# Reimagining the concept of drones over US cities from the Founding Fathers' perspective **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 17, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reimagining-the-concept-of-drones-over-us-cities-from-the-founding-fathers-perspective/625428 "2012-06-17T15:03:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reimagining-the-concept-of-drones-over-us-cities-from-the-founding-fathers-perspective/625428/1 "2012-06-17T15:03:12Z")
The Declaration of Independance consists a mostly of a long list of the ways in which the King is violating the rights of the colonists. For example: > [@](#): > > He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. > He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them. > He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only. > He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. Now let us reimagine the issue of drones flying over US cities from the Founders viewpoint and add: > [@](#): > > He has erected a scaffolding above our townships for the purpose of giving his men unobstructed views of common areas for the common security, and to see into the private domiciles of those suspected of disloyalty to the Crown. This latticework allows his men to walk over our homes with the only semblance of privacy afforded by their promise to avert their eyes to preserve our dignity. Why is this not a bigger deal? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reimagining-the-concept-of-drones-over-us-cities-from-the-founding-fathers-perspective/625428/2 "2012-06-17T15:30:26Z")
Maybe because your Founding Fathers example is utterly unrelated to drone aircraft? Police have been flying observation planes and helicopters for decades. Where was your outrage then? The ONLY differences between the old practice and drones are cost and, potentially, volume. ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reimagining-the-concept-of-drones-over-us-cities-from-the-founding-fathers-perspective/625428/3 "2012-06-17T15:41:45Z")
It is related to the Founders in that our government is doing something that seems to be a violation of our basic rights. It’s just a thought exercise really. To say I can’t have a negative opinion about my government’s actions because I wasn’t upset about them before is unreasonable. I have to be aware and outraged about every subject possible today or I can’t become enraged about it tomorrow? There can’t be changes in degree or I can’t learn something new that piques my dissent unless I already new about it and dissented prior? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reimagining-the-concept-of-drones-over-us-cities-from-the-founding-fathers-perspective/625428/4 "2012-06-17T16:08:31Z")
You cherry picked items out of the Declaration that relate to the relationship (or lack of it) between an executive authority (the king) and local government. Since, in most cases I’ve heard of, the ideas about drone surveillance over US cities are coming from local authorities, please explain to me how any of what you cited is relevant. When did I say anything even suggesting that you can’t have a negative opinion about this? What I said was that drones don’t constitute any significant change. If you live in a large city, you’ve probably already experienced police helicopters flying around your neighborhood – how do you feel about them? ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reimagining-the-concept-of-drones-over-us-cities-from-the-founding-fathers-perspective/625428/5 "2012-06-17T16:13:33Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > You cherry picked items out of the Declaration that relate to the relationship (or lack of it) between an executive authority (the king) and local government. Since, in most cases I’ve heard of, the ideas about drone surveillance over US cities are coming from local authorities, please explain to me how any of what you cited is relevant. > > When did I say anything even suggesting that you can’t have a negative opinion about this? What I said was that drones don’t constitute any significant change. If you live in a large city, you’ve probably already experienced police helicopters flying around your neighborhood – how do you feel about them? I didn’t cherry pick anything. I copied and pasted a random block of text. Honestly I couldn’t tell you what I copied unless I reread it. Let’s see what others think first. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reimagining-the-concept-of-drones-over-us-cities-from-the-founding-fathers-perspective/625428/6 "2012-06-17T16:34:17Z")
You made absolutely no attempt to relate your quote to your complaint? Well you’ve certainly assured that your thread is pointless. That’s enough information for me. Enjoy your thread! ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reimagining-the-concept-of-drones-over-us-cities-from-the-founding-fathers-perspective/625428/7 "2012-06-17T16:48:16Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > You made absolutely no attempt to relate your quote to your complaint? Well you’ve certainly assured that your thread is pointless. > > That’s enough information for me. Enjoy your thread! Dude why are you trying to be a dick? I was simply trying to show an example of the complaints included in the Declaration for those who may not have been familiar with it. Then I created a fictitious new one that could have been included. I’m not writing fucking term paper for your approval. Your last post was so condescending and self-righteous. I used to come to the Dope daily but very rarely anymore because of things like this. I simply wanted to have a fun discussion, but you fixed that. Congrats and goodbye. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reimagining-the-concept-of-drones-over-us-cities-from-the-founding-fathers-perspective/625428/8 "2012-06-17T17:12:40Z")
**newcrasher** , your original point was not particularly clear. **Boyo Jim** ’s response might have been a bit snarky, but you’re not allowed to call him a dick in MPSIMS. Plus, I think the topic would do better in Great Debates. Rather than moving this over there, squabbling and all, I’ll close this and suggest you start a new point with a more direct statement of your ideas. **twickster** , MPSIMS moderator