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<font size=3>By Claude Marks and friends – October 8, 2006 <br>
<br>
The FBI has recently asked several activists to speak to a class at its
Academy in Quantico, Virginia about the very social movements that they
are targeting for repression. The agent in charge, Andrew Bringuel, is a
retired Major and worked with military intelligence. In his solicitation
letter to activists he writes:<br><br>
<dl>
<dd>"I am an instructor/researcher at the FBI Academy at Quantico,
Virginia. I teach a course that deals with understanding the motives and
tactics of activist groups/individuals and the government’s response
options. The class is taught to police executives from the United States
and around the world through the FBI’s National Academy program.
<dd>
<dd>"The class studies both historical and contemporarily
significant groups in order to understand their motives and tactics. They
also look at ways government can respond to maintain social order while
resolving conflict. The class is taught as a graduate level course
through a partnership between the FBI and University of Virginia."
<br><br>
</dl>Some people agreed to be part of the class. This decision raises
serious questions about the principles guiding activists in their
dealings with the FBI. One person invited, Dr. Jerry Vlasak,
refused the invitation (his exchange with the FBI follows). Unfortunately
others have accepted the invitation, including some who have been leaders
of radical movements in the past. While many young activists around the
country are soul searching about whether they should talk to one of the
numerous grand juries that have been convened around the country, some
people decided that their input at the FBI’s class might, in some
Machiavellian slight of hand, help widen the split between the
Bureau and its fascist masters. Despite attempts to justify this decision
with left sounding language, it is clear that the real winners in this
game of cooptation are the state and the FBI.<br>
<br>
In a period of growing fascism, one of the benchmarks of activist
resistance must be non collaboration with the state and all its agencies.
As the FBI has amped up its attacks over the past couple of years against
Muslims, Black Panthers eco-justice activists and animal rights
organizers, they are eager to redefine all acts of resistance as
terrorism and to get those who once might have supported militant
resistance to repudiate it in the name of non-violence. Apparently,
some people were seduced by the FBI assurance that “With 100 years of
history of course mistakes were made. Lessons learned from mistakes
like COINTELPRO have led to reforms and oversight of the agency.”
This assertion strains credibility if one looks at the FBI’s recent track
record.<br>
<br>
Five former Black Panthers were jailed in 2005 for not cooperating with
the same agents that tortured them in New Orleans in 1973. The Green
Scare rounded up dozens of animal rights and eco-justice activists
several of whom were set up by the FBI. The threat of many years of
imprisonment has shaken the principles of many young activists who agree
to turn on their friends and cooperate for life with FBI
investigators. Members of the Black community in Florida were set
up by an FBI agent provocateur. Blacks and/or Muslims are prosecuted and
imprisoned as terrorists in Buffalo and Portland, Oregon. Middle East
scholars are convicted for “aiding terrorists” because they support the
Palestinian resistance against Israeli genocide and colonialism. Other
professors are denied entry to the u.s. and their jobs have been
threatened because they challenge the notion that it is irrational to
hate the u.s. People are pulled off planes or denied entry into the u.s.
because of their names, others are deported, communities flooded with
agents whose purpose is to intimidate and frighten people into
cooperation. Animal enterprise terrorism becomes a new club against
people whose impact on business and animal research is effective – long
prison terms are meted out. <br>
<br>
So what would possess activists to help teach a class to the FBI at
Quantico in this atmosphere? Have they been oblivious to their recent
activities or is there something more self-serving going on here?<br>
<br>
We wonder when given the opportunity whether they questioned the FBI
about the current CIA practices of dehumanizing the enemy through
extraordinary rendition, torture and denial of basic human rights
protected by international law. Is it comforting to any of us that
were able to sit down and have a “human” conversation with these FBI
agents on a one-to-one level? Or is it, in fact, deeply
disturbing?<br>
<br>
Many victims of COINTELPRO still languish in u.s. prisons like Leonard
Peltier, Mumia Abu-Jamal, Herman Bell, Oscar Lopez-Rivera and Marilyn
Buck. How long and how many lives will it take for people to realize that
whatever you say to the FBI can be used against you and your friends? Are
these activists somehow above the fray?<br>
<br>
Let us not forget that today’s agency has never been held accountable for
the hundreds of victims of the FBI’s wrath – the Fred Hamptons and Ana
Mae Aquashes of the world…or to Filiberto Ojeda Rios who was assassinated
by the “reformed” FBI just a year ago in Puerto Rico? <br><br>
*****************************************************************************<br>
<br>
What Follows is an exchange made public in July by Dr. Jerry Vlasak who
chose to reject the FBI’s offer of participating at the Quantico class
and which is posted on the web:<br><br>
<a href="http://animalliberationfront.com/ALFront/AgainstALF/NAALPO-FBI.htm">
http://animalliberationfront.com/ALFront/AgainstALF/NAALPO-FBI.htm</a><br>
<br>
7 July 2006<br><br>
Press Officer Turns Down FBI Offer to Speak at HQ in Quantico<br><br>
Canoga Park, CA: Two weeks ago one of the North American Animal
Liberation Press Officers received an unsolicited offer by email from FBI
Headquarters in Quantico, Virginia to speak to a classroom full of
"police executives". <br><br>
As long as non-human animals continue to be oppressed, imprisoned,
tortured and murdered by humans for their personal pleasure and profit,
the Press Office will continue to support those brave warriors who risk
their lives and freedom to fight for animal liberation. And we certainly
have no plans to educate state police agencies on how to catch
them.<br><br>
The following reply was returned this week; the original request is
reprinted below that. <br><br>
<br>
July 4, 2006<br>
Dear Mr. Bringuel:<br><br>
While I appreciate your offer to speak to "police executives"
from around the world at the FBI Academy in Quantico, VA, I must decline
to do so. My role as Press Officer with the North American Animal
Liberation Press Office is to explain and support the liberation of
animals who are imprisoned, tortured, exploited, and murdered by the
billions; the role of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other state
police agencies is to target, harass, imprison, or otherwise
"neutralize" those who break unjust laws that perpetuate the
oppression and slaughter of innocent, defenseless animals. <br><br>
Because our goals are ideologically and diametrically opposed, there is
no reason to believe that any information I impart to your classes will
be employed in any manner other than to further your own illicit goals of
suppression of liberation activities. I have no intention of aiding and
abetting your agency by providing information and insights that might be
used against activists.<br><br>
I am aware that others from the animal rights/liberation movement have
cooperated with your agency, but I am not interested in doing so. As you
are no doubt aware, I have chosen in the past to speak to members of the
U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on the subject, but
they constitute an elected body that presumably can be educated to effect
change that might benefit animals. Your agency has goals pertaining only
to the maintenance of the status quo (or - as you state it so
characteristically - the "social order") by quashing those who
challenge immoral and unjust laws.<br><br>
Perhaps one day the state will recognize its obligation to stop the
oppression of non-human animals - not unlike governments that have been
forced to recognize the rights of various human groups in places like
Algeria, South Africa, Viet Nam, and here in the United States where
black humans suffered (and continue to suffer) from inhumane treatment by
whites.<br><br>
Some nations have stopped the most cruel practices of veal crates,
chicken battery cages, and cosmetic testing on animals - while others,
like Barcelona, are legislating rights for some non-human primates. Until
that day when non-human beings are afforded the right to be free of human
domination, I will support those who risk their freedom for the animals
and will continue to educate the media about why some activists decide to
go underground to liberate animals and stop the horrific crimes
perpetrated daily - and with your express blessings - against
non-humans.<br><br>
Sincerely:<br><br>
Jerry W. Vlasak, MD<br>
Press Officer<br>
North American Animal Liberation Press Office<br>
<a href="http://www.animalliberationpressoffice.org/">
www.animalliberationpressoffice.org</a><br><br>
<br>
"When a person places the proper value on freedom, there is nothing
under the sun that she will not do to acquire that freedom. Whenever you
hear a person saying he wants freedom, but in the next breath she is
going to tell you what she won't do to get it, or what he doesn't believe
in doing in order to get it, he doesn't believe in freedom. A person who
believes in freedom will do anything under the sun to acquire...or
preserve his freedom."-- Malcolm X<br><br>
<br>
Bringuel, Andrew wrote: <br><br>
<dl>
<dd>Dr. Vlasak;<br>
<dd>My name is Andrew Bringuel and I am an instructor/researcher at the
FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia. I teach a course that deals with
understanding the motives and tactics of activist groups/individuals and
the government’s response options. The class is taught to police
executives from the United States and around the world through the FBI’s
National Academy program.<br>
<dd>The class studies both historical and contemporarily significant
groups in order to understand their motives and tactics. They also look
at ways government can respond to maintain social order while resolving
conflict. The class is taught as a graduate level course through a
partnership between the FBI and University of Virginia. I bring in
different speakers representing many different world views. I am looking
to establish a speaker’s bureau so I have a ready group of available
speakers for future classes. <br>
<dd>I believe your insights as a leader in the animal rights community
would be beneficial for the students. I have hosted <b>Anthony Nocella
and Charlotte Laws</b>.* Both provided valuable insight and felt
the experience to be a positive one. I don’t have much of a budget for
guest instructors but I can pay $600 for your expenses and time. The
block of instruction would be 2 hours and I am looking for a speaker for
the 2<sup>nd</sup> quarter of 2007 (February/March).<br>
<dd>Let me know if you are interested or if you have any questions.<br>
<dd>Thank you,<br>
<dd>Andy Bringuel
</dl><b> <br>
* While the FBI mentions these two activists by name, there are others
who attended. Be aware that this ‘friendly’ and educational approach may
be ongoing! <br><br>
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