More Anti-War Activists Snagged by "No Fly" List

The No Fly list is still up and running. The FBI and the Transportation Security Administration have a list of suspicious people they distribute to the airlines, and the airlines check the names of their passengers against this list. The existence of the list was reported here on this web site and then in the June issue of The Progressive, after a group of peace activists were detained in Milwaukee on April 19.

On August 7, two more peace activists found themselves on the list. Rebecca Gordon and Jan Adams were detained by San Francisco police at the airport there, reported Alan Gathright of The San Francisco Chronicle on September 27.

Gordon and Adams, veteran peace and justice activists in the Bay Area, work on a newspaper called War Times (war-times.org).

"We get to the airport at 9:30 in the evening for an 11:30 flight to Boston on ATA," Gordon tells The Progressive. "As we go to the check-in counter to check in our baggage, the woman takes our IDs and types in our names, and then says, 'There's something wrong with my computer.' So she goes and gets another woman, who types our names into her computer. She, too, says, 'There's something wrong with my computer. Please step aside so we can check the other people in.' "

Gordon says she and Adams thought there might be a problem with their e-tickets. But it was more serious than that, as they found out a few minutes later when one of the airline employees told them, "You both turned up on the FBI No Fly list, and we've called the San Francisco police. They are coming over to talk to you. In the meantime, one of us has to stay with you, so please come along with your baggage," Gordon recalls.

Gordon says the woman from the airlines seemed bewildered. "We were standing there in the middle of the airport, and I'm sure she's thinking these are just garden-variety middle-aged white dykes," Gordon says.

"I can't imagine why this is happening," the airline employee said, according to Gordon.

"And I said, 'Well, I can tell you why. We work on a paper that opposes the war on terrorism.' Her eyes got kind of big, and she said, 'Oh.' "

Gordon says three uniformed members of the police then came, took their IDs, and called headquarters. They wouldn't let her even get a drink of water.

"After ten or fifteen more minutes, one of the officers told us, 'You aren't on the master list,' and they handed us back to the airline, Gordon says.

But the airline was still suspicious, and circled a big S on their boarding passes. "I assume it means search, and then a red S was put on it," Gordon adds. "In fact, at the gate we were selected for search and they did the usual search procedure, the wanding and the shoes.

Before I got on, I asked the ticket agent if this is going to happen every time. She said, 'I don't know, but I'd recommend that you get to the airport early.' "

"We had no report of any of our officers stopping them," says Larry Ratti, a spokesperson for the police at the airport.

"Whenever anyone comes up on the No Fly list, we come out in one or two minutes and the situation is cleared up. Generally, they would make a police report if they detained people for any length of time."

Ratti says the department gets calls about suspicious people at the airport "maybe one a day, one every two days." Some of these calls come from the No Fly list, "but we don't differentiate," he says. "It's just a suspicious-type-person call."

"This is harassment," she says. "It's to let us know that they've got their eye on us."

Adams agrees. "Nothing felt very threatening in the episode--except that they are doing it," she says. Adams adds that she was singled out for searching on her return trip from Boston, as well.

Why should we let those who want to destroy America organize? Unless you favor destorying America the answer is we shouldn't. And if you do favor destroying America you are scum in need of punishment!

I think the peace activists are a bunch of twits, but denying them access to an airline? This crap is getting out of hand. Punish someone for expressing their opinion? Hillary! would love that kind of precedent if she becomes president - she would declare FR protests illegal.

Be careful what you ask for against your opponents - sooner or later, the same weapon will probably be turned on you.

Don't Miss the Patriots Rallies - October 25 and 26, 2002 Chicago, IL --- Washington, DC --- San Francisco,CA Cheer on Bill Simon in Long Beach, CA October 24th! Dump Davi$ Rally in Pasadena, CA October 26th! Help TakeBack America! - FReePWatch 2002
...DATE../..TIME...	...CITY../..SITE...	...ADDRESS..INFO...	...MORE INFORMATION...
Thursday 10/24/2002 11 - 11:30 am	Long Beach, CA	Hyatt Regency - Support Bill Simon 200 S. Pine St. - At Shoreline Drive Long Beach, CA 710 Fwy S., Follow the signs	California Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Simon speaks to the Long Beach community about California's future. Click HERE for more info about the LONG BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE "California Visionaries Luncheon". Meet in front of the Hotel at 1130 or earlier. Be Creative with your signs. "FOR SALE" Gray Davis signs are always in, the bigger the better!
FRiday 10/25/2002 445 pm, rain or shine.	Chicago, IL	Pre-Patriots Rally II FReep, ChicagoLand For more info, check out the Thread.	FReePers, Gather at Michigan Ave and Jackson, 4:45pm. We will head toward Columbus Drive at about 5pm to find our targets. Bring your flags, signs and patriotism! Keep those sign ideas coming!
Saturday 10/26/2002 530 pm, rain or shine.	Pasadena, CA	Dump Davi$ Rally JOIN THE CAMPAIGN CHICKEN AND THE CHICKEN TO DEBATE GOVERNOR IN PASADENA Firefighter Rally and BBQ with Gray Davis United Democratic Headquarters 1118 E. Green Street Pasadena, CA	Bring as big a "For Sale" sign as you can muster! Please RSVP to sfrank@simonforgovernor.com if you can make it.
Saturday 10/26/2002 11 am until 3 pm, rain or shine.	Washington, DC	THE PATRIOTS RALLY FOR AMERICA II Original thread Update thread The Washington Monument Corner of 17th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW. C-SPAN will be striving to provide fair and balanced coverage for both the anti-war protests and the Patriots Rally.	Bring your flags, signs and patriotism! As always, the D.C. Chapter's rules for demonstrating will be in effect. Briefly, they are: No violence, no racism, no profanity, no threats, no provocations, obey the law and treat all law enforcement officers with respect.
Saturday 10/26/2002 12 pm	San Francisco, CA	West Coast Patriots Rally "Stop the Warped (Leftists)" Rally City Hall - across from the Civic Center Plaza. Carlton Goodlett Place between McAllister St. and Grove St.	Bring your flags, signs and patriotism! Please be aware, even though there may be police there, we are each responsible for our own safety. Parking available at the Civic Center Parking Garage. BART stops a few blocks away. Cal-train + bus is also available.
Tuesday 10/29/2002 12pm	New York City	Cipriani 42nd Street 110 East 42nd Street New York, NY	New York FReePers Heads UP!!! MICHAEL EISNER, the big cheese of Disney, and his family will be honored for their contributions to Jewish Home and Hospital. Barbara Walters presides, as her friend, Elton John, that man of many events, entertains. Cipriani 42nd Street is located at 110 East 42nd Street. It is situated on the South side of the Street between Lexington Avenue & Park Avenue. A clutch of famous names - Gov. Gray Davis - native son of NY, Sens. Joseph Lieberman and Barbara Boxer, Barry Diller - will send special video tributes.

Updated 12:30 10/23/02

I wonder:

(1) What exactly have these two written or said.

(2) What groups fund their little organization.

There are groups in America receiving funds from al-Qaeda and others. There are groups receiving funds from North Korea and Cuba.

Brian Becker of A.N.S.W.E.R. and the RCP, for example, regularly receives money from sources traced to Pyongyang and meets with North Korean officials in Europe. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if War Times is funded by one of the many subsidaries of the RCP, like Not In Our Name.

If so, these people are taking money from and consorting with enemies of the United States.

In that eventuality, they should be thankful that they are allowed to walk our streets and print their lies without being imprisoned.

It's too much for them to ask that they be treated like normal passengers when flying on an airplane full of the normal Americans they hate.

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