60 Minutes featured a new nonlethal weapon the Pentagon is testing. Dubbed the “Ray Gun,” it transmits a painful beam of microwave energy to disperse crowds. The 60 Minutes reporter said it felt like being put in scalding water.
While I’m all for nonlethal weapons, I take offense at how they demonstrated it. A group of soldiers playing the role of “peaceful” protesters (complete with “world peace” signs), began attacking uniformed soldiers – only to be cooked by the Ray Gun.
Hey, guys? You’re U.S. soldiers. Your enemy isn’t your peace-loving fellow Americans, its the terrorists of the world. How about suiting up as North Koreans? Or Hamas militants? Or Somali pirate gunboats? How about something a bit closer to the real threats you face?
To show this weapon being used against peace activists shows how low our military has sunk in its original mission to support and defend our Constitution. As a veteran I am ashamed and insulted.
I was insulted by that the first time I saw it a couple months ago on “60 Minutes” … as someone who stands out on the street corner in Palm Springs (and starting this week also in La Quinta!) once a month protesting the Iraq war (and getting into arguments, getting flipped off by warmongers, etc.) it made me downright MAD!!!
Now, why aren’t you a member of Veterans for Peace???
Because there was not a Raleigh chapter until just recently. I do have a T-shirt, however.
I’ll figure out the details about the local chapter and get signed up.