Timely radio discussion of the history and use of "tear gas".
Timely radio discussion of the history and use of "tear gas".
tl;dr - it's a chemical weapon and it's not called that due primarily to lobbying by the US starting in 1919.
Note: this overlaps with our discussion elsewhere of how labor and strikes are treated/protected or not.
Slightly longer:
1) chemical weapon developed and used in WWI
2) US Army General and assoc industry really promoted the heck out of not disarming and finding civilian market
3) since 1919 used against labor strikes, civil rights actions, the WWI veterans who wanted their bonuses paid during the depression and camped out in Washington and were attacked by the US Army (see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonus_Army), and pretty much anything the police or government or anybody with money or power considered a threat or a problem.
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/use-of-tear-gas-a-good-public-relations-move-for-police-forces-says-expert-1.4922261
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/use-of-tear-gas-a-good-public-relations-move-for-police-forces-says-expert-1.4922261
tl;dr - it's a chemical weapon and it's not called that due primarily to lobbying by the US starting in 1919.
Note: this overlaps with our discussion elsewhere of how labor and strikes are treated/protected or not.
Slightly longer:
1) chemical weapon developed and used in WWI
2) US Army General and assoc industry really promoted the heck out of not disarming and finding civilian market
3) since 1919 used against labor strikes, civil rights actions, the WWI veterans who wanted their bonuses paid during the depression and camped out in Washington and were attacked by the US Army (see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonus_Army), and pretty much anything the police or government or anybody with money or power considered a threat or a problem.
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/use-of-tear-gas-a-good-public-relations-move-for-police-forces-says-expert-1.4922261
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/use-of-tear-gas-a-good-public-relations-move-for-police-forces-says-expert-1.4922261
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