[Newspoetry] FBI poetry assignment

[William Gillespie]

https://www.ifccfbi.gov/complaint/terrorist.asp

Dear Newspoets,

Don't cringe: I will not make a habit of forwarding online petitions and
the like to this list. This person has a fine idea.

We ought to use this form to submit Newspoetry to the FBI, where it will
be dutifully archived by government employees, putting us in the company
of such excellent writers as Bertholt Brecht:

http://foia.fbi.gov/brecht.htm

William

P.S. The wording of the form suggests possibilities for highly abstract
poetry: "Please describe your information." (My information looks like
zeroes and ones).

.....

Subject: NCB:Protesting federal web site for reporting terrorists

Hello, I am suggesting a form of protest in response to the current
administration's tactics regarding the "war on terrorism."  I believe that
they are exacerbating a climate of fear, distrust, and fascist-like ideas that
is counter to the democratic ideals many of us stand for. The website they
have created for reporting on people you may suspect to be terrorists reminds
me of the practices en vogue during the Spanish Inquisition (among other
examples fascism, totalitarianism, paranoia, and hate).

I believe that instead of interrogating individuals amongst us, we should be
examining our society and the institutional and global patterns that create
circumstances ripe for terrorism.

What I suggest is that individuals who are opposed to these types of
approaches to terrorism do something along the lines of the following:

Download the reporting form and fill it out, not as a letter informing on
individuals, but with statements about the damage such approaches could have
for our society (anti-democratic, inspiring antagonism between people,
chilling effect on free speech and social criticism...). Then, mail it back to
them.  Possibly sending multiple copies.
______________________________________________________________________________
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>From original message:
Here's the official web site form for reporting any of those terrorists that
are hanging around your neighborhood. Joe McCarthy would be proud!

https://www.ifccfbi.gov/complaint/terrorist.asp