By Josie Winship
When did Opposing War, become a crime in this country?
A “witch hunt” is being held in the name of “Homeland Security.”
On Sept. 24th 2010 the FBI raided the homes of eight Twin City peace and international solidarity leaders and the office of The Mpls. St.Paul Anti-War Committee. Some of them were involved in organizing the legal protest at the Republican National Convention in 2008.
According to the FBI, these individuals were looking for “evidence of material support for terrorism charges.” This is absurd and undemocratic. Three, of the eight peace activists, are being subpoenaed by the Department of “Justice” to appear before the grand jury.
Appearing before the Grand Jury means that they have the choice to either rat on other peace activists (and get them in trouble) or go to jail. I met one of the peace activists, a mother of a six year old. She said that the three targeted peace activists have decided to not testify against their peace activist colleagues and they may go to jail for 18 months or more as a result of that decision. She said it”'ll be hard on her child to have her mother in jail. And yet she feels obliged to take the morally correct action. My heart ached at her plight. Criminalizing peace activists who are simply protesting war and working towards peace, smacks of McCarthyism to me.
Speak out against FBI repression. After all, it could be you or your neighbor next!
