The Maryland State Police in the aftermath of 9/11 greatly expanded their intelligence work. They did not find an al-Qaeda sleeper cell but they did manage to spy on anti-death penalty groups, PETA on fears they might disrupt the circus, and consumer groups opposed to a massive electricity rate hike. They labeled the DC Anti-War Network a white supremacist group and, my favorite, they investigated Amnesty International for the possible crimes of "Civil Rights."
What is amazing about this is that this is actually news. If you give the police the power to spy on anyone then they will abuse that power and spy on everyone.
It's high time we realize that an obsession with security that allows the police to spy on dissenters will one day kill democracy.
You are so right! I am tired of living in a police state, and I'm not even much of a rabble rouser. I was part of a demonstration that got told to leave a corner here in town once. But we were basically done anyway, so we did.
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