Studio8 - Uniting the Arts

Pentagon Spying Targeted Church Meetings, Veterans Group
Here in the United States, the American Civil Liberties Union has released new documents from a Pentagon database used to spy on groups opposed to military recruitment and the war in Iraq. In one case, defense department officials notified two California recruiting stations after learning activists were planning anti-recruitment protests. A database report also included information on anti-war meetings and non-violence training sessions planned for churches around New York City. Another report warned the group Veterans for Peace: “should be viewed as a possible threat to Army and DoD personnel.” In a statement, Veterans for Peace Executive Director Michael McPhearson said: “It is appalling that the Pentagon would label peace activists – including those of us who put our lives at risk defending this country -- as potential threats. The federal government should not be wasting valuable resources gathering files on peaceful protesters who disagree with the Bush administration’s policies.”
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl? ... /22/156229

We made it on the list...
Jaybird
St Pete

I watched Democracy Now this AM (11/22) and was overwhelmingly pleased to hear that the Pentagon considers VFP to be a threat to Army and DoD personnel. WE MADE THE LIST!!!! Excellent. Congratulations to all.

Peace,
ARNY STIEBER Michigan
Vets fpor Peace

Scary and absurd
We will assert our rights
and continue to be responsible citizens.

Congratulations jim, you are in good company. During Vietnam war the FBI kept a file on a subversive named George Fox. You know any one who can be subversive three hundred years after his death is ok in my book.

Give'em hell, Jim.

Hooray for the Vets who have their heads straight.

--Z

Jimmy Carter is one of them, as for me, I can't say.
I gotta get straight by tomorrow 5 AM. It's the jewel mines.

I saw a plant at the Quaker meeting in St Pete during the build up to Desert Storm (Iraq War I) one Saturday when there was a special teach-in for conscientious objectors, should the draft come back. A very pleasant, smiling, gentleman sat quietly taking notes, stayed for a while, then left.

I also know this interesting fellow who was in the Florida Guard back in 1990, work related assosiate, in a nursing home, he was a student and a CNA,
he was talking about UFO's and how he was gonna be part of a secret project,
then in November, 2001, we had a Veterans' Day ceremony in St Pete, with press releases, and he was there in the backgrtound, with a press badge and a camera, smiling and distant,

last year I went to a Wed afternoon street demo by St Pete for Peace, and I saw this dude drive up to the corner and while stopped waiting for a light, proceeded to hurl invectives so furiously that I could see the spit fly from his snarled face,
I told him, "We are the troops" and saluted, which drew forth more hate, then he drove on, saved by the light,

soon after that,
last year in fact the last public Vets for Peace meeting I've been to, he was there, talking about a photography project he had done about the army in Bosnia, he made a comment, "Don't you honor the troops in Iraq?"

When I had a silent moment, I said to Jaybird, "That guy's a snoop."
He left not long after, and I ain't been back, just in the street,
altho we have a memorial service I would like to go to this Sunday afternoon, a peace activist who passed away,
I am sure it will draw out the entire community.

I only hope that more politicos continue to advocate for both civil rights and for a conclusion to this war, with active recognition of all Iraq's neighbbors.
I hope for this and better. Also calling the prez to task.

What is with the CIA anyway? Are they loonies or whAT? My wife says she doesn't trust them.

I don't know who I trust, I mean I don't trust any government completely. "I am just playing in the band," There was a purge when Porter Goss came in. Loyalty oats and crap like that, not loyalty oaths to the people but to the party. Reminded me a little of the KGB purges in the fifties except nobody got shot, yet. Knip used to say that American intelligence has always been considered stupid.

I sometimes wonder if Bush was Blair's lapdog. THe brits been lusting after that oil for a long time too. There would not even be an Iraq if not for Britian.
I have such a love hate ambivelent atitude about those limey bastards Damn dam I ramble

thanks for the eye witness report, you easy to read jim.

thanks for everything

What is with the CIA anyway? Are they loonies or whAT? My wife says she doesn't trust them.

I don't. I find it harder and harder to trust our government in general. Not that I ever had that high of an opinion of governments to begin with. Necessary evil and all that. You'd think that cocaine smugglers, arms dealers, and, oh you know, terrorists would be more worrisome that peace activists. At least, I'd think so.

I do have faith in the citizenry, hopefully.