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"Not in My Name" April 5: Why Dayton, OH
Dayton, Ohio sits at the crossroads of two major interstate highways, I75 & I70, in the heartland of America. It is home to Wright Patterson Air Force Base (the logistics center for the Air Force) with the greater Dayton region having a population of approximately 840,000 people. With the decline of rust belt industries the area lost thousands of jobs when GM, Delco and other general manufacturing companies pulled out.
Since then political leaders and corporate giants have offered a new golden calf of economic hope for the citizens of the region to worship. They promise them better times and jobs with this new idol, but they have to sell their souls to get it.
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| Poster designed for a protest on Easter Sunday foreshadowed the message of Friday's demonstration- embracing the drone industry as an economic savior means accepting very real moral consequences. |
What is it that will turn around the plague of bad times to hit the area? It’s UAVs or “Drones”: their research, manufacturing and training, at least this is what we are told, and most people have swallowed this message without the slightest doubt or question, because it has been wrapped in the flag of patriotism and justified by the all-encompassing “War on Terrorism.”
Let’s look at this closer . . .
“Since 2000, the Dayton area has lost about 30,000 manufacturing jobs, said Richard Stock, director of the University of Dayton Business Research Group.” - USA Today, 2009
Any jobs that will be created by the Unmanned Air System Technology coming to the region will be in the 100’s, maybe if we include support companies low 1000’s, and the majority of these jobs will be highly technical, not average blue collar jobs.
What is our payoff for these jobs? Participating in an industry that has been perverted into a tool for targeted non-judicial killings that have a 30%+ civilian/innocents kill rate.
UN and Human Rights NGOs have reported that these uses are in violation of international law and even military commanders have spoken out recently about the negative affect these attacks are having in our global “War on Terror”
So how is the unemployed Delco, GM worker or High School graduate going to benefit from this; they aren’t.
The CEO's and stockholders of companies like Lockheed Martin, SAIC and other UAS associated companies will benefit greatly, especially since the state is spending $1,500,000 in taxpayer money to get them here. Some of our local universities and colleges will get some DOD money for research and to promote UAS training programs, and some politicians, especially Congressman Mike Turner, who sits on the U.S. House Unmanned Systems Caucus and received over a $100,000 in political contributions from the UAS industry will be smiling too.
But the general public will left with a myth of prosperity and how drones are the new way of having a war without all that mess, but in reality todays use of armed drones is only guaranteeing a future of perpetual conflict because of the hatred it is spawning globally against the U.S.
If we can make a difference in Dayton, Ohio, Middle America, we can make a difference anywhere since Dayton region has become the epicenter for military UAS technology.
- Wright Patterson Air Force Base provides the logistical support for the Air Force UAV program and because of that several of the major drone manufacturing and research companies have facilities/offices here.
- Wright State University and University of Dayton are doing DOD research on UAV technology and artificial intelligence, even to the point of developing software to allow UAVs to make targeting decisions.
- Sinclair Community College has a UAV piloting program.
- Springfield Beckley Municipal Airport (considered part of the Dayton Springfield Metro Area) has an Ohio Air National Guard Base adjacent to it that is currently flying drone missions in Afghanistan, that we know of, probably more.
- Dayton region is one of six regions in the U.S. being considered by FAA for UAV testing airspace.
- Wright Patterson Air Force Museum has an exhibition for the Predator Drone and UAVs, a possible place for an action.
"Not in My Name": The Activities/Actions
Friday April 5th
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. -- Mass Demonstration at Congressman Mike Turner’s Office - 120 West 3rd Street
This will be a follow up to our demonstration/meeting with his representative in September, 2012, requesting he give his UAV/Drone contributions to the families of innocent victims of drone bombings. We will bring attention to the large amount of money he has accepted from the drone industry and his position on the Congressional Unmanned Systems Caucus.
There is also a plan to deliver a citizen indictment for crimes against humanity/war crimes at the office.
The demonstration at Congressman Turners office will be until 3 pm. Join the Facebook event and invite friends!
5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. - "Not In My Name" Drone Opposition Presentation
We will meet at the Third Street Peace Fellowship/MLK Community Center, 2720 E 3rd St Dayton.
Here there will be food, a video and discussion on where do we go from here on this important issue.
Out of area guests are welcome to stay the night. Check with us on possible help with accommodations. (sleeping bag style in at the Fellowship Center)
The list of supporting organizations is in formation.
These are just some very basic ideas and logistics for others to consider for the April Know Drones Month.
Peace,
Steve
Steve Fryburg
Veterans for Peace, Dayton OH
VOLUNTEER for No Drones Ohio today! (volunteer form here)
