In 2000, I was extremely troubled over reports of voter intimidation, harassment, and abuse by Florida police on minority voters. Also, of reports of police roadblocks around polling stations in minority communities.
In 2001, thanks to the Lawyer Army, local police were forced to stay in the shadows.
However, federal police were mobilized as thugs and intimidators this time.
Where can I begin? I feel this topic is extremely important, so I hope my writing does not fail me now. I guess starting in the beginning may help:
When the Jeff Fisher story broke, everyone was hopefull. However, after a few days, there was no news, so I went back and read the story again. The key phrase was "is waiting for the FBI to arrive." Why didn't they arrive?
So, I went to fbi.gov. Nada. I did news searches. Nada. I went to every Florida newspaper I could. Nada.
But, what I did find:
- "FBI watching for double voting."
- "FBI shuts down 20 antiwar web sites: an unprecedented act of Internet censorship."
- Bulletin Board text: "Also, two FBI agents came by my house last week asking for names of radicals and organizations. My email is being monitored. Anyone on this board should assume the same. Is this an anomoly or does this mean that if you dig too far into the problems with electronic voting systems you might get a visit from the FBI?"
- "SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- The American Civil Liberties Union has sued the FBI, trying to get more information about the agency's questioning of Muslims and Arabs as it investigates the possibility of pre-election terror attacks."
- "Members of the Islamic community are expressing concern about an FBI plan to interview 44 Pittsburgh area residents who might have information about a possible pre-election terrorist attack at the same time immigration officials are cracking down on immigration violators."
- NZ - "US intelligence officials believe the tape of Osama bin Laden was made recently and are intrigued that it carried English subtitles - a first for the terrorist leader." Why didn't this make it into the US press?
- "WASHINGTON - More than 700 people were arrested on immigration violations and thousands more subjected to FBI interviews in an intense government effort to avert a terrorist attack aimed at disrupting the election."
- "ICE removals of criminal and other illegal aliens hit a new record in the latest fiscal year, with more than 157,000 aliens removed from the United States. Apprehensions of fugitive aliens also rose sharply thanks to a new ICE program that targets criminal and fugitive aliens, who pose the most serious risks to public safety and national security."
* "WASHINGTON -- Attorney General John Ashcroft quietly has issued a sweeping directive that ... allows the FBI to tap agents from the U.S. Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as part of a nationwide effort by FBI-led counterterrorism units to seek out and stop any plots against the elections."
And, here's the punchline:
* "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials say they have found no direct evidence of plans for an election-related terror attack after a five-week investigation, the Washington Post reported in its Saturday edition."
Don't get the joke? Yes, I know...it's more sad-funny than happy-funny...but in times like these, we need all the "funny" we can get.