Victims of America's Dirty Wars
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"Victims of America's Dirty Wars" begins with the story of the FBI’s infamous COINTELPRO program of the 1960s, which targeted the Black Power and anti-war movements, and ends with the government’s attack on and repression of innocent Muslims in particular, but also peace activists, civil rights proponents, union organizers, environmentalists, animal rights advocates, and immigrant communities after 9/11. The story shows how the last decade has seen a dramatic increase in profiling and a corresponding loss of civil freedoms––for targeted groups, but ultimately for all of us. Our civil freedoms have been violated and repressed––and these "dirty wars" fit into a historical pattern of abuse by the FBI whenever the country becomes irrationally fearful of some group, religion, or ideology.
At the heart of our government's dirty wars is the idea of “preemptively” dealing with ideologies that the government is afraid of. With false charges, harassment, and lies it can marginalize ideologies with which it disagrees (ideological prosecution). By passing unfair laws and bringing false or contrived charges, the government can convict innocent people it opposes (preemptive prosecution). And with these unfair laws, coupled with arbitrary arrests, it can deport immigrants it does not want (preemptive deportation). Each dirty war is different, but the impact of such government-inflicted fear and repression transcends national borders and causes us all to reflect on our common humanity and dignity, and on government’s fundamental obligation to preserve that humanity and dignity. When governments anywhere fail in this obligation, we all suffer.
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