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When Political Activism Gets Treated as Potential Terrorism
PA’s Department of Homeland Security has employed an entity called the Institute for Terrorism Research and Response to monitor the web traffic of anti-drilling activists in that state. The effort was purportedly started to fulfill national requirements to protect critical infrastructure.
As more attention was focused on this yesterday, Governor Rendell said he was embarrassed by the news and fired the company engaging in the spying; but he didn’t fire the guy who had hired the company.
Rendell, who claimed he’d just learned about the practice, said Tuesday that the information was useless to law enforcement agencies and that distributing it was tantamount to trampling on constitutional rights. In recent weeks, several acts of vandalism at drilling sites spurred the inclusion of events likely to be attended by environmentalists and the bulletins began going to representatives of Pennsylvania’s booming natural gas industry.
[snip]
“I am deeply embarrassed and I apologize to any of the groups who had this information disseminated on their right to peacefully protest,” Rendell said at an evening Capitol news conference.
Rendell called the practice “ludicrous” and said the fact that the state was paying for such rudimentary information was “stunning.”
Still, Rendell said he was not firing his homeland security director, James Powers, but he ordered an end to the $125,000 contract with the Philadelphia-based organization, the Institute of Terrorism Research and Response, that supplied the information. [my emphasis]
But the first response from the Governor’s office–for the paper that first broke this story–was initially support for the program.
Gary Tuma, Gov. Ed Rendell’s spokesman, said, “It is part of Homeland Security’s responsibility to alert local law enforcement, local officials and potential victims” to any potential problems.
He said the inclusion of anti-drilling activity in intelligence bulletins “by no means brands groups that speak publicly on one side or the other of an issue as troublemakers.” The information has been included “because there have been acts of vandalism.”
Powers added that a lot of times anti-drilling activists show up without obtaining a permit to protest, “and that in itself is a violation of the law.”
When it was noted that citizens do not need a permit to attend public meetings and express dissenting opinions, Powers said, “You’re looking at it out of context. I get to see everything over time.”
Powers said that when anti-drilling activists attend public meetings, “their presence may spark something else.” He said he didn’t want to see public meetings “escalate to physical criminal acts.” [my emphasis]
Now, perhaps Rendell was ignorant about this effort. Perhaps his opposition to it is–as stated–that the information collected was not useful for law enforcement.
But I am rather curious by this detail: when the emails revealing the extent of the surveillance got sent to activists, James Powers–the guy Rendell didn’t fire–sent an email to (among others) the drilling industry’s lobbyist, saying he didn’t want this information to inflame anti-drilling activists.
He added, “We want to continue providing this support to the Marcellus Shale Formation natural gas stakeholders, while not feeding those groups fomenting dissent against those same companies.”Powers sent copies of his e-mail to the Institute of Terrorism Research and Response as well as to Pam Witmer, a lobbyist with the Bravo Group, which lobbies for the gas industry.
Which sure makes it seem like Powers was about monitoring political activities–those “fomenting dissent”–rather than potential terrorists.
Among the others included in this surveillance? Anarchists, “black power” groups, animal rights activists protesting a rodeo.
Because we all know rodeos are critical infrastructure.
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106 Comments so far
Show AllI blame "Earth First!". The give "activism" a bad name with some of their activities.
Its like David Brower said: "when we compromised, we lost".
I blame fear-mongering supporters of the entrenched, authoritarian police state who use hype and the fake "war on terror" to attack activists who are only responding to the inaction of the corporate state to ameliorate the environmentally destructive actions of the military industrial complex.
You can do that, but that doesn't change the reputation of arson, vandalism etc. of Earth First!, ALF, and similar.
Arson and vandalism are far tamer than murder, and may even be justified given the inaction of the corporate state.
Why not blame the anti-abortion extremists who use murder of health-care workers to make their point? The blaming of left-wing activist to enact ever more extreme right-wing laws and intrusive spying is fascistic.
"Arson and vandalism are far tamer than murder, "
Agreed.
"Why not blame the anti-abortion extremists who use murder of health-care workers to make their point?"
And I would do that too, for the times it's happened. But the article happened to be about environment and not abortion. So we should be wary of these "activists" wherever they are coming from.
Oh, by all means, be wary. We are, after all, extremely dangerous 70 year old, 145 pound terrorists who do not own weapons. Yessir. Be afraid. Be very afraid. We're coming for you. As soon as we find our walkers ....
"We are, after all, extremely dangerous 70 year old, 145 pound terrorists who do not own weapons. "
Who are you talking about?
Who and what are YOU talking about? Oh yeah, how dangerous it is to have activists around doing anything at all that just might interfere with the pillaging and plundering, the wholesale environmental destruction carried out by, yes, the corporate state. You see the rights of the oligarchs as far more defensible than those of scruffy activists who might, gasp!, break a petty law here and there that exists ONLY to protect the oligarchs and their right to pillage and plunder at will. This consorts most gracefully with all your other positions.
"Who and what are YOU talking about?"
Certain "activist" groups that break stuff or worse, such as the case where an abortion doctor is killed. These acts make people wary of "activists", regardless of whether you happen to agree with them or not.
So people being "wary" of corporate violence - on the environment, against people who have no power to stop these corporations, all in name of profiteering capitalism - don't count. And you equate rightwing murderers of abortion doctors with tree spikers? This is typical of your "logic". Rightwing, fascist hysterics are no different from the monkeywrenching tactics Earth Firsters once practiced. You prefer the passivity of do-nothing-ever centrism.
"So people being "wary" of corporate violence - on the environment, against people who have no power to stop these corporations, all in name of profiteering capitalism - don't count. "
No, I never said that. Try again.
"And you equate rightwing murderers of abortion doctors with tree spikers?"
No I did not, try again. Although when a firefighter dies in a fire caused by an arsonist that is murder. Yes, there are degrees to these crimes, obviously. But if you wish to have a conversation with me, please respond to what I say, not to things I don't say.
Please provide evidence that Earth First! or any environmental activist action has led to a firefighter dying.
Oh, you did not "say" that, of course, but then, y'know, why "say" it unless you are implying something in support of your original statement?
Jake, you always act all logically superior, but in fact your "arguments" are generally holey, and as has been repeatedly pointed out, generally lean in support of status-quo, state power, corporate power, etc, and against those who oppose status-quo, state power, corporate power etc.
You "blame" Earth First! for the crimes of the Pennsylvania Department of Homeland Security? Wow.
"Please provide evidence that Earth First! or any environmental activist action has led to a firefighter dying."
I'm not aware of any but you certainly do know of fires caused by activists and don't need proof from me. Any fire has the potential to kill innocents, firefighters simply being the most likely.
"you always act all logically superior"
One is logical or not. No acting is involved.
"You "blame" Earth First! for the crimes of the Pennsylvania Department of Homeland Security? Wow."
Example of logic or not? So it is clear to you: I blame Earth First and other individuals and groups for they anxiety some people have about activists and activism in general, baesed upon crimes they have committed. So I disagree with the above statement by you.
Excellent example of Newtonian "logic."
*shrug*
Yo da man Jake ! I'm feeling stronger learning your logic. Soon I be tougher against those infantile poopoo heads.
Hey Pelican Beak, you out there ? Give Jake a free pizza and a beer for his reward and whip up some pies to throw on them poopoo heads attacking him ! LOL ! Jake RULZ ! YEAH !!
Hey I'm here man. Jake's kool. I got his pizza and beer for him. I got them pies to drop from the sky on them bozos.
Got any toaster waffles? I like those.
Your logic is an example of trafficking in absurdities. If anyone has ever experienced "anxiety" over Earth First! actions, then you "blame" Earth First! What about people who have anxiety about Ferris Wheels. Do you blame the Ferris Wheel? I know there are plenty of people with anxieties about heights, acrophobia. Do you blame high places? More to the point, don't you suspect there are millions of people with immense anxieties over the routine practice of corporations raping and destroying the environment, so they can get richer than Croesus? Can you find it in your robotic mind to blame those corporations for anything? Or is it just Earth First! and environmental groups in general that yank your "logic" chain?
" If anyone has ever experienced "anxiety" over Earth First! actions, then you "blame" Earth First!"
If Earth first, or more famously ELF set fires at ski resorts, SUV lots, and luxury home developments under construction, just as some examples, who else should be blamed for anxieties associated with a group that would do that?
"What about people who have anxiety about Ferris Wheels. Do you blame the Ferris Wheel? I know there are plenty of people with anxieties about heights, acrophobia. Do you blame high places?"
Your logic is an example of trafficking in absurdities. "High places" are inanimate.
"Can you find it in your robotic mind to blame those corporations for anything?"
Sure, where the commit crimes. But we are talking about "activists".
Jake, I understand your logic but those activists are trying to stop corporate and environmental abuse. We could be a little flexible with logical thinking when faced with serious situations such as this.
"those activists are trying to stop corporate and environmental abuse"
Whether there is really abuse across the board is a matter of opinion and subject to debate. I would insist on a case by case look where I am sure you would find some.
The other issue is whether activists who may indeed have an honorable position are going about things in an honorable way.
EPHRAIM: Indeed.
The thing is, the government already utilizes private mercenaries.
Big business may soon endeavor to employ its own guards and anoint them with the right to spy on citizens.
Since environmental activists are the first line of defense against the mad pursuit of capital without conscience (and those intent upon escalating LIFE-THREATENING levels of ecocide) political moves are in the covert works to disable these pawns. The big business game plan of endless resource depletion will not stop until nothing is left. How dare citizens of conscience protest this ungodly fate? (sarcastic voice, here)
I remember this topic being embedded in an episode of "Law and Order;" and when the word "Terrorist" was used in association with Animal Rights' Group members, I could already see that inroads were being forged to conflate citizens of conscience with acts of terrorism.
When the state becomes an extension of The Corporation, then those who work for justice are seen as impediments to the state's right to, as you put it, pillage and plunder.
We have to believe that when the justice scales bend this far to the right, some mechanism has to spring them either to the left... or back to a central fulcrum point where a modicum of balance is set between corporate profits and citizens' needs. Hopefully soon!
"Big business may soon endeavor to employ its own guards and anoint them with the right to spy on citizens."
Actually, this has already happened. Remember GM hiring private detectives to get some dirt on Ralph Nader?
>>Big business may soon endeavor to employ its own guards and anoint them with the right to spy on citizens
They already do this. A Number of Corporations have hired firms to spy on workers or potential workers. Corporations around the world also hire Mercenaries to "defend their assets". Ie In Nigeria mercenaries guard the "Property of Shell Oil". In Indonesia Exxon hired mercenaries to hunt down and kill peoples who were opposed to the prescence of Exxon in that country.
Go to virtually any third world nation wherein a foreign Corporation has spread its tentacles and there will be mercenaries hired by that Corporation to spy on and kill Civilians.
If it is happening to innocent people in Nigeria then it happens to all of us.
If an enviromentalist in Nigeria is killed by Shell while protesting the destruction of that Countries ecosystem, it no different then an American or a Canadian citizen being killed by Shell in THEIR own countries.
We do not need a "balance" so as to allow Corporate profits. We need the Corporation to be extinguished. The Corporation by defintion is an entity structured to maximize profits while limiting liability. The purpose of a Corporation is to maximize profits by shifting the COSTS onto other entities. What GOOD purpose is there in that?
The big problem, as seen from a workers prospective. You never do more then annoy the oligarchs with your games, but planting expolsives and other harmfull vandalism can kill and injure workers only trying to make a living, at the least shutting a facility can and does often cost rank & file workers pay.
Protest all you want,, but take it where it will hurt the fatcats not the drones.
>^^<
"You never do more then annoy the oligarchs"
Agreed, leaving behind the annoying PR problem.
"As soon as we find our walkers ...."
Thats funny.
Reminds me of the movie Demolition Man where after 30yrs the main charector comes out into a utopian world, no homeless, no pollution. Only to find it's a sham when the Homeless come out of the sewers to raid a food truck, If this keeps on I wonder if it won't be like that in 30yrs.
Types like me who won't eat the cat food, rolling around with sawed off shotguns on our walkers, robbing stores for food. Cause I don't like the sewers as a lifestyle either.
>^^<
Did I miss something? I don't see anything wrong with their reputations. Its nothing less than what Washington and their thugs do every single day of the year, around the world. Should you not include the Republican and Democratic parties to your little list as well?
"Should you not include the Republican and Democratic parties to your little list as well?"
We are *already* wary of them and other political parties around here.
Are you sure you want to say that?
Yes.
Earth First never did 90% of the shit they were accused of. What they did, while sometimes disruptive or on rare occasions, destructive, never came anywhere near what clinic bombers did or what the 90s militia movement did (OKC). The state of PA deliberately used its offices to provide security services for private resource extraction corporations and their private security corporations at PA taxpayer expense. This is a violation of the First Amendment, the applicable corruption laws and the applicable privacy laws and regs, not to mention a rank conflict of interest. How many of the security goons in the PA Homeland Security Dept will go through the revolving door into corporate security jobs, taking the info and connections with them?
And you want to blame a few tree-spikers for all this? Jesus! Do you even get what the First Amendment means?
"Earth First never did 90% of the shit they were accused of."
You might be right, but there remains a PR problem that they have.
"And you want to blame a few tree-spikers for all this?"
Oh I forgot all about them. Yes add the tree spikers to the list, along with the blood on the fur people and the home construction arsonists, the lab animal rescuers,. And the abortion doctor killers and federal building bombers too.
What I "blame" them for is the bad neme that activism in general gets, in general. Is that clear now?
"First Amendment"
Sadly, even when all an activist is doing is speach, some people are wary of them due to things other activists have done.
Jake sez:
"Sadly, even when all an activist is doing is speach, some people are wary of them due to things other activists have done."
i say:
Sadly, even when all a politician is doing is speech, some people are wary of them due to things other politicians have done.
"Sadly, even when all a politician is doing is speech, some people are wary of them due to things other politicians have done."
Agreed.
"What I "blame" them for is the bad neme that activism in general gets, in general. Is that clear now?"
A "bad name" goes with the territory, pal.
"What I "blame" them for is the bad neme that activism in general gets, in general. Is that clear now?"
The problem is the fact that activism has a bad name. I seem to remember a time when just activism was regarded more favorably.
The bad name is not always a fair characterization, but as I said before in the current case when I heard that activists were going to protest drilling, it was very easy to imagine the possibility that there would be equipment vandalism. I maintain a 50-50 chance for that at this point.
And rightly so. These corporate criminals are killing people and destroying groundwater.
I would never try to convinve you otherwise if you feel that gas drilling equipment should be vandalized, it is enough simply to understand where you are coming from. Thank you for making it so plain.
And you think willful greedy profiteering corporate mass murderers and their political pimps and henchmen are on the same moral level as simple vandals. Thank you for making it so plain.
Of course your standard "logical" retort, you did not actually SAY that explicitly. It's just that you always end up arguing on the same side of every issue that comes up, and picking nits against any counter-arguments. Your true colors are very plain.
"Of course your standard "logical" retort, you did not actually SAY that explicitly. "
Which is of course true. Which means you could only have pulled this out of some dark, moist, smelly place, right?
" It's just that you always end up arguing on the same side of every issue that comes up, and picking nits against any counter-arguments. Your true colors are very plain."
My theme here is very obvious: There are bad actors among activists who give all activists a bad name. Very simple. It goes right back to the title of the article. And while you make it clear bt saying do directly that you yourself support the vandalism of drilling equipment, it was never my point.
JAREILLY:
Anecdote and data.
Data: According to Morris Dees' "Southern Poverty Center's" data-base, Western Pennsylvania is a location densely populated by a number of racist right-wing para-military style groups.
Anecdote: During my teen years my parents more or less forced me to go to a camp in Western Pennsylvania. It was a "4 for the price of 3 deal," and my sisters depended on my consent. I was too young to be a counselor, so I helped out at a little shop. This was THE summer of Woodstock.
On one of the first nights of that "experience," something called "Farmer's Daughter Night" was to occur. Since I was new, I wasn't in on the gag. A young male counselor was told some attractive farmer's daughter was "waiting" for him in the woods. When the young man was just about to be taken "into THE act," REAL Sheriff cars and highway patrol cars showed up with sirens screaming. The entire surreal scenario placed the young male on a rap for statutory rape. (I swear I am NOT making this up.) A crowd gathered, the young guy was humiliated, verbally threatened by these "law enforcement" creeps. Someone impersonated the loose girl's angry father, and this insane masquerade went on for at least 20 minutes before someone let out that it was ALL a scam. There was plenty of laughter... but a few people felt traumatized, too. Sick style fun?
I had a particular problem with the camp directors and was retained in their office and observed like something straight out of a professional psy-ops.
Maybe it was just money that had local law enforcement play along with this SICK gag, yet it managed to function as an annual "camp tradition."
Never under-estimate the sick minds that normalize the unthinkable when they share a common (basis for) immorality.
siouxrose...wonderful anecdote....the hive is always up for drawing the line in the sand....and if these little acts of "hazing" scare people into being witless sheep, then mission accomplished!!!!
as an assiduous observer of cd i know you have been watching the hope/no hope debate as well as the "critique of friends" issue----you defending naomi yesterday and me the day before, caroline.
it is my notion, that the LEFT does too live with HOPE and it is of such a flagrant nature that it's easy to overlook.... we hope WE will be a WE with a VOICE someday ("a voice at the table, aids digestion")...that the NON-COWED will out number the terrified!
the SYSTEM people never have to be reminded who the enemy is...yet too often, even on this site, where a modicum of solidarity might be "hoped" for, there is endless, caustic nit-picking, to what end escapes me?
i'm a dualist alas and i have no hope for the "other side" but i'm constantly depressed by my side, so enamored of their "individual" voice, they wind up in fact with bubkiss...peace (capricorn-with three grand trines for godssakes!!!!!!)
BLETS: You write in riddles, sometimes, you know? As for the final sentence, I presume the trines are to Virgo, and they would involve Uranus and Pluto if you were born between l963-l966. Yes or no? If so, that's the vintage I've been dating, so my "field work" experiments on this "item" have been logged into the emperical cosmic computer! Of course there are many other potential combinations. Even to Taurus if you're quite a bit older.
by using the word hive (system)? is that the riddle? hazing? there are dualistic theories a plenty, i have my own version, certainly such a discussion would bore the bejesus out of others....
didn't think the "unity of the hive" and the "difficult to herd cats" dichotomy was sooo strange???? really, what's the riddle?...anywho, my ex has made it her lifes mission to remind me that: "people don't get you, bletspleg!!!!!!"
(as to horoscope...much older...1943....libra rising, sag. moon cancer mid heaven....that's just between you and me)...peace
At least it proves it can be done, I've said for years what goes on the internet stays on the internet. Now we know government can monitor lines to the state level.
I never really did belive in free speach, (you always pay for what you say)
>^^<