Goodness, now all we need is a never-ending war, a breakin at a swanky hotel and Preznit who thinks he's above the law...
The FBI, while waging a highly publicized war against terrorism, has spent resources gathering information on anti-war and environmental protesters, and activists who feed vegetarian meals to the homeless, the agency's internal memos show.
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He stressed that the agency targets individuals who commit crimes and does not single out groups for ideological reasons.
The FBI's encounters with activists are described in hundreds of pages of documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union under the Freedom of Information Act.
"Any definition of terrorism that would include someone throwing a bottle or rock through a window during an anti-war demonstration is dangerously overbroad," said Ben Wizner, an attorney with the ACLU. "The FBI will have its hands full pursuing anti-war groups instead of truly dangerous organizations."
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ACLU attorneys say the FBI documents show the agency has monitored groups that were not suspected of any crimes.
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An FBI counterterrorism official showed 35 slides listing militia, neo-Nazi and Islamicist groups. Senior Spec. Agent Charles Rasner said that one slide, titled "Anarchism," listed groups an analyst thought people intent on terrorism might associate with. It included Food Not Bombs, which mainly serves vegetarian food to homeless people, and, with a question mark next to it, Indymedia, a Web site featuring articles written by radical journalists and activists.
COINTELPRO. For those of us old enough to remember those bad old days, it makes me shudder. Perhaps, like the aftermath of the bad old days of Nixxon, Congress will pass legislation restricting the actions of the Executive Branch once the Village Idiot goes home either in disgrace or via statutory means. Or, given the way Congress is these days perhaps they'll just vote themselves all medals and cash awards and go home forever returning only for lucrative lobbying gigs when the cash runs low.
America, what a country.
posted by Jo Fish on 03.27.06 at 08:02 AM
Comments:
I recall the notion that Nixon's only real "mistake" was violating the 11th Commandment: don't get caught. Springsteen said that (interview around 1980) was part of the country's problems.
But that was when checks and balances sorta functioned. These days, you're probably right. "Get your Medal of Freedom Goodie Bags on your way out the door, everybody! In the packet you'll find your airline tickets to the fact-finding destination of your choice, plus free drink passes..."
