Violence begets violence

AP [Matt Rourke] photographer's last pre-arrest shot

The heavy police presence promised at the RNC in St. Paul this week was like honey to a bee for a few angry troublemakers and thrill seekers. (I won't call them anarchists like most media have, because not all anarchists are vandals and troublemakers, just like not all Democrats are Republicans, though some are.)

Yes, the RNC drew a few people looking for trouble and seeking excitement. They're a tiny handful compared to the people here who are staunchly committed to ending violence of all kinds.

But we shouldn't jump to conclusions about any of the 125 groups participating in the demonstrations. The fact is, "black ops" do occur so people shouldn't rule out its happening here. The FBI and Homeland Security actively recruited informants after the RNC host city was named almost two years ago and were successful in getting people to infiltrate activist groups. In fact, the authorities are quite proud of this feat, repeating it often at press conferences and during interviews.

History has shown that infiltrators are the most dangerous to growing movements, often taking on leadership roles and through hyper-aggressive statements and actions, bringing down the wrath of both the public and unsuspecting local law enforcement. The Black Panthers, American Indian Movement, and others were destroyed from within by violent infiltrator-leaders. Sometimes infiltration takes a different form such as when conservatives posing as environmentalists temporarily hijacked the Sierra Club board of directors.

If you think that people can't be so easily fooled, hark back to the recent disclosure that the beloved chef Julia Child was recently revealed to have been a spy with the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a precursor to the CIA!

If you won't take my word of caution (why should you?) perhaps you should read "New York Police Covertly Join In at Protest Rallies" published in the New York Times following the 2004 Republican Convention.

Kathlyn Stone is a Twin Cities, Minnesota-based independent journalist who has covered general news, and business, international trade, and health care news and policies for public and professional audiences since 1980. Articles by Kathlyn Stone at MWC News http://mwcnews.net/KathlynStone

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