In closing, I would like to mention why I write the things I do and how I've had more and less success at defending myself from the state's retribution.
My life is not one without regrets. I am an empty shell of half the man I used to be. I've made horrible mistakes in which I take very little pride. Many things I've done have been ineffectual and misinterpreted. But no one can undo the things they've done and all I can try to do is move on as constructively as possible.
That said... I would like to suggest that state harassment for relatively minor things can prompt more desperate and extreme actions. If you are blatantly followed for weeks on end (an occurrence many reputable people can tell you personal stories about), it's possible that you may begin to think and behave irrationally because of the natural fear you feel. And, while the murder of political dissidents is relatively covered-up in the U.S., well-cited stories abound of such things occurring (if you care to examine the subject). And, in the U.S., you may be more likely to get poisoned by the government with psychotropic drugs than you are with lethal substances. In such a subsequently compromised state of mind, you are less likely to respond appropriately or prove the source of the drugging. This can also make you think and behave irrationally overall -- to the general detriment of your activities. The government's well-known experimentation with psychotropic drugs was part of their general psy-ops program, and I suggest this is still used to marginalize, compromise, and generally endanger political dissidents. These kinds of tactics may be more likely used on smaller and less-organized groups and individuals without much public attention (but I have heard that attempts were made to dose and incapacitate even people as prominent as Fidel Castro [although I wouldn't classify him at all in the same category as a radical freedom fighter or militant environmentalist]).
With all this in mind, and in light of the things I write, I try to protect myself legally as best I can. I assume I am under surveillance, at some level, because of the things I currently write and the things I've done in my ever-more-distant past. I never discuss or involve myself with specific illegal activities planned or undertaken by radicals (unless I am defending someone after the fact or expressing approval for an anonymous action). I avoid drugs if they are not over-the-counter, and I usually try to drink just at home. I am not at all belligerent or aggressive with the police when confronted by them in person and I try to maintain a good working knowledge of any supposed rights I may have (currently on my desk is the Law Officer's Pocket Manual and three of ACLU's handbooks entitled, The Right to Protest, Your Right to Privacy, and The Rights of Authors, Artists, and Other Creative People). I am an above-ground radical and can't afford to involve myself with illegal radical activities beyond offering general moral support and broadly theoretical discussion. Nevertheless, ironically, the state probably knows more about me than even some of my closer acquaintances -- and so I thought I'd just put this all out in the open.
I am writing this now because social-networking has allowed me to reach more people than ever before and I feel like this might actually get some circulation and be read. Also, I felt that their was a shortage of clear radical blueprints and ideas intended to actually mount a serious resistance against the oppressive and diabolical forces of the corporate state. My goal with this piece was to show a general audience that radical ideas are still in circulation (for the time being) and that they are practical as well as necessary -- now more than ever.
I don't pretend that this piece was fully comprehensive or without any errors (theoretical or otherwise). I invite others to correct errors and/or offer suggestions regarding the subject matter of this article. If you feel safe in doing so, and if you enjoyed reading this article (even if merely as a lark), I encourage you to comment, re-post, link to, and forward this article.
As someone who is living well below the poverty line, I'd also like to offer my proof-reading and editorial services to any radical publications that may need cheap help. If anyone could forward this article's link to some people like Naomi Wolf, Naomi Klein, Angela Davis (featured in the video above), Ward Churchill (an author who writes about indigenous rights), or any radical environmentalist organizations that might be able to provide some mutual aid... that would be appreciated. I have found my writing and activism to be rather thankless work and would like to be able to continue working on these projects in a more impactful manner. I apologize for this informal and self-serving conclusion, but I hope the ideas presented in this article speak for themselves and serve a greater purpose towards a healthier world and a future of freedom.
My life is not one without regrets. I am an empty shell of half the man I used to be. I've made horrible mistakes in which I take very little pride. Many things I've done have been ineffectual and misinterpreted. But no one can undo the things they've done and all I can try to do is move on as constructively as possible.
That said... I would like to suggest that state harassment for relatively minor things can prompt more desperate and extreme actions. If you are blatantly followed for weeks on end (an occurrence many reputable people can tell you personal stories about), it's possible that you may begin to think and behave irrationally because of the natural fear you feel. And, while the murder of political dissidents is relatively covered-up in the U.S., well-cited stories abound of such things occurring (if you care to examine the subject). And, in the U.S., you may be more likely to get poisoned by the government with psychotropic drugs than you are with lethal substances. In such a subsequently compromised state of mind, you are less likely to respond appropriately or prove the source of the drugging. This can also make you think and behave irrationally overall -- to the general detriment of your activities. The government's well-known experimentation with psychotropic drugs was part of their general psy-ops program, and I suggest this is still used to marginalize, compromise, and generally endanger political dissidents. These kinds of tactics may be more likely used on smaller and less-organized groups and individuals without much public attention (but I have heard that attempts were made to dose and incapacitate even people as prominent as Fidel Castro [although I wouldn't classify him at all in the same category as a radical freedom fighter or militant environmentalist]).
With all this in mind, and in light of the things I write, I try to protect myself legally as best I can. I assume I am under surveillance, at some level, because of the things I currently write and the things I've done in my ever-more-distant past. I never discuss or involve myself with specific illegal activities planned or undertaken by radicals (unless I am defending someone after the fact or expressing approval for an anonymous action). I avoid drugs if they are not over-the-counter, and I usually try to drink just at home. I am not at all belligerent or aggressive with the police when confronted by them in person and I try to maintain a good working knowledge of any supposed rights I may have (currently on my desk is the Law Officer's Pocket Manual and three of ACLU's handbooks entitled, The Right to Protest, Your Right to Privacy, and The Rights of Authors, Artists, and Other Creative People). I am an above-ground radical and can't afford to involve myself with illegal radical activities beyond offering general moral support and broadly theoretical discussion. Nevertheless, ironically, the state probably knows more about me than even some of my closer acquaintances -- and so I thought I'd just put this all out in the open.
I don't pretend that this piece was fully comprehensive or without any errors (theoretical or otherwise). I invite others to correct errors and/or offer suggestions regarding the subject matter of this article. If you feel safe in doing so, and if you enjoyed reading this article (even if merely as a lark), I encourage you to comment, re-post, link to, and forward this article.
As someone who is living well below the poverty line, I'd also like to offer my proof-reading and editorial services to any radical publications that may need cheap help. If anyone could forward this article's link to some people like Naomi Wolf, Naomi Klein, Angela Davis (featured in the video above), Ward Churchill (an author who writes about indigenous rights), or any radical environmentalist organizations that might be able to provide some mutual aid... that would be appreciated. I have found my writing and activism to be rather thankless work and would like to be able to continue working on these projects in a more impactful manner. I apologize for this informal and self-serving conclusion, but I hope the ideas presented in this article speak for themselves and serve a greater purpose towards a healthier world and a future of freedom.
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