Activist Joe Scarry on Popular Groundswell Against #Drones Leads to Grassroots Resistance Nationwide

[Excellent round up of anti-drone activism nationwide from MidwestAntiwar's Joe Scarry.  Please visit his blog at http://joescarry.blogspot.com/. --Angela, public relations for CHA]

Popular Groundswell Against Drones Leads to Grassroots Resistance NationwideOpposition to drones now includes established campaigns like those in New York and Nevada, plus California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, as well as a growing movement in the Midwest, with activity in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Minnesota, and Iowa.  Southern attention to the problem focuses on the possibility of drone surveillance during the upcoming political conventions; in the Plains states, government use of drones for livestock surveillance has people’s hackles up.

Seattle is the one bright spot, where local efforts are underway to restrict the use of drones.

In a startling reversal of the popular wisdom that the traditional press is oblivious to issues of war and peace, editorials and op-eds are beginning to appear on a nearly daily basis in local papers, highly critical of the Obama administration drone killings and surveillance.

ESTABLISHED RESISTANCESeveral states have long-established resistance to drones, including several based around civil disobedience at drone bases with well-publicized trials that have made an issue of drones.

NEW YORK: See Upstate NY Coalition to Ground the Drones http://upstatedroneaction.peaceworksrochester.org/ for information on the Hancock protests.

NEVADA: See Nevada Desert Experience http://nevadadesertexperience.org/issues/uavs.htmfor information on the Creech protests.

There is also drones resistance in Arizona: http://www.mediaisland.org/drone-protesters-arrested-tucson-airshow

In the weeks ahead, CALIFORNIA resistance is expected to be galvanized by a series of appearances by Medea Benjamin of CODEPINK. See  Later in the summer, Medea will be in additional states throughout the country.

An effective grassroots campaign to stop the militarization of airspace over COLORADO and NEW MEXICO has been led by Not 1 More Acre! ( http://not1moreacre.net/ ) They are resisting efforts by the Pentagon with Joint Forces Special Operations (Air Force, Army and Marines) and its contractors to militarize all of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico for mega-billion dollar Joint Forces high-tech development, testing and training programs dedicated to robotic warfare for world-wide military operations.

On the East Coast, there is also the NH Peace Action Drone Project www.nhpeaceaction.org/and activities in New Jersey ( http://www.nbc40.net/news/21967/video )

GROWING RESISTANCE IN THE MIDWEST

The large antiwar movement in Chicago is becoming more and more focused on the problem of drones.  During the NATO Summit in Chicago, there was a large demonstration againstdrones. (See http://joescarry.blogspot.com/2012/05/making-drone-killing-100-visible-in.html ) A major protest is planned during the Air & Water Show in mid-August, when hundreds of thousands of people will pour onto the shore of Lake Michigan in Chicago to see displays of the latest military hardware.

Resistance is ongoing in other parts of the Midwest:

WISCONSIN: Monthly protests at Camp Williams. The next is scheduled for Tuesday, June 26. See http://nodroneswisconsin.blogspot.com/2012/06/june-26-at-camp-williams-end-drone.html

MINNESOTA: Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) has a contingent of “Crones Against Drones” that has carried out actions in the past ( www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-daHj2tA4U ) and has additional actions in the works.

INDIANA: Plans for a statewide educational tour are under way.

IOWA: A drone facility was the target of a combined protest with Occupy:http://www.desmoinesregister.com/viewart/20111202/NEWS/312020074/Occupy-protesters-target-Iowa-drone-facility

(Occupy has also been the prime mover behind drones protests in Tennessee:http://occupynashville.org/2012/05/30/this-is-not-a-drill-drones-in-middle-tennessee-educate-and-organize-for-action-2/ )

Meanwhile, in Nebraska and Iowa there has been concern over government use of drones to do surveillance of feedlots:

http://foxnewsinsider.com/2012/06/15/senator-johanns-introduces-bill-to-ban-use-of-drones-for-farm-surveillance/

LOCAL PRESSIt is surprising to see local newspapers in places like Chicago, Akron, Pittsburgh … running editorials and op-eds that are severely critical of drone killings and surveillance.

See list at http://nodronesillinois.blogspot.com/2012/06/june-2012-editorials-op-eds-question.html

ELECTION 2012 ELECTIONS RAISE CONCERNSThere has been concern that drones will be part of the security apparatus at both the GOP and Democratic conventions later this summer:

http://www.floridavoices.com/myturn/drones-over-tampa-almost-happened
http://dncclt.blogspot.com/2011/10/drones-for-security-at-democratic.html

The antiwar community in North Carolina is currently developing a program of drone resistance.

There has been additional attention from southern states:

GEORGIA: http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2012/06/16/austin-scotts-effort-to-rein-in-domestic-drones/

STOPPING THE DRONES – CITY BY CITY, STATE BY STATE

There is encouraging news out of Seattle: http://www.aclu.org/blog/technology-and-liberty-national-security/seattle-becomes-first-city-consider-drone-safeguards

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