Return To The Days Of Hoover's Enemy List? FBI Raiding Activists As Terrorists

from the shameful dept

Tue, Jun 21st 2011 1:07am — Mike Masnick

Back in the days of J. Edgar Hoover running the FBI and Senator Joseph McCarthy accusing all sorts of people of various "un-American" activities, you ran the risk of being accused of all sorts of things just for disagreeing with the government. It seemed like those days were over, and I'd love to believe those days really are over, but Pickle Monger points us to the unfortunate news that the FBI has been raiding homes of various political activists, claiming that it's part of a terrorism investigation. Many of the targets of the raids seem like unlikely "terrorists," as they include peace/anti-war activists and union organizers. Whatever you think of their politics, we should certainly be worried when there's any sense that political viewpoints are getting wrapped up in any claims of a "terrorism" investigation. It seems like it's so easy to abuse that word to go after anyone who law enforcement doesn't like. You would hope that America would have learned from its past to avoid moves like this, so it's a shame to hear that it may still be ongoing.

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Filed Under: activists, intimidation, law enforcement, terrorism

53 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 1:20am

Terrorist is the new communist.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 1:30am

Re:
At least communism was a revolutionary threat. Terrorism is just rare, indiscriminate acts of violence.
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mike allen (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 1:48am

If this is the way the world is going I expect a knock on the door any day now or the door kicked in. The same thing appears to be happening in Europe. Mike I hope you have reinforced the entry to your office.
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Future Agent, 21 Jun 2011 @ 1:51am

It hurts to read this because I love this country and I want to be FBI to serve this country....
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Difster, 21 Jun 2011 @ 2:05am

Terrorist Sympathizer
Don't you know that law enforcement is NOT to be criticized? Just by stating that too many people are being investigated under the auspices of terrorism makes you a terrorist sympathizer.

You will not go on the no-fly list just yet but you will be subject to extra groping by the TSA next time you fly.
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The eejit (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 2:10am

Re: Re:
Does that mean the US administraion circa 1984 will be arrested, for inciting terrorism in Afghanistan?

What about supplying FARC with munitions from the DoD?

OR supplying the IRA with Semtex?

No?

Odd, that. "It's Terorism aginst us, but we LOVE supplying freedom-fighters!"
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 3:01am

peace wackos and anti war losers are some very violent people, what they do is terrorism
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Benjamin Tucker II, 21 Jun 2011 @ 3:08am

Enemies List Returns, Grows
C�mon. Political activists are the good guys. If that�s all the farther Techdirt can stretch in defense against surveillance or other state action, then we�ve had it.

Only unlimited transgression satisfies the KGB, the Gestapo, or the FBI. And only an unyielding defense of today�s bogeyman--the accused terrorist--will stop the real bastards.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 3:11am

Goodbye Democracy and Freedom. You two had a good run.

Time to put on our wretched peasant uniforms and go serve our lords.
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G Thompson (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 3:27am

Re: Re: Re:
Well yeah, Freedom fighters fight FOR America's freedom to call anyone else a terrorist!

Didn't ya get the memo? ;)
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paperbag (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 3:53am

New word, same treatment
Terrorist. Communist. Witch.
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herbert, 21 Jun 2011 @ 4:06am

Re:
typical wanker comment from a typical wanker!
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 4:41am

Re: Re:
read and learn something moron

http://www.consumerfreedom.com/news_detail.cfm/h/2513-us-senate-to-violent-activists-enough

http://www.prisonplanet.com/greenpeace-to-global-warming-skeptics-we-know-where-you-live.html

and read about the Sea Sheppard people do, ram legal boats working with in international law, spraying people with chemicals, boarding their vessels, which is an act of piracy/ declaration of war, educate yourself retard
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 4:52am

Re:
That's exactly what you'll do if you join any US governing policing agency - you SERVE. You don't think, you don't question, you don't investigate, you SERVE the will of the government and nothing else.
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abc gum, 21 Jun 2011 @ 4:54am

Re: Re: Re:
Get a brain morans
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 4:55am

Re: Re: Re:
Why yes - let's generalize the entire anti-war movement to be classified as terrorists because 0.001% of them are crazy. BRILLIANT!

You called someone a moron and an idiot - how aggressive and violent of you, fucking terrorist.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 5:14am

terroists, peados, pirates(the internet kind, not the real ones) if you disagree with the government then clearly you fall into one of the above categories of people who no longer have rights.
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Anonymous Poster, 21 Jun 2011 @ 5:20am

Re: Re:
Oh, come on. Everyone knows communism is just a red herring.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 5:36am

Is anyone in the government going to get punished for this nonsense? Of course not, the government has no laws it has to follow.
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DannyB (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 5:38am

Re: New word, same treatment
Pirate. Hippy.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 5:40am

Re: Re:
Nah, that AC's an atypical wanker if I ever saw one.
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Anonymous Poster, 21 Jun 2011 @ 5:41am

Re: Re: New word, same treatment
Atheist.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 5:47am

Re: Re: Re:
Prison Planet? You really think thats going to hold any kind of credibility on Techdirt? Go back to your wanking, wanker.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 5:58am

Re: Re: Re: Re:
"Get a brain morans"

What an ironic misspelling....
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Thomas (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 6:06am

We are in far more..
danger from the spooks in our own country than from real terrorists. McCarthy and Himmler would be proud of the FBI and the other government spooks that spy on U.S. citizens who are simply expressing views that the government does not like. At least the people who's homes were raided were not dragged off and tortured (yet).

People should realize that in the wake of 9/11 the government has a perfect opportunity to crack down on all forms of protest and is going right ahead and doing it. Anyone who criticizes the government should watch their backs.
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Joe Publius (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 6:38am

Re: Re: Re: New word, same treatment
Cat fancier.
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Chris in Utah (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 6:45am

Re: Re: Re: Re: New word, same treatment
"Cats are seeking world domination and a self-sustaining water supply. How'd you spend YOUR day?"
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MAC, 21 Jun 2011 @ 6:46am

Our friends, the Government
That's what happens to sheep. The get sheared, slaughtered, raped...
When the freedom act was passed nary a very few people spoke up about its dubious at best, non-existent at worst, constitutionality.
So, those in power now have a new 'tool' to remain entrenched in power.
When they decided to send the wealth of this country to Asia and specifically china, did anyone speak up? Anyone?
Why do you think no said a word.
Fear, they have now instilled fear into the average US citizen and fear is the most powerful weapon that they have.
Fear couple with complacency will spell the end of our freedoms. All it's going to take is the wrong guy in the right place at the wrong time...
Remember, the road to hell is paved with the souls of those that had �good intentions�.
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Chris in Utah (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 6:46am

Re: Re: Re: Re: New word, same treatment
"Cats are seeking world domination and a self-sustaining water supply. How'd you spend YOUR day?"
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tuscolablue (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 6:48am

Good
union organizers should be raided. What a bunch of crooked Liberal jerks they are. Unions brainwash factory workers.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 6:48am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
It's the proper spelling for the meme based on a misspelling.

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20060707071041/uncyclopedia/images/d/de/Moran. jpg
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anymouse (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 7:47am

Re: Re:
At least communism was a revolutionary threat. Terrorism is just seemingly random, indiscriminate acts of violence by our government against our own people.

FTFY....
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Revelati, 21 Jun 2011 @ 7:59am

We have been on this terrorism kick for a solid decade, can't we get some new bad guys to use for propping up our political agenda? I mean really, Al-Queada has been beaten like a red headed stepchild for so long the could barely mount an attack on a retirement home across the street let alone on a super-power across the world. Almost every plot they have tried on US soil in the last ten years has been infiltrated by US agents before it even got out of the planning stages, and the few attempts that did slip under the radar were incompetent, ill-conceived, and doomed to failure. (shoe bomber, underwear bomber, idiot who set his car on fire in times square, etc...)

Lets face it, they just aren't that scary any more, and it is making the American people wonder why we still need the bloated budgets, and restricted civil liberties for the MASSIVE security infrastructure constructed on the cries of Remember Nine Eleven! A phrase that has lost its ability to honor those we lost in a great American tragedy because it has been used for so long to bludgeon political opponents of the military/intelligence/enforcement industrial complex. (poor Ike is crying in his grave)

So you better support your patriot act and eat your freedom fries like a good little citizen because the FuBaI has more money to fight terrorism than terrorists to fight and they have to make up the difference by arresting somebody...
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known coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 8:12am

Think of the children
y'all forgot that.

commie pinko lesbian terroristic pirating, pedophiles.

Thank the gods for Mr. Hoover and his ilk, keeping us safe from democracy.

Next thing you will be telling me that homeland security has no business fighting interweb piracy.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 8:13am

This is, of course, exactly what the 9/11 terrorists were trying to accomplish. Not even a decade later, and the US government has degenerated into a widely hated association of fear-mongering tyrants.
The next step would be for the US to be weakened by infighting, possibly some sort of popular uprising. Hopefully that won't happen. Perhaps the next president will actually follow through on his promises of transparency, revealing (and ending) widespread FBI/CIA/etc. corruption. That'd stop the current McCarthyism, and all that "warrantless" business, among other things. With people actually able to trust their government again, disaster would be averted.

I know nothing that ideal could happen, but hopefully whatever does happen next year will be close enough.
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el_segfaulto (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 8:19am

Re: Re: Re: Re: New word, same treatment
Socialist!
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Greevar (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 8:30am

Re:
Democracy? Freedom? I hate to tell you, but we've never had either of these for as long as we've been a country. We've had slavery, corrupt government, civil war, banks controlling our money system, constant breaching of out civil rights, segregation, gender inequality, religious persecution, racial prejudice, and mass poverty across the entirety of this nation's existence. What democracy? What freedom?
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 8:50am

This is just another case of the government being too incompetent and unskillful to go after real criminals so they try to look useful by wasting resources going after non-criminals instead.
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Gwiz (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 8:52am

Re: Good
union organizers should be raided. What a bunch of crooked Liberal jerks they are. Unions brainwash factory workers.

Wow. Maybe you should brush up on your history there a bit.

It's possible that labor unions are coming near the end of their usefulness, but there was a time during the Industrial Revolution that they were extremely useful in gaining some rights for the factory workers.

That is unless you would really like to go back to the days when that machine ripped your arm off at the factory, you lost your job immediately and then had to pay for cleaning up the blood and fixing the machine your arm broke.
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weneedhelp (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 9:00am

Re: peace wackos
DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS!
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 9:28am

Re:
SOme DO qualify as eco-terrorists. As much as they are free to hump trees I am also free to chop em down for firewood.
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Secular Mennonite, 21 Jun 2011 @ 10:17am

Re:
I think that's true. The history of COINTEL and so forth shows that the Feds always try to infiltrate the Quakers first. Which is ridiculous, as the Quakers do everything out in public, and announce what they're going to do out in public.

It's probably just really easy to send some FBI pinhead to sit in on a Friend's anti-war discussion. It's got to be much harder to infiltrate groups where you have to get tatoos and not bathe regularly, and harder still to infiltrate groups with a non-english language.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jun 2011 @ 12:01pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
New to the Internet, aren't you?

Protip: The Internet contains hundreds of joke references, from the obscure to the blatantly obvious. Usually referred to as "memes". "Get a brain morans" is one of them. The fact that is was originally posted in quotes should have been a tip-off.
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Jesse (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 12:43pm

My favourite part
"Those who have been subpoenaed, most of them non-Muslim..."

For the record, it's not a big deal to violate the rights of Muslims.
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The eejit (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 3:03pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: New word, same treatment
Economist!
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LyleD, 21 Jun 2011 @ 3:54pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: New word, same treatment
Anonymous!
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Truth_Hurts, 21 Jun 2011 @ 6:15pm

If youre reading this article, you just might be a terrorist.
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Parkway Cozy, 21 Jun 2011 @ 6:42pm

"It seems like it's so easy to abuse that word to go after anyone who law enforcement doesn't like."

Seems like? "Communism" was never a threat to this country. Look what they did with that word. It was used to harass and threaten little old black ladies, among other things.

Whoever the "external enemy of the day" is, its always only a ploy to take away domestic rights.
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julie, 21 Jun 2011 @ 10:33pm

Re: Good
Unions are the reason you don't work in a factory fdor $2 a day or 90 hours per week....The stupidity of this comment obviously comes from someone having no idea what its like to work 4 a living.OR BETTER YET MAYBE A FACTORY OWNER
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LDoBe (profile), 21 Jun 2011 @ 11:22pm

Re: Terrorist Sympathizer
Next time you fly

**Or drive or take a bus or board a train or put a saddle on your tauntaun.**
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monkyyy, 22 Jun 2011 @ 12:16pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: New word, same treatment
combo breaker?
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monkyyy, 22 Jun 2011 @ 12:18pm

Re: Re: Good
i could have had 180$ a week? u socialists killed the economy
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monkyyy, 22 Jun 2011 @ 12:38pm

Re: Re: Re: Good
oh wait that was day not hour XD
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