FBI uses ‘terrorism’ language in regards
to antiwar demonstrators
Editors, Asheville Global Report,
According to a news article on the Yahoo official website,
the FBI recently issued a memorandum to local police organizations asking
for their help in gaining “intelligence” about antiwar demonstrators.
The language of the memorandum specifically singled-out anarchist and
anti-government groups. One FBI official was quoted as saying, “We
know that there are anarchists that are actively involved in trying
to sabotage and commit acts of violence at these different events, and
we also know that these large gatherings would be a prime target for
terrorist groups.”
This statement effectively equates anarchists with terrorists, at first
referring to anarchists who they “know” (how do they know
this?) are trying to commit acts of violence, and then moving to referring
to terrorist groups. This type of language is created to instill fear
the general public, and especially in law enforcement. This fear can
lead to a division among different antiwar factions and to increased
and unchecked police repression. As we have already seen in the years
since September 11th, the authorities can get away with almost anything
in the name of fear.
Language is again craftily used in the memorandum when the FBI refers
to antiwar demonstration “training camps” used to prepare
protestors for demonstrations. The enigmatic training camps of al-Qaida
and other perpetuators of ‘terror’ have been a recurrent theme
in American news media since 9/11. This reference to antiwar training
camps further serves to create an image of demonstrators as potential
terrorists. What’s more the reference is completely inaccurate,
because as all demonstrators know, training that occurs before a protest
is focused on disseminating information and tactics related to nonviolence
in the tradition of Gandhi and Martin Luther King. These nonviolent
resistance workshops merely prepare demonstrators in active, but peaceful
resistance to, ironically, the forceful and extremely violent tactics
of law enforcement.
The Yahoo article goes on to state how local law enforcement feel much
safer now that they have the protection of this memorandum behind their
actions: “The initiative has won the support of some local police,
who view it as a critical way to maintain order at large-scale demonstrations.
Indeed, some law enforcement officials said they believed the FBI’s
approach had helped to ensure that nationwide antiwar demonstrations
in recent months, drawing hundreds of thousands of protesters, remained
largely free of violence and disruption.” Interestingly the FBI,
the police officers interviewed, and the article failed to understand
that public protest is an American tradition in nonviolent resistance.
The act is inherently nonviolent because it was created as a way that
marginalized peoples can be heard without having to resort to violence.
The protests the officer mentioned remained free of disruption, not
because of increased law enforcement, but because the participants are
committed to peaceful resistance.
Finally, the article noted that John Ashcroft has relaxed restrictions
put on the FBI after COINTELPRO was uncovered. If anything can incite
fear in freedom-loving Americans it should be this. Our country was
built on the concept that citizens have the right to question our government.
If those of us who chose to are intimidated with FBI files and no-fly
lists already, what freedoms will we lose next? Unless we are able to
get past this crippling fear of each other, we will continue to lose
our rights. Let’s not be discouraged by the FBI’s attempts
to intimidate us into silence. As we protest, we must remember all the
people who have come before us and continued to resist in the face of
threats, violence, and intimidation.
Gretchen Davidson
Jailed protesters need help - now
Editors, Asheville Global Report,
Dear AGR readers, I have just returned from Miami where
thousands came to oppose the Free Trade Area of the Americas this past
week. My nerves have yet to calm. The meetings have ended. The tear
gas has cleared. The fight, however, is not over.
As of Sunday the 23rd the Miami Legal Team reported that there are still
over 250 people in jail. There have been reports from released prisoners
and those who’ve been able to make phone calls to legal support
that prisoners of color and queer and transgender prisoners have been
targeted. Their reports included cases of beatings, torture and sexual
assault. (Also, as of Sunday, there are eight people who were seen being
beaten inside of the jail that are currently not accounted for in the
system.)
The arrestees’ bail is set at $100 - $5000. The Legal Team is working
with bail bondsmen, but this is not enough. These folks need help now.
Please send money to cover legal and jail-support expenses including:
bail, getting people rides back home and other legal costs. It is imperative
that we get money to the Legal Collective ASAP in order to for these
political prisoners to be released, safe from their jailors. Those prisoners
that are being beaten and sexually assaulted are taking priority.
Make checks payable to Student Farmworker Alliance and send to PO Box
961 Lakeworth, Fl 33460. Donations can also be made much QUICKER online
at www.unitedforpeace.org/ftaadonate or www.illegalvoices.org (to benefit
Anarchist People of Color [APOC] who are currently incarcerated.) Cash
donations can also be dropped off at the Asheville Community Resource
Center located on 63 N. Lexington in the Alternative Reading Room between
the hours of 12pm and 7pm Wednesday through Monday.
In Solidarity,
Finn,
Asheville, NC
Citizens oppose GPI development
Editors, Asheville Global Report,
Last Thursday, Nov. 21st, 400 or so citizens filed into
the Renaissance Hotel to attend an informational session about the proposed
Grove Park Inn development at Pack Square organized by the League of
Women Voters of Asheville and called “The Public, The Park and
The Process”. On the panel were 10 representatives of groups that
are involved in the shaping of the park, including City Attorney Bob
Oast, GPI CEO Craig Madison, Pack Square Conservancy Chair Carol King,
Barry Summers of People Advocating Real Conservancy, and others.
The session was intended to be an information-acquiring opportunity
for citizens unclear about the development plans. For most attending,
however, this was an opportunity for those involved in the development
to hear how the citizens of Asheville felt about it.
The two drawings that have been circulating by the opposing sides are
based on the design guidelines approved by City Council this July and
are accurate. What is confusing about the pro-building drawings, however,
is that they include some imagery of the new green civic space at City/
County Plaza. Does this mean our public Plaza would be owned by the
Texas-based Grove Park Inn? As a result of the Pack Square Renaissance
public design workshops, our City/County Plaza is going to become more
amphitheater-like anyway, but the GPI is implying that because they’re
building on that little triangle, we’ll have more and better green
space. This is just false. This will happen with or without their building
there.
After the panelists were introduced the floor was opened up for anyone
present to pose questions: “Why do we need a building there- particularly
a luxury high-rise?” “Why not put it somewhere else?”
“Is this major hub of downtown festivity appropriate for the kind
of people who will live there?” “Why do we have no say in
this?”, and, most notably, “Why do you think it’s OK
to sell our green space to a corporation?” At that point someone
called out to the 400 attendees: “Is anyone opposed to this development?”
About 95% raised hands. Then, a man at the microphone asked quietly,
“Mr. City Attorney, can you give me 5 things I could do legally
if I wanted to stop this development?” Oast claimed that he worked
for the city, and had an obligation to advise them. Someone seated responded,
“That means you work for us, the citizens.” Resounding applause.
What seemed to surface at this point was that the citizens did not feel
included in the process of development of land that is essentially owned
by them. This hearkens back to 8 months ago when our city took the liberty
of closing the Vance Monument, which has traditionally been a public
forum, to people using it as a public forum to take a stance on the
actions of our administration. It seems as if the very life and core
of our civic space is truly in danger of being encroached upon. It’s
our duty as citizens to claim, protect and use our public spaces as
community spaces.
To find out more about the Pack Square/Grove Park issue, and to get
involved in opposing it visit ashevilleparc.org. To find out more about
reclaiming urban spaces visit www.cityrepair.org.
Heather Steele
Asheville, NC
