weapons.
Because it’s imperative to national security that we make this, so much easier…
Great work North Dakota. Let’s hope the rest of us aren’t so hopelessly stupid.
For prior articles on the drone topic back to 2012, see:
The FBI Has Been Using Drones Domestically Since 2006
Drones in America? They are Already Here…
Where in the USA are the Drones Headed?
45 U.S. Military Veterans Sign Letter Urging Drone Operators to “Refuse to Fly”
Meet Brandon Bryant: The Drone Operator Who Quit After Killing a Child
This is What Really Happens in the Drone Program from an Insider
McClatchy Study: Obama Administration Has No Idea Who They are Killing with Drones
U.S. Drone Strike Math – 41 Terrorists Targeted, 1,147 People Killed
New Report: Drone Strikes 10x More Deadly to Civilians than Manned Aircraft
Three of the Four U.S. Citizens Killed with Drones were Killed by Accident
In Liberty,
Michael Krieger
Terrifying.
Privately owned drones already causing problems all over America; adding to a terrible highway fire that burned up vehicles in CA…..and more.
Police and government owned will be able to hunt down people like vermin………
Didn’t a drone kill a foreign dictator a couple of days ago; blew up his vehicle with him in it?
Terrifying.
And people continue to sleep…….No wonder most of mankind lived in sod huts throughout known history………The older I get, the more concerned I feel. The 18th century was an amazing era, it bred some of the greatest minds in modern history. Their enlightened ideas produced nearly 250 years of true hope for mankind.
There was growth in the standard of living for millions. Lights at the touch of a switch, Telephone, telegraph, railroads, autos, medical advances…..hot water at the turn of of a faucet…….Mankind’s standard of living has never been so high.
Why did we lose track of how we got this far? I could go on for pages, but it is obvious in America……Americans slept too long.
Now, original thought and recognition of our history has been obliterated by hand held electronic devices and a powerful media that crafts the reality of the masses. Marshall McLuen was correct over 50 years ago when he warned the media was the message. Back then, it was TV. Today, it is everywhere.
From doctor’s offices, shopping centers, restaurants….instead of books and music to soothe the spirit, there are widescreen TVs blaring out whatever agenda the owners want. In time, government will control that as well.
Even books are being replaced by Kindles, and the prospective for amending literature is too obvious to discuss here……to anyone on this site, it is obvious.
The media is the message……..
Meanwhile, Fukushima continues, the global economy continues to contract, and not all the happy horseshit TV shows on the subject of the world economy can change what is happening to the global economy. We lost 5 trillion dollars in less than a week…..the entire annual global economy is $16-18 trillion (those are old statistics before the fall of the US and Chinese economies) if one believes the statistics. My guess is that it is far less, but even if true, we have lost over 33% of the global economy.
Madness of controlling all will be our downfall. We can do nothing about Fukushima…..nobody is even trying, and the greedy guts have control of the markets……It is all falling apart, and nothing can change that….even drones.