Who’s Watching the Watchers? Adbuster’s Announces New “Rat Line”

Have your activities come under increased scrutiny
in the aftermath of S11? Any campaign that dares to
question U.S. economic, military or foreign policy
in these delicate times, any critical appraisal of
the handling of the “War on terrorism,”
risks casting the critic as a kind of enemy of the
state, if not an outright terrorist.

12.18.01

Smell a rat?

Have your activities come under increased scrutiny
in the aftermath of S11?

Ours have.

Recently, our Corporate America Flag billboard in
Times Square, New York, attracted the attention of
the federal Department of Defense, and a visit by
an agent who asked a lot of pointed questions
about our motivations and intent.

We wondered: What gives?

“Just following up a lead from a tip
line,” the agent admitted.

That’s the kind of fourth quarter it was for
many social activists.

Any campaign that dares to question U.S. economic,
military or foreign policy in these delicate
times, any critical appraisal of the handling of
the “War on terrorism,” risks casting
the critic as a kind of enemy of the state, if not
an outright terrorist.

Vigilance we can live with.

Intimidation that amounts to persecution is
another bucket of fish.

According to some of the emails and phone calls
we’ve received lately, many other groups have also
found themselves under investigation in a
political climate that’s starting to take on
shades of McCarthyism.

Our response to all of this is to set up our own
“rat line.”

If you know of social marketing campaigns or
protest actions that are being suppressed, or if
you come across any other story of overzealous
government “information management,”
please tell us your story.

Go to:

http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/flag/nyc.html

[ also see related items:

ACLU Exec Voices Concerns – http://www.theexperiment.org/articles.php?news_id=1531

US ‘Planned Attack on Taleban’ – http://www.theexperiment.org/articles.php?news_id=1528

The Oil Behind Bush and Son’s Campaigns – http://www.theexperiment.org/articles.php?news_id=1513

Bush’s [May 2001] Faustian Deal With the Taliban – http://www.theexperiment.org/articles.php?news_id=1491

Remembering the Last U.S. Retaliation Against Terror – http://www.theexperiment.org/articles.php?news_id=1623

Coalitions Of The Willing, Coerced, And Bribed – http://www.theexperiment.org/articles.php?news_id=1531

US ‘Planned Attack on Taleban’ – http://www.theexperiment.org/articles.php?news_id=1528

The Oil Behind Bush and Son’s Campaigns – http://www.theexperiment.org/articles.php?news_id=1513

Bush’s [May 2001] Faustian Deal With the Taliban – http://www.theexperiment.org/articles.php?news_id=1491