Before You Exercise Your First Amendment Rights Again...

Know that you can get toasted like your TV dinner last night. What the article fails to mention is what the microwaves do to you. They call it "non-lethal," which technically it is (mostly), but the truth is a bit more complex.

The article talks about how the idea is to use such devices on Americans first before being used overseas because of diplomatic problems. The fact that diplomatic problems could arise from use of a device should make one question what it is that the device does exactly. It is still being tested, but it is interesting to notice certain things about how it was tested (section: "Testing"). The participants, who were exposed to beams that caused "intolerable pain" within five seconds of contact with the skin, were not allowed to wear glasses or contacts for fear of eye damage (magnification) and could not wear any clothes with buttons, zippers, etc. that would create spots where the microwaves could concentrate and cause a fire to start. So when they get used for "crowd control," they're going to ask everyone to remove their glasses/contacts/zippers/buttons? Not likely. The whole problem with such devices being used for crowd control is missed. One's right to protest is effectively revoked when you will be tortured if you attempt to do so. And the framing of its usage as only against "unruly crowds" is a facade. In Seattle, according to authorities, the entire crowd was "unruly" though actually violent behavior was perpetrated by only a tiny minority. The end result is that they can fry an entire crowd because there were a couple of twats in their midst. I'll be looking forward to feeling like I'm on fire next time I take part in a march.