FBI contacts me again - is this an opportunity?

[Dave Ridley]

OK I got a call from Phil Christiana, the FBI guy, earlier today, the one who came by Russell's place yesterday.  He wants to "maintain a dialogue" which strikes me as bad and good at the same time, and i'd like some feedback, suggestions, etc.

It's good in the sense that it provides opportunities for us to express concerns on a face to face basis with a federal bureaucracy rep, but bad in the sense that it involves taxpayer expense.   I also recognize that some of you think I am too forthcoming, drats I guess I will never be able to be a politician.  But in a movement which has, as best I can tell, no secrets I don't see much to fear in honesty. 

He says he wants to have lunch with me or  something along those lines in about a month. I assume he is trying to do intelligence, find the next tim mcveigh or determine for sure that this movement is the wrong place to look.    This is not something I object to in theory, but I do feel uncomfortable doing anything that would cost taxpayer dollars, such as sitting down to lunch with these guys for an hour at taxpayer expense.   

what do you guys think?

My thought.... If they really want to talk to us, how about asking them to do something freedom-friendly in return?   

My first brainstorm is to say sure I'll talk to you if you bring your boss so I can bellyache to him directly and both do it on your own time, and agree to discontinue the FBI propaganda ads that are running on WGIR.  Is that is asking too many things at once?    Is there something I could ask them to do which would reduce taxpayer expense?  Or a better idea you guys have overall?   What are some complaints you guys have regarding the FBI presence in New Hampshire which we could ask them to address?   if such a dialogue happens at all, should this be a job that falls to a different person who has more of your confidence?

Oh also when i told him i'd been reporting on all his activities in relation to us, he discouraged me from passing on todays conversation to this forum but hey i'm not so good
at following instructions from someone who works for me lol.

Another thing he said that I thought was interesting is "this is all new to us!"

As before this conversation was polite.

Oh also what do you think about inviting them to a Porcupine meeting?  I realize this seems to fly in the face of logic, but again it does seem like the kind of thing Gandhi would do.   And they can always come to a meeting anyway if they want, maybe it's better we make it happen on our own initiative?

[AlanM]

 Why? That is the question we need to answer. Why do they want to meet with you Dave? It could be as simple as keeping a line of communication open, but I doubt it. They seem too eager to be in communication. The reason the Feds give are never the real ones.

[JonM]

I'm not sure if the DOJ is still investigating the Boston FBI, there's always a good question to ask!

For a question you can ask without getting on their bad side, how about for the law that says you must show ID to get through TSA security?

Anyway, if he asks you not to report conversations with him to your friends, ask if he's not reporting them to his associates. ?Make it clear to him that you will pass on anything you feel like passing on, there's no need to do otherwise. ?Porc Fest sounds interesting, though that might put a damper on the activities of some people, but then, KNOWING there's an agent in your midst is probably far better than suspecting the same.

Without having met these guys, I'd guess as you may have, they're thinking some of the more radical types might see this movement and come aboard and attempt to make noise in a way with which we do not agree. ?This would probably be far more of a problem if we'd picked a state out west, but there's still the chance some nutjob might misinterpret our brand of less government for his or her own. ?Since the government for most of us will exist to protect us from force as well as fraud, I can't fault them for trying to look into this.

Given that the mission of the FBI is to uphold the law and respect the Constitution they should not be adversarial to us.

In 1998, Director Freeh articulated five core values that guide employees in support of the FBI's mission; rigorous obedience to the Constitution; respect for the dignity of all those we protect; compassion; fairness; and uncompromising personal and institutional integrity.

[GT]

I also recognize that some of you think I am too forthcoming, drats I guess I will never be able to be a politician.

A politician that speaks his mind and is honest. I'd vote for you.

he discouraged me from passing on todays conversation to this forum

I'd ask why not. Keeping an open dialogue means commmunicateing.

Doesn't much matter since this forum is accesible to public visitors.

[AlanM]

rigorous obedience to the Constitution

Does this mean they will arrest most members of Congress and the Judiciary for breach of their Oath of Office? Or their disregard for the Constitution? Fat chance.

[John]

Thanks Dave for the updates!
I must say that your openess is nearly legendary. ?I tell people about it all the time. ?I agree we are (and sould be) wide open and have nothing to hide!

Your willingness/ability to comunicate rivals Mike's and Russell's ability/willingness to stand on principle against the odds.

I am concerned, however, about "some others'" ability to be as open and honest . ?I admit I am cyinical.

I think that you and I agree that most folks who go into law enforcement do so with the intent of protecting the good principles of life and property. ?But, I have come to question what goes wrong with some of them. ?And I think I know.

I think they (like too many people) forget about liberty!

Life, LIBERTY and property! ?Isn't that what we were promissed.
Isn't that what they should be protecting. ?Or is it just 2 out of 3?

[AlanM]

A politician that speaks his mind and is honest. I'd vote for you.

I would, too. Politicians don't have to be sleazy. You could be the exception! 

[John]

Dada is hereby nominated . . . 

[AlanM]

Unanimously! 
For what? 

[John]

Um?
Secretary of LIBERTY to our new freinds?

[AlanM]

Um?
Secretary of LIBERTY to our new freinds?

Does Liberty have any friends in Government?

[John]

Um?
Secretary of LIBERTY to our new freinds?

Does Liberty have any friends in Government?

Ooops, should have put "friends" in quotation marks.   

[Russell Kanning]

NHFree.com Publicist

It is official....the president has appointed Dada to the position.

I should have told the feds that my organization is NHfree.com and I answer to "el presidente"

[Dave Ridley]

ok thanks for the kind words guys but i still haven't heard anything that is really *concrete* which we could ask for and get immediately.  I really want them to do some minor thing that benefits freedom in New Hampshire if I am going to spend an hour of my day sometime talking to them.

[GT]

Would be somewhat of a major paridigm shift for the government to give and not take