FBI Interrogates UMass Student for Borrowin a Book on Communism from the Library

[Ant]

Agents' visit chills UMass Dartmouth senior
By AARON NICODEMUS, Standard-Times staff writer

NEW BEDFORD -- A senior at UMass Dartmouth was visited by federal agents two months ago, after he requested a copy of Mao Tse-Tung's tome on Communism called "The Little Red Book."
Two history professors at UMass Dartmouth, Brian Glyn Williams and Robert Pontbriand, said the student told them he requested the book through the UMass Dartmouth library's interlibrary loan program.
The student, who was completing a research paper on Communism for Professor 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 said.
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.
"I tell my students to go to the direct source, and so he asked for the official Peking version of the book," Professor Pontbriand said. "Apparently, the Department of Homeland Security is monitoring inter-library loans, because that's what triggered the visit, as I understand it."
Although The Standard-Times knows the name of the student, he is not coming forward because he fears repercussions should his name become public. He has not spoken to The Standard-Times.
The professors had been asked to comment on a report that President Bush had authorized the National Security Agency to spy on as many as 500 people at any given time since 2002 in this country.
The eavesdropping was apparently done without warrants.
The Little Red Book, is a collection of quotations and speech excerpts from Chinese leader Mao Tse-Tung.
In the 1950s and '60s, during the Cultural Revolution in China, it was required reading. Although there are abridged versions available, the student asked for a version translated directly from the original book.
The student told Professor Pontbriand and Dr. 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.
Dr. 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.
Dr. 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.
"I shudder to think of all the students I've had monitoring al-Qaeda Web sites, what the government must think of that," he said. "Mao Tse-Tung is completely harmless."

[Don Seer]

1984 here you go.... america is fucked.. land of the free.. freedom of speech???...... YEAH RIGHT!

[MANBEARPIG.]

Wow that is crazy.  oh well, just confirms some people's suspicions

[J @ M @ L]

1984 here you go.... america is fucked.. land of the free.. freedom of speech???...... YEAH RIGHT!

[Sikotic™]

And some people want the government to enforce greater restriction.

[7even]

Once Im proven right, Im done talkin. Im done talkin now.

[Real American]

I support this.

[makaveli11]

1984 here you go.... america is fucked.. land of the free.. freedom of speech???...... YEAH RIGHT!

[Real American]

1984 here you go.... america is fucked.. land of the free.. freedom of speech???...... YEAH RIGHT!

Don't you live in a country where you are followed by closed circuit television everywhere you walk?

[Don Seer]

eh? you're telling me american stores dont have CCTV?

we have a few cameras through the town centre near clubs because of violence.. i'm sure america has that too in places

[Real American]

eh? you're telling me american stores dont have CCTV?

we have a few cameras through the town centre near clubs because of violence.. i'm sure america has that too in places

You are right American stores have closed circuit TV's, however they are private entities. But we don't have the government monitoring us with cameras in public the way you guys do in England. That is kind of scary, man.

Listen I love Britain, but you guys need to get off the whole anti Americanism kick you are on. I know it is fashionable to bash us, but look in the mirror before calling us fascist or whatever. I think the media and governments in Europe are playing up anti-Americanism to get people mind's off of Europe's stagnant economies, high unemployment, risiing crime, terrorist threats, etc. Basically I think you guys are being brainwashed.

[Don Seer]

the arent monitoring us.. the cameras are used to track shoplifters around the town centre.. i have a homie who works as security for a dept store in the town centre.. its all linked.. they track down people who have taken things and run.. they also monitor car parks.. personally i prefer to park near a camera
the other uses is for night time violence.. which is also a problem.. hell i've been arrested coz my homie put his foot through a window and it turns out these cameras arent that good.. the evidence wasnt usable and it was over the road from us!

[Ant]

I support this.

It's pretty obvious that you would have also supported hitler if you lived in Nazi Germany.

[J @ M @ L]

CWalker doesn't even have his green-card

[7even]

I support this.

An empty head makes nodding easier.