The FBI has been conducting surveillance and intelligence-gathering operations against groups involved in environmental, animal cruelty and poverty relief causes, The New York Times reported. The information resulted from a series of Freedom of Information Act lawsuits by the American Civil Liberties Union, but much of it has been edited, so in many cases it is difficult to determine the nature of the investigations. For example, was the FBI really spying on the Catholic Workers group, which promotes anti-poverty efforts and social causes? Or did the group just happened to be referred to in documents?
Still, as Ann Beeson, associate legal director for the ACLU, told the Times: "You look at these documents and you think, wow, we have really returned to the days of J. Edgar Hoover, when you see in FBI files that they’re talking about a group like the Catholic Workers league as having a communist ideology."
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
7 Comments
If the New York Times printed it, then it must be true ?
It wouldn’t be the first time the FBI has targeted the Catholic Church. I recall similar events in the 70s involving the Newman Center at UCLA and other catholic groups.
Well James, if it’s not true, prove it’s not true. The Times has references. Where’s yours?
The Rosenbergs were guilty, may they burn in hell.
Running anti-poverty program for those economic losers? That does sound anti-capitalistic to me, which can only mean that they must be Commies! Burn those Reds!
Roo,I was around at the time of the Jack Ash Society and it’s ilk, and their definition of “Commie” was anybody that got in the way of their making money off anyone, any way they could! What a friend they had in Hoover!
communists…??
i thought we were fighting freakin islamic extremists.
it’s 1952 again.