Aug 13, 2013
Inside the conference, representatives from the top drone manufacturers--General Atomics, Boeing and Lockheed Martin--took in a speech by G-8 Deputy Chief of Staff Lt. James Barclay on the future of fully autonomous drones. Interrupting his talk, Alli McCracken, National Coordinator for protest organizer CODEPINK, walked to the front of the room and unfurled a large "Stop Killer Drones" banner.
"Are you going to talk about the innocent people who have been killed by the drones?" McCracken demanded to the crowd. "I have met with drone survivors in Pakistan and know that the use of killer drones terrorizes people in places like Pakistan and Yemen. Shame on you, AUVSI. You have the blood of innocent children on your hands. Time to ground the killer drones!"
After security escorted McCracken out of the convention center, CODEPINK founder Medea Benjamin noted that it is "important to shed light on the role of the pro-drone lobby in expanding the killer drones program." She added that all those companies represented at the gathering "are complicit in the crime of killing innocent civilians."
\u201cA die-in earlier today outside of the Annual Drone Lobby Conference in Washington DC https://t.co/HfnWQ0lYcM #nodrones\u201d— Miki Takes Photos (@Miki Takes Photos) 1376419864
The conference, according to the Washington Times, includes an "impressive showroom" of products, ranging from airplane-size drones used by the U.S. military to small unmanned aircraft "that literally can fit in the palm of one's hand." It also features speeches from industry leaders and high-ranking U.S. officials including Rear Adm. Mathias W. Winter, executive officer of the U.S. Navy's Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons program, and Deputy Transportation Secretary John D. Porcari.
_____________________
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Lauren McCauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
Inside the conference, representatives from the top drone manufacturers--General Atomics, Boeing and Lockheed Martin--took in a speech by G-8 Deputy Chief of Staff Lt. James Barclay on the future of fully autonomous drones. Interrupting his talk, Alli McCracken, National Coordinator for protest organizer CODEPINK, walked to the front of the room and unfurled a large "Stop Killer Drones" banner.
"Are you going to talk about the innocent people who have been killed by the drones?" McCracken demanded to the crowd. "I have met with drone survivors in Pakistan and know that the use of killer drones terrorizes people in places like Pakistan and Yemen. Shame on you, AUVSI. You have the blood of innocent children on your hands. Time to ground the killer drones!"
After security escorted McCracken out of the convention center, CODEPINK founder Medea Benjamin noted that it is "important to shed light on the role of the pro-drone lobby in expanding the killer drones program." She added that all those companies represented at the gathering "are complicit in the crime of killing innocent civilians."
\u201cA die-in earlier today outside of the Annual Drone Lobby Conference in Washington DC https://t.co/HfnWQ0lYcM #nodrones\u201d— Miki Takes Photos (@Miki Takes Photos) 1376419864
The conference, according to the Washington Times, includes an "impressive showroom" of products, ranging from airplane-size drones used by the U.S. military to small unmanned aircraft "that literally can fit in the palm of one's hand." It also features speeches from industry leaders and high-ranking U.S. officials including Rear Adm. Mathias W. Winter, executive officer of the U.S. Navy's Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons program, and Deputy Transportation Secretary John D. Porcari.
_____________________
Lauren McCauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
Inside the conference, representatives from the top drone manufacturers--General Atomics, Boeing and Lockheed Martin--took in a speech by G-8 Deputy Chief of Staff Lt. James Barclay on the future of fully autonomous drones. Interrupting his talk, Alli McCracken, National Coordinator for protest organizer CODEPINK, walked to the front of the room and unfurled a large "Stop Killer Drones" banner.
"Are you going to talk about the innocent people who have been killed by the drones?" McCracken demanded to the crowd. "I have met with drone survivors in Pakistan and know that the use of killer drones terrorizes people in places like Pakistan and Yemen. Shame on you, AUVSI. You have the blood of innocent children on your hands. Time to ground the killer drones!"
After security escorted McCracken out of the convention center, CODEPINK founder Medea Benjamin noted that it is "important to shed light on the role of the pro-drone lobby in expanding the killer drones program." She added that all those companies represented at the gathering "are complicit in the crime of killing innocent civilians."
\u201cA die-in earlier today outside of the Annual Drone Lobby Conference in Washington DC https://t.co/HfnWQ0lYcM #nodrones\u201d— Miki Takes Photos (@Miki Takes Photos) 1376419864
The conference, according to the Washington Times, includes an "impressive showroom" of products, ranging from airplane-size drones used by the U.S. military to small unmanned aircraft "that literally can fit in the palm of one's hand." It also features speeches from industry leaders and high-ranking U.S. officials including Rear Adm. Mathias W. Winter, executive officer of the U.S. Navy's Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons program, and Deputy Transportation Secretary John D. Porcari.
_____________________
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.