U.S. Develops Electric Bullets to Fire Into Crowds

[lostnfound]

This article really puts the story together well:
http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2005/8/23/132750/438

RawStory: "WEAPONS designed to fire 'electric bullets' into crowds are being developed for police and border protection agencies in the US," according to the UK publication, the New Scientist.

DemocracyNow!:
he government is developing a new generation of electric shock weapons that could be fired from across a city street or across a sports stadium. A Texas company called Lynntech is developing a projectile that can be fired from a shotgun or grenade launcher that sticks to the target and delivers an 80,000-volt shock for seven seconds. Further shocks can be triggered via remote control. (From Democracy Now! headlines, Aug. 23, 2005)

Reuters:
The of Homeland Security is seeking alternatives with broader uses like light lasers or guns firing electric bullets to combat all manner of felon.
"People encountered can range from aggressors who are hardened criminals to mentally disturbed teenagers ... from protesting crowds that include children and elderly, to street gangs," the Homeland Security Department, which is soliciting prototypes from industry, said on its Web site.


***************
Is it fascism yet?
Having just finished "It Can't Happen Here", it is deeply depressing to consider the array of weapons (Diebold, corp. media, crowd control, surveillance, tracking) which they now have to prevent any impact or threat from the grassroots.

[sakabatou]

1. More ways to electrocute somebody...

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. The electric chair is SO passe nowadays n/t

[Roland99]

3. A little related thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1747271


Nothing is amazing me anymore, though.

[indepat]

4. Anyone out there doubt the US is an emerging police state?

[CoffeeCat]

5. Lovely...

....this sounds like a weapon that the Green Goblin would use.

Why is our government spending so much time and effort developing dangerous weapons that hurt people--instead of bettering our nation?

I swear to God, the leaders of our country are turning into comic-book villains. They are obsessed with destruction, death and violence and it's really sick.

Spiderman, where are you?

[A Simple Game]

6. Someone sure seems

obsessed with crowd control in the last 4 or 5 years. Or is it just me?

[Skidmore]

7. How much electricity does it take to kill someone?

I wouldn't be thrilled to be on the receiving end of 80,000 volts. Shoot, 100 volts is way more than enough.

[mcscajun]

8. Another weapon intended for "body shots only"

but what happens when the shot goes astray, and hits someone in the head, or hits a child?

This is a disastrous idea.

Non-Lethal is not the end-all and be-all here.

[lostnfound]

12. And they even RECOGNIZE it is likely to hit childrem in their own website!

I suppose I should be grateful that they are at least recognizing reality..? Instead of pretending that it would never happen..

[wli]

9. Bushler has really gone over the top on crowd control weapons

I'm guessing because it appears quite likely the lid will come off of the 9/11 MIHOP and similar.

[Karenina]

10. Bingo!

And the camps are also ready.

[wli]

11. and they've been getting used, too

All that Guantanamo on the Hudson stuff and so on.