Posted on 09/24/2002 2:09:34 PM PDT by BlessingInDisguise
Colorado Libertarians amused and irritated at secret ‘spy file’ kept by Denver police
Colorado LP leaders say they are more amused than angry that a newly released Denver Police Department "spy file" describes the Libertarian Party as a "militia" type organization.
"A political party as a militia group? How ridiculous!" said John Berntson, State Chair of the Colorado LP. "Is this the quality of the law enforcement in Denver? Is Barney Fife running the shop?"
According to news reports, the Denver Police Department maintained files on approximately 3,200 Colorado citizens and 208 organizations from across the political spectrum.
The files, which were released to the public in early September, listed the Libertarian Party as a "Militia type organization, pro gun rights."
Former Colorado LP Publications Director Ari Armstrong said the analysis of the party as a militia-style group is flat out wrong.
"The Libertarian Party does not conduct or participate in military-style training," he noted. Instead, it runs candidates for public office, engages in political lobbying efforts, and "participates in peaceable demonstrations in support of individual rights.
"Why the Denver Police Department targeted for investigation the Libertarian Party for peaceably advocating the Bill of Rights remains a mystery," he said.
Overall, the revelation of a Libertarian Party police file was "not a surprise, but it's an outrage," said Armstrong. "Apparently, peaceably advocating the Bill of Rights warrants a police investigation."
The mischaracterization of the Libertarian Party's political nature does raise profound doubts about the intelligence of the Denver Police, said Berntson.
"The files themselves are laughable to the extent that they illustrate just how pathetically ill-informed the Denver P.D. is," he said. "They are also scary for the same reason.
"This is nothing more than government inefficiency and stupidity. This is Denver's tax dollars at their worst, and Denver's citizens should be appalled at their police."
The files became public knowledge this spring, and set off a firestorm of controversy throughout Colorado. Civil libertarians said the files were a worrisome invasion of privacy, similar to the surveillance files kept by former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.
In response, Denver Mayor Wellington E. Webb instructed the police department to destroy the files -- but only after giving copies to the individuals and organizations that had been monitored.
"It was very clear that something went wrong here," said Andrew Hudson, a spokesman for the mayor. "[Police] intelligence work is necessary, but has to be done right and in a way in which civil liberties aren't trampled."
Began in 1999, the spy files were in the form of a computer database. Records were kept on community activists, "social justice" organizations, and individuals who had attended political meetings and rallies.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Denver Police Department over the files.
The release of the files began in early September. About 300 people and representative of about 70 groups crowded into police headquarters to review their files.
Walter Schlomer, the Colorado LP's fundraising director, picked up a copy of the Libertarian Party's file on September 5.
"It's an outrage," said Schlomer. "In spite of no record of violence or illegal activity of any kind, the Denver P.D. felt it neessary to secretly spy on the LP and keep track of our activities."
In addition to describing the Libertarian Party as a "Militia type organization," and noting it was "pro gun rights," the brief file gave the LP a "Law Enforcement" classification. Police did not explain what that meant.
The file also listed the Libertarian Party's "AKA Name" as the "Denver Metro Libertarian Party," which is a local affiliate of the state LP. In a section labeled "Person Associations," five listings were blacked out.
"There are words and lines blacked out by what looks to be a black marker," said Schlomer. "These represent names in the first two lines and I'm not sure what in the next lines."
Responding to criticism about the files, the Denver Police Department acknowledged that some groups were improperly characterized as "criminal extremists." A police spokesman said untrained clerks mistakenly shoehorned every organization into the few options available in the software's limited menu.
The spokesman also said the department will continue to maintain "intelligence files" only on people who are suspected or convicted of criminal activity, and will have an outside consultant review the files for appropriateness.
I'm sorry but this "bit" is pure self serving CYA B.S. That's not how "intell" ends up in a file. Clerks enter only what already has been "gathered" by others. It looks like someone at Denver PD learned the ol' Clintonesque computer SNAFU bit.
No quote, naturally.
You are a real joke. The problem with those on the politcal right is that if God himself were the republican candidate there would be those who would stay home. Wayne Allard has a lifetime ACU rating of 96% and a rating of 100% for this year. He aint no RINO!! If conservatives and libertarians stay home and allow Allard to loose, don't be suprised if the Republicans nominate a real RINO in 2008 as a challenger to the RAT. They'll nominate a moderate in order to attract middle-of-the-road voters since conservatives are impossible to appease. I can see a reason to vote for the libertarian candidate if you lived in Arizona and McCain was up for re-election. But not Wayne Allard!
My point is that if libertarians are allowed on FR, you should try to hold your tongue of the most biting comments. I know that you've had posts pulled, when this happens you should take that as a sign that you've done something wrong. I very rarely have posts pulled, because I realize I am on someone else's property and I don't shoot from the hip. When one of my posts is pulled, I don't do it again. You, however, do not seem to learn from it.
If Jim is going to allow libertarians as guests, you should take some care. If libertarians are not guests, but disruptors, then comments like "traitor" should be no problems, and they should be banned at every opportunity. My problem with you is that you act out the latter, while the former is the case.
And let me be clear when I say: I am saying nothing about banning or censure, I am just telling you man to man to watch what you say. If Jim says that it is open season on libertarians, then by all means flame away. Until then you need to straighten up and fly right.
Out here in the left coast of Kalifornia, up until Bill Simon, all we have ever seen were RINOs. Almost had Dick Riordan as a gubernatorial candidate.
Actually I live in NJ, the thread was on Colorado. I will be voting for Forrester even though he is not likely to be anywhere near as conservative as Allard. In NJ I take what I can get. The Rats have won all the senate races for the past 30 years here, and this may be our only chance to win a senate seat for another 30. RINO in conservatives states like Arizona are unacceptable. But RINOS in democrat stronghold states like NJ and CA are the only people who will get elected. Its called strategy, something the stay at home purists and libertarians never understand.
So I can expect a gift from the social law of a stable now? Or is it not late enough yet?
So I went to this person's profile page. This is what I found:
Beginning of quote from that profile page:
"The weird offshoot of ultra-right individualist anarchism that is called 'libertarian' happens to amount to advocacy of perhaps the worst kind of imaginable tyranny, namely unaccountable private tyranny." --Noam Chomsky
(This is probably the stupidest statement I've ever heard in my life! This is how the enemies of liberty think. Sickening, isn't it?)
End of quote from that profile page.
Now correct me if I am wrong, but either you only read the quote from that left-wing weasal Chomsky and skipped the following statement that indicates the disagreement with Chomsky, in which case you should at least retract your statement, or you have deliberately tried to mislead forum readers about this poster. Hmmmm?
Perhaps a dictionary might be a more useful gift.
Main Entry: 3stable
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): sta·bler /-b(&-)l&r/; sta·blest /-b(&-)l&st/
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French estable, from Latin stabilis, from stare to stand
Date: 13th century
1 a : firmly established : FIXED, STEADFAST b : not changing or fluctuating : UNVARYING c : PERMANENT, ENDURING
2 a : steady in purpose : firm in resolution b : not subject to insecurity or emotional illness : SANE, RATIONAL
3 a (1) : placed so as to resist forces tending to cause motion or change of motion (2) : designed so as to develop forces that restore the original condition when disturbed from a condition of equilibrium or steady motion b (1) : not readily altering in chemical makeup or physical state (2) : not spontaneously radioactive
synonym see LASTING
stable: Pronunciation Key (stbl)n. A building for the shelter and feeding of domestic animals, especially horses and cattle. A group of animals lodged in such a building.
You twist his words and I'll twist yours Roscoe.
Always.
Bwaaaaaaaahahahahahaha!
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