NEW BEDFORD -- A senior at UMass Dartmouth was visited by federal agents two months ago, after he requested a copy of Mao Tse-Tung's tome on Communism called "The Little Red Book."
Two history professors at UMass Dartmouth, Brian Glyn Williams and Robert Pontbriand, said the student told them he requested the book through the UMass Dartmouth library's interlibrary loan program.
The student, who was completing a research paper on Communism for Professor Pontbriand's class on fascism and totalitarianism, filled out a form for the request, leaving his name, address, phone number and Social Security number. He was later visited at his parents' home in New Bedford by two agents of the Department of Homeland Security, the professors said.
The professors said the student was told by the agents that the book is on a "watch list," and that his background, which included significant time abroad, triggered them to investigate the student further.
"I tell my students to go to the direct source, and so he asked for the official Peking version of the book," Professor Pontbriand said. "Apparently, the Department of Homeland Security is monitoring inter-library loans, because that's what triggered the visit, as I understand it."
The Little Red Book, is a collection of quotations and speech excerpts from Chinese leader Mao Tse-Tung.
In the 1950s and '60s, during the Cultural Revolution in China, it was required reading. Although there are abridged versions available, the student asked for a version translated directly from the original book.
The student told Professor Pontbriand and Dr. Williams that the Homeland Security agents told him the book was on a "watch list." They brought the book with them, but did not leave it with the student, the professors said.
Dr. Williams said in his research, he regularly contacts people in Afghanistan, Chechnya and other Muslim hot spots, and suspects that some of his calls are monitored.
"My instinct is that there is a lot more monitoring than we think," he said.
Dr. Williams said he had been planning to offer a course on terrorism next semester, but is reconsidering, because it might put his students at risk.
"I shudder to think of all the students I've had monitoring al-Qaeda Web sites, what the government must think of that," he said. "Mao Tse-Tung is completely harmless."
scottyz said:http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/12-05/12-17-05/a09lo650.htm
I suppose the irony is that this is the kind of thing you would expect to happen in Russia or China, but not America.
steen said:This is when conservatism wanders into the territory of totalitarian fascism
Stace said:I don't doubt that it happened. It's common knowledge that under the Patriot Act, government officials can look up any of our information, including library records.
GySgt said:The Patriot Act makes it legal. The Patriot Act isn't what allows for it. At least Bush tried to legalize it. Without the Patriot Act, it will still persist as it has in the past.
Stace said:Well, I don't think my library records.....or the results of my last pap smear.....or my cousin calling me from Sweden....is any of their business. That's all I'm sayin'. :mrgreen:
Stace said:Well, I don't think my library records.....or the results of my last pap smear.....or my cousin calling me from Sweden....is any of their business. That's all I'm sayin'. :mrgreen:
I haven't read anything like this since...Caine said:Oh, but it IS thier business........
They are trying to protect you against Terrorism
BOOGY BOOGY BOOGY BOOGY!
lol......sometimes I think our government is keeping us in fear of the terrorists so that they can undermine our civil liberties.
cnredd said:I haven't read anything like this since...
Oh...I gotta go back to September 10th, 2001...
GySgt said:It's sad how some are so interested in bashing, political grandstanding, or just spitting venom that they will dismiss any effort to safe guard them.
GySgt said:It's sad how some are so interested in bashing, political grandstanding, or just spitting venom that they will dismiss any effort to safe guard them.
Stace said:To be quite honest, I don't feel any more or less safe than I did before 9/11....
GySgt said:That's because you are not privy to the happenings around the globe. What you see all day is any attempt to sell the news.
Caine said:Is the government's #1 job to uphold the constitution or to protect us from the boogy man?
Stace said:Ummm.....not really. I've seen a lot more than the average American.
GySgt said:Both...and I believe you are the one believing in a "boogeyman."
GySgt said:Are you aware of what is going in Bosnia? Are you aware of what goes on inside the White House? Are you aware of what goes on regarding intel reports from many different nations? Are you even aware of what the true threat to your security is? I assure you...it's not the "boogeyman."
Caine said:Nah, the 'boogeyman' is the terrorist that the government continues to try to scare us with, while receiving an "F" on thier Homeland Defense report card. Proving that very little is being done to make us more safe.
The Katrina issue is another thing that proves our Federal Emergency Management completely blows if we were to get attacked.
mixedmedia said:I sell books over the internet, kind of hobby-like, and I have sold a copy of this little book several times. Does that make me a possible accomplice to terrorism? I think it is a question of parameters here. What is it about requesting a book about communism that makes one a possible terrorist threat?
Stace said:I just got out of the military less than 2 months ago.....and my brother is still serving in the Navy. Yeah, I think I'm a little more aware than most people.
GySgt said:How little you know.
The Federal Emergency Management cannot protect you from an attack. They are merely a reactive tool. How many cities in America have undergone reactive training?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?