If spying by the NSA and Defense Department wasn’t reason enough, how about the FBI too?
A recent ACLU lawsuit uncovered classified FBI documents (which were
heavily edited) revealing spying on 150 protest and social justice
organizations. This included anti-war organizations, sought to draw
financial links between different groups, and blatant lies about the
beliefs and actions of various organizations. This newfound government
spying got its start after 9/11 when John Ashcroft authorized the FBI
to spy not just on groups with suspected links to terrorism, but also
to protest groups involved in “diruptive or violent” activities. In
other words, this is like COINTELPRO only with a regime moving society
towards fascism in charge.
This is just the latest in a string of revelations of police state
measures taken by executive order of the Bush regime. This has caused
outrage among many, and real conflict within the halls of power,
including talk of an investigation into the legality of the NSA
secretly spying on Americans without warrants. In response, the Bush
regime has ardently defended its right and supposed “necessity” to spy
on people, including inside the US, in secret and without any legal
process. The very real danger of these Orwellian measures, as well as
the real conflicts and discontent over their exposure, is all the more
reason to be demanding “Bush step down” and mobilize around this demand
during his upcoming state of the union address. Bush is in some
trouble, but whether he can navigate out of this or whether this could
become part of the downfall of his regime depends largely on whether
there is massive resistance from below.
The World Can’t Wait! Drive Out the Bush Regime!