Not in my backyard


Agencies see homeland security role for surveillance drones

My first reaction was horror. The article states that this will only to "help patrol the Mexican and Canadian borders, protect the nation�s major oil and gas pipelines and aid in other homeland security missions." If you live near a sensistive area or just on the same block as someone on a watch list, you could get a friendly government fly by of your house. How far have we gone as a nation to allow such a bold invasion of our privacy. Unthinkable.

Then, I read this:

Another rapper, Kid Chill, is very specific about life in South Central and how it is governed by gangs and the police's attitude to them. He points out: "I didn't know any different as a kid, so it seemed like normal life. There were police helicopters that flew by all night. The police would pull you over in your car, or stop you on the street for no reason and ask you what gang you were in, what's your gang name etc. We were threatened and kicked off of Venice beach for no reason, stopped a couple of times at gunpoint for suspicion of something or another. We were made to stand against the rail at the mall for a long period oftime because we fit the description of some people that did something or other."

This kind of thing has been going on for years. It's just now hitting suburbia.

That's right, homies. We are co-opting yet another thing from the thug life for ourselves. Of course, helicopters are so crude, with their noise and lights. The drones are stylish, with sleek lines and silent as the dead.

They also carry "Hellfire" missiles. That attack demonstrated the Predator unmanned air vehicle's (UAV's) transition from a surveillance drone to a hunter-killer asset.

Don't think it can't happen here.

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