Where there's a Will, there's a way

I've read about the ways in which the FBI was used to harass political dissidents during the Vietnam War, particularly during the Nixon administration. I doubt anyone heavily involved in the peace movement will be surprised that some of the same tactics are being used today, especially since Bush's abuse of powers are becoming more reminiscent of Nixon as Congress is finally beginning to exercise its oversight role.

The Washington Post reports on new proof that the FBI is arresting and interrogating people for no reason other than their suspected political beliefs.

The probable cause to arrest the protesters as they retrieved food from their parked van? They were wearing black -- a color choice the FBI and police associated with anarchists, according to the police records.

FBI agents dressed in street clothes separated members to question them one by one about protests they attended, whom they had spent time with recently, what political views they espoused and the significance of their tattoos and slogans, according to interviews and court records.

I say this shouldn't be a surprise to peace activists because stories like this have been coming out ever since 9/11. A few are reported widely in the corporate media but most are not.

I was living in Knoxville Tennessee in 2003 when it was discovered that the Oak Ridge Police had been sending an undercover officer to observe the meetings of the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance. I was still in Knoxville when newspapers reported that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation had agents at several peace rallies writing down the names of speakers. The TBI finally apologized that one agent identified himself, but showed now remorse for spying on citizens exercising their constitutional rights.

I have a lot of respect for people who join the military to protect America from foreign threats to our freedom and liberty. Right now, I'm more concerned about who is going to protect us from the domestic threats to freedom and liberty.