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In reply to the discussion: Obama's Approval Rating Spikes to 50% [View all]Demeter
(85,373 posts)40. Then you obviously missed this story about US dissent from 2014
After 43 years, activists admit theft at FBI office that exposed domestic spying
By Michael Isikoff, National Investigative Correspondent, NBC News
http://investigations.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/06/22205443-after-43-years-activists-admit-theft-at-fbi-office-that-exposed-domestic-spying?chromedomain=usnews
In the bombshell book, "The Burglary," journalist Betty Medzger exposes the robbers behind the momentous theft from an FBI office outside Philadelphia over 40 years ago. The perpetrators have come forward in an interview with NBC News. Forty-three years after the mysterious theft of up to 1,000 documents from an FBI office outside Philadelphia, three former political activists are publicly confessing to the brazen burglary, calling it an act of resistance that exposed massive illegal surveillance and intimidation.
We did it because somebody had to do it, John Raines, 80, a retired professor of religion at Temple University, said in an interview with NBC News. In this case, by breaking a law entering, removing files we exposed a crime that was going on. When we are denied the information we need to have to act as citizens, then we have a right to do what we did.
Raines, his wife, Bonnie, and Keith Forsyth, a former Philadelphia cab driver, said they were part of an eight-member ring of anti-Vietnam War protesters that while much of the country was gripped by the so-called Fight of the Century in New York between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier broke into the FBIs Media, Penn., office on March 8, 1971. Members of the burglary team, armed with little more than a crowbar and wearing suits and ties, then walked off undetected with suitcases stuffed with sensitive bureau files that revealed a domestic FBI spying operation known as COINTELPRO. The heist enraged the bureaus legendary Director J. Edgar Hoover, who launched a massive but ultimately futile manhunt.
The identities of the burglars are revealed in a book being published Tuesday, "The Burglary: The Discovery of J. Edgar Hoovers Secret FBI," by Betty Medsger, a former Washington Post reporter. The book, as well as a new film, "1971," by documentarian Johanna Hamilton, portray the break-in as a story with new resonance in light of the recent revelations of National Security Agency surveillance of American citizens by ex-contractor Edward Snowden.
Much like Snowden, the FBI burglars selectively leaked the stolen files to journalists. They produced months of headlines about FBI surveillance of anti-war and civil rights groups including the first references to COINTELPRO, a secret program started years earlier by Hoover and aimed at smearing the reputations of perceived enemies such as Dr. Martin Luther King.
By Michael Isikoff, National Investigative Correspondent, NBC News
http://investigations.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/06/22205443-after-43-years-activists-admit-theft-at-fbi-office-that-exposed-domestic-spying?chromedomain=usnews
In the bombshell book, "The Burglary," journalist Betty Medzger exposes the robbers behind the momentous theft from an FBI office outside Philadelphia over 40 years ago. The perpetrators have come forward in an interview with NBC News. Forty-three years after the mysterious theft of up to 1,000 documents from an FBI office outside Philadelphia, three former political activists are publicly confessing to the brazen burglary, calling it an act of resistance that exposed massive illegal surveillance and intimidation.
We did it because somebody had to do it, John Raines, 80, a retired professor of religion at Temple University, said in an interview with NBC News. In this case, by breaking a law entering, removing files we exposed a crime that was going on. When we are denied the information we need to have to act as citizens, then we have a right to do what we did.
Raines, his wife, Bonnie, and Keith Forsyth, a former Philadelphia cab driver, said they were part of an eight-member ring of anti-Vietnam War protesters that while much of the country was gripped by the so-called Fight of the Century in New York between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier broke into the FBIs Media, Penn., office on March 8, 1971. Members of the burglary team, armed with little more than a crowbar and wearing suits and ties, then walked off undetected with suitcases stuffed with sensitive bureau files that revealed a domestic FBI spying operation known as COINTELPRO. The heist enraged the bureaus legendary Director J. Edgar Hoover, who launched a massive but ultimately futile manhunt.
The identities of the burglars are revealed in a book being published Tuesday, "The Burglary: The Discovery of J. Edgar Hoovers Secret FBI," by Betty Medsger, a former Washington Post reporter. The book, as well as a new film, "1971," by documentarian Johanna Hamilton, portray the break-in as a story with new resonance in light of the recent revelations of National Security Agency surveillance of American citizens by ex-contractor Edward Snowden.
Much like Snowden, the FBI burglars selectively leaked the stolen files to journalists. They produced months of headlines about FBI surveillance of anti-war and civil rights groups including the first references to COINTELPRO, a secret program started years earlier by Hoover and aimed at smearing the reputations of perceived enemies such as Dr. Martin Luther King.
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They'll hang on to "if only he'd fought for single payer".. forever. Even though single payer was
Cha
Jan 2015
#38
This pining for progressive policies lost is getting f@$%&%g old Cha.
great white snark
Jan 2015
#44
Leaders ought to lead. Leading away from single payer had Obama doing the bidding of the elites
Ed Suspicious
Jan 2015
#52
He's trying to reverse course on our increasingly regressive income taxation scheme,
closeupready
Jan 2015
#17
"let's just have him as the villain that occasionally does the good stuff that we forced him to do"
Number23
Jan 2015
#46
Now, they're trying to take credit for Obama at the same time bashing him.. the President has always
Cha
Jan 2015
#39
"Obama Job Approval up to 50% For the First Time Since 2013".. and it's Gallup. And, I don't care
Cha
Jan 2015
#53
So, you're comparing Obama with someone who clearly violates human rights
Liberal_Stalwart71
Jan 2015
#11
Always bear in mind that Putin has his cheerleaders here & elsewhere, no matter how despicable.
Tarheel_Dem
Jan 2015
#32
Oh, they love them some Homophobic, Journalist Censoring, Internet Suppressing dictator.. I really
Cha
Jan 2015
#42
He's black! That's what brings their hate to the surface. They'll even embrace a homophobic bigot
Liberal_Stalwart71
Jan 2015
#73
The Dictator Putin's Trumped up Charges.. but go ahead.. defend that rwinger homophobic, internet ..
Cha
Jan 2015
#84
If you can't manage damn near unanimous approval in a closed society, you must be doing it wrong.
Tarheel_Dem
Jan 2015
#33
Pew Research: Russia’s Global Image Negative...Americans’ and Europeans’ Views Sour Dramatically
Tarheel_Dem
Jan 2015
#79
Yeah, ******* Putin has his fans bragging about his high popularity in Russia. Poor sad little
Cha
Jan 2015
#43
But s/he works with the "emigres!" You know the people that FLED that place rather than wind up
Number23
Jan 2015
#49
How the hell can anyone, with a straight face, brag about Pooty's approval numbers when we know....
Tarheel_Dem
Jan 2015
#78
I provided a poll of Pooty's global approval. Can you provide the same to back this up....?
Tarheel_Dem
Jan 2015
#83
Putin certainly treats the Russian LGBT community with deference and respect
LanternWaste
Jan 2015
#74
Folks seem to forget that as they attack Obama for his measly unearned 50%.
Fred Sanders
Jan 2015
#24