You could always pick one up at the A.N.S.W.E.R. table at any peace rally.
Posted on 12/18/2005 12:13:41 AM PST by Deek1969
What do you get when you try to check out Mao Tse-Tung's infamous "The Little Red Book" from the library?
A visit from Homeland Security agents.
At least that's what happened to a senior at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, according to the Standard-Times newspaper of New Bedford, Mass.
The college student was visited by federal agents two months ago, after he requested a copy of Mao's tome on communism. Two history professors at UMass Dartmouth, Brian Glyn Williams and Robert Pontbriand, said the student told them he requested the book through the college library's interlibrary loan program. The student, who was completing a research paper on Communism for Pontbriand's class on fascism and totalitarianism, filled out a form for the request, leaving his name, address, phone number and Social Security number.
He was later visited at his parents' home in New Bedford by two agents of the Department of Homeland Security, the professors told the Standard-Times. The professors said the student was told by the agents that the book is on a "watch list," and that his background, which included significant time abroad, triggered them to investigate the student further.
Although the Standard-Times knows the name of the student, the paper declined to name him because he is not coming forward because he fears repercussions should his name become public. He has not spoken to The Standard-Times.
The student told Pontbriand and Williams that the Homeland Security agents told him the book was on a "watch list." They brought the book with them, but did not leave it with the student, the professors said. Williams said in his research, he regularly contacts people in Afghanistan, Chechnya and other Muslim hot spots, and suspects that some of his calls are monitored. "My instinct is that there is a lot more monitoring than we think," he said. Williams said he had been planning to offer a course on terrorism next semester, but is reconsidering, because it might put his students at risk.
If a student had requested a book entitled "Why Homosexuality is Unnatural" then the professor would turn the student in to the thought police.
enemy within
LOL!!!!!!!
"I swear! They came about Mao's book!! But, sure, they asked me about calling Muslim terrorist occupied areas too."
This nation needs to protect itself. Since we refuse to control any form of immigration, the next thing is to monitor suspicious people inside and outside of our borders. Suspicious activity sends up a red flag, well, then you will be watched. That is the very reason we have intelligence gathering. If you don't set yourself up for it, it, (surveillance) won't be looking over your shoulder without cause.
You've gotten the quotes mangled. The feds visited the student after he requested the book. The student is not the one calling those areas, that's the professor, Brian Glyn Williams who is doing that.
NOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISTION!
Any freepers that defend this action better keep their hypocrital mouths shut when Democrats abuse this power against conservatives.
You're right. Then the entire article is a crock. The student went to the professors who then squeeled to the local rag about it. And then the newspaper published the article without naming the student. Plus the article was entirely written on hearsay.
Wish I could get a job that easy.
I checked out Revenge of the Sith, hardcover, and about 2 days later got a little visit from homeland security and Mace Windu. It was nice to meet Sammy J.
(D*am! You beat me to it!)
ROTFLMAO anyrate!
You honestly believe that the govt spared a few DHS agents to go interview a kid about checking out Mao's Red Book?
They must be really busy in college towns. Plus, they must have a huge contingent in Berkeley just to do this!
I was told over 30 years ago. You do not use certain words on the phone. Certain words trigger recording devices. Such as assasinate, etc.
I don't know how true that is, but this govt, needs ways of looking for problematic situations.
Posting hidden messages here? You are under arrest! ;^)
You could always pick one up at the A.N.S.W.E.R. table at any peace rally.
But didn't we see this kind of thing during the Clintons stay in the White House? The only difference, the Clintons were protecting themselves.
I believe someone should be informed if people want to learn how to fly but not land planes. Or whether an individual is buying components for bombs.
When other's privacy depends on my freedom to live there seems to be a great concern there.
Hehehehe... I actually made that mistake once and my girlfriend laughed at me and made fun of me. It was horrible! So now I always say 'fishy' on purpose, but always try to give myself an out, lol. :-)
I call BS on this too. Total BS!
I wonder what happens when a student requests, say, "The Black Book of Communism" or "The Gulag Archipelago". Or could that question even arise?
From experience, no. I've read Gulag Archepelago before, got it from the local library since I'd often seen it recommended.
No spooks showed up at my doorstep and no request was needed. It was right there on the shelves for anyone to get.
Bought my copy in 1973 ( first english printing ,) while serving in th USAF in CA., before Nixon went to Red China. Wanted to know how the opposition thought. Got it at Tower Books, still have it today. Interesting reading at the time. Can still see lots if its principles at work in China today, can also see lots that has changed. Does this make me a Commie? Even though I'm really slightly to the right of Rush Limbaugh
Wonder what it would it sell for on EBay?
Don't click on that link!
What exactly are we protecting, a police state?
Don't buy it. Sorta like Black Helicopter stuff.
Book alert (not a little red one) to all FReepers! After reading a very favorable review of it in "Commentary", I purchased "Mao: The Untold Story". This is a very well researched yet very readable book written by two people who had first-hand experience with Communist China. It tells how Chairman Mao was directly and indirectly responsible for the death of some 70 million Chinese. It's been largely overlooked by many in the West (some of whom even succumb to a phony Mao kitsch) that this monster makes Hitler and Stalin look like pikers! Equally important, it helps one to better understand why China is the way it is today.
"The Standard-Times of New Bedford, Massachusetts seems to have not checked the story in any way. I found this in ten minutes using Google:"
Somehow, I doubt that this ever happened. It's a leftist propaganda piece that does not have a shred of truth to it.
***Any freepers that defend this action better keep their hypocrital mouths shut when Democrats abuse this power against conservatives.***
I neither defend nor disagree with this action because the article does NOT give complete information. It was written solely to bash Bush and our Homeland Security.
It is on line. Took two seconds to find multiple sources on Yahoo. Here's one link:
http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/works/red-book/
Yeah, my BS meter is very active on this one. Something else going on.
When you see his contact list, I can only thank the folks at Homeland Security for letting this creep know that it's not about the library but his contacts.
If the dems attain power we'll all be incinerated so being hypocritical wouldnt' really matter now, would it?
Somewhere, in what feels like another life ago, back when I was a smarmy 15 year old about 1970, I had to have that book for a social studies class (we were comparing communism to capitalism, with Capitalism being shown the winner), and I would occasionally take the book with me on the bus as I went cross town just to see if I could shock anyone.
I
Don't
Buy
This
For
One
Effing
Nanosecond.
"Student didn't come forward"? "Professors report"?
Smelly, stinking pile of male-bovine-derived roadapples!
So I have to ask, since the "student" didn't come forward, did the prof, have his permission to do so? IF this happened, there are so many holes in this story, it sounds custom crafted to fit the template of the moment,(see, they're watching you, watching what you read, what you say, see, nobody is safe,)
Also, this bit, " They brought the book with them, but did not leave it with the student, the professors said. Williams said in his research, he regularly contacts people in Afghanistan, Chechnya and other Muslim hot spots, and suspects that some of his calls are monitored.", seems odd, why do we need to know they kept the book? Gratuitous crap to show how evil agents won't even let the poor guy get his info for his lousey little term paper? IOW, if this were the case, perhaps they were visiting other students who had requested this book, or it may be entirely false. Seems like the prof, (who "told" the paper, that a student "told" him, that the agents "told" him....) might actually be more in the sights of this investigation (if there is one) than the students. The book itself is not rare or hard to find. Given the prof's background, it seems most likely. But the student also has some interesting things in his background. And yeah, just who is the student afraid of? Hmmmmm?
Did the student (he is so afraid) tell the professor, because the visit was about the professor? Or did he tell him something like, "we are so busted." Inquiring minds want to know. This smacks of lies by the prof. Getting his spin out first. I am as nervous as anyone about giving the gov't rights to monitor private activities without a good reason. But the good reason might be here.
I remember college professors being very anal about citing sources. I think citing a book with a certain publisher and publication date would be considered more authoritative than "I found it on this website".
So... if I am to believe this story, I have to believe that the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth DIDN'T HAVE A COPY of Mao's Little Red book, and had to order a loaner from another college...
I had to pause for a few minutes after typing the above paragraph. My keyboard was refusing to accept any more input. Something about "input buffer full of s*&%"...
We understand that you read chapter 17 twice, and quite possibly enjoyed it. We'd like to have a word with you...
They are. A creative student could the page number and the publishing info off the internet and cite the material as a pamphlet or a book. Just a thought. Not that I've ever done that or anything.
Okay, so it wasn't just the book request, it was that along with the students background. That background info is necessary for anyone to make any sort of conclusion re. this article. Might not fit in the reporter's agenda, though.
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