Staff editorial
June 5, 2002
Uncle Same or peeping Tom?
You picked up your non-mainstream publication, visited a few Web sites, left a message in a chat room, and made a political and charitable contribution. You have just given reasonable grounds for suspected criminal activity by the FBI. Soon you may be the center of a full investigation.
Recently, in response to the lack of intelligence which resulted in the attacks on Sept. 11, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced that the FBI is now free to return to the decades of abused power, during which surveillance and infiltration of domestic political groups and keeping files on certain individuals thrived. Ashcroft stated, "Alleged abuses would not be allowed." Alleged? It is questionable that well-documented abuses by the FBI could be classified as alleged.
The FBI will be able to attend any public event such as church gatherings, rallies and school events. Was it not allowed to do this before? Surely this is exactly where major terrorists are announcing their future plans of attack. Who knew it was that easy?
This is just another reflection of how there is no remedy for the true problem FBI agents have been complaining about -- the ineptitude at their headquarters. They have the technology and ability to collect information, but the obstacle that needs to be overcome lies in the intellect (or lack of) to analyze the data.
At least you can be reassured that the removal of your individual privacy and civil liberties is really for your own safety. We are in a time of war, fighting against terrorism. The question is, exactly whome are we fighting against? Who is going to monitor our federal-agent peeping Toms?
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