Calif. Guard Unit's Possible Spying Probed

[tecelote]

Military authorities Wednesday began investigating whether a California National Guard unit was created to spy on citizens, as dozens of demonstrators confronted Guard officials while armed soldiers stood by.

The federal probe of the nation's largest National Guard force involves the U.S. Army's inspector general, the federal National Guard Bureau's inspector general and the National Guard Bureau's legal division.

The unit has raised concern among peace activists that the Guard is resorting to the same type of civilian monitoring that helped fuel Vietnam War-era protests. During the 1960s and 1970s, the military collected information on more than 100,000 Americans. Such monitoring, while not illegal, would be a departure for the Guard.

"These are your mothers, grandmothers and neighbors," said George Main, president of Veterans for Peace and an organizer of Wednesday's protest outside guard headquarters. About 30 demonstrators took part.

http://www.rsicopyright.com/AP/content.html?id=D8B6HTP80

[Peace Patriot]

1. Kudos to the Veterans for Peace! What great people they are!

The answer to the stink in Washington DC is to restore our right to vote through state/local election reform! We must throw Diebold, ES&S and brethren out of the election business NOW! The only place where we can get that done is in state/local jurisdictions, where the authority over election systems still resides, and where ordinary people still have some say. See the DU Forum "2004 Election Results and Discussion" for information and action ideas:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=203