Random Thoughts

June 11, 2003

Snoopin‘ on the Snoops

Do you have the jitters knowing that the F.B.I. can now snoop on your library borrowing habits under the PATRIOT Act? Does it irritate you to know that a federal agent can pry into your preference for the romance novels of Barbara Cartland or the cowboy fiction of Zane Grey?
Under the PATRIOT Act, the feds can investigate your book borrowing or buying practices without your knowledge. Librarians aren‘t even allowed to let you know that you‘re under investigation.
It’s hard to know whether to get your underwear in a bunch over this issue. Librarians, at least, are said to be displeased. Some have reportedly embarked on a campaign of passive resistance.
Yet, one can only assume that the snooping isn‘t directed at people who are borrowing Catcher in the Rye, Hugh Hefner‘s screeds on sex, High Times magazine and other mildly subversive publications.
One imagines that federal snoops would be more interested in folks browsing the likes of the Anarchist‘s Cookbook, which contains information on bomb-making, assassination and booby traps; or manuals on dirty tricks from firms such as Paladin Press, which offers primers for wanna-be terrorists, gun nuts and revenge-seekers.
There are publications in the American underground that are full of information on how to blow up dams, derail trains, assassinate public officials, make bombs of every description, sabotage communications, incite a riot, arrange “accidents,“ get even with “uppity” women, kill people with simple tools, frame someone for drugs, break-and-enter buildings, set fires, destroy buildings, form terror cell networks, manufacture poison gas and neurotoxins, make pipe bombs, steal credit card numbers, make fake licenses, produce new identities, shoot-to-kill, kidnap people, etc.
As noted in the article “Terrorism U.S.A.” in this issue, the Army of God‘s website offers a host of terror tactics, minus the really creepy stuff relating to the fine points of murder and mayhem, which is available for those with a personal connection.
So, one can imagine that in the current “War on Terror“ that it might be helpful for law enforcement to know if Joe Obscure out in Hooterville is collecting a remarkable number of bomb-making ‘zines and books such as The Assassin‘s Handbook. Possibly, he and the Eric Rudolphs of our country would be worth keeping an eye on.
On the other hand, one can imagine that a good number of American men, at least, would be interested in browsing the pages of Al Queda‘s top-secret terrorist manual out of the simple “guy thing“ curiosity that makes the John Clancy techno-thriller novels and Arnold Schwarzennegger films popular. Just ordinary folks getting a vicarious thrill out of a look at what the bad guys are up to. Do they deserve to be snooped? After all, many people salivated over the juicy details of The Starr Report who never planned to duplicate its peccadillos.
Then too, how far is our super secretive government going with this snoop stuff? We don‘t know. It’s worth noting that back in the ‘60s, then-F.B.I. agent G. Gordon Liddy admits that his crowd pulled some of the dirty tricks described by these exact sort of books to discredit the anti-war movement -- such as inciting riots at peaceful rallies to make protesters look bad. Snooping on citizens at the library could turn into the same kind of slippery slope.
So there’s a delicate balance between the right to be free from government surveillance and the need to protect citizens from murderous forces. It seems doubtful that any of our libraries in Northern Michigan have books on bomb-making, assassination, or how to bring down a radio tower, but if they did, would it be a good idea to know who‘s reading them? Or not?

(Check out Harley Sach’s article, “Hear that Sucking Sound?” on page 12 for more on this issue.)

Summer Musings:
If you haven’t been to Traverse City lately, you’d think that downtown has been transformed into the main street of Oz with the addition of two powerhouse coffeehouses, new restaurants, glitzy stores and a soon-to-open parking deck. Townies are walking around with “pinch me, I’m dreamin’” expressions.
It’s all good. But on the other hand, a realtor notes that Northern Michigan is becoming a magnet for rich folks from all over the world -- movie stars, industrialists and the like -- who’ll consider a $1 million home on the bay a bargain. Will regular folks be able to live here once home prices and property taxes go through the roof? Just wondering...

Question: Why can’t the Agent Smith computer beings in The Matrix, Reloaded hit the broad side of a barn with their .45s? Being machines in total control of reality, you’d think these guys would be able to shoot the legs off a gnat. Instead, they’re the Gang that Couldn’t Shoot Straight.

A number of local musicians are puzzled (and grumbling) over the Cherry Festival’s habit of selecting ancient music acts from 30 years ago or more. Consider that Detroit is currently being hailed as the epicenter of modern rock, on par with Seattle in 1991, producing some of the most exciting bands in the world today -- but none playing up this-a-way. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a day-long concert of 20 local musicians, and someone more current than the era of Freddy & the Dreamers or Herman’s Hermits?

I batted about .500 during Bike to Work Week, June 2-6. Unfortunately, the need for speed required the use of my infernal combustion carriage on several occasions.
But it was great to see many people out riding bikes to work in apparel ranging from flip-flops and dreadlocks to suits and ties. Funny, but you can usually get to work faster on a bike in the summer than you can driving a car. It’s great to breeze past a half-mile of traffic on your bike. Just don’t try crossing the River of Rolling Steel known as 8th Street in Traverse City, or 31 in Charlevoix or Petoskey, where the traffic lights are always exquisitely timed to put cyclists and pedestrians in harm’s way from one direction or another.