It began with a report by a New Jersey-area military contractor on Nov. 13 that he saw a flash in his car’s side-view mirror. That report quickly morphed into claims and eyewitness reports of significant, unidentified drone activity in New Jersey and beyond. The allegations spread virally.
Reports varied. Some claimed that the drones were small; others that they were huge. Some indicated that the drones were stationary while others claimed that they were speeding, flying high or hovering low — silent, blinking or buzzing. Speculation abounded.
Were the drones sent by invaders from outer space? A spying effort by a foreign government or our own government? A prank by kids?
Police were alerted. Local, state and federal agencies investigated. And they found nothing. Indeed, it is likely that most of the reported sightings were of drones launched to search for the drones people claimed to have seen that prompted the whole furor.
Notwithstanding the good faith of most who reported sightings, the whole drone hysteria was just that: hysteria. It was fueled by communal fever, powered by crowd mentality, all driven by a nervous sense that technology run by remote control is taking over our lives.
The fear is real, even if the facts don’t support the frightened sightings. How else does one explain the mass following of online drone reports and the unquestioned acceptance that “outsiders” are monitoring the activities of American citizens?
The FBI reported some 5,000 tips on its drone hotline. And numerous politicians, particularly in New Jersey, joined the frenzy and demanded that law enforcement either intercept or destroy the imagined airborne invaders.
Law enforcement responded that the reported sightings were not threatening. They told the public that the “sightings” were of airplanes, helicopters, stars, or drones that weren’t suspicious. But, for some reason, that didn’t calm the public alarm.
And then, President-elect Donald Trump weighed in. On Dec. 16, when asked about the drone sightings and the government denials of a problem, he said: “The government knows what is happening. For some reason, they don’t want to comment.”
Trump offered no explanation of his comments. But his words reignited the drone panic and encouraged more random observers to report suspicious sightings.
Trump unnecessarily added fuel to the drone hysteria, encouraged conspiracy-related claims, and emboldened more challenges to the credibility of law enforcement and government administrators with no evidence to support his fearmongering comments. Those actions were irresponsible.
The campaign trail is an acceptable venue for bravado, hyperbole and occasional misdirection. It is also a place where a candidate’s interests occasionally take precedence over fact and reality. But we’re way past the campaign trail.
Trump won the election. He is scheduled to take office in two weeks. He has the obligation to be honest with America and to address concerns in a responsible manner.
Trump stumbled over the attraction of drone hysteria and chose confusion over reassurance and calm. We hope he will avoid such misdirection and fearmongering in the days ahead.
That’s not too much to expect from the president of the United States.
