CIA Plans to Shift Work to Denver, Domestic Division Would Be Moved

[Rose Siding]

The CIA has plans to relocate the headquarters of its domestic division, which is responsible for operations and recruitment in the United States, from the CIA's Langley headquarters to Denver, a move designed to promote innovation, according to U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials.

About $20 million has been tentatively budgeted to relocate employees of the CIA's National Resources Division, officials said. A U.S. intelligence official said the planned move, confirmed by three other government officials, was being undertaken "for operational reasons."
....
The main function of the domestic division, which has stations in many major U.S. cities, is to conduct voluntary debriefings of U.S. citizens who travel overseas for work or to visit relatives, and to recruit foreign students, diplomats and businesspeople to become CIA assets when they return to their countries. It was unclear how many CIA employees would relocate to Denver under the plan.

Although collecting information on U.S. citizens under suspicion for terrorist links is primarily an FBI function, the CIA may also collect information on citizens under limited circumstances, according to a 1981 executive order. The exact guidelines for those operations are spelled out in a classified document signed by the CIA director and approved by the attorney general....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/05/AR2005050501860.html

[ret5hd]

1. denver...the capital of the New United States...

next door to the city fundies call the New Jerusalem (colorado springs, home to dobson, et al)

[tridim]

5. I see one big problem

Denver is very progressive. Bring it on spooks.

[northstar]

2. Denver - home of the 'creepiest airport in the country'

More mural pics located here: http://www.geocities.com/Baja/5692/murals.html

http://www.anomalies-unlimited.com/Denver_Airport.html

[intheflow]

7. Please stop spreading this BS.

First of all, your image links all go to Geocities pages that are not available. But I assume you're talking about the two murals depicting war and peace.

Those murals were done by a friend of mine, Leo Tanguma. The first one depicts the world as it is now, with war, famine, and suffering children. The other one depicts a colorful world where suffering and the sword are laid to rest.

When Leo painted the murals, he was envisioning a world in which "swords are beaten into plowshares." That's a biblical quote meaning that the swords will be melted down and made into plows. It's a vision of peace and plenty for all.

I'm really sick of seeing this good man's work twisted into something sinister when the artwork represents humanity's best dreams of a peaceful world. It's the second time I've seen this being spread around DU. It's complete and utter crap and should not be taken seriously.


*Edited for typos.

[ret5hd]

9. links worked for me.

[intheflow]

10. I tried again.

It still says that the site has exceeded its bandwidth. :shrug:

Doesn't matter. I live here. I can see them in person anytime. But thanks for letting others know.

[Dover]

Wow, excellent mural! Haven't been through the Denver airport

but heard it's great. Nice to see some bold social commentary.

Can't quite understand the motives of those who want to demonize work like this by distorting its context. But I can imagine....

[Dover]

15. ..

[northstar]

17. These murals are scary

Mr. Tanguma is a talented artist - they are beautiful works of art that definitely provoke a variety of feelings in the viewer. However, *I* (my opinion - although I don't think I am alone in that opinion) find the images troubling and inappropriate in an airport environment.

I don't know what Mr. Tanguma was commissioned to create or why. I am not demonizing him or his artist abilities. I am only stating that the Denver murals he created contain troubling images.

I really don't think ANYONE would dispute that that is the truth - just look at them for yourself


The 'guy'? with the mask and automatic weapon is very scary and threatening looking. He's stabbing a white dove (historically symbolizing peace) with a BIG sword. There are burned out buildings and cowering children.




In this mural, the foreground contains three coffins with children in them. The background is ablaze with fire and smoke. There are some sort of clear boxes with creatures/specimens(?) in them. This pic doesn't give me a *warm/fuzzy* feeling one might expect from something titled "In Peace and Harmony with Nature".

There are other anomolies and unanswered questions about DIA that have nothing to do with Mr. Tanguma. That's why I said the AIRPORT was creepy and not just the murals.

Btw, since Mr. Tanguma is a friend of yours, is it true that there were originally 4 panels to the mural and that 2 of the panels were removed/painted over? I'm just curious. If that's the case, I wouldn't think he would be very happy about that, right?

[intheflow]

20. Believe me, the Tanguma family is well aware of these sites

and they think the writers are nuts. I have never heard them say the murals were painted over, though the family has certainly been to the airport since the art was installed.

As for the "troubling images," that is what art is for. Good art should evoke feeling. How about taking the time to reflect on the art? Why does it trouble you? I think it is because we Americans live in a kind of peaceful bubble compared to the rest of the world. Americans are all shocked when we hear about shootings and bombings in the US, but that's because shootings and bombings are really quite rare in the US. Yet we are shooting and bombing Iraqis and Afghanis every hour on the hour. These troubling images are calling you back to your humanity, they are meant to remind the viewer of the nightmares we humans are capable of inflicting on other each other.

Likewise, the companion mural of children of the world flying banners saying peace, is meant to give balance to the war images. Children represent the future. The artist again calls us back to our humanity reminding us that a peaceful future can still be imagined, that the future is not set and we can still choose to create peace.

Your negative reaction also indicates your western world view. Leo paints out of the Chicano tradition, and that culture does not fear visualizations of death. Do you consider Día de los Muertos to be part of a NWO?

Finally, about the other mural picture you posted. First, you should know that your picture severely cropped the mural. Here's a better photo:



And here is a different interpretation of the second mural. This is from a speech by Dorothy D. Ciarlo, Ph.D. presented at the American Psychological Association Convention in San Francisco in August 2001.

"To illustrate making dreams come true, let me introduce you to Leo Tanguma, an artist whose murals are in the central public space in Denver International Airport. Tanguma is a Mexican American who grew up in poverty in Texas, has only a 6th grade education and no formal art training. He submitted his work in competition with many others when the airport was being built a few years ago. A committee of art experts chose his work for the airport’s walls..

"This is one of the murals, called "In Peace and Harmony with Nature", which includes a small panel showing the destruction of the environment, and the larger panel showing the restoration of the environment. Another mural is "Children Dream of Peace", with the small panel showing the devastation of war, and the larger panel showing the transformation of swords into plowshares."

(Emphasis added.)



*edited for typos

[wicket]

19. those murals are really cool

:thumbsup:

[donheld]

13. Does our airport scare you? How totally funny

:rofl:

I for one say the CIA is not welcome here scary airport or not.

[Pathwalker]

3. Why? Is something going to happen to the East Coast?

Is that where the next 'terrorist' attack will be? What does the CIA know that they're not telling us?

[ret5hd]

4. they are taking the 'high ground' before someone else does...

they've seen what a handful of disgruntled natives can do with high rugged territory, caves, rifles, etc.

[harpo]

12. hmmm...that was my first instinct as well

[IChing]

6. simple reason

They need to be closer to the blue states

[intheflow]

8. A natural fit with the Denver Spy Files.

The Denver Police were keeping files on people who attended anti-war ralies, End Columbus Day rallies, and the yearly MLK march. My liberal seminary was on the secret list, along with many other good people and iinstitutions like the American Friends Service Committee (those Nobel Peace Prize-winning terrorists!).

:eyes:

They say they're not doing it any longer, but who knows really. :shrug:

More info from the ACLU, if anyone's interested: http://www.aclu-co.org/spyfiles/chronology.htm

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[donheld]

14. Welcome to DU WarIsaRacket

:hi:

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Anakin Skywalker]

18. Maybe They Will Outsource These Jobs

to our great friends in India and China. Yeeeehaaaaw! Rethugs/Freepers would love that. Saves a buncha dough!