Reply #57: The FBI and the SDS

[F.Gordon]

Had two encounters with the FBI back then. One was a result of a little propaganda "prank" I pulled (yes, I was a cynical bastard even in my youth) and the other was drugs.

The FBI could investigate anyone who protested the War. If you protested the War you might be a member of the SDS. And if you were a suspected member of the SDS then you might be part of the Weathermen group. It was the same loose connection back then as it is today. Protest the War? You must be anti-American. A terrorist.

I only witnessed 3 violent clashes back then and they were all started by pro-War people. I had one guy take a swing at me once, but he was so drunk it was easy to avoid. Had another guy pull a knife and motion a throw. I found a cop and had him arrested, but since I couldn't "identify the knife" (the police laid 3 knifes on a table and asked me which one was it) they let the asshole go.

I remember one protest in Iowa City where the National Guard setup a fucking machine gun nest to protect the Police Station. I guess they thought we were going to take over the entire town and the last line of defense was the Police Station.

I always blamed the police and national guard for creating an "atmosphere of violence". Their very presence suggested that we were violent wackos, but they were the ones that "pushed" the violence. Instead of just letting the protest go on peacefully, they tried to push our buttons...