Sure during the 2008 Republican National Convention we saw clear evidence of politically motivated suppression but that was under Bush, in spite of COINTELPRO officially ending in 1971 (lol), and with Obama in power everything is fine.
Of course not. This is part of a wider pattern of suppression of groups the US Government doesn't like, such as the judicial harassment of the guy who left water for Mexican immigrants. Sure it go overturned but after much stress and cost for him and a general discouragement to others who might consider offering basic humanitarian aid such as that. While the usual media disregard for these events is contributory probably the biggest problem in regards to these tactics is the widespread belief that law = morality and the general assumption that police are only honest servants of the people. With that mindset it is easy to just assume these suppression tactics were honest police work.
This culture of fear means good people fear to do anything and less well informed citizens think those trying to do good are criminal.
I'm so pleased to see you acknowledge that Cointelpro extended through the eighties and nineties. It was certainly alive and well in Seattle. In 1981 the FBI collaborated with Marcos agents to gun down Filipino cannery workers and union organizers Domingo and Viernes. Then they infiltrated and broke up CISPES - twice - and the Seattle chapter of ISO. And subjected white supporters of the African American Heritage Museum to intensive covert harassment. I write about all this in my recent memoir THE MOST REVOLUTIONARY ACT: MEMOIR OF AN AMERICAN REFUGEE (www.stuartbramhall.com). I presently live in exile in New Zealand.
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