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First City In the US To Pass an Anti-Drone Resolution
An anonymous reader writes "According to an Al-Jazeera report, 'Charlottesville, Virginia is the first city in the United States to pass an anti-drone resolution. The writing of the resolution coincides with a leaked memo outlining the legal case for drone strikes on U.S. citizens and a Federal Aviation Administration plan to allow the deployment of some 30,000 domestic drones.' The finalized resolution is fairly weak, but it's a start. There is also some anti-drone legislation in the Oregon state Senate, and it has much bigger teeth. It defines public airspace as anything above your shoelaces, and the wording for 'drone' is broad enough to include RC helicopters and the like."
About bloody time!
The Government can ignore this just like they ignore a sovereign States authority (See DIA raids in CA on marijuana shops and farms). In fairness, the town must abide by State law which may invalidate the City law.
Until more people wake up and shake off the cobwebs, the police state will continue to grow. I hope like hell we catch it in time, but looking at media and education I have strong doubts.
-The wise argue that there are few absolutes, the fool argues that there are no probabilities.
"It defines public airspace as anything above your shoelaces"
Great, now we're going to have nano drones buzzing around below the level of our shoe laces. Nice one Oregon.
Two words. Drone Season. There you go, its a self correcting problem. You can increase the tax base by selling licenses too. Just thing, for $75 bucks every gun toating, drunk ass redneck can fill the sky with lead.
Errr, on second though, maybe this isn't such a good ideal.
Supporting World Peace Through Nuclear Pacification
The faster we slide to full on fascism, the sooner it will all collapse and we can finally re-evaluate our principles. I'm tired of this moderately predatory murder-based society being able to justify itself due to the prosperity created by the last vestiges of peace and voluntarism. Let's fucking drown ourselves in violence so we can finally recognize that none of this evil is justified. Let us kill the healthy host completely so that the parasite is exposed. Then perhaps we can start over without any illusion that violent parasitism is good in moderation.
I play around with RC planes and my kids want to attach a camera to our next project. Does that make me a criminal? I thought it made me a cool Dad!
The Posse Comitatus Act http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act prohibits military being used against US citizens unless such action is allowed by the US Constitution, or an Act of Congress.
I am wondering if all the Obama Kool Aid drinkers are having second thoughts yet. Now that he doesn't have to run for re-election, he's pretty much told all you to fuck off and die and he'll do what he wants, Constitution be damned.
I'm reading that Obamacare will be even more fun than expected...filled with things that people couldn't even make up during the debate without being called a complete loon. A hell of a thing, reading a Bill before you pass it.
Conflicting summary? The Oregon law casts such a wide net that RC hobbyists are now criminals. Is that really what we want?
Has the FAA even gotten around to regulating drones? That'd be their department because, you know, these things are sharing airspace with manned craft and regulating things that might impact manned flight is THEIR JOB.
Sorry, I have to file the C-ville act right up there with "nuclear free zone". Yeah, I really sleep better knowing that Berkeley isn't going to follow through on that uranium enrichment program... sheesh.
The Federal Government claims sovereign authority over everything over 500 ft. The Feds will continue to regulate this airspace, and if someone has a Federal license to operate a drone, it will override local regulations anyway.
Only thing this will do is bust people using unregulated space. We will probably hear about it being applied to kids strapping cameras to their RC airplanes.
Seeing as how the national airspace system is federally regulated, and in Charlottesville VA the FAA owns the airspace from 700 feet up (surface up in some parts of the city, near their lovely airport) this law is nothing but symbolic bombast.
Want to make a dent in the drone problem? Scream at Congress and get them to mandate that the FAA establish sensible rules for UAVs.
Congress has already passed legislation forcing the FAA to integrate drones into the national airspace system (because Congress knows so much about the intricacies of air traffic management and safety), so how about getting them to stop being complete idiots about it?
/~mikeg
Would constitute an airspace violation.
Federal law will trump the local resolution.
I hate to bring this up... but city councils / local municipalities, etc have no authority over airspace. That would belong to the FAA. As evidenced in a recent case: http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2013/130117lessons-learned-from-glider-arrest.html
I get why people are disturbed by assassinations and spying. What I don't get is why there is such a big deal made about the fact that it is being done by drones. What does it matter if the pilot is physically in the airplane or on the ground watching a video feed from a drone? Anything that can be done from a drone could have been done by an airplane with a pilot in it. Drones are just safer for the pilot, and makes it easier to go to the bathroom.
Rather than passing this kind of narrow minded anti-drone legislation, why don't they pass anti assassination or anti-spying legislation, if it's assassinations and spying that you are actually worried about. Anti-drone legislation only makes sense if you want pilots in those airplanes for some reason (e.g. because pilots are better at avoiding midair collisions, etc).
I am wondering if all the Obama Kool Aid drinkers are having second thoughts yet. Now that he doesn't have to run for re-election, he's pretty much told all you to fuck off and die and he'll do what he wants, Constitution be damned.
We had the same problem with Bush II - tells you something, doesn't it?
People want to feel safe. The media makes a LOT of money scaring the shit out of Jane and John Q. Public. They want their Government to do something.
I mean really - in this day and age I still hear from folks who say they feel so much safer with the TSA.
Really?!
And I can tell you for sure, that Mr. and Mrs. Public are going to feel nice and safe with pappa government flying overhead making sure that those evil drug dealers, terrorists, pedophiles, and assorted bugga boos.
So look around you. The folks who buy into the lies and horseshit being broadcast by our lying cheating irresponsible for-profit media has completely misinformed your neighbors (and ourselves for that matter) because DO NOT want to be informed, they want to be entertained.
Look at Fox News. Very little real content and plenty of pretty young women with short slit skirts and very high heels. CNN isn't much better.
An do people spend the time to actually get the facts or to research and check the media outlets? Fuck no!
So while folks are all scared about Obama taking their pea shooters (POS .223), he and his successor (Dem or Rep doesn't matter) will be spying on everyone to keep them "safe" .
So, before blaming the Kool-Aid drinkers, how about taking the plank out of your own eye because you're spouting off the same cheap rhetoric that I see time and time again on our dipshit media.
There is one major part that is left out in the summary;
The writing of the resolution coincides with a leaked memo outlining the legal case for drone strikes on U.S. citizens and a Federal Aviation Administration plan to allow the deployment of some 30,000 domestic drones.'
The leaked memo outlines the legal case for drone strikes on U.S. citizen on foreign soil. By neglecting that very important point and linking it to an FAA plan to allow drones in US airspace is implies that there will be 30,000 armed drones in US airspace. That is so far from the truth as to be laughable.
Montana is considering legislation that would make any evidence gathered by drones inadmissible in court. Source: Montana Public Radio this morning...
What they have to hide?
I take it you are all taking it for granted that the drones will only be armed with cameras? The main purpose of these drones the Government wants to use is to implement is to KILL a terrorist, not take their damn picture.That is what the fuss is all about, people. That a drone might be flying by and shoot a suspected terrorist and accidently shoot innocent people ,like they have had a habit of doing.
I'm betting this will be ruled unconstitutional as an infringment of federal airspace prerogative as delegated to the FAA. Not to mention the usual "interstate commerce" bullshit.
For a given budget, you can field a whole lot more drones than manned vehicles. Even if they have to be continuously teleoperated, drone controllers are a lot cheaper than pilots, and drones are a lot cheaper to operate than manned vehicles.
I expect that before the end of the decade every squad car will carry multiple drones. This horse is out of sight of the barn.
remote planes? oh, drones are scary.. idiots.
Did anyone else besides me read about attacks on Americans.
Yeah, if we can't send soldiers in without higher then normal risk..in a war zone.
If they can't get you any other way,
if you are not on american soil,
and you are making plans with terrorist to attack the country.
Yeah, end of the fucking world right their.
If an American was talking to Hitler in Berlin to make plans to come home and blow up bridges, would anyone said a damn thing if a sniper took him out? Cause THAT"S the sort of thing we are talking about.
This is a drone, doing what military personal have been authorized to do fore decades.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
Remember that in the beginning, the government weren't supposed to spy on it citizen on US soil. They are doing that now.
It doesn't hurt to preemptively pass a law to prevent the slippery slop of them allowing assassination of citizen on US soil.
because that is the only effect it will have. Stopping an up and coming field of technology from being developed in your area.
Quick lets write a law banning something, knee jerk reactions are the best course.
Virginia led the confederacy and the secession. CSA's army was called "The Army of the Northern Virginia" for that reason. They will not stand by and have a federal President usurping the authority to kill its citizens without due process. No sir. The Constitution of the United States reserves all the residual rights, not specifically enumerated in the constitution to the states. Thus only the Governor of Virginia can kill its citizens without due process.
sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
Eh. Big freaking deal if drones fly over. What will happen? They will see me getting in my car to go to work? Or no maybe the drone will shoot me for going out to get my mail or sitting on my back porch reading a book!!! Oh please not that! I cant be caught getting my mail!
The only people who have to worry about drones are the ones doing bad things. Trust me for all us regular people, no one cares about us.
Besides how is this any different than me going outside and a cop driving by and looking at me? If Im not doing anything wrong he wont stop because he doesnt care if I am taking out the trash. But how come none of you complain about police cars that do patrols? Its the exact same thing, its someone going by and seeing you outside of your home.
Bunch of paranoid, bored and retarded monkeys. You just want to complain about everything and blow stuff out of proportion.
When I first read this I think, "Yea, this is bad." But when I stop to think about the TV show Cops and how they sometimes they have a helicopter flying over a high speed chase (OJ Simpson anyone?) or on foot pursuit in residential areas there is a helicopter giving a birds eye view of the situation. Is this any different? Sure it could be used to evil things but the same can't be said for a chopper?
The Drones will be targeting you in the next 26 months.
Per Presidential Secret Executive Order, the USA DoD and military branches have carte blanch to kill any and all USA citizens who oppose President Obama or any Department of the Federal USA Government.
Members of the USA Congress do not qualify for immunity.
People who see these slippery slopes everywhere should take up skiing
tone
So municipalities and "sovereign" states want to stop the federal government from doing something using enacting local laws forbidding it? Good luck with that. Let me know how it goes.
Using Anti-Drone Drones?
People always get caught up in the specifics and miss the big picture.
This isn't about drones in your skies. Not really.
The Big Thing going on here is the maneuvering of the public to accepting assassination as the American Way, further changing them so that as many people as can be programmed as possible further emulate the psychopathic mind.
When everybody is aping the psychopath, the real psychopaths are that much safer from discovery and removal.
With every level of programming completed, they move on to the next level. Where does it end?
Might want to ask that next time you swallow or regurgitate some rational sounding argument for the drone program.
Remember off shoring labor? That sent up red flags and people complained, but it was quickly rationalized by economic theorists and right wing pundits during the Bush era.
Remember the water boarding debate? Torture is now tacitly accepted.
Now we're being asked to accept the outright execution of citizens without any legal recourse or chance to defend themselves before the execution order is given. That's messed up, and if you don't think so, you probably think water boarding is okay. Or don't mind that the unemployment rate is what it is.
Do you want to live in a world ruled by psychopathic values?
I don't. And I still think sending jobs off shore is a bad idea.
But then I also treat my neighbors with respect and kindness. I know. What a queer idea.
Should be alright if you can get someone to fly ahead of each drone with a red flag, perhaps while ringing a bell.
Goodness - it's 2013!!!!
It's quite possible that anti-drone legislation could be interpreted to deny politicians to speak at press conferences.
Do not mock my vision of impractical footwear
like putting a gun out the window and aiming up in the sky
i bet if enough people do it....
The federal govt will come in and say that either they get to use their drones for whatever or the state starts getting federal funds for this or that. And you can guess how that will end.
I'm overjoyed that we're finally seeing some push-back from local, county and state governments to stop the rampant abuses of power by the federal government.
CO, CA and WA telling the feds to F*** off on marijuana. Arizona actually enforcing immigration law. Virginia passing an anti-NDAA resolution. Country sheriffs saying "No" to proposed anti-gun policies. Now, people standing up to this ridiculous drone policy. Good for them.
State, local and country governments (at least in my locale) are fairly responsive to the people. Federal government is owned by the banking cartel and other elite special interests.
I don't care if it's healthcare, global warming, campaign finance reform or anything else. This government in Washington DC should not be allowed to seize any more wealth or power.
I see you've posted a handful of blogs and op-ed pieces...but I see no links from you which bring anyone to (quoting Wikipedia's requirements) reliable, verifiable sources. I must therefore ask whether you yourself have been employed as a QA sampler for the Kool-Aid(tm).
Examining ALL the facts is rarely comfortable or enjoyable, since it forces one to abandon any and all preconceived notions. But that is exactly why it must be done.
All the world's an analog stage, and digital circuits play only bit parts.
They have no say in things like this.
As has been discussed here in the past, the video feeds are uncompressed.
How much would it cost to build a system w/ a radio system which would constantly monitor the radio frequencies used to transmit drone video feeds, display any which are found on a monitor, sound an audio alarm and begin streaming said video feeds off-site?
How would the public react to every such drone strike / usage being recorded and made available on-line?
Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow.
Someone should tell these guys: http://www.wired.com/design/2012/11/3d-printed-autonomous-airplane/
... only outlaws will have drones.