The Drones NEW weapon: Public Relations

Prefacing this thread with another:

Congressmen seek to lift propaganda ban

The Military Industial Complex has effectively bribed our public officials into passing legislation allowing the travesty of UAV's in U.S. skies. However the simple reality is that this tech was designed to target for intelligence gathering and/or to kill adversaries in a theater of war. The U.S. public has decided that - armed or not - we don't want this technology used on our citizens. So, instead of heeding our concerns, how does the Military Industrial Complex respond? With a tried and true military tactic - Propaganda.

Stung by mounting hostility from the left and right, America’s drone industry is fighting back.

“We’re going to do a much better job of educating people about unmanned aviation, the good and the bad,” said Michael Toscano, president of the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, the industry’s trade group in Washington. “We’re working on drafting the right message and how to get it out there.”

The P.R. blitz comes after drones suffered a round of negative attention last week. Conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer called for a ban on drones in U.S. airspace, and two other conservative commentators endorsed the idea of shooting down unmanned aircraft flown by U.S. law enforcement agencies. (Opposition to the U.S. government’s deployment of unmanned vehicles had previously come from left-liberal groups concerned about civilian casualties in the drone war in Pakistan and potential threats to civil liberties at home.) The nation also witnessed drone “scares”: An unidentified flying object nearly collided with a plane over Denver, and rumors circulated of a surveillance drone flying near the NATO summit in Illinois.

After issuing a statement denouncing Krauthammer’s remarks as “irresponsible” and “dangerous,” Toscano said the AUVSI would go on the offensive against critics. While the strategy is still being shaped, Toscano made it sound like something straight out of a crisis-management textbook — or Orwell. The AUVSI wants to bombard the American public with positive images and messages about drones in an effort to reverse the growing perception of the aircraft as a threat to privacy and safety.

“You have to keep repeating the good words,” Toscano explained. “People who don’t know what they’re talking about say these are spy planes or killer drones. They’re not.” He criticized Salon and other news organizations for using the term “drones,” saying “remotely piloted vehicles” is more accurate.

I don't know if this is just sad or hilarious.

“They want to present this as the technology that fights forest fires and finds your lost grandfather who has Alzheimer’s, and not as the technology that can be used to read a license plate from 40,000 feet,”

Yes, they think we are THIS dumb.

Originally posted by KillerQueen


Yes, they think we are THIS dumb.

Sadly, we are.

"Michael Toscano, president of the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, the industry’s trade group in Washington"

I cant believe that there is an "Association" Trade Group in Washington (AKA Lobbyist). This is really crazy. The next thing I want Anon to release is all the "Association" Trade Groups that exist in Washington. Un Freaken Believable.


“You have to keep repeating the good words,” Toscano explained.

1984

I honestly don't see why people are so against it helicopters were used in war I dont panic and feel my rights taken away when i see police helicopters patrolling the skies. drones seem no different if your not doing something wrong you got nothing to worry about. just because some models carry a payload doesn't mean much to me, when i hear about some one being taken out by drone fired missiles then ill worry. Maybe i'm just young and naive and missing something here but I don't get all the negativity towards it..then again this is just my opinion take it with a grain of salt.

“They want to present this as the technology that fights forest fires and finds your lost grandfather who has Alzheimer’s, and not as the technology that can be used to read a license plate from 40,000 feet,”

Fine...

Then they can send them up ONLY over a forest and ONLY when Grandpa Herbert gets lost. If that's what they really are for.

But we all know the REAL reasons, don't we?

Peace

reply to post by J2288
You can actually SEE the Helicopter.

And there a lot slower......

reply to post by J2288


Police helicopters are in your face.

Drones are shifty little sh**ts that are thereto spy and kill. 30,000 of them is a lot of spying. Do we stop them at 30,000. How about 100,000 or 1,000,000. What about the small ones. How many of those do they need.

The entire system is coming down. In real cases Police have been found to have altered evidence. In the digital age this will become a bigger and bigger problem.

The problem is one of trust. We know they are willing to split heads open at quiet demonstrations. We know they cover each others sins. We know they can't be trusted. Now they want death delivery drones. The primary strength of LEO is trust! They have lost that which they should have held dear.

NO! No Drones for thugs!

P

Originally posted by J2288
I honestly don't see why people are so against it helicopters were used in war I dont panic and feel my rights taken away when i see police helicopters patrolling the skies. drones seem no different if your not doing something wrong you got nothing to worry about. just because some models carry a payload doesn't mean much to me, when i hear about some one being taken out by drone fired missiles then ill worry. Maybe i'm just young and naive and missing something here but I don't get all the negativity towards it..then again this is just my opinion take it with a grain of salt.

edit on 23-5-2012 by J2288 because: (no reason given)

So having a stranger spy on you in your back yard from 40,000 feet without you knowing is ok?

Many will come back and state that old response of "If you are doing nothing wrong, there is nothing to be afraid of."

Wrong. Fear has nothing to do with it.

It has to do with privacy rights and the fact that TPTB DO NOT want you to have any rights at all. If you are ok with not having any right to tell Big Bro to get out of your bedroom window then that's YOUR choice I guess...or is it?

The main difference between a helicopter and the little spy toy is simply that, it's used for spying...on you.

Peace

I started to write a thread on this earler today I got overwhelmed with other material. Glad you've brought it up and prefaced it with the Congressional bid to legalize propaganda
We should've expected this from corporate America, naturally they're going to buy the Congress members they need to stay profitable.
Watch as some news story will come out about how drones saved the day here in the US - finding a lost person, stopping a terror plot, interdicting an Iranian drone launched at the US.

Here's my favorite quote:

“You have to keep repeating the good words,” Toscano explained. “People who don’t know what they’re talking about say these are spy planes or killer drones. They’re not.”

Really? Not for spying or killing? What hit Anwar Al Alawki then - a frisbee?

Tough sale for them. I think this issue is a turning point with the American public.

reply to post by Asktheanimals

Tough sale for them. I think this issue is a turning point with the American public.

That's the problem here. They will try to sell it and failing that, they'll just do it. With or without approval.

And yes this is the final turning point for America. If these birds are allowed to fly, the people might as well just turn over every last right they have because it won't matter anyway.

Peace

reply to post by jude11


I couldn't agree more Jude. This really is skynet going up, it will see all and be able to strike anywhere, anytime without warning.
They've proved they're not above using any available resource to further their ends and a sky full of drones will ensure their continued rule.
If we let them go ahead with this we deserve our chains.
This has to be stopped or freedom will be an empty word for all but the ruling elites.

Originally posted by J2288if your not doing something wrong you got nothing to worry about.

That is really just classic. I'm sure they thank their lucky stars for citizens like you.

Maybe you can justify this because, if you are young, you have likely always been aware of the Police State, especially if you came of age post 9/11. It wasn't always like this and it was never supposed to be.

In case anyone missed it:

washington.cbslocal.com...

Chief Deputy Randy McDaniel of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office in Texas told The Daily that his department is considering using rubber bullets and tear gas on its drone. “Those are things that law enforcement utilizes day in and day out and in certain situations it might be advantageous to have this type of system on the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle),” McDaniel told The Daily.

That was fast, no?

Originally posted by Asktheanimals

Really? Not for spying or killing? What hit Anwar Al Alawki then - a frisbee?

^^^^ Yeah, this.

If you're a bad enough mo'fo, you don't get no trial anymore.

Also, 'Legalise Propaganda' is a laughable oxymoron if I've ever heard one *cough* FOX News.

Goddamn, honeslty this # is just too far-fetched. Imma go live under a rock, kbye.

With regard to the drones. Take them out while you are still alive and free. When they win, you lose.

reply to post by J2288


You are probably young so you do not remember. Those of us old enough to remember Vietnam, Korea, or WW2 remember a time when Americans were a lot more free. They tell us that the Military who are sent overseas are serving and dieing for OUR FREEDOM. Yet they keep taking away our freedoms little by little. [color=#CC0000]SO WHAT THEN ARE THE SERVICE MEMBERS DIEING FOR?