NationStates Jolt Archive

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10454316/

WASHINGTON - A year ago, at a Quaker Meeting House in Lake Worth, Fla., a small group of activists met to plan a protest of military recruiting at local high schools. What they didn't know was that their meeting had come to the attention of the U.S. military.

A secret 400-page Defense Department document obtained by NBC News lists the Lake Worth meeting as a “threat” and one of more than 1,500 “suspicious incidents” across the country over a recent 10-month period.


More inside

I have to admit I'm a bit dubious of this, although they do seem to have done extensive research. More then anything, I find the fact that this is even moderately beleivable a bit disturbing.

Thoughts?

Believable? Dude our government is capable of this and worse. Do a little research on who was spied on during the vietnam era, most of the files have been 'declassified'. Or check out the 'enemies list' that the Nixon White House had.

Of course the government spies on activists. To suggest otherwise is to be nieve' (how the hell do you spell that word?)

I have to admit I'm a bit dubious of this

why? we've caught them doing this all over the place. we keep winning court cases against them over it. they've been doing it for years.

Of course the government spies on activists. To suggest otherwise is to be nieve' (how the hell do you spell that word?)

Naive.

I'm sure you're correct, but it pains me to admit it happens, because it evokes a sense of "Big Brother is Watching".

I don't like the increasing decay of our right to privacy. It's very VERY un-American. Government has only one true purpose and that is to protect our rights and nothing else. The Republicans of late have been acting like Democrats with more government control over our lives. This needs to stop before it gets out of hand.

I don't have a problem with the military recruiting in high schools during career day etc.. After all the military is a career option and not a bad one at that.

I don't care, and I kinda expect it. There are activist groups that I look at that call for violent uprising online and in public streets. No duh the government is going to track the sort of idiot who would call for all black people to simultaneously launch an assasination attempt on President Bush. I don't think the Quakers pulled any crap like that, but I'd love to actually read the report to see why the feds thought that they were a threat.

Naive.

I'm sure you're correct, but it pains me to admit it happens, because it evokes a sense of "Big Brother is Watching".

You gatta accept that it happens if you wanna protect yourself from it, or fight it.

As a general rule, it's better to see the world as it is then as you'd like it to be. Because you have to interact with the world as it is, and if you try to interact with it as you'd like to to be, you'll be screwed 'ere long.

Government has only one true purpose and that is to protect our rights and nothing else.

Fuck yea! That's the first time I've heard someone else say that! ::gives cookie:: Now is that such a hard concept for everyone else to get? Says so in the fucking decleration of independence.

"A secret 400-page Defense Department document obtained by NBC News lists the Lake Worth meeting as a “threat” and one of more than 1,500 “suspicious incidents” across the country over a recent 10-month period."

It's a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it! :D

Naive.

I'm sure you're correct, but it pains me to admit it happens, because it evokes a sense of "Big Brother is Watching".It's not a particularly American thing. Traditionally the western democracies have always spend a lot of resources on infiltrating & monitoring leftwingers. Back during the cold war ear, the justification was that we lefties were probably a bunch of spies.. And obviously, some would have been - though I can't imagine anyone actually were, I mean.. Captain Obvious strikes again, right?

I have no idea what the excuse was before then, or what it is today, but I assume it's some sort of paranoia born out of workers rights movements. They did cause a lot of instability & such, back in the day.

It's sort of odd they don't put the same effort into monitoring the righties though.. At least in the post cold war era, they've done a lot more killing than the pretty toothless left.

Those random thoughts aside, what I really wanted to say was this: I'm positive at least a handful of the posters on here are under - at least - sporadic surveilance. It's a nice thought, right?

I don't care, and I kinda expect it. There are activist groups that I look at that call for violent uprising online and in public streets. No duh the government is going to track the sort of idiot who would call for all black people to simultaneously launch an assasination attempt on President Bush. I don't think the Quakers pulled any crap like that, but I'd love to actually read the report to see why the feds thought that they were a threat.

Because they don't accept the government as absolute authority. Because they avocate you thinking for yourself, instead of the government thinking for you.

Power will never tolerate threats to it's power. It wants power over you. If you think for, and therefor control yourself, that means they don't have power over you. They just can't stand that.

It's the same reason Lenin and the Bolshivicks repressed the soviets and workers assciations, and brough and community that was moving towards self-management under their iron fist.

What's wrong with the secret police?

What's wrong with the secret police?All of it. It's secret & police. A match spawned in the deepest pits of Hell.

All of it. It's secret & police. A match spawned in the deepest pits of Hell.
Bullshit. The "chosen" collective of intellectuals knows what's best for you.
Welcome second parenthood like you did the first, bitch.

Bullshit. The "chosen" collective of intellectuals knows what's best for you.
Welcome second parenthood like you did the first, bitch.

Fuck that, you won't take the Maryland Militia without a fight! ;-)

Fuck that, you won't take the Maryland Militia without a fight! ;-)
Pissshtt. Maryland? They've been pw3n3d by the Borg as soon as they developed online capabilites. It was easy.

It's about time they took seriously their obligation to protect against enemies both foriegn and DOMESTIC. It is unfortunate however that legitimate organizations allow themselves to be so easily infilterated. I guess it is the price one pays for sleeping with the enemy.