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.
The lowlifes who advocate it are hoping to inflame another Don Matthews.
If you still don't understand what the Green Party did to the Democrats in 2000, Vote Libertarian!!!
It seems that someone already forgot who the Green Party did to the equitable supporter of their ideology in 2000.
Insta-Ideologuese-to-English translation service:
"You are opposing our infantile ideology with logic, civility, and decorum."
Example Usage: "Hey, you are offering opposing words to our ideology which our egos are all wrapped up in, man, so therefore you hate us."
Why don't you say it straight. You want a Clintonite in power who can do drugs and have sex in the WhiteHouse, but this time all the while moralising us about the US constitution instead of moralising us about homeschooling.... same hypocritical difference.
Insta-Ideologuese-to-English translation service:
"We say we are against fraudulent lies, but have no qualms about initiating them when it suits our principled agenda."
Your views are already well known. You and your Tory friends would have shot the Founders in cold blood had you been given a chance. Take your disruptor nonsense elsewhere.
So privately, by myself, to myself, concerning no others... I can be my own petty tyrrant? That isn't much fun. No one else gets hurt that way. I'm starting to see the wisdom of the likes of Dane, Willie, Kevin, and such. It'd be much more fun to be able to tyrranize other people like they advocate.(/sarcasm)
The big difference is that we actually believe in others having the freedom to do things that we may not personally approve of.
I won't say it, no matter how tempting.
Whatever he is, don't end run him. The quote is making fun of Chomsky and he editiorializes afterward saying Chomsky is a dope. CJ, you must be a reporter, because tactics like that are what reporters do, take quotes out of context.
Get real! The prime goal of libertarians everywhere--including Denver--is to legalize dope and replace the anti-dope legal regimen with a doper-coddling nanny government state (oh, they deny that they want more nanny government, but they know that is what will result, and the libertarian doctrine of personal responsibility mandates that they be held accountable for the results, not just the gassy words that squeeze past their gums).
That's where the Denver PD got it all wrong. The Second Amendment comes in a distant second as a gravity point of libertarian obsession.
Well, ever alert to the plight of his libertarian allies, Denver's far leftist mayor has come to their rescue and ordered the files turned over to them.
In the 1930s through the 1950s the police at the federal, state, and local levels kept a close watch on various communist groups that squealed just as self-righteously and disingenuously about their "peaceable" nature. The police lost that propaganda war, and the resulting "wink and look the other way" laissez-faire attitude allowed the 9-11 terrorists to infiltrate this country, plan, and pull off the most devastating attack on its citizens in its history.
The Denver Police were idiots to believe they could monitor any politically-oriented group without getting beat-up in the wake of the inevitable disclosure. I don't pity the Denver Police. They handled this in a ham-fisted manner and deserve the beating they are getting.
Meanwhile the Libertarian Party--which IS a front for many people dedicated to the Gramsci-Marxist destruction of this nation, will continue its anti-America activities under the cloak of "patriotism."
If you are a true patriot, I suggest you wake up and look at a fresh look at some of the libertarian flotsam and jetsam that you run with. They are actively engaged in undermining freedom--not in promoting it.
Quite a life you lead, extremely fringe, minor, insiginificant and unabashedly Big Government.
Hate central government? So does Chomsky. Despise the police? Doubly so, Chomsky. Believe that man cannot achive his true and full potential unless he is allowed freely to revel in dope-smoking, alternative family lifestyles, and sodomy? Chomsky's with you.
He's your ally, he's your buddy.
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