New McCarthyism?

[Sayhey]

I originally saw this at the Daily Kos (http://www.dailykos.com/) so I looked up the Associated Press article (http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-activist-investigation,0,1896582.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines). For those of us who remember the House Un-American Activities Committee, COINTELPRO and other programs targeting political opponents, this sounds remarkably similar. This is scary stuff.

Feds Win Right to War Protesters' Records
BY RYAN J. FOLEY
Associated Press Writer

February 7, 2004, 9:21 PM EST

DES MOINES, Iowa -- In what may be the first subpoena of its kind in decades, a federal judge has ordered a university to turn over records about a gathering of anti-war activists.

In addition to the subpoena of Drake University, subpoenas were served this past week on four of the activists who attended a Nov. 15 forum at the school, ordering them to appear before a grand jury Tuesday, the protesters said.

Federal prosecutors refuse to comment on the subpoenas.

In addition to records about who attended the forum, the subpoena orders the university to divulge all records relating to the local chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, a New York-based legal activist organization that sponsored the forum.

The group, once targeted for alleged ties to communism in the 1950s, announced Friday it will ask a federal court to quash the subpoena on Monday.

"The law is clear that the use of the grand jury to investigate protected political activities or to intimidate protesters exceeds its authority," guild President Michael Ayers said in a statement.

Representatives of the Lawyer's Guild and the American Civil Liberties Union said they had not heard of such a subpoena being served on any U.S. university in decades.

Those served subpoenas include the leader of the Catholic Peace Ministry, the former coordinator of the Iowa Peace Network, a member of the Catholic Worker House, and an anti-war activist who visited Iraq in 2002.

They say the subpoenas are intended to stifle dissent.

"This is exactly what people feared would happen," said Brian Terrell of the peace ministry, one of those subpoenaed. "The civil liberties of everyone in this country are in danger. How we handle that here in Iowa is very important on how things are going to happen in this country from now on."

The forum, titled "Stop the Occupation! Bring the Iowa Guard Home!" came the day before 12 protesters were arrested at an anti-war rally at Iowa National Guard headquarters in Johnston. Organizers say the forum included nonviolence training for people planning to demonstrate.

The targets of the subpoenas believe investigators are trying to link them to an incident that occurred during the rally. A Grinnell College librarian was charged with misdemeanor assault on a peace officer; she has pleaded innocent, saying she simply went limp and resisted arrest.

"The best approach is not to speculate and see what we learn on Tuesday" when the four testify, said Ben Stone, executive director of the Iowa Civil Liberties Union, which is representing one of the protesters.

Mark Smith, a lobbyist for the Washington-based American Association of University Professors, said he had not heard of any similar case of a U.S. university being subpoenaed for such records.

He said the case brings back fears of the "red squads" of the 1950s and campus clampdowns on Vietnam War protesters.

According to a copy obtained by The Associated Press, the Drake subpoena asks for records of the request for a meeting room, "all documents indicating the purpose and intended participants in the meeting, and all documents or recordings which would identify persons that actually attended the meeting."

It also asks for campus security records "reflecting any observations made of the Nov. 15, 2003, meeting, including any records of persons in charge or control of the meeting, and any records of attendees of the meeting."

Several officials of Drake, a private university with about 5,000 students, refused to comment Friday, including school spokeswoman Andrea McDonough. She referred questions to a lawyer representing the school, Steve Serck, who also would not comment.

A source with knowledge of the investigation said a judge had issued a gag order forbidding school officials from discussing the subpoena.

[zimv20]

the only way i can think to make that creepier is to, instead of Drake, force Kent State into turning over such records

[Neserk]

OYE!

[Desertrat]

While the governmental behavior is repulsive, its problem is that there is no groundswell of public support. Liberals and conservatives alike are voicing concerns about the abuses and misuses of such as the Patriot Act...

'Rat

[pseudobrit]

Originally posted by Desertrat
While the governmental behavior is repulsive, its problem is that there is no groundswell of public support. Liberals and conservatives alike are voicing concerns about the abuses and misuses of such as the Patriot Act...

'Rat

Really? While there's no groundswell of public support, I don't see an explosion of public outrage, either. People are more worried about Janet Jackson's boobs.

[numediaman]

So, how strongly do Americans feel about their freedoms? Here are some poll results:

"American Bar Association poll found that only 33% of Americans surveyed knew what the Bill of Rights was. A Gallup poll found that 70 percent of respondents did not know what the First Amendment was or what it dealt with."

Washington Post: only 53 percent strongly agree that "newspapers should be allowed to publish freely without government approval of a story," and only 57 percent agree that "newspapers should be allowed to criticize public officials."

also from the WP: "Two in three were willing to surrender some of the liberties we have in this country to crack down on terrorism."

These polls are rather old -- but disturbing, nonetheless.

"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security." – Benjamin Franklin

[zimv20]

Originally posted by numediaman
So, how strongly do Americans feel about their freedoms? Here are some poll results:
[chomp]

as i've maintained, the american public are idiots.

do you have a link to that article?


The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment. -Robert Maynard Hutchins, educator (1899-1977)

[Desertrat]

pseudobrit, in McCarthy's time, people were more worried about Jane Russell's boobs. However, at that time there was also a lot of public support for anything "Agin Commy-nizzum". (Not to make light of the actual dangers from the USSR...)

Hey, for the last forty years, this country has been ever more concerned--nay, worried--about security. Doesn't matter if it's airbags/seatbelts, gun control, drugs, terrorism or environmental/occupational matters. It's not that there not be need for concern, but we've moved ever closer to damned-near panic. "It's for the children!"

I've previously mentioned the polls after the Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta: Over half the respondents said they'd trade "some freedoms" for security. That was in, what, 2000? Why, after 9/11 would the soccer moms, et al, be braver now?

Hell's bells, part of the impetus for all these computerized war toys is so even our military guys will be safer while killing the enemy.

The perceived need for security permeates our whole society. Else, why would so many people get their jollies from vicarious thrills, rather than going out and doing somewhat risky stuff on their own? Yet, there are those few people who are driven to push the edges of life. Nascar; X-Games...

And so it goes.

'Rat

[pseudobrit]

Originally posted by Desertrat
The perceived need for security permeates our whole society. Else, why would so many people get their jollies from vicarious thrills, rather than going out and doing somewhat risky stuff on their own? Yet, there are those few people who are driven to push the edges of life. Nascar; X-Games...

And so it goes.

'Rat

I play hockey. Without a visor or face shield. Does that count as risky? ;) (answer: only if you're a goalie ;) )

I don't understand the general fear of death that permeates our society either, which is the underlying impetus for the security craze people are going through. I have to attribute some of it to our media and public officials, who seem to focus on bad luck stories that seize on people's natural anxieties.

Dying ain't so bad. Once you come to that realisation, life becomes a lot easier. :)

[Neserk]

Originally posted by pseudobrit

Dying ain't so bad. Once you come to that realisation, life becomes a lot easier. :)

I realized around the time I turned 30 that I was actually going to die someday. (Hopefully later than sooner). Intially it freaked me out but I think I've come to terms with it. It does make life easier!

[Desertrat]

You get your old racecar turned around all backwards at around 150, and it's amazing how many hours you have for all manner of thoughts to go through your punkin head! :D (Trouble is, you still don't have time to do much about bein' backwards.)

Now that I'm pushing 70, and sorta figure I'm more than halfway Home, there's a lot of stuff that's not scary at all. Mostly, I just get outraged at the slings and arrows of outrageous idiots--most of whom clerk in stores or work in politics and government.

:D, 'Rat

[wwworry]

'Rat, I forgot to say I now agree with you about that portion of campaign finance law that deal with ads before elections. and your sentiments in this thread.