|
|
May 19, 2013
|
|
|
|
 Molly Ivins: The Great Bush Reclassification ProjectPosted on Apr 26, 2006By Molly Ivins It’s nice to know that the investigative reporter Jack Anderson is still under investigation, although seriously dead. Anderson died last year, and for 19 years before his death he suffered from Parkinson’s disease and was increasingly less active as a reporter. Now that he’s safely deceased, the Federal Bureau of Investigation wants to go through nearly 200 boxes of his files to see if there are any classified documents in there. If it’s classified, they want it back—even though Anderson was in the habit of printing anything he ever got that was of any interest. This is apparently part of the Great Bush Reclassification Project, in which government information that has previously been declassified and offered for public consumption is now being reclassified as secret so nobody can find out about it. Those who saw government documents between declassification and reclassification are just going to have to forget what they saw. That, or some Man in Black will be sent around to zap your memory with a little thingamajig. For some reason, the FBI thinks Jack Anderson, despite Parkinson’s disease, had some papers involving two employees of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) who have been criminally charged with receiving classified information. That case is a crock in itself, and to use it to dig through Anderson’s archived stuff is just ludicrous. Among Anderson’s targets of old was the Federal Bureau of Investigation itself—gee, still worried he might have photos of J. Edgar Hoover in a dress after all these years? Advertisement Even some other journalists looked down on him—he was never part of D.C.‘s “cool” in-group. But the proof was in the work, and although he made a few memorable mistakes, he was consistently so far ahead of the pack he made his detractors look like the lazy snobs they were. Anderson’s son Kevin said family members are willing to go to jail rather than let Anderson’s papers be confiscated. “It’s my father’s legacy,” he told The New York Times. “The government has always, and continues to this day, to abuse the secrecy stamp. My father’s view was that the public is the employer of these government employees and has the right to know what they’re up to.” Meanwhile, the Bush administration is so hopelessly confounded by the problems of secrecy, it has now fired a CIA agent for allegedly leaking the truth concerning a gulag of “black site” prisons we keep in Eastern Europe (remember when only the Soviets did that?). And of course Bush claims he has the right to instantly declassify anything in order to back up a phony charge against a political opponent. How lovely. I listened to that pompous self-righteous blowhard Bill Bennett saying the other day that several reporters who won Pulitzers this year should be in jail. I guess the responsibility of being the Virtue Czar has finally driven Bennett daffy. If he can’t see that the problem is an administration that runs torture programs, gulags and illegal domestic spying programs, rather than reporters who find out about these programs and print the truth, then I say it’s time for a new Virtue Czar. Jack Anderson was right: The people in government work for us. What they do is our responsibility because they do it in our name and with our money—that’s why we have a right to know about it. The other day I heard a young man say, “I have an issue with torture.” Turns out he was offended by some scenes in a movie he’d been to. I have an issue with torture, too. I get upset when it’s real and it’s my country doing it. I guess I wouldn’t make a good Virtue Czar. To find out more about Molly Ivins and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.  TAGS:
|
The Lotto Symbolizes the False Promises of Barracuda Capitalism
Email 
Print
Share
Email to a friend
Newsletter 
Like Us
Follow Us
Get Our Feed
Tags|Bazaar|Podcast|About Us|Contact Us|User Agreement|Privacy Policy|FAQ: Comments and Moderation | Google+
© 2013 Truthdig, LLC. All rights reserved.
By Cyd, May 4, 2006 at 6:09 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
found on a message board:
“Let me get this straight, according to your religious so-called right: Compassion is evil, pride and greed are good and The Golden Rule is a communist plot?!?!”
Report thisBy robburke, May 3, 2006 at 7:40 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
After reading this article i started musing on the GW Bush presidential library, which would hold the records and papers of this administration. I realized two things: 1. It sounds ridiculous to say “Bush” and “library” in the same sentence. 2. If there ever is such a library, the entire building and all it’s contens will be “classified”.
Report thisBy PamAlonia McCrary, April 29, 2006 at 8:09 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
“Molly must sometimes feel like Jerimiah lamenting to deaf ears” by Otie Murdock—I’d like to respond by saying that Molly is not a Jeremiah.
A Jeremiah would be exactly the Bill Bennet blow-hard about whom Ms. Ivins complains in her piece.
What’s going on now with the corruptors calling themselves the righteous is identically paralleled in the Old Testament. The warlords, the robbers, the oppressors, the environmental ravagers, the murderers who followed the Almighty—these are our leaders today.
http://www.godisajoke.com/2006/03/22/bible-as-satire/how-to-start-a-religion/
http://www.godisajoke.com/2006/01/29/essays/the-everlasting-love-of-god-please-spare-me/
Report thisBy Agent for change, April 29, 2006 at 6:35 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Truth is we need major reform of the media,as well as other things and make it more balanced there are 2 sides of everything and we need this. We also need to prosecute the media moguls higher up that hide the truth for their corporate greed masters. They are accomplices and their job is to report the facts with investigations and interviews and show them un-edited. Their responsibility is to challenge authority and let the people make their own decisions that’s a true democracy. People who protect people for their corporate interests are accomplices that should be stripped of their licenses and fired as well as being fined. Vote third and fourth party candidates..paper ballots..
Report thisBy Geraldine Brandow, April 28, 2006 at 4:20 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
It is unbelievable to me that oour country has deteriorated to such an extent that our elected representatives lie without a qualm and they continue to do great damage top this cuntry that I thought was a “beacon” to the oppressed of the world. Now we have some kind of camps being built in this country and nobody seems to know who they are for. We have people being sent to torture camps all over the world—-the have been rendered-they are held without being given any rights.
Report thisBefore this admistration is finished we will be a thrird world country. It is already happening,
We already have the haves and the have nots and never the 2 shall meeT.
IMPEACHMENT OF THE ENTIRE ADMINISTRATION:
Cheney, Bush, Rumsfeld, Wolfkowitz \, Rice.et al.We cannot afford them they wil have absconded with the national treasury by the time they leave.
By Douglas V Rossetti, April 28, 2006 at 11:50 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Please explain why the AIPAC spy case is a crock.
Report thisBy Frances the Cockatoo, April 28, 2006 at 9:58 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Winston Smith is a member of the Outer Party. He works in the Records Department in the Ministry of Truth, rewriting and distorting history.
Report thisBy Jack, April 28, 2006 at 9:28 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Molly states the following in reference to the FBI espionage case against two AIPAC employees:
“That case is a crock in itself…”
In what way is it a crock???
Report thisBy FreeDem, April 28, 2006 at 6:18 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
They should tell the FEDs that they can read it on the internet(published out of the country and mirrored about)
Report thisBy MARIAM RUSELL, April 28, 2006 at 6:09 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
I AM HORRIFIED AND HEARTBROKEN THAT MANY OF MY FAMILY, WHO ARE STAUNCH RAPTURE BELEVING CHRISTIANS ARE NOT TERRIBLY UPSET BY THE MACHINATIONS OF THE BUSH CABAL, ARE EVEN ABLE TO TAKE BILL O´REILLY´S WORD THAT TORTURE IS JUSTIFIED. UNFORUNATELY THEY WOULD NOT READ YOUR COLUMN EVEN IF I PUT IN FRONT OF THEIR FACES AND WOULD BE VERY INSULTED BY MY ACTIONS. HOW DO WE GET TO THESE PEOPLE…...
Report thisBy Gary, April 28, 2006 at 5:26 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Molly Ivins is a treasure.
Report thisBy Razor, April 28, 2006 at 5:03 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Crate the lot up on a container ship or truck and send it overseas or up to Canada.
Then the FBI, CIA, NSA et al can’t keep whining about needing to destroy, er, check it for incriminating, er, make sure there are no re-classified documents in there.
Report thisBy bohda yuri, April 27, 2006 at 10:07 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
AMERICAN COLONIALS FOUGHT FOR FREEDOM AND WON.
THEY FORMED THE HEART AND SOUL OF OUR NATION.
A CIVIL WAR WAS FOUGHT TO MAKE US AS ONE.
GERMAN CITIZENS MARCHED AND TORE DOWN THE WALL.
THEY BROUGHT DOWN COMMUNISM AND CHANGED THE WORLD.
IN UKRAINE THE ORANGE REVOLUTION CHANGED A GOVERNMENT.
THERE WAS STRENGTH, COURAGE, AND WISDOM IN THEIR HEARTS.
DO THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY EVEN WANT TO CHANGE?
IF SO THEN WHAT IS IN THEIR HEARTS?
HOW MUCH OF IT IS FOR POWER, HATE, AND GREED?
Report thisBy William Fargo, April 27, 2006 at 8:25 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Like The FBI doesn’t have anything better to do in “the war on terror” than hassle the dead! I love this country. By the way, does everybody know Hoover was a cross dresser? Just thought I’d ask.
Report thisBy Chuck, April 27, 2006 at 6:00 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Maybe it would be best if Kevin gave the whole file to the public, maybe starting with Seymour Hersh & a few others like him.
Report thisBy Jack Lani, April 27, 2006 at 2:50 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Thanks Molly for always being on target.
Down with Bush, his arrogant power plays and private empire—the stuff of US citizens worst nightmares. How sad when Americans have reason to be more afraid of our own government and those running it than terrorism.
Report thisBy Mary Phillips, April 27, 2006 at 1:00 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Dear Miss Molly… please keep it up! You are pointing up the right things that we should be paying attention to, and responding to. I am really happy that you are appearing (finally!) more and more often on our screens. We need you.
Thanks!!!!
Report thisMary
By faith, April 27, 2006 at 10:43 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Right On Molly ! Excellent article. Your comments suggesting that we need a new “virtue Czar” are right on point. It is astonishing that anyone would suggest that it is acceptable for the government to torture, breach constitutional rights (Due Process, Privacy) but unacceptable if journalists print the truthful information to apprise the general public of what the elected leaders are doing. Astonishing. Thank you for getting the message out there and for your bravery in speaking the truth. These are treacherous times and I have the feeling that most newswriters are too afraid to speak the truth.
Report thisBy Hilding Lindquist, April 27, 2006 at 9:38 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
First, an observation off the top of my head: Bill Bennett is a rightwing foil for CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. Bennett is now a shill.
shill n.
One who poses as a satisfied customer or an enthusiastic gambler to dupe bystanders into participating in a swindle. -dictionary.com
Molly, ... rendition, torture, gulags in foreign countries ... it should be obvious to all citizens that at least some officials in the Bush #43 administration have committed crimes.
We should be crying out, “Not in our name!”
How can there be justice if we the people do not call for the truth? What, in god’s name, have we become? Are we so afraid of the truth that we have become the kind of people we are supposed to despise the most?
2006 is the year of people. Throw the bums out!
Report thisBy Pat, April 27, 2006 at 4:51 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Too many people in our country (and elsewhere) have lost touch with the truth that compassion for all is the only way we all advance. Entitlement, self-centeredness, and elitist values drive our fear of losing out. This fear also causes much harm.
Politically appointed bureaucrats and family-connected company executives both drive bureaucracies to pervert from their original responsibilities, to be good stewards of production and services.
We all need to renew our 3rd grade history classes and drink long and deep on the lesson advancement for all, particularly the least fortunate, first. Thank you, Molly. With prayers for love and peace.
Report thisBy otie murdock, April 27, 2006 at 2:45 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Molly must sometimes feel like Jerimiah lamenting to deaf ears .. Times are finally changing though .. The inattentive are now yearning for more information to validate their suspicions ... The masses have been aroused by the abject failure of lies and manipulation and incompetence displayed by the ruling party .. Now is the time to drive the point home Moly .. You have my greatest admiration .. It has been a long 6 year march toward reality but you persevered ... Kudos to you ... Now the students are ready ..
Report this