Gail Collins, an Op- Ed columnist for the New York Times, in her article “Dreading those Drones”(October 30, 2015), asserts that although drones can be used for recreational activities, they have the capability to put safety at risk. Collins supports this claim by first differentiating between toy airplanes and drones in accordance with the Federal Aviation Administration and discussing examples of drones harming safety in sports complexes, airports, and jails. Her main goal is to prove that drones need to be regulated in order to ensure security. She creates a relationship between her and anyone who might have or might want a drone by sharing the dangers of a simple flying device and urging the government to make regulations.
After reading Gail Collins’s response to drones, I discovered that although she may have made some good points, her overall logic is flawed. She claimed that drones are dangerous because they have gotten in the way of fires, have attempted to give weapons to prisoners, and have the ability to take pictures of anything from the air. Her points are valid, but she never mentioned the good that drones can do as well. They can be used to help intelligence organizations put bad people behind bars and can fight wars without having to send any troops to another country. It could help by sending medical supplies to hospitals, not just sending knives to a prison. In my opinion, the drawbacks of the drone do not outweigh the potential it has for success. Do the cons really outweigh the pros?
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/31/opinion/dreading-those-drones.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
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ReplyDeleteAlthough I certainly agree with you, Efraim, and this was a great argument, I do have some points to add. As drones in modern warfare was one of the topics I focused on in my Model UN committee last year, it was interesting to witness both sides of the argument. Globally, it's a far greater issue because there is the concept of infringing on countries' jurisdiction, and sovereign rights. Domestically, one of the main issues with drones is the idea of violating due process of law, which drones have the potential to do because of their unreliable nature. However, drones are the future of just about everything, from warfare to Amazon delivery, and instead of banning them, they should be regulated. Additionally, I think this argument about regulating drones applies to the NSA's "spying" on citizen's personal lives. We can't ban it, but we can certainly regulate it. It's all about achieving a certain balance among drones because they are beneficial, as you mentioned. But just like everything, there is an extreme side, and we have to consider that as well. It will be interesting to see how Washington will respond to the increase in drones in the future, and what they decide America's position and rules towards them will be. Swell job!
ReplyDeleteNotes on precis: I think you're off on the audience. I don't think it's geared to drone owners, but anyone who is curious about them and how they may affect society in the near future.
ReplyDeleteArgument: You're list of "pros" for drones are not relevant because you're talking about the military use of drones in other countries. She's talking about commercially available drones in this country, making they available to anyone. Also, just because there can be good uses doesn't mean we shouldn't regulate them so that we prevent the bad uses.