Posted on 02/14/2003 5:15:14 AM PST by conservativecorner
Last week, another serviceman died in the line of duty.
Helge Boes, a CIA counterterrorism officer, was killed in a live-fire exercise in Afghanistan when a grenade prematurely exploded. He became the second CIA fatality since the War on Terrorism began in October 2001.
While his family mourns their loss, our nation is grateful for the sacrifice made to protect America.
However, some people saw his death as a reason to celebrate. This happened on a website known as SFIndymedia.org.
On February 7, someone with the screen name ":)" posted a Reuters story on Boes’ death under the title: "Good News: CIA officer killed in Afghanistan Grenade Accident." Above the story was this comment: ''Ok, only two CIA agents dead, but its something. With so much bad news in the headlines its nice to read some good news like this every once and awhile.''
Responses included one person who said ''How many millions would cheer the death of Henry Kissinger? How many millions would cheer the death of James Wolfensohn? A poster named Yankee Go Home reposted the story with the title ''Thats what you get for playing with grenades.'' Under the posting ''Movie Review,'' nessie wrote, ''Relax a little. Get out once in a while. Go see a movie. I recommend ‘The Quiet American’ because, among other things, it tells the truth about CIA involvement in the Third World and shows a CIA agent getting what they all so richly deserve. Pretty good acting too. That Michael Caine still knows how to do it."
What exactly is SFIndymedia.org? It is one of over 50 local independent media sites worldwide, under the umbrella of Indymedia.org. According to Global Indymedia's ''Frequently Asked Questions,'' they are ''a democratic media outlet for the creation of radical, accurate and passionate tellings of the truth.'' Indymedia grew out of the November 1999 Seattle protests against the World Trade Organization, as several independent media groups joined forces. They operate on the principle of ''open publishing,'' noting that ''there is no designated Indymedia editorial collective that edits articles'' posted to the website.
On the San Francisco group’s ''about us'' page, one of their Principles of Unity is to ''function as a non-commercial, non-corporate, anti-capitalist collective.'' In their mission statement, they encourage ''a world where globalization is not about homogeneity and exploitation, but rather about diversity and cooperation.'' They also provide links to media and activist groups and coverage ''underscoring the global nature of people’s struggles of social, economic and environmental justice directly from their perspective.''
There are threads promoting the latest anti-war rally from Workers Action--obviously a Communist group--entitled ''Defend Iraq! Defeat Imperialism.'' Another thread calls for ''emergency action'' once the war begins, with posts from Black Bloc and the International Action Center (IAC), a front group for the Workers World Party and parent group of A.N.S.W.E.R.
As disturbing as the celebration of CIA agent Boes' death is, that is not the only time death made its way to Indymedia.
''Hello Everyone, my name’s Andy. I killed a Police Officer in Red Bluff, California in a motion to bring attention to, and halt, the police-state tactics that have come to be used throughout our country.''
This was the beginning of a thread entitled ''Proud and Insolent Youth Incorporated'' by Andrew McCrae. In the post dated November 25, 2002, McCrae went on a long anti-capitalist, anti-war manifesto. He finished his scrawl by asking President Bush to step down in favor of Al Gore. Gore would ''serve as the temporary President until a True Representative of the People is determined.''
Andrew McCrae was arrested the next day in Concord, N.H., for the Nov. 19 murder of Red Bluff Police Officer David Mobilio. Twenty versions of his statement were posted under other indymedia.org websites.
How was McCrae’s confession treated on SFIndymedia? The first response was from Jefe: ''Well done. Send it to all the IMC’s, media, outlets of communication and rage -- wa-hoo." Another response from Daryle Lamont Jenkins said ''Personally, I think the killing of cops is cool.'' That was followed by someone named P--ed Off, who wrote "F-- The Police. The police can harass people, break down doors and kill people and get away with it. As far as I’m concerned they can all go to hell. I would not go out and shoot them but I will not lose any sleep when they are killed.''
SFIndymedia states, in their ''about us'' section, ''members shall strive to act in a respectful manner to other members of the collective as well as the public.'' However, they obviously fall short of that goal.
That’s unfortunate. It’s because of the sacrifices made by the CIA, the military, and the police that we have the freedom of speech and other civil liberties we cherish. It is obvious that these truly demented people don’t respect the sacrifice Boes and Mobilio made to protect the freedoms they enjoy. Thus, they mock their own right of free speech.
Well, let me say it for you - in unbannable form. If, and when, thousands and thousands of innocent Americans are slaughtered by a series of terrorist actions - these people will be running for their lives.
. . . while screaming "someone should have done something" . . .
"The enemy within". . .seems this site is designed to accomodate intellecutal scum and just plain scum as well.
Criminal minds/empty clothes finding their home in revolutionary thinking. . .
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.