I know this article from the NYT already has a topic in LBN, but I thought the most important sentence in it might not get the attention that it should.
"The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been questioning political demonstrators across the country, and in rare cases even subpoenaing them, in an aggressive effort to forestall what officials say could be violent and disruptive protests at the Republican National Convention in New York."
<snip>
"The unusual initiative comes after the Justice Department, in a previously undisclosed legal opinion, gave its blessing to controversial tactics used last year by the F.B.I in urging local police departments to
report suspicious activity at political and antiwar demonstrations to counterterrorism squads. The F.B.I. bulletins that relayed the request for help detailed tactics used by demonstrators - everything from violent resistance to Internet fund-raising and recruitment."
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/16/politics/campaign/16fbi.html?hpAshcroft can argue the point that they are simply trying to prevent criminal activity before it occurs, but he reveals his true intent when local police are to report suspicious activity to counterterrorism squads. What does being antiwar have to do with being a terrorist? Being against war does not make you more likely to be a terrorist--if that's the case, there's a lot of little old ladies they need to crack down on.
What is obvious by its omission in the article is that right-wing activists are not being treated the same way as those on the left. And yet it is right wing extremists that have accounted for almost all of the terrorists attacks within the U.S. for the last couple of decades! There's a long list of terrorist attacks by anti-abortionists, racists, and militias--including earlier this year when a right wing extremist in Texas had enough crap to destroy a city and was only found out when he mistakenly shipped a package to the wrong address.
If bush is president for four more years, they may as well change the name of this country, because the United States of America as we used to know it will no longer exist. Those believed to have impure thoughts will be considered criminals and treated accordingly.
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