Now it's the FBI

The things that make you go...Hmmm.

If it walks like a trend and it talks like a tread and it then filters down from the Feds to the state level....

Watchdog Faults FBI for ‘Factually Weak’ Basis for Investigating Activists

The FBI in recent years opened investigations into some U.S. activists with little basis, unjustifiably extended the duration of the probes, improperly retained information about activist groups in its files, and classified its investigations of “nonviolent civil disobedience” as investigations into “acts of terrorism,” according to a report released today [1] (PDF) by the Justice Department’s Inspector General.

The FBI activities reviewed by the Justice Department took place from 2001 to 2006, and involved groups including the Thomas Merton Center (a Pittsburgh social justice center), People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Greenpeace, The Catholic Worker (communities of religious pacifists) and a Quaker peace activist.

Scroll back up to that link and read the entire story. Chilling stuff, kiddies.

Terrorists? Whatever. That's old Bush era news. But American-borne activists defiantly flying the free speech flag? A frightening bunch, for sure.

So what's worse?

Bush and the much-maligned Patriot Act? Or Barack Oblahblah and the obvious unleashing of our multitudinous amounts of intelligence agencies on average, energized Americans?

We're either America, or we're not. And if we still are the land of the free and the home of the Atlanta Braves, this abject nonsense, this governmental excess and largess of power has got to cease.

Later