What does the FBI have to do with reconciliation? by Sura, August 25

I received a call from the FBI today (yes, it really was the FBI, verified by caller ID and checking the FBI number).

The agent told me that he got my name from someone in an environmentalist group as a person who is knowledgeable about the environmental movement and development in Riverwest.  He alleged he wanted to speak to me in order to help reconcile the two groups.

I asked him what he was talking about and he responded that he just told me.  I asked who gave him my name and he refused to tell me, stating it was requested that he keep it confidential. I asked again for a specific reason he was calling.

Multiple times he said, “If you don’t want to talk to me…” and I said, I’m happy to talk to you if you ask me a specific question and can be honest about why you’re calling. and then he’d say again, “I told you why.”

So I told him, Look, I don’t believe what you’re telling me. First, everyone knows that I’m active on development and environmental issues in this neighborhood. This is no secret. I’m very public, so there would be no reason for anyone to request anonymity. Second, the FBI doesn’t work on reconciliation (this is something he brought up at least 2-3 times).

I told him that if they are calling me because I have posted publicly that we need a radical environmental organization in this city, he should look up what radical means–it means going to the roots.

I asked him to give me one example of the FBI working on reconciling these two groups ANYWHERE. and his response was that the FBI sometimes protects protesters. Poor guy. I had to inform him that this is not reconciliation.

After we hung up, I posted this on Facebook.

Then, someone posted a link to a booklet called “Operation Backfire: a Survival Guide for Environmental and Animal Rights Activists” which is put out by the National Lawyers Guild on my facebook wall.  (if you can’t open that, you can see it here)
It starts out, “In 2004, several separate FBI investigations into the animal rights and environmental movements were combined into Major Case #220, also called Operation Backfire. Shortly after, the FBI’s top official in charge of domestic terrorism announced that ‘The No. 1 domestic terrorism threat is the eco-terrorism, animal-rights movement.’”

The link was removed w/in 2 minutes. Are they monitoring my facebook page? my phone? my email? I don’t know. I reposted the link myself, so if you are a facebook friend, you can view it.

I am concerned that this kind of harassment and intimidation is going to be a challenge for future environmentalists in Milwaukee. As more and more activists work to protect our resources, corporations will be working to take them away, and take the activists down. What easier way than to delegitimize the movement?

If you hear anyone else who has been contacted,  have any ideas about what inspired the FBI would be contacting me, I’d love to know.

I realize it’s possible that this isn’t related to development in Riverwest, but has to do with something else I’m active on (Israel/Palestine, water, etc…).

In any case this kind of non-transparent intimidation is scary and creepy, even knowing that I have done nothing against the law,  I understand that this might not matter at all.

I hope this is the end of it.

25 Aug 2009 | 3:36 pm | Economic Development, Environmental Sustainability, Uncategorized, Water | No comments yet - Add your comments

Nestle Corporation Permitted to Steal Water from Drought-stricken State Park by Sura, April 11

Corporate thieves are stealing our resources and making off like bandits. Whether it’s Nike sweatshops stealing human labor, or Kimberly-Clark clear-cutting ancient rainforests, our shared resources are being stolen, packaged, marketed and sold back to us (that is, if we can afford it).

When corporate representatives get elected to government or appointed to non-profit boards, we get disaster in public policy. George Bush and Dick Cheney have been great examples of that.

Recently, the State of Florida gave Nestle Corporation the right to steal the people’s water–as much as it can–from the drought-distressed Madison Blue Springs State Park. For this right, they will pay absolutely nothing for the next 10 years.

Hard to believe? You can read more here.

And before we think it’s far from home and we don’t need to pay attention, did you know that for the last 10 years the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, a state-chartered government agency, has contracted wastewater treatment out to private companies?

I wonder who sits on their board?

11 Apr 2008 | 4:45 pm | Representation, Water | No comments yet - Add your comments