Nostalgic for Nixon?
Posted: December 23, 2010 Filed under: Civil Liberties, FBI raids | Tags: Chicago, FBI Raids, Minneapolis, Peace Activists 30 CommentsI thought we’d made some progress since J Edgar Hoover headed the FBI, but maybe not. This is a really disturbing story I heard as I listened to today’s show from Democracy Now. You may recall that the FBI raided homes of peace activists in Minnesota and Chicago back in September. Here’s one of those villainous peace activists from back then.
Most of these folks are aligned with Palestinian solidarity groups. In the fall, subpoenas to appear before a grand jury 
were served on 13 of the activists. The subpoenas were later withdrawn when the activists asserted their fifth amendment rights. Many of us thought the situation had ended there. We were wrong. Three of those people who were the subject of raids were reissued subpoenas earlier this month. (Happy Holidays!! Peace On Earth!!!) Democracy Now picks up the story with an additional subpoena that was issued to a “Chicago-based activist and journalist involved in Palestinian solidarity work—at least the 23rd person subpoenaed since September”.
I found some information on a peace rally in front of the Dirksen Federal Building this month in Chicago from the Episcopal Peace Fellowship. (Yeah, that HAS to be a terrorist group!) It’s dated December 9, 2010. This piece not only mentions the Palestinian solidarity connections but also Colombian connections.
A group of about 100 activists braved frigid temperatures to protest the latest round of FBI subpoenas in front of the Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago Monday night.
The FBI issues summons to appear before a federal grand jury to three college students Friday. They are scheduled to appear on Jan. 25, said their attorney Jim Fennerty of the National Lawyers Guild. The women are being targeted because they traveled to the Palestinian occupied territory of the West Bank, he added.
The new subpoenas bring to 17 the number of activists throughout the Midwest that have been targeted by the FBI for their Palestinian and Colombian solidarity work.
Amy Goodman’s piece at Democracy Now has more details. (Shameless Plug: Please PLEASE keep Democracy Now on your charitable giving list). Notice there’s also a recent Supreme Court decision that has put peace activities in the FBI’s cross hairs.
All those subpoenaed have been involved with antiwar activism that’s critical of U.S. foreign policy. Details on the grand jury case remain scarce, but the subpoenas cited federal law prohibiting, quote, “providing material support or resources to designated foreign terrorist organizations.” In June, the Supreme Court rejected a free speech challenge to the material support law from humanitarian aid groups that said some of its provisions put them at risk of being prosecuted for talking to terrorist groups about nonviolent activities.
I have to admit that I have a particular interest in this because I have an FBI file from the 1970s. They actually read my mail coming to my dorm room. It was because I was a member of the University of Nebraska’s University Women’s Action Group and was actively working to change the state’s “rape” law at the time and to get sexual assault and battery crimes moved out of property crimes divisions in police departments and into major crime units. Some one broke into the car of the NOW State Coordinator, took her mailing list, and suddenly, all of us noticed that our mail never made it to us without ever having a broken envelope seal. It was bizarre. It didn’t last long because I think at some point either Ford or Carter must’ve put an end to it. Nixon was even out of office by that time. Believe me, I was hardly a radical or a threat at the time. I thought the ‘thought police’ thing had kind’ve gone by the wayside after the Nixon/Ford years but, boy does that seem to be a wrong assessment.
So, Amy Goodman interviewed several of the people involved in the recent FBI and grand jury activity. Here’s an account of the recent ordeal by Peace Activist Tracy Holm.
Right now, our individual lawyers are being called into meetings with the District Attorney, Fox, in Chicago. They’re essentially trying to scare us into talking, to naming names and giving them a case against the movement and against the people that we have worked with historically to fight for justice for the people of Palestine and the people of Colombia.
I’m really curious about the Colombia thing. Do you know of any suicide bombers, etc. from Colombia? So, the interview continues by bringing in “Coleen Rowley, a former FBI agent who was named by Time Magazine Woman of the Year for her exposure of the problems in intelligence by the FBI pre-9/11″. She is interviewed by Juan Gonzalez.
Well, you know, after 9/11, we almost—there was a green light put on, and there was a very big blurring between protest, civil disobedience and terrorism. And you saw this in many ways. The door was open to basically targeting, without any level of factual justification, advocacy groups. And again, this began pretty quickly after 9/11.
It’s gotten to the point now, nine years later—and I wanted to mention the Washington Post is doing a pretty good job of exposing this, this top-secret America, this monitoring. Their most recent article in the Washington Post says there’s a hundred—the FBI has 164,000 suspicious activity reports. Again, these are things that just have no level of factual justification, that people call in, and the FBI is now keeping records on people. So, I think that, you know, this case will just be the start of targeting various groups like this.
Are we now back in the place that we were in the 1970s where just being an activist for Social Justice gets you onto some one’s radar? Because, if we are, I’m thinking my email and mail are going to be read again. Does this trouble you the way it troubles me?
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Terrific post, Kat. This doesn’t just bother me–it terrifies me. Sending used clothing to the Palestinians is enough to haul you in front of a grand jury? We are living in one sick, authoritarian society. Disagree with the government’s policies? Off to the hoosegow with you!
I’m still wondering what the issue is with Colombia precisely. Is it the soldiers were training down there? What policy are they protecting there?
Reversing Course, State Department Grants Colombian Journalist U.S. Visa : The Two-Way : NPR
What is interesting is that the ap article that this NPR one points to as to why Columbia is considered Terrorist Activities under the PATRIOT act is due to FARC…
Colombia
so just by helping people who have been victimized by the narcotics wars, that’s supporting terrorism? Sheesh.
What I think is disgusting, is that people get put on a “list” for sending aid, but you have PM’s of countries running things like a mafia…even trading in human organs…Popes getting in the way of prosecuting molesters, Pres of countries that are corrupt and insane….and the US looks the other way. It is all so maddening.
That’s because the inmates are running the asylum, dear MM.
You may be right, but it just makes me disgusted.
Yes, it really troubles me too. I grew up in a scary world and started getting paranoid about things like FBI surveillance in the 1970s. That’s calmed down for about 20 years. Now I can start getting paranoid again, with good reason.
I guess there’s no good reason to go crazy about it, I’ll need my wits about me if I am to survive, but still…
1. Maybe already are?
2. Yes.
I’m reminded of asking an Obot back in ’08 if he knew how Obama voted on FISA. Answer: “What’s FISA?”
We are so F’d.
A few years ago my Mom and I started a habit of talking to the FBI or whoever is listening when we talk on the phone together. This isn’t because we are notorious peace activists or anything, but it is because my parents have been watched before and I take right after them.
A good friend of mine and I have a little saying we repeat from time to time when we are talking on the internet. It reminds both of us that others might be listening.
We never say anything super radical or important, but none of us toe the government line. And we recognize how threatening that is for some government types.
I figure they gave up listening in because what I and my Mom and friend say is so boring. Heh.
BTW, thank you Dak for your work back then. Sexual assault crimes were in the property crimes division? Sick in a very sick way.
The situation was bad. I had a friend raped on campus and they asked her for the names of three witnesses.
That is appalling…
Sheesh, Brown wouldn’t interview Three Witnesses…’Sharia’ requires four… I won’t vote for Brown when he runs for president again.
Thanks Dak for helping to get us out of the property division.
Yeah, and people are still using that to minimize rape. “Rape was only considered a big deal because it was classified as a property crime and an affront to the woman’s husband, not an assault against her person!” Yes, but, see, in the years since we’ve made great strides in our conception of human rights and personal autonomy, and have actually dealt women into the human
race, go figure.
Honestly, there are a lot of wacky people out there.
The Bush administration went after peace groups too. I don’t understand what the obsession is. Often the groups they target are tiny and really don’t threaten the government at all. Yet they don’t seem to target the right wing, abortion-doctor-killing fetus fetishists.
There’s only one mega multi-armed government comprised of congress and the president, the military, the intelligence and police units, the Supreme Court, the MSM which are controlled by the elite. The TP and the other right wing groups are arms of the ruling government.
I see it. There’s no use to get all excited about the GOP or the Democrats. There’s one party.
And your cell phone is just another way for them to track you:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10453214-38.html#ixzz18zw9W6KA
I figure at this point it can keep you from arrest if you’re not up to something but you get caught in some stupid dragnet at this point.
Seeing what’s happening to Manning has been an eye opener. He’s in a cell, in isolation for months, in the U.S. Who could have imagined it?
I’m with the proles. Let the inner and outer party fight it out.
I could imagine it. The U.S. has been doing that since forever.
The Orwellian government is scary, but I’ve come to accept it. I’m Winston Smith at the end of Orwell’s 1984. I think it’s too late to change the system.
i’m thinking that too any more
It’s a good thing I’m a Buddhist because if I wasn’t I’d be very upset. Buddhism has taught me that all that’s happening is temporary and not worth worrying about. What matters is where my mind is when I die. Hopefully I’ll be in awareness. It makes me more determined to meditate and be in the here and now.
Yes. Lessons in impermanence abound!!! Also, the idea that you may not be on a one life plan, kinda puts things into perspective.
Yup. And political people are in their karmic group, doing what they always do. The U.S. was a great experiment, but there was no way the powerful would allow people to share the pie. I’ll let them have it.
I don’t know if he said it, but while in India, I was told that Rudyard Kipling said it:
“Sleep is necessary, a bed luxury.”
Discerning needs from desires is very important.
“Sleep is necessary, a bed is luxury”
I never lived through the McCarthy era, but I wonder if this is what it felt like.
It’s as if the country were an elephant frightened by a mouse. And then that elephant starts seeing mice behind every blade of grass. And the fear gets all mixed up, so being afraid of terrorist attacks morphs into being afraid of whatever thing the government is doing to ‘protect’ us. The one important, all overriding element is fear.
I think people are starting to realize that and stop fearing. Not everyone, but we might reach a critical mass and swing the other way.
I think it’s interesting that you have an FBI file. I better watch what I say around you…lol…They might still be spying on you. BTW. http://tominpaine.blogspot.com/2010/12/hillary-clinton-supporters-christmas.html
I loved reading this. It’s like a recap but the part about the delegates was interesting to me. You may have already been over there but if not, check it out.
Sacramento-area pilot punished for YouTube video | News10.net | Sacramento, California | News
Speaking of all this: