General > General Technical Chat
What do you think about mixed use weapon tech?
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Ben321:
Usually mixed use technology means stuff that benefits both the military and civilians, and that when in the hands of civilians is relatively harmless, like thermal cameras. Those can be used for heat seeking missiles, or as a camera for checking heat in electronics. However, there's also weapon tech that has mixed use. And its civilian used is NOT for the average citizen (unlike thermal cams). I'm thinking particularly about the LRAD sound cannon, used in the battle field to warn off potential enemy threats to give them a chance to retreat rather than opening fire on the enemy imediately. This same tech is used by civilian police though to break up riots. Do you think that's overkill? Do you think this is more an example of some mixed use tech that is equally useful in war and for law enforcement? Or is it more of a military tech that happened to find its way to law enforcement, and can be seen as militarization of the police?
CatalinaWOW:
Maybe the best way to answer your question would be to ask one of you.  Do you think surgical procedures and wound healing technologies should be withheld from civilian medical facilities for fear of militarizing them.  Or that police should use water cannons and truncheons to break up riots instead of using non-lethal technologies developed by the military.

The real question is whether something is appropriate to use, and doesn't depend on the original developer or someone on the current list of users.
Ben321:

--- Quote from: CatalinaWOW on October 15, 2022, 04:51:52 am ---Maybe the best way to answer your question would be to ask one of you.  Do you think surgical procedures and wound healing technologies should be withheld from civilian medical facilities for fear of militarizing them.  Or that police should use water cannons and truncheons to break up riots instead of using non-lethal technologies developed by the military.

The real question is whether something is appropriate to use, and doesn't depend on the original developer or someone on the current list of users.

--- End quote ---

I know some people are afraid that if it's perceived by police as being easier or less dangerous than other methods, they might use it as their first step in a conflict, resulting in them using it, rather than first trying to deescalate the conflict. It's also believed by many to be something they will use at genuinely peaceful protests, not just riots, if the cops themselves happen to politically disagree with the protestors. Also, water cannons are pretty effective at stopping actual riots from what I've seen in the news.
jpanhalt:
Are you trying to make this into a political thread through the backdoor of "mixed use technology?"
Karel:
Only very few things can only be used for evil things.
Most inventions can be used for good or bad things.
Inventions (or weapons for that matter) aren't bad, but people are.

Also,
"We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence
on those who would do us harm."
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