The Not So New COINTELPRO

A few years ago, I purchased a book entitled, War Against The Panthers: A Study of Repression In America by Huey P. Newton.

This book is a reproduced copy of Dr. Huey P. Newton's doctoral dissertation, (Yes, by the time of his death in 1989, he had earned the title doctor!), submitted by Huey P. Newton for his degree as Doctor of Philosophy in History of Consciousness at the University of California Santa Cruz.

In the preface to his paper, he writes:

What is perhaps most significant about [this study] is that it suggests how much we still do not know. How many people's lives were ruined in countless ways by a government intent on destroying them as representatives of an "enemy" political organization? What "tactics" or "dirty tricks" were employed, with what results? Perhaps we shall never know the answers to these questions, but this inquiry about the BPP and the federal government will hopefully help us in our search for "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth."

We who have lived through the 60s must understand how those of consciousness and those involved in any aspect of developing consciousness about themselves and their place in America and the world, were targeted for attack by the U.S. government under the FBI program called COINTELPRO.

It is known during the years 1956 through 1971, the FBI had implemented the Counter Intelligence Program or COINTELPRO, which functioned as an instrument used by the U.S. government to identify, isolate and neutralize elements within U.S. borders considered a threat to national security. As was standard practice at that time, the FBI used the excuse/reason of possible communist influence of groups or individuals for any and almost everyone it chose to target.

Of specific concern to the U.S. government, in the guise of the FBI, as revealed in declassified documents, was the desire to “..... prevent the rise of a Black messiah.” For the FBI, there were few distinctions to be made between pacifist organizations, as was Dr. King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam (NOI) or what were termed more radical elements, such as those like the Black Panther Party (BPP).

The United States of America has entered a new or extended phase of COINTELPRO. The enemy this time isn't communist inspired but a carefully orchestrated and staged war against terrorism, which, as conceived by the government, is a war without borders, with ever changing and morphing enemies.

Any individual or group that seeks to speak in opposition to governmental actions, as relate to the so called war on terror or raises any voice against injustices within U.S. borders, and the ever evolving strategies being crafted and used against U.S. citizens within U.S. borders, must prepare for possible acts meant to deter, prevent and silence their voice of dissent.

Anti war sentiment is gaining momentum and is likely to continue to do so. It was reported by NBC during the winter of 2006 that a leaked Department of Defense (DOD) document listed students attending anti military recruitment rallies on the University of California at Santa Cruz campus, the institution where Dr. Newton submitted his dissertation, as a “credible threat”, although the demonstration was peaceful.

It was reported that 1,500 demonstrations across the country were covertly investigated by the federal government according to the Defense Department document. The same document states the University of California Berkeley, New York University and the University of Wisconsin were also part of a ten month investigation by the Pentagon.

The distinct difference to be underlined concerning what has been and is occurring today, using the excuse and the aftermath of September 11, 2001 as justification, is that unlike the period during COINTELPRO, which is alleged to have ended in 1971, almost all of the actions deemed unconstitutional and illegal under that program have now been sanctioned and approved under the newly drafted and enacted laws under the Patriot Act and the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003, also known as Patriot Act II.

During the period of COINTELPRO, there was a supposed distance meant to be maintained between local, state and federal agencies, allegedly to assure the protection of citizens' rights. However, those lines of separation were not observed and in fact the separation mainly existed on paper. Today, after September 11, 2001, the lines have been erased, with interjurisdictional involvement legalized, sanctioned and encouraged.

Now is the time to study aggressively and learn from history. I recommend War Against The Panthers by Dr. Newton, as a starting point for understanding how the government handles those considered internal threats, from the perspective of one of the founders of the Black Panther Party, himself, fellow Panthers and his organization, all victims of COINTELPRO.

This is a scholarly work that provides a glimpse into the actions taken by the US government during its war against African people and others during that period.

Another excerpt from this dissertation/book states:

From December 1963 until his assassination on April 4, 1968, Dr. King was the subject of an intensive COINTELPRO campaign. In the testimony of William Sullivan, who was in charge of the FBI campaign against Dr. King:

No holds were barred. We have used [similar] techniques against Soviet agents. [The same methods were] brought home against any organization which we targeted. We did not differentiate.36

At the time of his death in 1977, William Sullivan was among six former FBI officials scheduled to appear before the House Select Committee on Assassinations.

Among these six men included two men identified as special assistants to J. Edgar Hoover, head of the FBI, with the others being identified as the former head of a forensics lab, fingerprint analyst and document experts involved with the investigation into the assassination of President Kennedy.

Within a six month period, all six men died before their scheduled appearances to testify. It can only be speculated what may have been learned, if anything at all, about those within the Black Power/Civil Rights Movement that met their end through assassination under COINTEPRO. It is, however, certain that William Sullivan would in all likelihood have had information about the campaign of terror waged by the FBI at that time and would have helped conceive of and implement those plans.

Due to the popularity and far reaching influence of the mediums of television, cable access, radio, print media and the internet and most organizations' affinity with what can be called the established governmental policy and way of thinking, the viewpoints of those in opposition to the so called mainstream news and opinions, delivered to everyone for mass consumption, are often not heard nor as widely distributed.

Therefore, it is important that clear, articulate views be provided as a balance, beyond the lock step march down a path most often provided because it's parroted that everyone says that's what happened or that's what should be done.

Any literature written by any who considered themselves revolutionaries during the period between 1956 through 1971 and any group or individuals that have written of their experiences as victims of COINTELPRO should also be read.

The main purpose for reading the historical accounts of those targeted during the COINTELPRO era, a period when what have been labeled abuses occurred in relation to activities conducted against U.S. citizens, abuses whose defense in most cases was that the guidelines were unclear and in reality and by design, were meant to be nebulous and undefined, is for gaining enlightenment regarding how events transpired, to understand the extent of infiltration of any number of organizations, not only those identifed as socialists or communists but also peace groups, anti war groups, so called civil rights and Black Power groups, with infiltrators using their most effective weapon, disinformation, to create dissention, confusion and distrust among those who may have potentially become allies but instead became ideologically entrenched enemies and combatants.

A record must be created that documents the ideological struggles waged for the hearts and minds of the African community, of the skirmishes that were won and those lost, so that the next generation that follows has the benefit of our experiences and can begin a tally list of what did and did not work during our struggle for justice and freedom. This is the duty of each generation until we have achieved all we, as a whole race of people, can achieve.