In these days of widespread government infiltration and disruption, activists must be aware of groups and individuals who represent a threat to the goal of legalized Cannabis and other drugs. One does not have to be much of a web surfer to realize that a lot of hacking and impersonation is going on. In the tangible world too, agents and freelance lunatics abound, causing headaches and periodically disrupting activists and groups worldwide.

Over a decade ago, a letter was received at the national office of NORML, threatening the life of then-President George Bush. The letter was signed "A Freedom Fighter," a reference to the hemp activist group The High Times Freedom Fighters. NORML turned the letter over to the police, who then informed the feds, and two days later the leader of that particular chapter of the Freedom Fighters answered his door to find two federal agents standing there, with lots of questions. He emphatically denied any connection, but a short time later, the chapter office was raided and all documents confiscated. The odds are a cop or cop-wannabee sent the letter, and must still be laughing at the results. There are lots of other examples of this sort of subversion and it is vital that you know how to detect when such activity is going on, and what exactly to do about it.

In 1989 Brian Glick wrote the definitive book for activists dealing with agents and lunatics, "War At Home." Here's what he says to do if you find yourself dealing with such people:

"A Checklist of Essential Precautions

1. Check out the authenticity of an disturbing letter, rumor, phone call, or other communication before acting on it. Ask the supposed source if she or he is responsible.

2. Keep records of incidents which appear to reflect COINTELPRO*-type activity. Evaluate your response and report your experience to the Movement Support Network and other groups that document repression and resistance around the country. (See bottom of page.)

3. Deal openly and honestly with the differences within our movements (race, gender, class, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, personality, experience, physical and intellectual capacities, etc.) before the FBI and police can exploit them.

4. Don't try and expose a suspected agent or informer without solid proof. Purges based on mere suspicion only help the FBI and police create distrust and paranoia. It generally works better to criticize what a disruptive person says and does, without speculating as to why.

5. Support all movement activists who come under government attack. Don't be put off by political slander, such as recent attempts to smear some militant opponents of government policy as "terrorists." Organize public opposition to all FBI witchhunts, grand-jury subpoenas, political trials, and other forms of government and left-or-right-wing harassment.

6. Cultivate relationships with sympathetic journalists who seem willing to investigate and publicize domestic covert operations. Let them know when you are harassed. Since the FBI and police thrive on secrecy, public exposure can undermine their ability to subvert our work.

7. Don't try and tough it out alone. Don't let others fret and suffer by themselves. Make sure that activists who are under extreme stress get the help they need (someone to talk to, rest, therapy, etc.). It is crucial that we build support networks and take care of one another.

8. Above all, do not let our movements be diverted from their main goals. Our most powerful weapon against political repression is effective organizing around the needs and issues which directly affect people's lives (p. 40)."

Brian Glick does also does an excellent job of defining and describing the modus operandi of disruptive people:

"Infiltration by Agents and Informers

Infiltrators are agents (law enforcement officers disguised as activists) or informers [and disrupters] (non-agents, often paid by the government) who work in a movement or community under the direction of a law enforcement or intelligence agency. Informers may be recruited from within a group or sent in by an agency, or they may be disaffected former members or supporters. They are generally untrained and hard for the agency to control.

COINTELPRO* documents and the confessions of former agents and informers indicate that while some 1960's infiltrators operated under 'deep cover,' discreetly spying for years without calling attention to themselves, others functioned as provocateurs. These operatives were directed to "seize every opportunity to carry out disruptive activity not only at meetings, conventions, etc., but also during social and other contacts." They spread rumors and made unfounded accusations to inflame disagreements among activists and provoke splits. They urged divisive proposals, sabotaged important activities, squandered scarce resources, stole funds, seduced leaders, exacerbated rivalries, provoked jealousy, and publicly embarrassed progressive groups. They repeatedly led zealous activists into unnecessary danger and set them up for prosecution (p. 41)."

Glick's book was written before the advent of the Internet, and does not contain suggestions as to how to deal with things like cyber-squatting, hacking, and the like. Now with web names going for affordable prices and with a variety of suffixes, anyone can be -- or pretend to be -- anybody. At one time, there were not less than three Green Panthers websites. One real one, and two fakes. One bogus GP! site still exists, operated by a young man with apparent mental problems. It is only recently that we finally stopped receiving his rambling apolitical "newsletter." Any documents downloaded from his site should definitely be examined for virus contamination before opening. Other examples of cyber infiltration of the pot movement exist, especially the site claiming to be expert on the marijuana seed business, but fill their pages with negative claims about otherwise trusted, reliable seed companies.

In all cases it is most important to not let disruptive individuals and groups distract you from your activist projects. The War on Drugs is dangerous, but less dangerous than the political conflagration that is to come.

The important thing is that we keep our shit together; again, quoting Mr. Glick, "Our ability to resist the government's attacks depends ultimately on the strength of our movements. If we deal openly and well with our differences, covert action will not easily disrupt or divide us. If we show respect for the people we live and work with, and help them to fight for their needs, it will be hard for the FBI and police [and their operatives] to discredit and isolate us. We will be able, instead, to draw support from our neighbors and coworkers [activists] and expose the political police to them. So long as we advocate and organize effectively, no manner of government intervention can stop us (p. 73)."

'Nuff said,

GREEN PANTHERS! High Command

*COINTELPRO: Short for Counterintelligence Program, the illegal FBI campaign of espionage, sabotage and killings during the 1960's and '70's. The program was supposedly ended by the FBI sometime in the 1970's, but has resurfaced under the guise of fighting terrorism and drugs.

Movement Support Network, National Lawyers Guild (212) 627-2656.

War At Home by Brian Glick, ISBN #0-89608-349-7. Order from any good bookstore or direct from the publisher: South End Press, 116 Saint Botolph St., Boston, MA 02115. $5.00 + $2.00 S&H.

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