Coming Thursday , December 20 at 5:00 PM at the Restore. 2309 Meridian Street, Bellingham (Resources meeting room, above the Restore)
The Whatcom County Greens will be hosting the first of three presentations on unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones, and the problems posed by a proliferation of UAVs internationally, as well as in local skies. Major concerns of the presenters include the weaponized uses of drones by the US Defense Department and the CIA, resulting in a ruthless expansion of counterterrorism tactics at the expense of international law and ever mounting civilian casualties.
County organizers for the Greens believe that the time for activism and dialogue on drone manufacturing and extrajudicial execution applications is long overdue. Also missing from most discussions is recent Congressional legislation that directs the Federal Aviation to enable drones to fly throughout US airspace by September 2015, despite crowded skies and the threats this technology presents to aviation, as well as personal privacy and possible law enforcement misuse.
“The potential for abuse is vast,” warns Constitutional lawyer and writer Glenn Greenwald. “The escalation in surveillance they ensure is substantial, and the effect they have on the culture of personal privacy—having the state employ hovering, high-tech, stealth video cameras that invade homes and other private spaces—is simply creepy.”
Part One of the Whatcom Green Party drone series will include a video presentation, focusing on armed UAVs and drone warfare – killing by remote control – its repercussions and its blatant lack of political and domestic scrutiny.
A half-hour social time with appetizers will start at 5:00 PM, with the presentation running from 5:30 to 7.
