Month: June 2005

In his book The Einstein File, Fred Jerome explains why and how J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI put together an 1800-page dossier on the greatest scientist of the time. Nominally about the past, his account contains important lessons for everyone living in the US today, and for many people elsewhere. First of all, Einstein advocated antimilitarism, internationalism, and socialism, causes that Hoover considered repugnant. But the scientist didn’t just harbor “unpopular” opinions; he actively and openly supported the causes he believed in. For example, he served as Honorary Chairman of the War Resisters League, was on the National Committee of the Friends of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, and vigorously backed Henry Wallace’s 1948 Progressive Party presidential campaign. read more

William Faulkner once wrote, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” This certainly applies to current US policy toward Iraq. As the war drums in Dubya’s White House beat ever more loudly, GIs’ families are beginning to mobilize against another invasion. 

During the first Gulf War, family members played an important role in sparking opposition within the military’s rank and file. Two families with children who have recently been sent to the Gulf War zone are leading efforts to establish a new anti-war organization, Military Families Speak Out (MFSO).  read more

With the stroke of a pen on Aug. 5, President Andrés Pastrana made Columbia the 77th country (out of 120 signatory countries) to ratify the International Criminal Court (ICC) treaty. Known as the Rome Statute, the world tribunal acquired its 60th endorsing nation-state earlier this year. That allowed the tribunal to commence its jurisdiction on July 1 as the first permanent court capable of investigating and bringing to justice individuals worldwide who commit crimes of concern to the international community. It is scheduled to hold its first official meeting in September. read more

So, here we are again – in an era of “homeland security” and anti-terrorism hyper-awareness. Obviously, there’s a dangerous, rising current of aggression and violence – by fundamentalist groups and irresponsible governments. But it’s hard to be sure how much of what we hear is an accurate assessment, and how much is exaggerated – or worse, misinformation designed to disguise someone’s hidden agenda.

As in the Vietnam War, the notorious McCarthy era, and the Red Scares and crackdowns that have periodically re-occurred throughout US history, there’s a serious chill in the air. For those working to stop corporate globalization or fighting for social justice, this comes as no surprise. The effort to classify many of them as “potential terrorists” has been underway for some time. But things have gone much further since 9/11. The initial roundup and heightened security measures were merely a prologue, soon followed by a surge in “purges” for those expressing unpopular opinions and open calls for the use of torture to extract information from suspects. Meanwhile, the government assembled sweeping new powers to surveil, wiretap, monitor the Internet, detain people, and conduct secret searches. read more

Portland, Oregon, received national attention last December when its police bureau refused a request by Attorney General John Ashcroft to question 200 locals of Arab descent. Justifying the refusal, Portland officials cited a state law that prohibits police from collecting information on any group or individual without a “reasonable suspicion of criminal behavior.”

Despite the feeding frenzy, mainstream media omitted some relevant background on the city’s decision: During City Council hearings two months earlier, a coalition of organizations had pointed out potential violations of that law by members of the Portland Joint Terrorism Task Force (PJTTF). Citizens were demanding that either the city implement independent oversight or reject PJTTF’s annual reinstatement. read more