You're mistaken.
Posted on 12/20/2006 5:52:03 AM PST by ShadowDancer
Secret John Lennon Files Released By FBI
Documents Conclude Former Beatle Wasn't Serious Threat
POSTED: 7:35 am EST December 20, 2006
LOS ANGELES -- The FBI has released its final surveillance documents on John Lennon to a university historian who has waged a 25-year legal battle to obtain the secret files.
The 10 pages contain new details about Lennon's ties to leftist and anti-war groups in London in the early 1970s, but nothing indicating government officials considered the former Beatle a serious threat, historian Jon Wiener told the Los Angeles Times in Wednesday's editions.
The FBI had unsuccessfully argued that an unnamed foreign government secretly provided the information, and releasing the documents could lead to diplomatic, political or economic retaliation against the United States.
The newly released documents include a surveillance report stating that two prominent British leftists had courted Lennon in hopes that he would finance "a left-wing bookshop and reading room in London" but that Lennon gave them no money.
Another page states that there was "no certain proof" that Lennon had provided money "for subversive purposes."
"I doubt that Tony Blair's government will launch a military strike on the U.S. in retaliation for the release of these documents," Wiener told the newspaper. "Today, we can see that the national security claims that the FBI has been making for 25 years were absurd from the beginning."
Wiener first requested the documents in 1981, several months after he decided to write a book about Lennon following the singer's murder.
He initially obtained some documents, but the FBI withheld numerous files, saying they contained national security information and were exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.
Wiener sued the government and received a number of files in 1997 as part of a settlement with the FBI. Justice Department lawyers continued to withhold the final 10 pages until a federal judge in 2004 ordered their release.
The previously released files showed that the FBI closely monitored Lennon from 1971 to 1972.
"nothing indicating government officials considered the former Beatle a serious threat"
Smoking dope don't make you much of threat.
It is not a matter of what I think the FBI should have done about Pelosi, it is what I think the FBI should be doing about Pelosi and others like her. I think it is naive of our Government or even citizens, to believe socialists are not a threat to this Government.
Any known Socialists/Communist/Marxists, whatever - should be actively investigated and watched continuously to ensure the safety of this Country and our secrets.
Espionage and fraternization with the enemy does exists, and I'd bet it exists at pretty high levels, such as Speaker and Senator. Meanwhile, we stand idly by because the FBI is not allowed to invade someones privacy.
Just because someone is a government official, does not mean they are LOYAL to our government.
A hearty "aye" to your entire post.
Like what?
Please remember that whatever power you give the FBI now will be turned against us when the next Dim president takes office.
What exactly do you think the FBI should be doing about Nancy Pelosi?
Though I'm a Gen-Xer, and an older one at that, I am a true Beatleholic, and I truly appreciate thoughtful articles about the Beatles like the one you provided.
You're mistaken.
Socialism/Communism used to be quite properly frowned upon in this Republic and considered a threat to our form of Government. That many no longer do so , does not make these ideals any less of a threat.
The FBI and CIA have already been castrated by the Democrats. I'm sure there will be no investigations of people like Kerry who speak with foreign dictators and Pelosi who are members of the Socialists Party.
Yea, but when are they going to release the Kennedy files?
"We overclassify to be honest. Often for embarassment, more than national security. Lennon was a lefty, but not a serious threat. It's embarassing that the FBI spent hundreds or thousands of hours around on bugging, tailing him with our tax dollars. Therefore it is classified. I am for some serious sunshine laws. We still have things classified from the 30's and 40's. There is nothing that we knew back then that is anything other than embarassing. Other than nuclear technology from the Manhattan project, there is nothing "secret" other than embarassing facts. Period."
BS. This, like most information, was probably classified because of the sources involved rather than the content.
Moreover, if you don't think our government has a right to monitor powerful foreign agitators who are trying help us lose a war, then you are a fool.
And I say this as a pretty big fan of John Lennon's music. I also know enough about him to know that he was a vicious and potentially dangerous person.
Wasn't clear to me. Thank you for clarifying.
Are you really okay with a Dim president using the FBI to "keep an eye on" conservative leaders, because he thinks they're "facsists"?
Because the State resents the people asking too many questions.
Oh please . . . Kerry's just a star effer!
But music from the early 90s to the present tends to have more and highly complex counterpoint, fuller tone and exacting pitch.
It's due largely to the digitizing of music: counterpoint is easier to create when you can sequence and MIDI it. Tone is better when you can run a voice, instrument or patch through multiple digital effects boxes. Pitch is easier to keep when your group has a synthesizer or two.
You're ignorance is showing. That picture was taken at May 1972 anti-war rally in NYC's Central Park where both Lennon and Kerry were featured speakers.
It's laughable for people not to know that John Lennon was the Cindy Sheehan of his day. (But without Mother Sheehan's quiet dignity.)
Sorry. Revising and extending -- the aforementioned rally was in 1971 and at Bryant Park.
So? That proves Lennon was part of a conspiracy to overthrow the US government?
My post was in response to your saying the photo proved Kerry was a "star effer." And the equally uninformed post that Lennon's politics were ambiguous.
There was nothing ambiguous about his opposition to the Vietnam war or to the then current administration.
Sorry for pointing out the facts. I know that bugs you.
she is ugly, but she was wealthy and well connected in Japan. At least that is what I have read.
It's also funny that you didn't drag your namesake into this discussion.
Apparently you don't know that Hemingway was paid $500 a month to gather information about Cuba, until he became so unstable they no longer thought he was reliable.
After that, they began to monitor his activities too.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.