Documents released today by the American Civil Liberties Union reveal that the Federal Bureau of Investigations has indeed monitored political groups solely on the basis that they opposed a U.S.-led war.
According to a memo written in 2002, the FBI launched a classified investigation into the activities of Pittsburgh's Thomas Merton Center after becoming concerned that the group held "daily leaflet distribution activities in downtown Pittsburgh and [was] currently focused on its opposition to the potential war on Iraq." The memo aimed to summarize the investigation's results.
It identifies the group as "a left-wing organization advocating, among many political causes, pacifism."
Pacifism is a national security concern? Really?
I can't help but visualize the FBI running around like chickens with their heads cut off desperately trying to monitor the increasing numbers of Americans expressing anti-war views. It must be a madhouse in there right now. And how would that leave them any time to attempt to track any legitimate threats to our national security? Once again our safety is placed second to the desire of this White House to control their political enemies.
Is there no backbone available in these agencies? To let themselves be used for political purposes is pathetic. I personally would be ashamed.
Not that I ever doubted that this was the case, especially in light of the DoD doing the same, but it's good that some light is being cast on the rats in the FBI.
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