Maryland State Police exposed for spying on numerous activists organizations

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This front-page article should be frightening to all freedom loving Americans.

More Groups Than Thought Monitored in Police Spying

By Lisa Rein and Josh White
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, January 4, 2009; Page A01

The Maryland State Police surveillance of advocacy groups was far more extensive than previously acknowledged, with records showing that troopers monitored -- and labeled as terrorists -- activists devoted to such wide-ranging causes as promoting human rights and establishing bike lanes.

The effort, made public in July, confirmed the fears of civil liberties groups that have warned about domestic spying since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

See also:

Police Spied on Activists In Md.

Little Data Disclosed In Files, Activists

Logs Show Activist Surveillance Continued Despite Lack of Criminal Findings

Targeting Activist Groups

ACLU of Maryland - No spying! *

The impulse of those in power to spy on those grassroots Americans who fight for what the believe in, including RKBA groups continues.

The Price of Liberty is eternal vigilance.

* See how the ACLU made their FOIA/MPIA request -- DENIED by the State Police. Lawsuits followed.

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Other than the cruise port and Baltimore's Inner Harbor, I really can't figure out why anyone actually lives in Maryland!

TFred

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I wonder how many ofthe membersOCDOhave been labeled as terrorists?

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Oh,,I'd say I'm on at least the top ten. In 82 I came home from Germany with my wife and daughter, who was born in Frankfurt (West Germany) at that time. Arrived in that Airport what is it, BDM or whatever. Got to the customs check and was informed I didn't have the proper BATF paperwork to bring my guns BACK into the country, mind you I hadn't purchased any weapons overseas, just bringing back in what I'd carried out, on my orders by serial number and type. The customs officer said I would have to give up my guns but I could get them back,I asked him if he'd noticed that on my sleeves there were large hash marks and the rank of SFC and asked him if he thought he was gettin a rookie. I informed him, in one bag was my .357 magnum, in the other was ammunition for that weapon, if he could kill me before I got it loaded, he could have em. He decided he didn't want my guns after all. But I decided I wanted his and his partners badge number and names. Called my congressman and told him the story. I'm probably better off if I never set foot in Maryland again LOL

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TFred wrote:

Other than the cruise port and Baltimore's Inner Harbor, I really can't figure out why anyone actually lives in Maryland!

TFred

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I used to wonder that too, then I discovered they do not pay personal property taxes.

This is just another example of how far things have run off track since September 11, 2001. Many agencies have converted a lot of resources to "anti terrorism" programs, at the expense of traditional law enforcement programs. A large portion of many departments have become more paramilitary or support paramilitary units.

While there is no question that increased vigilance was necessary to prevent terrorist events, that vigilance should come in the form of citizen awareness and reporting, not virtual martial law and routine monitoring of lawful citizens.

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It's 'BWI"... or at least 'was'. They've renamed it after some obscurelocal pol... but everybody still calls it BWI. If you had your weapon listed on your orders... BATF hasn't got squat to do with it. I had (still have) a ChiCom Type 56 (SKS) war trophy on my orders back from 'Nam... 'n nobody even blinked. I hand carried it aboard a Continental flight... (At LAX) 'n handed it to the stu in the door. She put it in their raincoat locker. Ahh... 't'was a different era. 'Course... there I was in Air Force khaki, w/Navy collar/chest devices, wearin' bloused jungle boots 'n a black Riverine beret... with a full beard. Nobody knew whatinhell we were 'n were prob'ly afraid to ask.

But... the Maryland Statts Polizie have devolved into an 'us against them' para-military order (known to other MD LEO's as the 'Clowns in Brown'). I think maybe PG County has copied 'em more'n they should'a... but I had the good sense to ESCAPE all that some years ago.

Yer right... I dunno why anybody actually lives in MD either anymore. Like you,Top, I'll never return.

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Sonora Rebel wrote:

It's 'BWI"... or at least 'was'. They've renamed it after some obscurelocal pol... but everybody still calls it BWI.

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Ha ha... I wouldn't exactly call the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court an "obscure local politician..." But I detest the renaming of airports, for anybody! So take this as my official notice, if I ever become famous, do not name an airport after me!

"BWI" is the International Air Transport Association airport code, and I am not aware of any of those ever changing, no matter what the name of the airport is changed to.

Just like DCA (Washington National Airport), all the locals still call them by their original names.

TFred

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TFred wrote:

So take this as my official notice, if I ever become famous, do not name an airport after me!

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Ladies and gentlemen welcome to TFredInternational Airport. The current weather here in TFredCity is fair and chilly. If this is your final destination blah, blah, blah...

I don't know...it kinda has a ring to it.

As for the original topic, I guess Maryland State Police could put me in the "terrorist" group known as "FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS."

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stop bashing, they are working hard for you. and they are doing it for your own good.

bigot

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Ah... Thurgood Marshall.... the only mistake Eisenhower admitted to making after his Presidency was appointing him. (I knew I'd remember....)

'Obscure, forgettablelocal pol likeI said... Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) originally 'Friendship International'... 'still called that by locals sometimes.

'Must'a run outta stuff to name MLK 'n JFK ad nauseum. I hope some MSP wonk is monitoring these terrorist statements... like the good little errand boys sent by grocery clerks that they've become. MD is one of the few states that I despise... other than CA. ('Lived there too for awhile...)

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Sonora Rebel wrote:

Ah... Thurgood Marshall.... the only mistake Eisenhower admitted to making after his Presidency was appointing him. (I knew I'd remember....)

'Obscure, forgettablelocal pol likeI said... Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) originally 'Friendship International'... 'still called that by locals sometimes.

'Must'a run outta stuff to name MLK 'n JFK ad nauseum. I hope some MSP wonk is monitoring these terrorist statements... like the good little errand boys sent by grocery clerks that they've become. MD is one of the few states that I despise... other than CA. ('Lived there too for awhile...)

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Don't get me wrong, not saying I agree with his views or his decisions, I'm just saying he wasn't really obscure, or local, at least not once he was appointed.

TFred

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Who? LMAO! :lol:

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Repeater wrote:

This front-page article should be frightening to all freedom loving Americans.

More Groups Than Thought Monitored in Police Spying

By Lisa Rein and Josh White
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, January 4, 2009; Page A01

The Maryland State Police surveillance of advocacy groups was far more extensive than previously acknowledged, with records showing that troopers monitored -- and labeled as terrorists -- activists devoted to such wide-ranging causes as promoting human rights and establishing bike lanes.

The effort, made public in July, confirmed the fears of civil liberties groups that have warned about domestic spying since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

See also:

Police Spied on Activists In Md.

Little Data Disclosed In Files, Activists

Logs Show Activist Surveillance Continued Despite Lack of Criminal Findings

Targeting Activist Groups

ACLU of Maryland - No spying! *

The impulse of those in power to spy on those grassroots Americans who fight for what the believe in, including RKBA groups continues.

The Price of Liberty is eternal vigilance.

* See how the ACLU made their FOIA/MPIA request -- DENIED by the State Police. Lawsuits followed.

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This is nothing new in the post 9/11 police state. As far as I can tell, the definition of "terrorist" is not well defined, and is subject to interpretation by people with an agenda. You can be certain OpenCarry.org posters are being watched, and have been labeled as a terrorist group by various agencies with questionable reputations.

After all, they're going to need lots of bodies to fill up the 600+ FEMA prison camps throughout the U.S. once the next national emergency is declared by the Great One. Oh wait, my mistake. That can't happen in America. :lol:

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.40 Cal wrote:

I wonder how many ofthe membersOCDOhave been labeled as terrorists?

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Looking at it from the perspective of whatever idiot wants to spy on law abiding citizens, I'd say we should be right up near the top of the watch list. Which is fine by me, because we do play by their rules.

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Michigander wrote:

.40 Cal wrote:

I wonder how many ofthe membersOCDOhave been labeled as terrorists?

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Looking at it from the perspective of whatever idiot wants to spy on law abiding citizens, I'd say we should be right up near the top of the watch list. Which is fine by me, because we do play by their rules.

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I fear that their rules are irrelevant here. I believe "lists" of citizens are very dangerous in the hands of government, because once they are reported upward in a hierarchal organizational structure, they become highly subjective. Those "watch" lists can quickly turn into "detainment" lists during a national emergency, regardless if anyone on those lists have actually committed any crime.

I suspect the people who handle the lists have very little concern for the people on those lists, or the accuracy of the lists. They're just doing their job, and getting paid.

I'm seriously considering contacting my congressman and urging them to:

1) abolish or rewrite the existing executive orders for managing a national emergency, as well as rewriting the powers granted therein.

2) closing down all existing FEMA concentration camps. Due to the potential for fear, oppression, abuse, and outright tyranny, detainment camps are not compatible with a free society, period.

I'm certain that pictures of Hitler's death camps shown to our congressmen, along with solid arguments against these executive orders, may be convincing enough to provoke some change here.

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I'm not sure about all the groups being watched in the article, but PETA, if not a terrorist organization, sure the hell borders on one. They seem to be just one bomb away from becoming ALF/ELF in action.

Don't let the hot naked college chicks on street corners fool you. They have condoned members attacking people for the "crime" of wearing fur or working in a slaughter house.

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WCrawford wrote:

Don't let the hot naked college chicks on street corners fool you.

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Hot naked college chicks don't fool me. They do however, cause other carnal manifestations to occur. :celebrate

We had a hot tiger lady here in downtown Lexington a few months ago. I'm kicking myself for not taking my camera downtown. :cuss:

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Michigander wrote:

.40 Cal wrote:

I wonder how many ofthe membersOCDOhave been labeled as terrorists?

Click to expand...

Looking at it from the perspective of whatever idiot wants to spy on law abiding citizens, I'd say we should be right up near the top of the watch list. Which is fine by me, because we do play by their rules.

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We are being watched. The article specifically addresses OCDO on a terrorist watchdog letterhead.. from last July. They seem to be worried about folks 'fishing' for lawsuits, and having claimed to have read threads on this site have apparently missed the thousands of posts in support of citizens utilizing their rights.

Has this article been posted before? I got a bit lazy on my 'search' .

http://www.hoffmang.com/firearms/carry/OC-LE-Bulletin-2008-07-24.pdf



edited for content...

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What they're doing is unconstitutional... and they know it. If they don't know it... they're in the wrong racket. This is clearly an 'us vs them' sitrep. What's with this 'registration' nonsense? Seems like a deliberate 4A violation.When the hell are theseparanoid morons gonna wake up to the fact that the CONSTITUTIONis lawful recognition of RKBA? Anybody sent that sheet to FOX yet?

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JBURGII wrote:

We are being watched.

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This is interesting.

First, we have a confidential document, according to the footer of each page. Thanks to the officer who brought this to our attention, so we can scrutinize its contents.

[align=left]

LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE WARNING:
This document contains confidential information. It is intended for law enforcement personnel only. The information should not be released to the media or the general public. Further dissemination of this document should be done on a need to know basis. If you are not the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any use, review, dissemination, or copying of this document is strictly prohibited.

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Second, we have a peaceful political group, exercising their lawful right to OC (Open Carry) firearms, according to the law. Sacramento, in their best interest, put out a memo to officers on the subject of the OC movement. However, I have to impugn the person(s) involved that decided to assign the "incident" to the "TERRORISM THREAT ASSESSMENT CENTER". I wonder how the "threat" of law abiding citizens carrying firearms, according to the law, was assessed?
[/align]
If Sacramento PD wants to issue a memo about the OC movement, it should be done by a different department, or at least in a different interoffice memo heading, and not by the Regional Terrorism Threat Assessment Center. We don't need impressionable officers thinking we're a bunch of terrorrists.

On a positive note, it looks like Sacramento LEO is getting a refresher on legal OC. Kudos to management!

On a related note, I found a good book the other day! The Death of Common Sense: How Law is Suffocating America by Philip K. Howard