textfiles-politics/pythonCode/personTestingOutput/right-lf.xml

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<p>Copyright (c) 1991 by <ent type='PERSON'>Chip Berlet</ent>. All rights reserved.</p>

<p>RIGHT WOOS LEFT:</p>

<p><ent type='ORG'>Populist Party</ent>, LaRouchian, and Other Neo-fascist Overtures To
Progressives, And Why They Must Be Rejected</p>

<p>by <ent type='PERSON'>Chip Berlet</ent></p>

<p><ent type='ORG'>Political Research</ent> Associates</p>

<p>December 16, 1991</p>

<p>"Fascism and Reaction inevitably attack. They have won against
disunion. They will fail if we unite."</p>

<p>(<ent type='PERSON'>George Seldes</ent> )</p>

<p><special>You Can't Do That</special>, 1938</p>

<p><ent type='ORG'>Political Research</ent> Associates
678 <ent type='GPE'>Massachusetts</ent> Avenue, Suite 205
<ent type='GPE'>Cambridge</ent>, MA 02139
(617) 661-9313</p>

<p>------------------- Part 1 begins here ---------------------------------</p>

<p>Introduction</p>

<p>"...fascism is not confined to any specific era, culture or countries.
<ent type='LOC'>Far</ent> from being a phenomenon limited to the European states which
have experienced fascist regimes, movements of this type are to be
found in practically every western country, and indeed are growing
more strident in the leading <ent type='NORP'>democratic</ent> societies which have never
experienced fascist rule--<ent type='GPE'>Britain</ent> and <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>."</p>

<p>(<ent type='PERSON'>Paul Wilkinson</ent> )</p>

<p><special>The New <ent type='NORP'>Fascist</ent>s</special>, 1981</p>

<p><ent type='NORP'>Fascist</ent> political movements are experiencing a resurgence around
the world. In <ent type='LOC'>Eastern</ent> Europe, racial nationalism, a key component
of fascism, has surfaced in many new political parties. In the
United States, the presidential campaigns of <ent type='PERSON'>David Duke</ent> and <ent type='ORG'>Patrick</ent>
<ent type='PERSON'>Buchanan</ent> echo two different strains of historical fascism. Duke's
neo-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> past resonates, in a consciously sanitized form, in his
current formulations of white supremacist and anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> political
theories. Buchanan's theories of isolationist nationalism and
xenophobia hearken back to the proto-fascist ideas of the 1930's
"<ent type='GPE'>America</ent> First" movement and its well-known promoters, Charles
Lindbergh and Father <ent type='PERSON'>Charles Coughlin</ent>. Both <ent type='PERSON'>Duke</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Buchanan</ent> blame
our societal problems on handy scapegoats, and both feed on the
politics of resentment, anger and fear. Most progressives vigorously
reject <ent type='PERSON'>Duke</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Buchanan</ent>, and are not reluctant to point out fascist
elements in both candidacies.</p>

<p>But there are other strains of domestic fascism active today, and
the siren calls of those movements may mesmerize progressives whose
anti-government fervor blinds them to historical lessons. Since
the early 1980's, persons from far-right and fascist political
groups in <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent> States have attempted to convince progressive
activists to join forces to oppose certain government policies.
The fascist right has wooed the progressive left primarily around
opposition to such issues as the use of U.S. troops in foreign
military interventions, the <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> and covert action, and domestic
government repression and civil liberties.</p>

<p>As the far right made overtures to the left, some of the classic
conspiracy theories of the far right began to seep into progressive,
and even mainstream, analyses of foreign policy and domestic
repression. An audience was created for these conspiratorial
assertions through public speaking, radio interviews, sales of
audiotapes and published articles. This audience elevated to
leadership roles those persons who were willing to make the boldest
and most critical (albeit unsubstantiated) pronouncements about
the U.S. government and U.S. society. As a result, some progressives
now confuse demagoguery with leadership, and undocumented conspiracism
with serious research, and are unable to determine when an analysis
supports or undermines the progressive goals of peace, social
justice and economic fairness. This is primarily a problem within
the white left, but in some <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> nationalist constituencies the
same dynamic has also popularized conspiracy theories which in some
cases reflect anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> themes long circulated by the far right.</p>

<p>While there is inevitable overlap at the edges of political movements,
the far-right sector being discussed in this study is separate and
distinct from traditional conservatism, the right wing of the
<ent type='NORP'>Republican</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Party</ent>, libertarianism, anarchism, and other political
movements sometimes characterized as right wing. The <ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> Birch
Society, discussed here, is a far-right reactionary political
movement, but it attempts to distance itself from racialist and
anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> theories. Other groups analyzed in this paper, such as
<ent type='ORG'>the Populist Party</ent>, <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent>, and the LaRouchians, on the
other hand, represent a continuation of the racialist, anti-<ent type='NORP'>democratic</ent>
theories of fascism.</p>

<p>The phenomenon of the right wooing the left became highly visible
during <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent>. Followers of <ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> attended antiwar
meetings and rallies in some thirty cities, and other right-wing
organizers from groups such as <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Birch Society</ent></ent> and the
<ent type='ORG'>Populist Party</ent> passed out flyers at antiwar demonstrations across
the country. While these right-wing groups undeniably opposed war
with <ent type='GPE'>Iraq</ent>, they also promoted ideas that peace and social justice
activists have historically found objectionable. Many people
seeking to forge alliances with the left around anti-government
and anti-interventionist policies also promote Eurocentric, anti-pluralist, patriarchal, or homophobic views. Some are profoundly
anti-<ent type='NORP'>democratic</ent>; others support the idea that the U.S. is a <ent type='NORP'>Christian</ent>
republic. A few openly promote white supremacist, anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent>, or
neo-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> theories.</p>

<p><ent type='ORG'>The <ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Birch Society</ent></ent>, for instance, is highly critical of mass
<ent type='NORP'>democratic</ent> movements for social change, including those that seek
equality for women, gay men and lesbians, <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent>s, <ent type='NORP'>Hispanics</ent>, and
recent immigrants from <ent type='LOC'>Asia</ent> and Central <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>. The Birchers
believe most world governments, including the U.S. and the Soviet
Union, are secretly controlled by a handful of conspirators they
dub "The Insiders."</p>

<p>The <ent type='ORG'>Populist Party</ent> (and groups to which it has historically been
related such as <ent type='ORG'>the Liberty Lobby</ent> and its <special>Spotlight</special> newspaper),
created a national constituency for <ent type='PERSON'>David Duke</ent> and other white
supremacist political candidates. <ent type='PERSON'>Duke</ent> was the 1988 <ent type='ORG'>Populist Party</ent>
presidential candidate. These forces believe a conspiracy of rich
and powerful <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent> and their allies control banking, foreign policy,
the <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> and the media in <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent> States. Like <ent type='PERSON'>Duke</ent>, they also
believe in an <ent type='GPE'>America</ent> controlled by white <ent type='NORP'>Christian</ent>s of exclusively
European heritage.</p>

<p>The LaRouchians have supported foreign dictatorships such as the
<ent type='PERSON'>Marcos</ent> regime in the <ent type='GPE'>Philippines</ent> and the <ent type='PERSON'>Noriega</ent> regime in <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent>.
<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> has written that history would not judge harshly those
who beat homosexuals to death with baseball bats to stop the spread
of AIDS. For LaRouchians the conspiracy consists of secret elite
groups engaged in an epic battle between moral forces who want
order, and sinister forces who champion chaos. <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> claims he
can trace the key players in these secret conspiracies decade-by-decade
back to <ent type='PERSON'>Plato</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Aristotle</ent>--and beyond. A remarkable number of
the sinister conspirators turn out to be <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent>.</p>

<p>This study seeks to sharpen the debate over how to handle the
phenomenon of the right wooing the left, and is not meant to divide
or attack the left, which is being victimized by these approaches.
As anti-fascist author <ent type='PERSON'>George Seldes</ent> pointed out over fifty years
ago, "The enemy is always the Right. Fascism and Reaction inevitably
attack. They have won against disunion. They will fail if we unite."</p>

<p>There is considerable evidence to show that far-right groups are
serious about wooing the political left and that their conspiracist
theories have been taken seriously in some quarters. Consider the
following, all of which will be discussed in greater detail later:</p>

<p>*** Several far-right commentators affiliated with the Liberty
Lobby and its <special>Spotlight</special> newspaper sought and obtained lengthy
interviews on radio stations affiliated with the progressive <ent type='NORP'>Pacifica</ent>
network. <ent type='ORG'>KPFK</ent> in <ent type='GPE'>Los Angeles</ent> and <ent type='ORG'>KPFA</ent> in <ent type='GPE'>San Francisco</ent> also aired
long programs with radio personality <ent type='PERSON'>Craig Hulet</ent> whose cynical
views echo longstanding <ent type='ORG'>Birch Society</ent> conspiracy theories. Hulet
urges progressives to join with rightists in attacking the government,
and audiotapes of his radio interviews quickly became some of the
<ent type='NORP'>Pacifica</ent> Archives' best-selling tapes. According to the program
manager of <ent type='ORG'>KPFA</ent>, Hulet was one of the most requested radio
personalities during and after <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent>.</p>

<p>*** A catalog from <ent type='ORG'>Prevailing Winds Research</ent> mixes material from
mainstream, progressive, and far-right sources. One can order
material from <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent> (a public-interest law foundation
based in <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent>, D.C.) and dozens of other left and liberal
organizations and writers (including this author). Also available
is material from persons affiliated with the fascist <ent type='ORG'>Populist Party</ent>
or <ent type='ORG'>the Liberty Lobby</ent> network, and information on how to order a
tape of a speech by <ent type='PERSON'>Eustace Mullins</ent>, one of the world's most
notorious anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> conspiracy theorists. <ent type='PERSON'>Mullins</ent> envisions a
world where <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent> have been exterminated by <ent type='NORP'>Christian</ent>s.</p>

<p>*** A <ent type='LOC'>West Coast</ent> affiliate of <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent> sells &lt;The
Guns and Drugs Reader&gt;, edited by Prevailing Winds. Prominently
featured in the publication is material by Bo <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent>, presidential
candidate of <ent type='ORG'>the Populist Party</ent>, and <ent type='PERSON'>David Duke</ent>'s original
vice-presidential running mate in 1988. <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent>, one of the most
decorated veterans of <ent type='EVENT'>the Vietnam war</ent> (his exploits were used in
scripting the popular <ent type='PERSON'>Rambo</ent> movies) has told his constituents to
reach out to recruit from the left. <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> himself invited Father
<ent type='PERSON'>Bill Davis</ent> of <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent> to speak at a 1990 <ent type='GPE'>Las Vegas</ent>
conference organized by Gritz's Center for Action.</p>

<p>*** At the April, 1991 conference of the respected Latin <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n
Studies Association in <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent>, a panel on <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent> included Carlos
<ent type='PERSON'>Wesley</ent>, the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> organization's Central <ent type='GPE'>America</ent> operative. The
LaRouchians have been involved in the <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent>nian anti-intervention
movement for years.</p>

<p>*** More than 6 percent (49 out of a total 771) of the footnotes
in <ent type='PERSON'>Barbara Honneger</ent>'s widely-popularized book <special>October Surprise</special>
cite <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> publications such as <special><ent type='ORG'>Executive Intelligence Review</ent></special>
and <special><ent type='ORG'>New Solidarity</ent></special> (now <special><ent type='ORG'>New Federalist</ent></special>). <ent type='PERSON'>Honneger</ent>, a former
<ent type='ORG'>White House</ent> aide, alleges in her book that officials connected to
the Reagan Presidential campaign plotted with <ent type='NORP'>Iranian</ent> officials to
delay the release of hostages in <ent type='LOC'>the Middle East</ent> until after the
election. In one chapter on "Project Diplomacy," <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>-linked
citations account for over 22 percent of the total number of
footnotes. While information from the LaRouchians is sometimes
accurate, it is often laced with unsubstantiated assertions and
biased by the peculiar LaRouchian brand of conspiracist bigotry
against <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent> and homosexuals.</p>

<p>*** The current issue of <special><ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>isionist Letters</special>, a periodical
promoting the idea that the historical account of the <ent type='EVENT'>Holocaust</ent> is
a hoax, contains an article urging recruitment from "a powerful
potential source of supporters--the radical Left! Leftist
disillusionment with <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent> and <ent type='NORP'>Zionism</ent> is growing rapidly."</p>

<p>Further confusing matters is the rebirth in Europe of the national
socialist wing of fascism, with adherents calling themselves
<ent type='ORG'>Strasserites</ent> or Third <ent type='ORG'>Positionists</ent>. These groups, which now operate
in the U.S., are critical of Hitler's <ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> brand of fascism; they
support the working class and encourage environmentalism. They
also, however, promote racially segregated nation-states. Third
Position groups claim to have evolved an ideology "beyond communism
and capitalism," and actively seek to recruit from the left. One
such group is the <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n <ent type='ORG'>Front</ent> in <ent type='GPE'>Portland</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Oregon</ent>, which runs
a phone hotline that in late November, 1991 featured an attack on
critics of left/right coalitions.</p>

<p><ent type='NORP'>Conspiracism</ent> and demagoguery feature simplistic answers to complex
problems. During periods of economic or social crisis, people may
seek to alleviate anxiety by embracing simple solutions, often
including scapegoating. This scapegoating often manifests itself
in virulent attacks on persons of different races and cultures who
are painted as alien conspiratorial forces undermining the coherent
national will.</p>

<p>In part, the fascist right has been able to forge ties to the left
due to a serious lack of knowledge on the left regarding the complex
history, different forms, and multiple tactics of fascism. Among
those tactics are the use of scapegoating, reductionist and simplistic
solutions, demagoguery, and a a conspiracy theory of history.</p>

<p>Theories of racialist nationalism and national socialism are not
widely known in <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent> States. If they were, it is unlikely
that any serious progressive would be seduced by the right's idea
of an alliance to smash the powerful corrupt center, based on a
shared agenda critical of government policies. This concept has an
unsavory historical track record. The European fascist movements
in the 1930's flourished in a period of economic collapse, political
turmoil, and social crisis. The <ent type='NORP'>German</ent> <ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> party, during its early
national socialist phase, openly enlisted progressive support to
smash the corrupt and elitist <ent type='NORP'>Weimar</ent> government. But when the
government began to collapse, powerful industrial and banking
interests recruited <ent type='PERSON'>Hitler</ent> to take control the government in order
to prevent economic chaos, which would have displaced them as power
brokers. In return for state control, <ent type='PERSON'>Hitler</ent> quickly liquidated
the leadership of his national socialist allies in a murderous
spree called the "Night of the Long Knives." Once state power had
been consolidated, the <ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>s went on to liquidate the left before
lining up <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent>, labor leaders, intellectuals, dissidents, homosexuals,
<ent type='NORP'>Poles</ent>, <ent type='ORG'>Gypsies</ent> (the <ent type='NORP'>Romani</ent>), dark-skinned immigrants, the infirm,
and others deemed undesirable.</p>

<p>While conditions in <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent> States may only faintly echo the
financial and social turmoil of the <ent type='NORP'>Weimar</ent> regime, the similarities
cannot be dismissed lightly, nor should the catastrophic power of
state fascism and the repression of an authoritarian government be
confused.</p>

<p>Some people who consider themselves progressive even argue that a
fascist government could not be any worse than the Reagan and <ent type='PERSON'>Bush</ent>
Administrations, with their devastating effects on the poor and
persons of color. Because current policies are nearly genocidal,
they say they will work with any ally to smash the status quo. This
view dangerously underestimates the murderous quality of fascism.
Similarly, other progressives argue in favor of supporting <ent type='PERSON'>Duke</ent> or
<ent type='PERSON'>Buchanan</ent> for President in order to draw votes away from <ent type='PERSON'>Bush</ent> and
thus elect the <ent type='NORP'>Democratic</ent> candidate. While <ent type='PERSON'>Duke</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Buchanan</ent>
currently have little chance of election, any progressive support
for their candidacies minimizes the dangers involved in supporting
a national political movement which uses fascist themes.[f-1]</p>

<p>The largest problem, however, remains the unnerving ability of
fascist and right-wing conspiracists to attract a left audience
through attacks on the government and its policies. There are four
separate but related dilemmas posed by the phenomenon of the fascist
right wooing the left:</p>

<p>*** How to educate progressive forces about the history of fascism,
so the left is not lured into a repetition of past mistakes, and
can more readily identify anti-<ent type='NORP'>democratic</ent> theories.</p>

<p>*** How to reject unsubstantiated conspiracy theories, demagoguery
and scapegoating (from the right or the left), while at the same
time promoting a vigorous critique of government repression, covert
action, and social injustice.</p>

<p>*** How progressive journalists and researchers should handle
contacts with the political far right, and how rightists should be
identified by journalists when they are used as sources.</p>

<p>*** How progressive political coalitions should handle overtures
by the political right which suggest tactical or strategic alliances
around issues of common concern, and to what extent it is necessary
for groups and individuals to distance themselves publicly from
fascists who imply an alliance when one does not exist.</p>

<p>In some cases progressive groups have begun to address the problems
created by this courtship by the right. Radio station <ent type='ORG'>WBAI</ent> aired
several hours of programming within a week of discovering that
their broadcasts had included interviews with persons whose right-wing
affiliations were not disclosed to the listeners. The progressive
periodicals <special>Guardian</special> and <special>In These Times</special> have run articles and
commentaries on the situation. <ent type='ORG'>KPFK</ent> and <ent type='ORG'>KPFA</ent> in <ent type='GPE'>California</ent>, however,
waited months before their listeners even learned there was a debate
over these issues. <ent type='ORG'>The <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent> has been especially
reluctant to renounce publicly attempts by the fascist right to
imply an alliance with their organization.</p>

<p> Conspiratorial Roots</p>

<p>While some information provided by the far right may be factual,
other material is unsubstantiated rumor or lunatic conspiracy
theories. Some material is bigoted. Widely publicized examples of
right-wing conspiracism creeping into popular critiques of government
misconduct can be found to varying degrees in the "October Surprise"
story, <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent>'s "<ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent>" theory, and the late
writer <ent type='PERSON'>Danny Casolaro</ent>'s "Octopus" theory. While some of these
conspiracy theories are very attractive on the surface, and are
undeniably entertaining, they ultimately serve to distract people
from serious analysis. All of these theories share elements of
traditional right-wing conspiracy themes in which sinister global
elites secretly manipulate world events. The theories echo themes
promoted by the LaRouchians, <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Birch Society</ent></ent> and the Liberty
Lobby and its <special>Spotlight</special> newspaper.</p>

<p>Unsubstantiated conspiracy theories usually start with a basis in
fact and relate to a legitimate issue. The current phenomenon traces
back to the rise of counterinsurgency as an arm of U.S. foreign
policy, and the role it played in <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='GPE'>Vietnam</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent>. The public debate
over this issue expanded in 1973 with publication of &lt;The Secret
Team: The <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> and its <ent type='ORG'>Allies</ent> in Control of <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent> States and
the <ent type='ORG'>World</ent>&gt; by retired <ent type='ORG'>Air Force</ent> Colonel and intelligence specialist
L. Fletcher Prouty. In the book, Prouty criticized the CIA's
penchant for counterinsurgency and clandestine operations, which
he argued prolonged the war in <ent type='GPE'>Vietnam</ent> and resulted in the unnecessary
deaths of many U.S. soldiers.</p>

<p>The <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent>'s <special>Spotlight</special> newspaper took Prouty's thesis and
overlaid it with a conspiracy theory regarding <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> influence in
U.S. foreign policy. Sometime in the 1980's, a number of right-wing
critics of U.S. intelligence operations began to drift towards the
<special>Spotlight</special> analysis. The "<ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent>" apparently became the
"Secret <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> Team" in their eyes. They began to feed information
from their sources inside the government to publications with an
anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> agenda.</p>

<p>While <ent type='ORG'>the Liberty Lobby</ent> network was recruiting Fletcher Prouty, Bo
<ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent>, longtime <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> critic <ent type='PERSON'>Victor Marchetti</ent>, and assassination
conspiracy researchers <ent type='PERSON'>Mark Lane</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Dick Gregory</ent>, the LaRouchians
were probing government misconduct and linking U.S. political elites
to their global conspiracy theory.</p>

<p>The LaRouchians were among the beneficiaries of the information
flow from right-wing anti-<ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> circles. LaRouche's periodicals mix
anti-<ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent> views with anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> conspiracy theories, but they
also were among the first publications in the U.S. to cover aspects
of the covert <ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> aid network, although their coverage included
typical LaRouchian distortions. Many reporters in the mid 1980's
were contacted by LaRouchians who offered assistance and documents
to help research the <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> story.</p>

<p>Critics of <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent> say undocumented conspiracy
theories, perhaps first circulated by the LaRouchians and the
<special>Spotlight</special>, were inadvertently drawn into Christic's lawsuit
against key figures in the <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> Scandal. The <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent>
<ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent> no longer uses the "<ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent>" slogan, which it employed
for the first few years of its <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> lawsuit, &lt;<ent type='EVENT'>Avirgan</ent> v.
<ent type='ORG'>Hull</ent>&gt;. The suit, filed in 1986, is also called the La Penca case,
after the <ent type='NORP'>Nicaraguan</ent> town where a 1984 bombing killed three
journalists and at least one <ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> and wounded dozens, including
television camera operator <ent type='EVENT'>Avirgan</ent> and the intended target, <ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent>
leader <ent type='PERSON'>Eden Pastora</ent>. The named plaintiffs in the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> La Penca
case were Tony <ent type='EVENT'>Avirgan</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Martha Honey</ent>. According to <ent type='EVENT'>Avirgan</ent>,
"There were, indeed, numerous undocumented allegations in the suit,
particularly in Sheehan's Affidavit of Fact. As plaintiffs in the
suit, <ent type='PERSON'>Martha Honey</ent> and I struggled for years to try to bring the
case down to earth."</p>

<p>Dr. Diana <ent type='PERSON'>Reynolds</ent>, an assistant professor of politics at Bradford
College in <ent type='GPE'>Massachusetts</ent>, read thousands of pages of depositions
taken during the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> case and has concluded, "Leaving out the
circumstances of the La Penca bombing and the specific <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent>
material, I think it is fair to say that some right-wing conspiracy
theories were woven into the theory behind the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> case."</p>

<p>Author Jane Hunter, editor of <special><ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>i Foreign Affairs</special>, worries
about the rise of conspiracism on the left, including some of the
allegations made in the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> lawsuit. "If you keep looking for
all the connections, all you are going to see is something so
powerful that there is no way to fight it. We have to look at the
system that produces these covert and illegal operations, not who
knew so and so three years ago."</p>

<p>Hunter and some two-dozen other progressive researchers (including
the author) have been discussing these issues for several years.
The one point of agreement is that this is a problem long overdue
for debate. As Hunter explains, "In my speaking engagements I have
found in audience questions an alarming increase in conspiracy
theories and anti-Semitism." She also is worried that as conditions
for <ent type='NORP'>African</ent>-<ent type='GPE'>America</ent>ns in the U.S. have continued to deteriorate,
there has been an increase in the scapegoating of <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent> by
<ent type='NORP'>African</ent>-<ent type='GPE'>America</ent>ns. While scapegoating and turning to conspiracy
theories is a common phenomenon in communities experiencing financial
or social stress, it should never be tolerated.</p>

<p>It is important to differentiate between the fascist right and
persons on the left who in a variety of ways have been lured by
the overtures of the fascist right and its conspiracist theories,
or who have ended up wittingly or unwittingly in coalitions with
spokespersons for the fascist right, or who have contact with the
fascist right as part of serious and legitimate research into
political issues.</p>

<p>Nonetheless, there is substantial evidence to suggest that the
circulation and tolerance of unsubstantiated conspiracy theories
by groups such as <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent> and <ent type='NORP'>Pacifica</ent> Radio stations
has created a large audience, especially on the <ent type='LOC'>West Coast</ent>, that
gullibly accepts undocumented anti-government assertions alongside
scrupulous documented research, with little ability to tell the
two apart. In some cases, people who believe themselves to be
progressive activists see no moral problem with alliances with the
fascist right, so long as the shared enemy is the <ent type='PERSON'>Bush</ent> Administration.
Furthermore, rightists such as Bo <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Craig Hulet</ent> continue
to imply that they work closely with Daniel <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> and Father Bill
<ent type='PERSON'>Davis</ent> of <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent>, while the response from the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent>
<ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent> has been tardy and equivocal. The most troublesome and
widespread aspects of this phenomenon have occurred in <ent type='GPE'>California</ent>
where some radio hosts have promoted <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Davis</ent> of <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent>
along with right-wing persons in <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent> and the conspiratorial
right as jointly working together to expose the government's corrupt
maneuverings. Radio personality <ent type='PERSON'>Craig Hulet</ent> has encouraged this
belief in interviews by warning of attempts to criticize those who
are "kicking George <ent type='PERSON'>Bush</ent>." Hulet, in fact, specifically named
<ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent>, <ent type='PERSON'>Davis</ent>, <ent type='ORG'>Marchetti</ent>, Prouty, <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent>, and himself as researchers
who needed to be defended against those who criticized coalitions
between the left and the right.</p>

<p>There is little agreement among progressive researchers and
journalists on how material from far-right sources should be handled.
Some progressive researchers are suspicious that government
intelligence agents and rightist researchers may leak information
to progressive journalists to achieve a right-wing political goal,
perhaps as part of a faction fight over government foreign policy
strategies.</p>

<p>Journalist <ent type='PERSON'>Russ Bellant</ent> is highly critical of those who tolerate
or apologize for people who work with the LaRouchians, the Populist
<ent type='ORG'>Party</ent> or <ent type='ORG'>the Liberty Lobby</ent> network. "I think you discredit yourself
when you work with these bigoted forces," says <ent type='PERSON'>Bellant</ent>, "and mere
association tends to lend credence to these rightist groups because
people assume the group can't be that bad if a respected person on
the left is associated with them."</p>

<p>This study begins with a brief overview of several paranoid conspiracy
theories prevalent in contemporary right-wing circles.</p>

<p>It then examines the right wing's anti-government critique and
rightist influences on <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> Institute's theories of <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent>gate.</p>

<p>There is an extensive examination of the LaRouchians' attempts to
penetrate the progressive antiwar movement, as well as a brief look
at the activities of other far-right groups (both pro-war and
anti-interventionist) during <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent>. This section includes
a discussion of the surprising involvement of some formerly prominent
civil rights leaders with LaRouchian and other neo-fascist groups.</p>

<p>This is followed by a discussion of how prejudice, racism and
anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> theories are enmeshed in a variety of political movements
in the U.S., especially <ent type='ORG'>the Populist Party</ent>. The next section examines
the emergence of anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> bigotry within <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> nationalist
movements.</p>

<p>A discussion of left/right coalition building is followed by a
preliminary attempt to establish some criteria for discussion of
these complex political issues, including sections on logical
fallacies and the pitfalls of unsubstantiated conspiracism.</p>

<p>Finally, there is a brief discussion of the overall dilemma and a
suggestion that further study and open discussion are needed to
sort out the complex and confusing issues raised by but, alas, not
answered by this report.</p>

<p>Right-Wing Critics of U.S. Intelligence Agencies and Foreign Policy</p>

<p><ent type='ORG'>Populist Party</ent>/<ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent> Recruitment of Anti-<ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> Critics</p>

<p>It was the casualties of <ent type='EVENT'>the Vietnam war</ent> that crystallized a
right-wing critique of U.S. foreign policy for its reliance on
covert action, counterinsurgency and political deals as tactical
alternatives to military confrontation to achieve geo-political
goals. The right-wing analysis raised questions that many citizens
were asking. If we didn't want to fight a war to win in the
traditional sense, then why did all those soldiers have to die?
What was the purpose? Where was the benefit to the U.S.? Who gained
from this process? These questions were not asked only by persons
on the right, but the answers and theories the right developed were
far different than those proposed by the left.</p>

<p>Fletcher Prouty's 1973 book <special>The <ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent></special> was among the first
wave of non-left treatises to take a critical view of the U.S.
intelligence establishment's role in designing the failed
counterinsurgency policies in <ent type='GPE'>Vietnam</ent>.</p>

<p><ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent> and the <special>Spotlight</special> took the Prouty thesis and combined
it with its bigoted conspiracy theory about <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> control of U.S.
foreign policy. Since writing the book, Prouty has drifted far to
the right, as has another <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> critic, <ent type='PERSON'>Victor Marchetti</ent>, and both
now have allied themselves with <ent type='ORG'>the Liberty Lobby</ent> network. Prouty's
<special>The <ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent></special> was recently republished by <ent type='ORG'>Noontide Press</ent>, the
publishing arm of the historical revisionist <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent> for Historical
<ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>iew (<ent type='ORG'>IHR</ent>). <ent type='ORG'>IHR</ent> promotes the theory that the accepted history of
the <ent type='EVENT'>Holocaust</ent> is a hoax perpetrated by <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent>.</p>

<p>In 1974, <ent type='ORG'>Marchetti</ent>, a former executive assistant to the deputy
director of the <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent>, co-authored <special>The <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> and <ent type='ORG'>the Cult</ent> of Intelligence</special>,
a well-received best-seller and the first book the <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> tried to
suppress through court action. By 1989, however, <ent type='ORG'>Marchetti</ent> had been
recruited into a close alliance with Carto's <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent> network.
In 1989, <ent type='ORG'>Marchetti</ent> presented a paper at the Ninth International
<ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>isionist Conference held by the <ent type='ORG'><ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent> for Historical <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>iew</ent>.
The title of Marchetti's paper, published in IHR's &lt;Journal of
Historical <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>iew&gt;, was "Propaganda and Disinformation: How the
<ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> Manufactures History." <ent type='ORG'>Marchetti</ent> edits the <special>New <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n View</special>
newsletter, which as one promotional flyer explained, was designed
to "document for patriotic <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>ns like yourself the excess of
pro-<ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>ism, which warps the news we see and hear from our media,
cows our <ent type='ORG'>Congress</ent> into submission, and has already cost us hundreds
of innocent, young <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>ns in <ent type='GPE'>Lebanon</ent> and elsewhere."</p>

<p><ent type='ORG'>Marchetti</ent> describes himself as a person whose "intelligence expertise
and well-placed contacts have provided me with a unique insight
into the subversion of our <ent type='NORP'>democratic</ent> process and foreign policy
by those who would put the interests of <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent> <special>above</special> those of
<ent type='GPE'>America</ent> and <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>ns." <ent type='ORG'>Marchetti</ent> is also the publisher of a
<ent type='NORP'>Japanese</ent>-language book <special><ent type='ORG'>ADL</ent> and <ent type='NORP'>Zionism</ent></special>, written by <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>
followers <ent type='PERSON'>Paul Goldstein</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Jeffrey Steinberg</ent>.</p>

<p><ent type='ORG'>Marchetti</ent> was co-publisher of the <special><ent type='ORG'>Zionist Watch</ent></special> newsletter when
it was endorsed in direct mail appeals on <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent> stationery
by the now deceased <ent type='PERSON'>Lois Petersen</ent>, who for many years was the
influential secretary of <ent type='ORG'>the Liberty Lobby</ent> board of directors. The
October 5, 1987 <special>Spotlight</special> reported that <ent type='PERSON'>Mark Lane</ent> had been named
associate editor of <special><ent type='ORG'>Zionist Watch</ent></special>, which is housed in the same
small converted Capitol Hill townhouse as <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent>/<special>Spotlight</special>.</p>

<p>While concern over Reagan Administration participation in joint
intelligence operations with <ent type='ORG'>Mossad</ent> is legitimate, the use of
anti-<ent type='NORP'>Zionism</ent> as a cover for conspiracist anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> bigotry can
be seen in an article in the August 24, 1981 issue of <special>Spotlight</special>:</p>

<p>"A brazen attempt by influential "<ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>-firsters" in the policy
echelons of the Reagan administration to extend their control to
the day-to-day espionage and covert-action operations of the <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent>
was the hidden source of the controversy and scandals that shook
the U.S. intelligence establishment this summer. "</p>

<p>"The dual loyalists, whose domination over the federal executive's
high planning and strategy-making resources is now just about total,
have long wanted to grab a hand in the on-the-spot "field control"
of the CIA's worldwide clandestine services. They want this control,
not just for themselves, but on behalf of the <ent type='ORG'>Mossad</ent>, Israel's
terrorist secret police. "</p>

<p> The LaRouchian Critique</p>

<p>While the Carto empire was recruiting Prouty, <ent type='ORG'>Marchetti</ent> and other
critics of the <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent>, the LaRouchians were probing government misconduct
and linking U.S. political elites to their worldview in which the
oligarchic families of Great <ent type='GPE'>Britain</ent> are the font of all world
evil. Over the years LaRouchian literature has maintained that
political leadership in Great <ent type='GPE'>Britain</ent> is really controlled by <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent>
banking families such as the <ent type='PERSON'>Rothschilds</ent>, a standard anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent>
theory that influenced such bigots as <ent type='PERSON'>Henry Ford</ent> and Adolph <ent type='PERSON'>Hitler</ent>.</p>

<p>In their book [f-2] first published in 1978, the LaRouchians assert
that the oligarchy in Great <ent type='GPE'>Britain</ent> is in league with <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> bankers
to control the smuggling of drugs into <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent> States. Arch-rightist
and former U.S. intelligence operative, the late <ent type='GPE'>Mitch</ent>ell WerBell
said the book was of "outstanding importance," because it told "the
history of a political strike against <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent> States in an
undeclared war being waged by Great <ent type='GPE'>Britain</ent>."</p>

<p>LaRouche's publications were among the first periodicals to run
articles exposing aspects of the covert <ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> aid network, well
before a fateful plane crash first tipped off the mainstream press
to the full extent of the story. Right-wing coverage of government
intelligence abuse is not unique to the LaRouchians. Other far-right
groups such as <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent> and its <special>Spotlight</special> newspaper have
also circulated similar information.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Herb</ent> Quinde, an intelligence policy analyst for the LaRouchians,
says that in the 1980's the LaRouchians were contacted by a group
of disaffected former and current intelligence specialists who
Quinde referred to as "the <ent type='NORP'>Arabists</ent>." Both government and private
sector analysts confirm that there are persons critical of current
U.S. foreign policy reliance on <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent> whose ideas are discussed
in policy meetings. These persons are sometimes referred to as
"<ent type='NORP'>Arabists</ent>." They represent a minority viewpoint in government
circles that needs to be factored into political equations. Most
of these persons are geo-political pragmatists who think that oil
is the key to <ent type='LOC'>the Middle East</ent> and so support for <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent> is misguided
since <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent> doesn't have oil. Others simply support a more
even-handed policy in <ent type='LOC'>the Middle East</ent>, especially concerning
<ent type='NORP'>Palestinian</ent> rights. The so-called "<ent type='NORP'>Arabists</ent>" are more accurately
seen as a diffuse and broad theoretical tendency rather than an
ethnic group, pro-<ent type='NORP'>Arab</ent> faction, or specific political organization.</p>

<p>Some of these persons, however, have fierce anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> views and
have sought alliances with overt bigots and persons who circulate
paranoid conspiracy theories in which <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent> are believed to control
the world. Their theory at its most paranoid believes Great Britain's
intelligence services have influenced U.S. intelligence agencies
since the inception of <ent type='ORG'>the Office</ent> of Strategic Services, precursor
to the <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent>. Great Britain's intelligence empire is seen as
predominantly <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent>, riddled with <ent type='NORP'>communists</ent> and homosexuals, and
with an open line to <ent type='GPE'>Moscow</ent>. <ent type='ORG'>Mossad</ent> is believed to manipulate U.S.
foreign policy and direct much of U.S. intelligence activity. The
<ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> is believed to be full of moles, probably inserted by a
<ent type='NORP'>Anglophile</ent>/<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent>/<ent type='NORP'>Communist</ent> network. True patriots are urged to
try to expose this "dual loyalist" reality and push the U.S. to
ally with its real friends in <ent type='LOC'>the Middle East</ent>, the <ent type='NORP'>Arab</ent> monarchies
and familial oligarchies.</p>

<p>These theories have little to do with democracy, social justice or
peace in <ent type='LOC'>the Middle East</ent>, and they use legitimate criticisms of
<ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>i policies and U.S. pro-<ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent> policies as a screen to cover
prejudice against <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent>.</p>

<p>Many reporters were contacted by the LaRouchians offering assistance
and documents to help research the <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> story. LaRouche's
<special><ent type='ORG'>Executive Intelligence Review</ent></special> even gets a passing nod from author
<ent type='PERSON'>Ben Bradlee</ent>, Jr. in his &lt;Guts and Glory: The Rise and Fall of Oliver
<ent type='PERSON'>North</ent>&gt;. <ent type='PERSON'>Bradlee</ent> acknowledges the help of <special>EIR</special> in decoding the
shorthand used by <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent> in his notebooks.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Peter Dale Scott</ent>, <ent type='PERSON'>Jonathan Marshall</ent> and other authors who researched
the <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> story say that in the mid to late 1980's, LaRouchians
such as <ent type='PERSON'>Herb</ent> Quinde, who had researched the Oliver <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent> network,
were involved in the traditional game of the Capitol press
corps--circulating documents and trading theories.</p>

<p> The LaRouchians as Anti-Interventionists</p>

<p>During the late 1980's the LaRouchians covertly sought to expand
their contacts with the left and attempted to link up with progressive
groups over issues such as anti-interventionism, covert action,
government domestic repression, civil liberties and Third <ent type='ORG'>World</ent>
debt. Many progressive researchers report that during this period
they began to receive telephone calls from LaRouchian operatives
suggesting joint work or offering documents or story ideas.</p>

<p>Progressive activists also were targeted. For instance, <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>
organizers involved themselves in an international anti-interventionist
conference held in <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent>, and have worked behind the scenes around
the issue of U.S. involvement in <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent>nian affairs ever since.
Although conference organizers say they tried to isolate the
LaRouchians at the conference, there is little doubt that the
LaRouchians managed to leave the impression with some activists
that they were a key component in the alliance against U.S.
intervention in <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent>.</p>

<p>Former U.S. Attorney General <ent type='PERSON'>Ramsey Clark</ent> has become a vocal
opponent of U.S. intervention and was a major critic of the U.S.
invasion of <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent>. <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> has regularly worked in the same
anti-intervention projects as the LaRouchians, where their presence
would have been difficult not to notice. While there is no evidence
(or even a reasonable suspicion) that <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> willingly works with
the LaRouchians or shares any of their bigoted views, it is clear
the LaRouchians delight in implying that just such a relationship
exists between themselves and <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent>, especially since <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> agreed
to represent the LaRouchians in filing legal appeals flowing out
of a series of federal criminal convictions of LaRouchian fundraisers
and <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> himself.</p>

<p>The ability of the LaRouchians to inject themselves into mainstream
debate around the issue of <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent> is astonishing. For instance, at
the April, 1991 conference of the Latin <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n Studies Association
in <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent>, D.C., a panel on <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent> included LaRouchian expert
<ent type='PERSON'>Carlos Wesley</ent>. <ent type='PERSON'>Wesley</ent> was not the first choice. Two panelists from
<ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent> who were originally scheduled to appear did not receive
funding to attend the conference, so panel co-coordinator <ent type='PERSON'>Don</ent>ald
<ent type='PERSON'>Bray</ent> from <ent type='GPE'>California</ent> State University in <ent type='GPE'>Los Angeles</ent> then called
a person he respected as an expert on <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent> for advice on a last
minute replacement. "I called <ent type='PERSON'>Carlos Russell</ent>, a <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent>nian who now
teaches in the U.S., and who was a former Ambassador to the <ent type='ORG'>OAS</ent>
for a former <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent>nian government," explains <ent type='PERSON'>Bray</ent>. "He said 'you
are not going to believe this, but I am going to recommend a
LaRouchite, <ent type='PERSON'>Carlos Wesley</ent>.'" A slightly bemused <ent type='PERSON'>Bray</ent> says he knew
<ent type='PERSON'>Wesley</ent> from long ago and knew he was a reporter for LaRouche's
<special><ent type='ORG'>Executive Intelligence Review</ent></special>. Still, this was a recommendation
from a credible <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent>nian source so with some misgivings <ent type='PERSON'>Bray</ent>
scheduled <ent type='PERSON'>Wesley</ent> as a panelist.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Wesley</ent> was identified as a correspondent for &lt;Executive Intelligence
<ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>iew&gt; (<special>EIR</special>) but, according to author <ent type='PERSON'>Holly Sklar</ent>, who attended
the session, many in the audience were not aware that <special>EIR</special> was a
<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> publication. "Of course if we had identified him as a
LaRouchian, nobody would have paid any attention to what he said,"
explained <ent type='PERSON'>Bray</ent>.</p>

<p>The ties between <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> and <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent> go back several years to when
<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> intelligence collectors began trading tidbits of information
with <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent>nian leader Manuel <ent type='PERSON'>Noriega</ent>. Following Noriega's indictment
for conspiracy in drug deals, journalist <ent type='PERSON'>William Branigin</ent>, writing
in the <special><ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent> Post</special> of June 18, 1988, noted that among Noriega's
few supporters in <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent> States was "political extremist <ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent>
H. <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> Jr., who has praised the general as a leader in the
war on drugs."</p>

<p>According to a January, 1990 <special>Associated Press</special> report, <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>
sent <ent type='PERSON'>Noriega</ent> a cable after his indictment, telling the dictator "I
extend to you my apologies for what the government of <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent>
States is doing to <ent type='GPE'>the Republic</ent> of <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent>." <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> told <ent type='PERSON'>Noriega</ent>
"I reiterate to you what I have stated publicly. That the Reagan
administration current policies towards <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent> are absolutely an
offense to your nation and all of Latin <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>." This type of
rhetoric shows how the LaRouchians can adopt a critique of U.S.
foreign policy ostensibly similar to that of the left, while weaving
in an <special>apologia</special> converting a drug-running dictator into a
drug-fighting humanitarian. <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> also has high praise for other
dictators, including the late Ferdinand <ent type='PERSON'>Marcos</ent>. The LaRouchians
claim <ent type='PERSON'>Marcos</ent> actually won his last election.</p>

<p>Another example of ideological cross-fertilization involves Cecilio
<ent type='PERSON'>Simon</ent>, a <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent>nian who is an administrator at <ent type='ORG'>the University</ent> of
<ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent>. <ent type='PERSON'>Simon</ent> spoke along with <ent type='PERSON'>Ramsey Clark</ent> and others at the April
6, 1990 "Voices from <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent>" forum held at <ent type='GPE'>New York City</ent>'s Town
Hall auditorium. <ent type='PERSON'>Simon</ent> later spoke at the LaRouchian "Fifth
International <ent type='PERSON'><ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent> Luther <ent type='ORG'>King</ent> Tribunal</ent> of <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='PERSON'>Schiller</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent>,"
on June 2, 1990 in <ent type='GPE'>Silver Spring</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Maryland</ent>. These incidents
demonstrate how the LaRouchians continue to insert themselves into
anti-interventionist work and gain credibility on the left.</p>

<p> <ent type='ORG'>Rightist Influences</ent> on <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent> Theories</p>

<p>The problem of conflating documentable facts with analysis and
conclusions and then merging them with unsubstantiated conspiracy
theories popular on the far right has plagued progressive foreign
policy critiques for several years. <ent type='ORG'>The <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent>'s "Secret
Team" theory is perhaps the most widespread example of the phenomenon.
While many of the charges raised by <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> regarding the La Penca
bombing and the private pro-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> network are documented, some of
their assertions regarding the nature and operations of a long-standing
conspiracy of high-level <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent>, military, and foreign policy advisors
inside the executive branch remain undocumented, and in a few
instances, are factually inaccurate.</p>

<p>There are two related questions in this matter. One is whether or
not the case was handled properly with regard to the actual clients,
<ent type='PERSON'>Martha Honey</ent> and Tony <ent type='EVENT'>Avirgan</ent>. The other is how much unsubstantiated
conspiracism was made part of the case and its surrounding publicity.
This paper will focus on the issue of the undocumented conspiracy
theories.</p>

<p>It is arguable that while <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> pursued the broad conspiracy of
the "<ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent>", the bedrock portions of the case involving the
actual La Penca incidents took a back seat. A few weeks before the
case was slated for trial, <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent> still had not
diagramed the elements of proof, a legal procedure where the text
of the complaint is broken down into a list of single elements that
have to be proven with either valid documentation, a sworn affidavit,
or a live witness. This had created problems for researchers and
lawyers who had no master list of what needed to be proven when
devising questions for depositions and witnesses.</p>

<p>When a special meeting was convened shortly before trial, it turned
out that for some of allegations concerning the alleged broad
"<ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent>" conspiracy, the only evidence in possession of the
<ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent> was newspaper clippings and excerpts from
books--and in a few instances there was no evidence other than
uncorroborated assertions collected by researchers.</p>

<p>Raised at the meeting was the issue of whether or not the case had
unwittingly incorporated unsubstantiated conspiracy theories from
right-wing groups such as the LaRouchians. The staff was warned
that some defendants would likely prevail at trial due to lack of
court-quality evidence and would then likely pursue financial
penalties (called Rule 11 sanctions).[f-3]</p>

<p>These matters are important because <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> press statements have
fueled the idea, and many <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent> supporters believe,
that the dismissal of the case was just another example of a massive
government conspiracy and cover-up. It is undeniable that the
presiding judge was hostile to <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> and stretched judicial
discretion to the breaking point in dismissing the case. The
dismissal was unfair. However, according to a statement issued by
<ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> client Tony <ent type='EVENT'>Avirgan</ent>, the <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent> must share at least
"partial responsibility for the dismissal of the La Penca law suit."</p>

<p>"It's sad that these issues have to be raised by 'outsiders' such
as <ent type='PERSON'>Berlet</ent>. But the truth is that criticism-self criticism, an
essential tool in any social movement, has never been tolerated by
the leaders of <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent>. Those who criticized the
legal work of <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> were labelled as enemies and ignored. "</p>

<p>"There were, indeed, numerous undocumented allegations in the suit,
particularly in Sheehan's Affidavit of Fact. As plaintiffs in the
suit, <ent type='PERSON'>Martha Honey</ent> and I struggled for years to try to bring the
case down to earth, to bringing it away from Sheehan's wild
allegations. Over the years, numerous staff lawyers quit over their
inability to control <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent>. We stuck with it--and continued to
struggle--because we felt that the issues being raised were important.
But this was a law suit, not a political rally, and the hostile
judges latched on to the lack of proof and the sloppy legal work.
"</p>

<p>"The case, before it was inflated by <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent>, was supposed to center
on the La Penca bombing. On this, there is a strong body of evidence
here in <ent type='GPE'>Costa Rica</ent>. It is enough evidence to get a reluctant Costa
Rican judiciary to indict two <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> operatives, <ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Hull</ent> and Felipe
Vidal, for murder and drug trafficking. Unfortunately, little of
this evidence was successfully transformed into evidence acceptable
to U.S. courts. It was either never submitted or was poorly
prepared. In large part, this was because <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> was concentrating
on his broad, 30-year conspiracy. "</p>

<p>"The exercise <ent type='PERSON'>Berlet</ent> suggested--breaking each allegation down and
compiling evidentiary proof for it--was indeed undertaken by
competent lawyers on <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent> staff. But it was an
exercise begun too late. The case had already been spiked by
Sheehan's Affidavit. "</p>

<p>"We feel that it is important to openly discuss these things so
that similar mistakes are avoided in the future. "</p>

<p>Jane Hunter of <special><ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>i Foreign Affairs</special> agrees that some of the
<ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> research is problematic. "As a researcher I have over the
years found nothing in the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> case worth citing," says Hunter.
A number of other researchers and journalists have raised similarly
harsh criticisms of some of the allegations made in the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent>
case. <ent type='PERSON'>David Corn</ent>, for instance, wrote a stinging assessment of the
<ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent> theory for the <special><ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent></special>. Other criticisms were aired
in other <ent type='PERSON'>Jones</ent>&gt;.</p>

<p>Dr. Diana <ent type='PERSON'>Reynolds</ent> is one of the many critics of portions of the
<ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> thesis. <ent type='PERSON'>Reynolds</ent> thinks undocumented conspiracy theories
hurt the case. She believes there is much solid evidence concerning
the actual La Penca bombing and aftermath, and some specific
<ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> material, but she thinks "it is fair to say that some
right-wing conspiracy theories were woven into the theory behind
the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> case." <ent type='PERSON'>Reynolds</ent> read thousands of pages of depositions
taken by <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent> while she was researching a story
on federal emergency planning, later published in &lt;Covert Action
Information Bulletin&gt;. According to <ent type='PERSON'>Reynolds</ent>:</p>

<p>"It is clear to me from the depositions of Ed <ent type='PERSON'>Wilson</ent> and Gene
<ent type='ORG'>Wheaton</ent> that the notion of a broad conspiracy conducted by the
so-called Enterprise, beyond the La Penca bombing and the specific
<ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> scandal, has many holes. I am thoroughly convinced that
those two depositions contain the nub of the unsubstantiated
conspiracy theory, and I have said this for a very long time. When
we get into the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> allegations regarding <ent type='LOC'>the Middle East</ent> and
<ent type='LOC'>Asia</ent> and the Camp David accords and forty years of conspiracy,
their thesis falls apart. "</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Reynolds</ent> suggests it is fair to ask whether or not <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> was
manipulated by right-wing persons associated with factions in the
intelligence community. "It is curious that <ent type='PERSON'>Wilson</ent> is a former
intelligence operative, and that <ent type='ORG'>Wheaton</ent>, at the same time he was
working for <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent>, was also alleged by Mr. <ent type='PERSON'>Owen</ent> in his <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent>
deposition to be passing information to <ent type='PERSON'>Neil Livingston</ent> at the
<ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>al Security Council to protect some of the people who were
implicated in the <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> scandal," says <ent type='PERSON'>Reynolds</ent>. At least
two former <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> investigators say they warned <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> not to
rely on conspiratorial analysis and to be suspicious of material
from right-wing sources. Nevertheless, <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> was rebuked by his
own staff and others in <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> leadership for repeatedly lapsing
into an overly conspiratorial analysis in public appearances, and
for making claims that the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> staff could not document or
otherwise support when responding to follow-up inquiries by reporters.</p>

<p>While the allegation that right-wing conspiracy theories were woven
into the case is hotly denied by <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent>, the contacts by the
LaRouchians during the mid and late 1980's are not disputed.
According to a <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> spokesperson:</p>

<p>"In conducting investigations historically we have sometimes had
to get information from persons with whom one would not normally
associate. People like drug dealers, mercenaries and intelligence
agents. During our investigation, there were some meetings with
<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> staffers conducted by <ent type='PERSON'>Lanny Sinkin</ent> and David MacMichael.
The information was always viewed very skeptically and none of it
found its way into our casework or courtroom materials. All those
contacts were stopped by 1989. We take seriously the view that the
<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> organization is an organization with whom progressives
should be very wary. "</p>

<p>David MacMichael and <ent type='PERSON'>Lanny Sinkin</ent> are no longer affiliated with
<ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent>. <ent type='ORG'>Sinkin</ent> says his contact with the LaRouchians
while at <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> was limited to a few brief conversations.
MacMichael, a former <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> analyst turned agency critic who now writes
and lectures on covert action, has had a more extensive relationship
to the LaRouchians. MacMichael and <ent type='ORG'>Sinkin</ent>, however, were not the
only <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> investigators who received information from the
LaRouchians. <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> investigator Bill McCoy also received
information from the LaRouchians as did at least one other <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent>
researcher, according to former staffers.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> was warned by his own staff in 1988 that contacts with the
research circles around <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> and <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent> were a problem
on both factual and moral grounds. Later Danny <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> appeared on
the <special><ent type='ORG'>Undercurrents</ent></special> program broadcast on <ent type='ORG'>WBAI</ent>-FM and other <ent type='NORP'>Pacifica</ent>
and progressive radio stations. <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> told the radio audience
that it was untrue that LaRouchians had supplied information to
<ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent>, and blasted a passing reference to this
matter in <ent type='PERSON'>Dennis King</ent>'s book, &lt;<ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> and the New <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n
Fascism&gt;. Shortly after Sheehan's statements, an offer to promote
King's book as a premium gift during an annual fundraising drive
for the radio station was withdrawn. <ent type='ORG'>King</ent> believes Sheehan's
unequivocal denial undercut the credibility of his book and was
responsible for <ent type='ORG'>WBAI</ent> withdrawing the original offer.</p>

<p>- The Right-Wing Roots of the "<ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent>" Theory -</p>

<p><ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> no longer uses the "<ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent>" slogan, but for the first
several years of the case, <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent> used the term
"<ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent>" to describe the legal conspiracy they alleged in
court (a copy of the Prouty book sat in Sheehan's personal bookshelf
in his <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> office). There is no dispute that the "<ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent>"
theory came from the political right. The "Affidavit of Daniel P.
<ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent>" filed on December 12, 1986 and revised on January 31,
1987, refers frequently to the "<ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent>," and states explicitly
that the term came from right-wing sources.</p>

<p>"...I was contacted by Source #47, a right-wing para-military
specialist, former U.S. Army pilot in <ent type='GPE'>Vietnam</ent> and military reform
specialist in January of 1986. "</p>

<p>"Source #47, the Specialist, who was unaware of my investigation,
informed me that he had met--at a right-wing function--a former
U.S. military intelligence officer, Source #48...this source began
to discuss with Source #47 the existence of a "<ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent>" of
former high-ranking <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> officials, former high-ranking
U.S. military officials and Middle <ent type='LOC'>Eastern</ent> arms merchants--who also
specialized in the performance of covert political assassinations
of <ent type='NORP'>communists</ent> and "enemies" of this "<ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent>" which carried on
its own independent, <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n foreign policy--regardless of the
will of <ent type='ORG'>Congress</ent>, the will of the President, or even the will of
the <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n Central Intelligence Agency. "</p>

<p>Critics of the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> thesis say the "<ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent>" was not a
cabal operating against the will of the president or the <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent>, but
was an illegal, secret government-sponsored operation established
by <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> director <ent type='PERSON'>William</ent> Casey and coordinated by <ent type='ORG'>White House</ent> aide
Oliver <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent>, with assistance from a network of ultra-right groups
who were determined to circumvent the will of <ent type='ORG'>Congress</ent>. This
"Enterprise" at times worked closely with the <ent type='ORG'>Mossad</ent> and carried
out clandestine counterinsurgency missions. Some of these
counterinsurgency missions were based on the same model of pacification
used by U.S. Special Forces and clandestine <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> operations in
<ent type='GPE'>Vietnam</ent>. It is just this emphasis on counterinsurgency and clandestine
operations rather than direct military battles that forms the basis
of criticism in Fletcher Prouty's book <special><ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent></special>. Prouty
criticized the <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> for promoting covert action techniques which he
traced to the influence of the <ent type='NORP'>British</ent> intelligence service MI5 on
<ent type='ORG'>the Office</ent> of Strategic Services (<ent type='ORG'>OSS</ent>), precursor to the <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent>. Prouty
said such meddling and convoluted efforts at fighting communism
resulted in the needless deaths of <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n servicemen. There is
no evidence of any obvious anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> conspiracy theories in the
Prouty book.</p>

<p>Some of the undocumented conspiracy theories regarding the <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> and
U.S. foreign policy that were widely circulated in progressive
circles before the <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent>gate scandal hit the headlines seem
to have appeared first in the LaRouchian's &lt;Executive Intelligence
<ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>iew&gt; or <special><ent type='ORG'>New Solidarity</ent></special> (later <special><ent type='ORG'>New Federalist</ent></special>), or in the
pages of <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent>'s <special>Spotlight</special> newspaper.</p>

<p>The <special>Spotlight</special> for instance carried the first exclusive story on
"<ent type='ORG'>Rex</ent> 84" by writer <ent type='PERSON'>James Harrer</ent>. "<ent type='ORG'>Rex</ent> 84" was one of a long series
of readiness exercises for government military, security and police
forces. "<ent type='ORG'>Rex</ent> 84"--Readiness Exercise, 1984--was a drill which
postulated a scenario of massive civil unrest and the need to round
up and detain large numbers of demonstrators and dissidents. While
creating scenarios and carrying out mock exercises is common, the
potential for Constitutional abuses under the contingency plans
drawn up for "<ent type='ORG'>Rex</ent> 84" was, and is, very real. The legislative
authorization and Executive agency capacity for such a round-up of
dissidents remains operational.</p>

<p>The April 23, 1984 <special>Spotlight</special> article ran with a banner headline
"Reagan Orders Concentration Camps." The article, true to form,
took a problematic swipe at the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai
B'rith along with reporting the facts of the story. The <ent type='PERSON'>Harrer</ent>
article was based primarily on two unnamed government sources, and
follow-up confirmations. Mainstream reporters pursued the allegations
through interviews and Freedom of Information Act requests, and
ultimately the <ent type='PERSON'>Harrer</ent> <special>Spotlight</special> article proved to be a substantially
accurate account of the readiness exercise, although <special>Spotlight</special>
did underplay the fact that this was a scenario and drill, not an
actual order to round up dissidents.</p>

<p>Many people believe that <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> was the first group to reveal
the "<ent type='ORG'>Rex</ent> 84" story. According to the 1986 <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> "Affidavit"
revised in 1987:</p>

<p>"During the second week of April of 1984, I was informed by Source
#4 that President <ent type='PERSON'>Ronald</ent> Reagan had, on April 6, 1984, issued
<ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>al Security Decision Directive #52 authorizing the Federal
Emergency Management Agency director Louis O. <ent type='PERSON'>Giuffrida</ent> and his
Deputy <ent type='PERSON'>Frank Salcedo</ent> to undertake a secret nation-wide, 'readiness
exercise' code-named '<ent type='ORG'>Rex</ent> 84....' "</p>

<p>The impression left is that a <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> source exclusively developed
this information and quietly handed it over to <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent>. In fact,
the second week of April 1984, the "<ent type='ORG'>Rex</ent> 84" story was bannered on
the front page of the <special>Spotlight</special> and available in coin-boxes all
over Capitol Hill. <special>Spotlight</special> had previously reported extensively
on <ent type='ORG'>the Federal Emergency Management Agency</ent> (<ent type='ORG'>FEMA</ent>) and other government
initiatives that threatened civil liberties.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> has told reporters that the "<ent type='ORG'>Rex</ent> 84" story did not come
from <special>Spotlight</special>, but would not respond to questions as to whether
or not Source #4 could document where the information came from.
This is important because in at least one other instance, previously
published research was attributed by <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> to Source #4. According
to the 1986 <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> "Affidavit" revised in 1987:</p>

<p>"In early May of 1984, I was supplied by Source #4 with a number
of documents describing, in some detail, a project supervised by
then Special Assistant <ent type='GPE'>California</ent> State Attorney General Edwin
Meese code-named "Project <ent type='ORG'>Cable Splicer</ent>"...part of a larger program,
code-named "Project Garden Plot"--which was a nation-wide war games
scenario...to establish a nation-wide state of martial law if
<ent type='PERSON'>Richard Nixon</ent>'s "political enemies" required him to declare a State
of <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>al Emergency. "</p>

<p>While the descriptions of <ent type='ORG'>Cable Splicer</ent> and Garden Plot are accurate,
the source is deceptively obscured. The original story of Cable
Splicer and Garden Plot broke in the alternative press in 1975 in
an article by <ent type='PERSON'>Ron Ridenhour</ent> with <ent type='PERSON'>Arthur Lublow</ent> published in Arizona's
<special>New Times</special>. Garden Plot was also the cover story for the Winter
1976 issue of <special>CounterSpy</special> magazine. Dozens of pages of the unedited
official documents from <ent type='ORG'>Garden Plot and</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Cable Splicer</ent> were reprinted
in the magazine. Copies of the official documents were made available
to trial teams in several cities litigating against illegal government
intelligence abuse.</p>

<p>Several former <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> staffers, who asked to remain nameless,
suggest that, at the very least, a critical reevaluation of some
allegations made in the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> case would be beneficial in light
of the possibility that material from far-right, conspiracist or
anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> sources was uncritically woven into the original "Secret
Team" <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> thesis. They say that the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> theories need to
be reassessed with the ulterior motives and credibility of those
sources in mind.</p>

<p><ent type='ORG'>The <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent> was supplied with the text of the criticisms
raised in this section of the report, as well as an extensive list
of written questions. With the exception of the quote regarding
the LaRouchians, they chose not to respond.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Barbara Honneger</ent>, The October Surprise &amp; The LaRouchians</p>

<p>In many way the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> organization, with its slickly repackaged
conspiracy theories, serves as a nexus for a number of tendencies
on the political right, ranging from ultra-<ent type='NORP'>conservatives</ent> to outright
fascists and white supremacists. LaRouchian material on AIDS, for
instance, is cited by homophobic organizations such as the
fundamentalist <ent type='NORP'>Christian</ent> group <ent type='ORG'>Summit Ministries</ent>. It seems clear
that the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> network reaches out to many constituencies,
including some that seem improbable on the surface, including some
on the left.</p>

<p>Over the past few years the LaRouchians have solicited contacts
with a number of critics of U.S. foreign policy and intelligence
agency practices, sometimes with surprising success. In many cases,
it is the LaRouchian intelligence network that serves as a broker
for information flowing between left-wing and right-wing groups.
LaRouchians appear to have first penetrated the left in recent
years when they began to trade information on covert action and
<ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> misconduct. The LaRouchians were early critics of the Oliver
<ent type='PERSON'>North</ent> network. In the early 1980's, <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> intelligence operatives
such as <ent type='PERSON'>Jeffrey Steinberg</ent> maintained close ties to a faction in
the <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>al Security Council which opposed Oliver North's activities.
At the same time the LaRouchians quietly began providing information
to mainstream and progressive reporters and researchers.</p>

<p><ent type='ORG'>The <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent> and <ent type='ORG'>the Empowerment</ent> Project which distributes
the film "CoverUp: Behind the <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> Affair" are major
promoters of <ent type='PERSON'>Barbara Honegger</ent>'s theories regarding an alleged
"October Surprise." The October Surprise was the term used among
Reagan campaign aides to describe the possibility that the <ent type='NORP'>Iranian</ent>
government might arrange for the release of U.S. hostages prior to
the election which pitted incumbent <ent type='PERSON'>Jimmy Carter</ent> against challenger
<ent type='PERSON'>Ronald</ent> Reagan. <ent type='PERSON'>Barbara Honneger</ent> alleges in her book &lt;October
Surprise&gt; that Reagan campaign aides did negotiate with representatives
of the <ent type='NORP'>Iranian</ent> government to delay any hostage release until after
the 1980 election. Substantial circumstantial evidence exists to
suggest such a charge might be true, but there is little incontrovertible
proof.</p>

<p>Honneger's research and analysis are questionable. In the 1989
edition of her book <special>October Surprise</special>, <ent type='PERSON'>Honneger</ent> cites frequently
to LaRouche's <special><ent type='ORG'>Executive Intelligence Review</ent></special>. While some material
in EIR is factual, other material presented as fact is unsubstantiated
rumor or lunatic conspiracy theories. Some anti-fascist researchers
also assume that information in EIR occasionally represents calculated
leaks by current and former government intelligence agents and
right-wing activists to achieve a desired political goal. This
practice is a common tactic in power struggles and faction fights
over policy.</p>

<p>While <ent type='PERSON'>Honneger</ent> sometimes cites to progressive periodicals such as
<special>In These Times</special> and <special>The <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent></special>,, more than six percent (49 out
of a total 771) of the footnotes in Honneger's book cite LaRouchian
publications such as <special>EIR, <ent type='ORG'>New Solidarity</ent>, </special>and <special><ent type='ORG'>New Federalist</ent></special>.
In one chapter on "Project Diplomacy," <ent type='PERSON'>Honneger</ent> LaRouchian cites
account for over 22 percent of the total number of footnotes.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Honneger</ent> also makes assertions that strain credulity. She quotes
without comment the claim of Eugene <ent type='ORG'>Wheaton</ent> that the <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> is actually
secretly controlled by a group of retired members of the <ent type='ORG'>OSS</ent>.</p>

<p>In the July/August 1991 issue of <special>The Humanist</special>, both David MacMichael
and <ent type='PERSON'>Barbara Trent</ent> of <ent type='ORG'>the Empowerment</ent> project defend <ent type='PERSON'>Honneger</ent> and
suggest <ent type='ORG'>PBS</ent> refused to show "Coverup" because it contained serious
charges against the U.S. government. As <ent type='PERSON'>Trent</ent> put it:</p>

<p>"It was no big surprise that there was a problem getting 'Coverup'
on <ent type='ORG'>PBS</ent>. Programs that address U.S. foreign policy in particular
and are not in agreement with the policies of the sitting president
rarely get much of a chance on TV. "</p>

<p>In fact, <ent type='ORG'>PBS</ent> has aired on the "<ent type='ORG'>Front</ent>line" series programs about
the October Surprise and <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> involvement in drug trafficking. <ent type='ORG'>PBS</ent>
has also aired two <ent type='PERSON'>Bill Moyers</ent> specials on <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent>gate that
concluded that Reagan lied repeatedly and may have committed
impeachable offenses, and that evidence exists to suggest that
Bush's role in the <ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> resupply operation was far more direct
than he has admitted. The primary difference between the shows
broadcast by <ent type='ORG'>PBS</ent> and "Coverup" is the reliance in "Coverup" on
<ent type='PERSON'>Barbara Honneger</ent> and Danny <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> and their unsubstantiated and
undocumented charges. It would have been difficult for <ent type='ORG'>PBS</ent> to
justify running Honneger's assertions given her reliance on material
supplied by neo-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>s with a history of circulating unreliable
information.</p>

<p>"Coverup" also promotes the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> theme that <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent>gate
was caused by a long-standing conspiracy of individual agents. In
contrast to this individualistic formulation, the <ent type='ORG'>Moyers</ent> programs
stress a systemic failure: that the lack of congressional oversight
over foreign policy and covert action has created a Constitutional
crisis where the balance of powers between branches of government
has been skewed toward the executive branch.</p>

<p><ent type='ORG'>The Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></p>

<p>The right's attempt to influence and recruit the left became highly
visible during <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent> crisis in late 1990 and early 1991. As
the movement against the war in <ent type='LOC'>the Middle East</ent> began to build, a
handful of far-right and anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> groups began to seek alliances
with liberal, progressive, and left antiwar coalitions. It is
important to recognize that as a whole the antiwar movement
overwhelmingly rejected these overtures by the political right,
while recognizing that the attempt reflects a larger ongoing problem.</p>

<p> Sowing Confusion</p>

<p>The rightist efforts caused problems across the country, especially
attempts by followers of neo-fascist <ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> H. <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>, Jr. to
forge ties with liberal and left antiwar coalitions. Other fascist
groups organizing against the war included <ent type='ORG'>the Populist Party</ent>,
<ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent>, and some elements of the white supremacist movement.
Other far-right and ultra-conservative groups opposing the war
included some factions in the <ent type='NORP'>Libertarian</ent> movement, the <ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> Birch
Society, and groups purveying general rightist conspiracy theories.</p>

<p>Most persons in the antiwar movement seemed unaware of the backgrounds
and ideology of the several rightist groups that sought alliances
during <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent> period, and merely were hoping to build a
broad-based alliance. Still, some activists fear that in the future,
fragile coalitions around peace and social justice issues could be
seriously damaged by the presence of bigoted ultra-right forces,
and argue that on moral grounds alone, coalitions with fascist,
racist, and anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> groups are not acceptable.</p>

<p>Some of the rightist and anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> groups that opposed the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent>
<ent type='EVENT'>War</ent> also have a racialist white supremacist ideology that not only
considers persons of <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> and <ent type='NORP'>Arab</ent> heritage to be inferior, but
believes no person of color has a legitimate claim to citizenship
in <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent> States. Within weeks of Iraq's invasion of <ent type='GPE'>Kuwait</ent>,
there were reports of physical attacks on and threats against both
<ent type='NORP'>Arab</ent> and <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> institutions and persons of <ent type='NORP'>Arab</ent> and <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> descent.
Left groups which tolerate or apologize for persons who have allied
themselves with the racialist ultra-right send a message that such
views, which motivate acts of discrimination and assault, are an
acceptable part of political debate in our society.</p>

<p>Most <ent type='NORP'>conservatives</ent> and rightists supported the U.S. involvement in
<ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent>. The actual attempts by the sectors of the political
right who opposed the war were varied by both locale and method.</p>

<p>The antiwar rightist groups generally did not seek actual coalitions
with the left, but instead passed out handbills at large antiwar
demonstrations as a recruitment mechanism. For example, the
ultra-conservative and conspiracist <ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Birch Society</ent> distributed
antiwar flyers at <ent type='ORG'>Merrimack College</ent> in <ent type='GPE'>Massachusetts</ent>, and at a
downtown <ent type='GPE'>Boston</ent> antiwar rally.</p>

<p>For many on the left, this was their first experience with a
courtship by the ultra-right. Author Sara <ent type='PERSON'>Diamond</ent> urges left
activists to be suspicious of the motives of the opportunistic
right which approached the left during <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent>. <ent type='PERSON'>Diamond</ent>, whose
book <special>Spiritual <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent>fare</special> chronicled the religious right in <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>,
warned, "one can only speculate that they wanted to recruit people
into their own organizations and then leave the left discredited."
She added that no matter what the motivation, however, the proposed
alliance was a bad idea.</p>

<p>One danger posed by the right wing's recruitment attempts is that
the widespread conspiracism in some sectors of the far right has
found fertile ground among naive or uncritical forces on the left.
The problem is exacerbated when rightists put forward their paranoid
and sometimes anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> theories in progressive circles where
conspiracist or prejudiced sentiments have been tolerated rather
than routinely confronted. Within the U.S. progressive movement,
the issue of an undercurrent of anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> bigotry among some
pro-<ent type='NORP'>Palestinian</ent>, <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> nationalist, and left groups has been under
discussion for several years.</p>

<p>What the left faces is the task of carefully drawing distinctions
between views that are solely anti-<ent type='NORP'>Zionist</ent> or critical of the state
of Israel's policies, and views that reflect bigoted conspiracy
theories about persons of <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> heritage. If peace and social
justice forces do not publicly reject anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> bigots, this task
becomes impossible, and the charge of anti-Semitism will taint the
entire progressive movement.</p>

<p>The utilization of scapegoating conspiracies is by no means limited
to the fascist right, but during <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent> some antiwar activists
became attracted to scurrilous conspiratorial theories of elite
control circulated by right-wing researchers. One conspiracy theorist
who gained high visibility during <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent> was <ent type='PERSON'>Craig Hulet</ent>.
Another conspiracy theorist, <ent type='PERSON'>Antony Sutton</ent>, avoids explicit
anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> rhetoric, but pursues a line promoting arcane banking
conspiracies (often involving <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> banking families traditionally
scapegoated by bigots). <ent type='PERSON'>Sutton</ent> also has supported racial separatism
between <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent>s and whites in <ent type='GPE'>South Africa</ent>. Another theorist,
<ent type='PERSON'>Eustace Mullins</ent>, is a notorious anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> bigot who focuses on
anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> conspiracy theories in which the <ent type='PERSON'>Rothschilds</ent> and other
<ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent> control the world economy. <ent type='PERSON'>Mullins</ent>' work is promoted by U.S.
white supremacist and neo-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> circles. Persons supporting the
neo-fascist <ent type='ORG'>Populist Party</ent> used Hulet's radio appearances on
progressive <ent type='NORP'>Pacifica</ent> network radio station <ent type='ORG'>KPFA</ent> in <ent type='GPE'>San Francisco</ent>
to organize study groups where the theories of <ent type='PERSON'>Mullins</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Sutton</ent>
were promoted.</p>

<p> The LaRouchians and <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent></p>

<p>The most disruptive rightist penetration of antiwar groups was by
the LaRouchians. The LaRouchians generally operate under front
groups such as <ent type='ORG'>Food for Peace</ent>, <ent type='PERSON'>Schiller</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent>, and &lt;Executive
Intelligence <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>iew&gt;. Some local antiwar groups have worked with
the LaRouchians, while others have not. While often described merely
as conservative or extremist, the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> organization and its
various front groups are a fascist political movement with echoes
of neo-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> ideology. The group's ultimate leader, <ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> H.
<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>, Jr., is currently in jail because his fundraisers sold
unsecured securities to the elderly and because <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> paid no
taxes while living in a <ent type='GPE'>Virginia</ent> mansion. <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> was sentenced
in January, 1989 to fifteen years in prison after a federal court
found <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> and six codefendants guilty of a mail fraud conspiracy
related to fundraising. <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> was also convicted of tax evasion.
On appeal, the U.S. Supreme Court let the convictions stand without
comment.</p>

<p>LaRouche's lawyers have repeatedly sued activist critics who describe
him as a fascist, racist, sexist, homophobic, anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> bigot,
lunatic cult leader, neo-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> racial theorist, crook, and demagogue.
<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> has lost every case. One jury in <ent type='GPE'>Virginia</ent> found that
calling <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> a "small-time <ent type='PERSON'>Hitler</ent>" was not defamatory and then
awarded damages to the news organization sued by <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>.</p>

<p>During <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent> the LaRouchians appeared at antiwar rallies
and meetings in thirty cities, including <ent type='GPE'>New York</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Boston</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent>,
D.C., <ent type='GPE'>Richmond</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Milwaukee</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Detroit</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Cleveland</ent>, Ann Arbor,
St. Louis, <ent type='GPE'>Omaha</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Seattle</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>San Francisco</ent>, and <ent type='GPE'>Los Angeles</ent>.</p>

<p>At <ent type='ORG'>the University</ent> of Ottawa in <ent type='GPE'>Canada</ent>, LaRouche's <ent type='PERSON'>Schiller</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent>
co-sponsored an antiwar event with an organization of Middle <ent type='LOC'>Eastern</ent>
students. At an October 20, 1990 antiwar demonstration in <ent type='GPE'>New York</ent>
City, <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='PERSON'>Schiller</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent> had four people carrying a large banner
and a small group of supporters organized in a contingent. The
LaRouchians have passed out petitions at antiwar rallies, and then
called the persons who signed the petitions to solicit money for
the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> organization. Other fundraising pitches are made at
antiwar rallies.</p>

<p>In a flyer announcing a December 15, 1990 rally, a group called
simply the "<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> Organization" was originally listed as a
coalition member. The presence of the LaRouchians, as well as other
anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> bigots, in the St. Louis antiwar coalition originally
caused consternation, especially among members of New <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> Agenda,
a group which supports a <ent type='NORP'>democratic</ent> <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>, <ent type='NORP'>Palestinian</ent> rights,
and a <ent type='NORP'>Palestinian</ent> homeland. When coalition leaders were provided
with documentation of LaRouchian attacks on <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent>, <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent>s and other
minorities, including LaRouchian support for the apartheid government
of <ent type='GPE'>South Africa</ent>, the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> supporters were booted out of the
coalition.</p>

<p>In <ent type='GPE'>Los Angeles</ent>, several LaRouchians were dismayed when the local
antiwar coalition pointed to its principles of unity, which included
a call for a sensible non-nuclear energy policy. The LaRouchians
are vocal supporters of nuclear power. In <ent type='GPE'>Richmond</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Virginia</ent>, local
antiwar organizers simply kept shouting at the LaRouchians to "shut
up" when they began their bizarre spiels and for a time the
LaRouchians stopped coming to meetings. The LaRouchians soon
returned, but attempted to keep a low profile while persistently
circulating their literature.</p>

<p>During December, LaRouche's followers held vigils on a number of
campuses to build support for a touted "<ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>al Teach-In to Stop
the <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent>" held December 15-16 in <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent>. The <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent> conference,
titled "Development is the New Name for Peace," turned out to be
the annual <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>-sponsored <ent type='ORG'>Food for Peace</ent> Conference, repackaged
to attract antiwar activists. The conference drew over 350 attendees.
Several persons active with the St. Louis <ent type='NORP'>African</ent>-<ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n
Anti-<ent type='EVENT'>War</ent>/Peace <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> who attended the conference were later
asked to leave the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> for being disruptive and spreading
anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> conspiracy theories, according to several St. Louis
activists who spoke on condition of anonymity.</p>

<p>Only three dozen students were sprinkled among the crowd which drew
persons from <ent type='GPE'>California</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Oregon</ent>, <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent> and <ent type='GPE'>South Dakota</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Maryland</ent>,
<ent type='GPE'>New Jersey</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Virginia</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Iowa</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Pennsylvania</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Ohio</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Nebraska</ent>, and the
Canadian province of <ent type='GPE'>Quebec</ent>. Many in the audience were farmers.
Close to one-third of the conference attendees were <ent type='NORP'>African</ent>-<ent type='GPE'>America</ent>ns.</p>

<p>While the number of students was small, the emphasis on the situation
in <ent type='LOC'>the Middle East</ent> was not neglected. <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> regulars <ent type='PERSON'>Mel Klenetsky</ent>
and <ent type='PERSON'>Nancy Spannaus</ent> moderated the program which included a videotaped
message and live phone patch from the cultural attache for the
<ent type='GPE'>Iraq</ent>i embassy, Dr. Mayser Al Mallah. The <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> organization has
maintained ties with the <ent type='GPE'>Iraq</ent>i Ba'ath <ent type='ORG'>Party</ent> for many years, according
to several former LaRouchian intelligence gatherers who have left
the group.</p>

<p>Other panelists at the LaRouchian conference included the <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>.
<ent type='PERSON'>James Bevel</ent>, an early civil rights leader now active in several
LaRouchian front groups; a representative from Minister Louis
<ent type='LOC'>Far</ent>rakhan's <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent> of <ent type='NORP'>Islam</ent>, Dr. <ent type='PERSON'>Abdul Alim Muhammad</ent>, editor of
the <special><ent type='ORG'>Final Call</ent></special>; and <ent type='PERSON'>Gene Wheaton</ent>, a private investigator who
works with both left-wing and right-wing critics of U.S. clandestine
operations.</p>

<p>How The LaRouchians Exploited Antiwar <ent type='ORG'>Organizers</ent></p>

<p>A long-time political activist who marched with the <ent type='GPE'>Cleveland</ent>
contingent in the January 19th antiwar demonstration in <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent>,
D.C. was more than a little surprised when he noticed that people
in the contingent next to him were passing out literature from
<ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> LaRouche's political front groups. "They were beating a drum
and chanting 'George <ent type='PERSON'>Bush</ent>, You Can't Hide, the New <ent type='ORG'>World</ent> Order is
Genocide,'" he reports. "There were about 100 people, many elderly,
some <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent>," he says, and one flyer they handed out carried a
headline scolding, "U.S. Citizens Must Recognize Their Past Mistakes
and Support <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>." There was a large banner and some people
carried signs that said "Free <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>, Jail the <ent type='ORG'>ADL</ent>." At the march
the LaRouchians passed out their <special><ent type='ORG'>New Federalist</ent></special> newspaper. "A
lot of people who remember <special><ent type='ORG'>New Solidarity</ent></special> don't realize its new
name is <special><ent type='ORG'>New Federalist</ent></special>," said the <ent type='GPE'>Cleveland</ent> activist.</p>

<p>According to <ent type='PERSON'>Gavrielle Gemma</ent>, coordinator of the <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>al <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent>
to Stop U.S. Intervention in <ent type='LOC'>the Middle East</ent> (the group that
sponsored the January 19th antiwar demonstration in <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent>,
D.C.), the official policy of the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> is to reject any work
with the LaRouchians. Although the LaRouchians and their supporters
involved themselves in <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> activities during <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent>,
these incidents did not reflect the official policy of the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent>,
according to several <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> spokespersons, but were attempts
(sometimes successful) by the LaRouchians and their allies to
portray themselves as part of the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent>.</p>

<p>Specifically, in interviews with several <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> spokespersons
the following picture of how the LaRouchians manipulated and
exploited the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> emerged:</p>

<p>*** The <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>. <ent type='PERSON'>James Bevel</ent> had not been invited to the January 4th
<ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> press conference featuring former U.S. Attorney General
<ent type='PERSON'>Ramsey Clark</ent> which was aired on the C-<ent type='ORG'>SPAN</ent> cable channel. <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent>
arrived with an invited speaker, a <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> serviceman resisting
assignment to the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent>. Although <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> had worked with the LaRouchians
for many months prior to the press conference, it was not until
weeks after the press conference that <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> leadership became
aware that <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> had ties to the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> organization.</p>

<p>*** People affiliated with the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent>, who defended the appearance
of <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent>, were reacting to Bevel's past history as a respected
civil rights leader, and were not aware, or found it impossible to
accept, that <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> had now aligned himself with far-right groups.</p>

<p>*** A contingent of LaRouchians who marched in the Coalition's
January 19th demonstration in <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent>, D.C. did so against the
expressed wishes of <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> leadership.</p>

<p>*** A security marshal who told demonstrators on January 19th not
to continue a chant critical of the LaRouchians was unaware of who
the LaRouchians were, and was merely trying to enforce the policy
of ensuring peaceful relations among contingents.</p>

<p>*** Although <ent type='PERSON'>Ramsey Clark</ent> has chosen not to say anything critical
of the LaRouchians due to his representation of them in legal
matters, the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> does not hesitate to criticize roundly the
LaRouchians as fascists and anti-<ent type='NORP'>Semites</ent>.</p>

<p>*** The apparent reluctance among some persons affiliated with the
<ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> to discuss charges of LaRouchian involvement with reporters
did not reflect the views of the leadership of the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent>, and
in some cases appears to reflect a disbelief among these persons
that the LaRouchians had managed successfully to portray themselves
as part of the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent>.</p>

<p>*** December, 1990 and January, 1991 were chaotic and confusing
months and the official position of the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> regarding a
refusal to work with the LaRouchians was perhaps not made clear to
all persons actively organizing <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> events around the country.</p>

<p>*** While the LaRouchians appear to abuse their legal relationship
to attorney <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> by using his name in their publicity and implying
his political support, it is the firm belief of the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> that
Clark's refusal to comment on this circumstance reflects a personal
ethical position, and in no way implies any connection between
<ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> and the political work of the LaRouchians.</p>

<p>Leaders of the <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>al <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> to Stop U.S. Intervention in
<ent type='LOC'>the Middle East</ent> are aware that the LaRouchians continue to attempt
to penetrate their organization, and urge persons who find LaRouchians
portraying themselves as official members of the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> to
challenge that claim. Anyone who continues to claim the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent>
tolerates the presence of the LaRouchians should be referred to
the national office of the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> for a short and clear rejection
of that contention.</p>

<p>"We do not work with fascists or anti-<ent type='NORP'>Semites</ent>," said <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent>
coordinator <ent type='PERSON'>Gavrielle Gemma</ent>, "and that includes the LaRouchites."
Gemma says this is not only the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> attitude, but her own as
well, noting that she once personally threw some LaRouchians off
a picket line during the Greyhound strike.</p>

<p>Apparently the position of the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> leadership against working
with the LaRouchians, now clearly unequivocal, was slow to reach
all organizers during the chaotic months of December, 1990 and
January, 1991. This lack of clarity among rank-and-file organizers,
some of whom were inexperienced, coupled with the LaRouchians'
manipulative opportunism, the Coalition's uncertainty over Bevel's
tie to the LaRouchians, and <ent type='PERSON'>Ramsey Clark</ent>'s silence on the LaRouchians'
use of his name, created enough confusion so that some organizers
for the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> at first defended Bevel's appearance at the
January 4th press conference, and defended the participation of
various LaRouchian front groups in <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> events. It also turns
out that a report issued by the LaRouchian <ent type='PERSON'>Schiller</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent>, and
cited at the January 4th press conference was in fact introduced
by a LaRouchian attending the press conference as a reporter.</p>

<p><ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent> antiwar organizer <ent type='PERSON'>Alynne Romo</ent> reports the local Emergency
<ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> for Peace in <ent type='LOC'>the Middle East</ent> has "asked the LaRouchians
not to participate when they have appeared at our demonstrations."
According to <ent type='PERSON'>Romo</ent>, "The <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> people called us several times.
They told us <ent type='PERSON'>Margaret Thatcher</ent> was behind the situation in <ent type='GPE'>Iraq</ent>
and that she put George <ent type='PERSON'>Bush</ent> up to it." <ent type='PERSON'>Romo</ent> adds that "they also
said they were working with <ent type='PERSON'>Ramsey Clark</ent> as a way to get us to
cooperate."</p>

<p>Former U.S. Attorney General <ent type='PERSON'>Ramsey Clark</ent> is the lead legal counsel
for an appeal filed by <ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> H. <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>, Jr. and six followers
convicted of loan fraud. On October 6, 1989, <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> appeared and
gave oral arguments in the case before a three judge panel of the
<ent type='ORG'>Fourth Circuit</ent> Court of Appeals in <ent type='GPE'>Richmond</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Virginia</ent> to argue for
the reversal of the convictions.</p>

<p>The right of Mr. <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> to represent the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> organization is
not disputed, but when the LaRouchians use his name in a political
rather than legal context, problems arise. Based on several dozen
interviews with antiwar activists in twenty cities, it appears that
sometimes LaRouchians fundraisers and organizers mention they work
with <ent type='PERSON'>Ramsey Clark</ent>, while other times they do not. The use by the
LaRouchians of Clark's name has been very effective at college
student government meetings where many students have never heard
of <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>, and tend to be sympathetic to his claims of government
harassment. After gaining an audience, the LaRouchians encourage
the student leaders to join their "coalition" and to authorize
college funding.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Sam Schwartz</ent>, a faculty member at <ent type='ORG'>Bronx Community College</ent> in New
York, received a phone call from a <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> attorney threatening
to sue <ent type='PERSON'>Schwartz</ent> penniless unless he stopped telling students that
<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> was an anti-<ent type='NORP'>Semite</ent> and fascist. Several <ent type='NORP'>African</ent>-<ent type='GPE'>America</ent>ns
active in St. Louis who objected to the presence of the LaRouchians
in a local antiwar coalition were also threatened with lawsuits
for their critical characterization of the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> movement. <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent>
has not been involved in these threats of lawsuits.</p>

<p>Since <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> took on the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> appeal, the LaRouchians have
blazoned Clark's name across a substantial amount of propaganda
used both in fundraising and in coaxing persons into consideration
of the political message of the organization. Sometimes the LaRouchian
references to <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> simply cause confusion. One antiwar activist
who was handed a LaRouchian pamphlet mentioning <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> was at first
convinced the LaRouchians were cleverly trying to smear <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> by
using his name.</p>

<p>The LaRouchians frequently attempt to build coalitions in a sly
manner. For instance activist <ent type='PERSON'>Lanny Sinkin</ent>, a former attorney for
<ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent>, appeared at a March, 1991 post-war panel
sponsored by a <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent>, D.C. group called The Time is Now. Also
on the panel were two key <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> operatives and a leader of The
Time is Now. According to a staff member of the <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent> Peace
Center, members of The Time is Now worked closely with the LaRouchians
and thoroughly disrupted the political work of the <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent> Area
<ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> to Stop U.S. Intervention in <ent type='LOC'>the Middle East</ent> during
January and February, 1991. When members of The Time is Now passed
out LaRouche's <special><ent type='ORG'>Executive Intelligence Review</ent></special> at a February meeting,
they were asked to leave the coalition. When criticized by the
<ent type='ORG'>Peace Center</ent> staffer, <ent type='ORG'>Sinkin</ent> defended his appearance at the conference
as legitimate outreach, according to the staffer.</p>

<p><ent type='ORG'>Sinkin</ent> says he was unaware when invited that LaRouchians would also
be on the panel, and he vigorously denies that he has ever had any
ongoing relationship with the LaRouchians or that his actions were
improper. <ent type='ORG'>Sinkin</ent> says that his appearance reflected his commitment
to speaking to broad audiences. <ent type='ORG'>Organizers</ent> at the <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent> Peace
Center counter that Sinkin's presence at the meeting lent credibility
to two groups that were disrupting their work.</p>

<p>The issue here is not one of implying any type of ongoing relationship
between <ent type='ORG'>Sinkin</ent> and the LaRouchians. No such relationship exists.
But for the <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Peace Center</ent>, Sinkin's appearance on the
same platform with the LaRouchians served as an implicit endorsement,
suggesting by example that joint work with the LaRouchians was
acceptable at the same time that the <ent type='ORG'>Peace Center</ent> was telling
members of the local antiwar coalition that joint work with the
LaRouchians was unacceptable.A number of experienced antiwar
activists warn that working with the LaRouchians and other far-right
and bigoted forces will only discredit serious work towards peace
in <ent type='LOC'>the Middle East</ent>. <ent type='PERSON'>Jon Hillson</ent> is a seasoned political organizer
and peace activist based in <ent type='GPE'>Ohio</ent> who already knew the history of
the LaRouchians. <ent type='ORG'>Hillson</ent> reported <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> organizers at events
sponsored by the <ent type='GPE'>Cleveland</ent> Committee Against <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent> in the Persian
<ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent>. At one meeting, "Two people went through the crowd handing
out LaRouche's <special><ent type='ORG'>New Federalist</ent></special>," says <ent type='ORG'>Hillson</ent>. "I was shocked,
but then I realized most students had never heard of <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>,"
says <ent type='ORG'>Hillson</ent>. "I would urge people to disavow any collaboration
with them because of their past ties to government agencies...and
their homophobic, racist, sexist, and anti-<ent type='NORP'>Semitic</ent> agenda." <ent type='ORG'>Hillson</ent>
notes that it will take patience to explain to new activists why
a broad-based coalition should exclude anyone, but that the task
of educating people that coalitions with fascists should be rejected
is not one to be ignored.</p>

<p> How the LaRouchians Exploit <ent type='PERSON'>Ramsey Clark</ent></p>

<p>An <special>Associated Press (AP)</special> account of Clark's <ent type='ORG'>Fourth Circuit</ent> oral
arguments noted that "former Attorney General <ent type='PERSON'>Ramsey Clark</ent>, chief
attorney for LaRouche's appeal, argued that U.S. District Judge
<ent type='PERSON'>Albert</ent> V. Bryan Jr. of <ent type='GPE'>Alexandria</ent> allowed only thirty-four days
from arraignment to trial and failed to adequately question jurors
on how much they knew about the defendant."</p>

<p>The <ent type='ORG'>Fourth Circuit</ent> ruled against <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>, saying LaRouche's original
attorneys had waited eighteen days before asking for a continuance.
An <special>AP</special> story about the decision reported that the appeals panel
"also said LaRouche's attorneys made no attempt to press potential
jurors to determine 'individually anyone who had ever heard of
<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>,' although certain jurors who said they were familiar with
the case or who had worked in law enforcement or had accounting or
tax backgrounds were questioned individually."</p>

<p>On further appeal, the U.S. Supreme Court let the convictions stand
without a hearing or comment.</p>

<p>In fact, more than a few civil libertarians agree there was evidence
of misconduct in the government's investigation of <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>, and
the closing of LaRouche's newspaper <special><ent type='ORG'>New Solidarity</ent></special> in a federal
bankruptcy proceeding raised serious constitutional issues. Still,
there is no clear evidence that the alleged government misconduct
had a direct bearing on the criminal prosecution of <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> and
his aides.</p>

<p>When <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> has spoken at LaRouchian-sponsored press conferences
concerning the case, there has been extensive coverage in the
LaRouchian press. One such story featuring <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> appeared in
LaRouche's <special><ent type='ORG'>New Federalist</ent></special> on October 13, 1989. <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> was quoted
as saying that even though he had once been a political opponent
of <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>, he had now come to his defense because of constitutional
abuses such as a fast jury selection process, massive prejudicial
pretrial publicity, and a jury pool which contained numerous
government employees, including law enforcement agents from agencies
that had allegedly targeted <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Ramsey Clark</ent> has steadfastly refused to disassociate his legal work
for the LaRouchians from the political work of the LaRouchians,
despite the fact that the LaRouchians imply Clark's support in
numerous newspaper and magazine articles. Most critics of Clark's
silence regarding the LaRouchians say they understand he has a duty
as an attorney to represent the LaRouchians fully and vigorously,
but feel he has not been sensitive to the ways in which the
LaRouchians are using his name in the political arena. These critics
point out that the ethical imperatives for an attorney are different
than the moral obligations of a leader of an antiwar movement. They
say <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> has a political responsibility to distance himself from
the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> organization, which is separate from his role as their
attorney.</p>

<p>Sometimes it appears that Clark's support of the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> cause
has moved beyond mere legal representation. According to the July
6, 1990 <special><ent type='ORG'>New Federalist</ent></special>, on June 19, 1990, <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> spoke at a private
meeting coordinated with <ent type='ORG'>the Conference</ent> on Security and Cooperation
in Europe (<ent type='ORG'>CSCE</ent>), a multi-governmental association and human rights
forum that solicits input from non-governmental groups. The &lt;New
Federalist&gt; reported that "Clark's trip was sponsored by the <ent type='PERSON'>Schiller</ent>
Institute's Commission to Investigate Human Rights Violations, a
non-governmental organization which is urging the <ent type='ORG'>CSCE</ent> to take up
the case of <ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>, the U.S. economist and statesman who
is now America's most prominent political prisoner." The <ent type='PERSON'>Schiller</ent>
<ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent> is a LaRouchian front group which once published a book
claiming <ent type='NORP'>British</ent> <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent> helped put <ent type='PERSON'>Hitler</ent> into power.</p>

<p>In his <ent type='ORG'>CSCE</ent> speech, <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> is reported to have said he had reviewed
a random selection of sixty-five published articles on <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>
appearing in the several years prior to LaRouche's prosecution.
<ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> reportedly said "here you see that he's called every bad
thing you can imagine--<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>, anti-<ent type='NORP'>Semitic</ent>, violence-prone, thief--over
and over again. <ent type='ORG'>Vilification</ent>...it was absolutely astounding."</p>

<p>The <special><ent type='ORG'>New Federalist</ent></special> article reported that <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> said that <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>
was prosecuted on "economic crimes that didn't exist, because this
was a political movement, it was not a for-profit activity and
wasn't intended to be a for-profit activity, it was a political
movement. You make three sentences for five years each to impose
a fifteen-year sentence on a man who's sixty-six years old. To
destroy a political movement. Obviously....Unless you can wrench
[the political process] free from [the] plutocracy that absolutely
controls with an iron hand that essentially one-party system, you
won't have that change. And that's what the <ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> case
is about: you."</p>

<p>At a February 28, 1991 international conference in <ent type='GPE'>Algeria</ent> to oppose
U.S. intervention in the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent>, <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> shared the podium with long-time
<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> associate <ent type='PERSON'>Jacques Cheminade</ent>, president of the <ent type='PERSON'>Schiller</ent>
<ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent> in <ent type='GPE'>France</ent>.</p>

<p>- <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> Responds -</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> confirmed in an interview that he had spoken about the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>
case in Europe at the <ent type='ORG'>CSCE</ent> conference, but said he had not seen
the transcript of his speech that appeared in LaRouche's &lt;New
Federalist&gt;, and said his speech was not written in advance so he
had no copy. If the report of Clark's comments in <special><ent type='ORG'>New Federalist</ent></special>
are accurate--and to a large degree they reflect wording in the
appeals brief he signed--then there are serious questions as to
what he thinks of the LaRouchians. <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> seems to discount as
propaganda the charges that the LaRouchians are fascists, anti-<ent type='NORP'>Semites</ent>,
or neo-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>s. Other critics question Mr. Clark's decision to appear
at the <ent type='ORG'>CSCE</ent>-related meeting at all, pointing out that such appearances
go beyond legal representation.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> said he had not seen any materials suggesting the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>
people were using his name to organize students and others into
their antiwar work but he would like to see that material or any
other related information. But <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> seemed relatively unconcerned
that the LaRouchians might be using or abusing his name in their
political work. "That's a risk you always have," as a defense
counsel, said <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent>.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> said that the somewhat glowing description of the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>
political movement in the appeals brief he signed reflected the
right of any defendant to portray itself in a positive light.</p>

<p>According to <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent>, the prosecution of <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> in <ent type='GPE'>Virginia</ent> was a
travesty of procedure and a clear violation of the Constitutional
right to a fair trial. <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> said the issue was not whether or not
the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> people were guilty of crimes, but whether or not they
had received a fair trial. On the question of representation of
controversial clients on legal appeals, <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> said:</p>

<p>"It's a question of rights, not a question of facts. I remain
focused on the legal rights and not the nature of the person
involved. I oppose the death penalty on principle, I assume many
of the people who I represent on death penalty appeals are in fact
guilty, but that is not the point. If you have to apologize first
you have a done a disservice to the case. I resist government abuses
of people's rights. The government demonizes people...once you have
conceded the demon you have lost the principle involved in the
defense. By prefacing a defense by first saying 'of course, he is
a terrible person' it disables people from considering the matter
fairly. "</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> said the government had demonized people like <ent type='PERSON'>Saddam Hussein</ent>
and <ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> and that he felt it was not appropriate to give
in to the pejorative labeling of such persons when discussing their
activities. This is the same rationale used by <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> in 1986 when
he was criticized for not distancing himself from his client Karl
<ent type='PERSON'>Linnas</ent>, a <ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> collaborator who was eventually deported because he
had lied about his past to gain entrance to the U.S. after <ent type='ORG'>World</ent>
<ent type='EVENT'>War</ent> II. <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> represented <ent type='PERSON'>Linnas</ent> in an appeal which objected to
the procedures followed in the deportation. Critics of <ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent>,
including <ent type='PERSON'>Daniel Levitas</ent> of the Center for <ent type='NORP'>Democratic</ent> Renewal, said
<ent type='PERSON'>Clark</ent> was insensitive to the fact that anti-<ent type='NORP'>Semitic</ent> and pro-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>
groups were using Clark's appeal to buttress their claims that
<ent type='PERSON'>Linnas</ent> was innocent or that the <ent type='EVENT'>Holocaust</ent> was a hoax.[f-5]</p>

<p> <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>. <ent type='PERSON'>James Bevel</ent></p>

<p>The <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>. <ent type='PERSON'>James Bevel</ent> is an <ent type='NORP'>African</ent>-<ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n minister from <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent>
with a long history of civil rights work but a recent reputation
as an opportunist who has swung far to the right. <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>. <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> now
works closely with groups controlled by two neo-fascists, the <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>.
<ent type='LOC'>Sun</ent> Myung <ent type='LOC'>Moon</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> H. <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>, Jr. The <ent type='LOC'>Moon</ent> network supported
the war effort, while the LaRouchians did not. <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> focused his
energy in opposing <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent>, primarily through an alliance with
the LaRouchians. Bevel's ties to the LaRouchians go back several
years. <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> not only appeared as a panelist at the LaRouchian
antiwar conference in <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent>, but he also has endorsed LaRouche's
congressional candidacy, and speaks regularly at LaRouchian forums.
<ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> has served on committees created by several LaRouchian front
groups, and writes a column for the LaRouchian newspaper &lt;New
Federalist&gt;. <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> has been an effective organizer for the LaRouchians,
and took a high profile in their antiwar organizing.</p>

<p>Dr. <ent type='PERSON'>Manning</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Marable</ent>, in a 1986 column, listed <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> among a small
group of "prominent civil rights spokesmen [who] have gone so far
as to form alliances with ultra-right groups, which might give
lipservice to blacks' traditional interests." The LaRouchians have
sought coalitions with local <ent type='NORP'>African</ent>-<ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n community activists
for many years, often working through religious leaders. A recent
example was the LaRouchian support for then <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent>, D.C. Mayor
<ent type='PERSON'>Marion Barry</ent>. During Barry's trial on drug charges, the LaRouchians
and the <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent> of <ent type='NORP'>Islam</ent> helped organize protests on behalf of <ent type='PERSON'>Barry</ent>.
The LaRouchian representative during these protests was <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent>.</p>

<p>When <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> endorsed <ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> LaRouche's congressional candidacy (in
Virginia's 10th <ent type='ORG'>Congress</ent>ional District), he signed a statement
which included the claim, "<ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> is known and respected
in every nation of the Third <ent type='ORG'>World</ent> as the primary opponent of the
genocide policies of the <ent type='ORG'>IMF</ent> and as the architect and principal
spokesman for a new and more just world economic order that guarantees
the inalienable rights of all people." The statement speaks glowingly
of LaRouche's early theorizing about the AIDS virus and his
recommendations for fighting the spread of the virus. In fact, as
mentioned before, <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> has written that history would not judge
harshly those persons who took to the streets and beat homosexuals
to death with baseball bats to stop the spread of AIDS.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> represented the LaRouchian <ent type='PERSON'>Schiller</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent> in <ent type='GPE'>Omaha</ent>,
<ent type='GPE'>Nebraska</ent>. The <special><ent type='GPE'>Omaha</ent> <ent type='ORG'>World</ent>-Herald</special> reported on January 6, 1991:</p>

<p>""<ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> was one of 10 people who came to <ent type='GPE'>Nebraska</ent> in October as
members of a group calling itself <ent type='ORG'>the Citizens Fact</ent>-Finding Commission
to Investigate Human rights Violations of Children in <ent type='GPE'>Nebraska</ent>.
That group was organized by <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='PERSON'>Schiller</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent> of <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent>,
D.C., and <ent type='GPE'>Wiesbaden</ent>, <ent type='NORP'>German</ent>y. The institute was founded in 1984 by
<ent type='PERSON'>Helga Zepp</ent>-<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>. She is the wife of <ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>, who is
serving a 15-year sentence for fraud and tax evasion....The <ent type='PERSON'>Schiller</ent>
group's printed statement disputed the findings of two grand juries
in the <ent type='ORG'>Franklin</ent> case. A check by the <special><ent type='ORG'>World</ent>-Herald</special> of some of the
'facts' in the statement turned up several apparent errors. "</p>

<p>While <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>. Bevel's historic role as a valued civil rights leader
is unquestioned, he has in recent years lost his constituency and
his political moorings. Dr. <ent type='PERSON'>Manning</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Marable</ent> noted noted in 1986
that <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent>, had become "a <ent type='NORP'>Republican</ent> party leader in Chicago's
<ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> community, and soon earned the reputation as an extremist of
the right."</p>

<p>Some time after the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> conviction in January 1989, <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent>
began to appear as a featured speaker at LaRouchian conferences,
and began to write a column in the LaRouchian <special><ent type='ORG'>New Federalist</ent></special>. As
<ent type='ORG'>Marable</ent> noted in 1986:</p>

<p>"The right-wing sect of <ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> has also initiated a campaign
to recruit black supporters. As in the case of the Unification
Church, the LaRouchians work primarily through several fronts, the
<ent type='PERSON'>Schiller</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent> and the <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>al <ent type='NORP'>Democratic</ent> Policy Committee.
Again, the LaRouchians have been linked to a number of racist and
extremist groups, including <ent type='ORG'>the Liberty Lobby</ent>, the <ent type='ORG'>Klan</ent> and neo-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>s.
Currently, the LaRouchians are vigorously opposing sanctions against
South <ent type='NORP'>African</ent> apartheid. "</p>

<p>While in <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent>, <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> regularly broke ranks with the <ent type='NORP'>African</ent>-<ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n-led
coalition behind the late Mayor Harold <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent>. At the same
time, <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> was working with Moon's front group <ent type='ORG'>CAUSA</ent>. In an
interview with <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> at an <ent type='GPE'>Illinois</ent> <ent type='ORG'>CAUSA</ent> meeting, I asked him why
he would ally himself with a religious/political movement such as
that run by <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>. <ent type='LOC'>Moon</ent>. <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> replied that it was a tactical coalition
based on agreement that the main danger in the world was communism.
<ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> argued that communism was a godless philosophy, and that as
a <ent type='NORP'>Christian</ent>, it was his obligation to fight godlessness.</p>

<p>Bevel's <ent type='ORG'>CAUSA</ent> ties garnered him some unflattering publicity.
According to the December 12, 1987 <special><ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent> <ent type='LOC'>Sun</ent>-Times</special>, <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> was
one of four persons belonging to "groups created by the <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>. <ent type='LOC'>Sun</ent>
Myung Moon's <ent type='ORG'>Unification Church</ent>" who erected a creche and nativity
scene at Chicago's Daley Center Plaza. The <special><ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent> <ent type='LOC'>Sun</ent>-Times</special>
reported that "<ent type='PERSON'>William</ent> J. <ent type='PERSON'>Grutzmacher</ent>, who obtained the permit and
paid $2000 for the creche, gave a speech in October to a business
group in <ent type='GPE'>Merrillville</ent>, Ind., apparently so anti-<ent type='NORP'>Semitic</ent> that a
local newspaper ran an editorial denouncing him." The head of the
Rotary Club that had co-sponsored Grutzmacher's speech told the
reporter, "He made charges...that the <ent type='NORP'>Communist</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Party</ent> is headed by
<ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent>, and that the <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent> were responsible for every negative thing
that has happened since <ent type='ORG'>World</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent> II."</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> has also worked with other <ent type='LOC'>Moon</ent> fronts. In the October, 1990
issue of <special><ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n Freedom Journal</special>, <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> is listed as serving on
the <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>al Policy Board of the <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n Freedom <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent>, chaired
by the ultra-conservative Hon. <ent type='PERSON'>Richard Ichord</ent>. The <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n Freedom
<ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> (<ent type='ORG'>AFC</ent>) is a joint project of <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>. <ent type='LOC'>Moon</ent> and the <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>. <ent type='PERSON'>Robert</ent>
G. Grant of the ultra-right <ent type='NORP'>Christian</ent> fundamentalist group <ent type='NORP'>Christian</ent>
Voice. <ent type='ORG'>AFC</ent> fundraised for Oliver <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent>, and <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> sits on the <ent type='ORG'>AFC</ent>
<ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>al Policy Board with Maj. Gen. <ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> K. <ent type='PERSON'>Singlaub</ent>, implicated
in the <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent>gate scandal; Lt. Gen. <ent type='PERSON'>Daniel Graham</ent> of High
<ent type='ORG'>Front</ent>ier, the pro-Star <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent>s lobby; and rightist historian Dr. Cleon
Skousen. The late Dr. <ent type='PERSON'>Ralph David Abernathy</ent> was a long-time member
of the <ent type='ORG'>AFC</ent> Board of Directors along with pro-interventionist
Ambassador <ent type='PERSON'>Phillip Sanchez</ent>. On the <ent type='ORG'>AFC</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>al Advisory Board sit
rightist fundraising guru <ent type='PERSON'>Richard Viguerie</ent>, and <ent type='PERSON'>Slava Stetsko</ent>,
president of the Anti-<ent type='NORP'>Bolshevik</ent> Bloc of <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>s (<ent type='ORG'>ABN</ent>). <ent type='ORG'>ABN</ent> is
notorious because it is the descendant and spiritual heir of the
Committee of Subjugated <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>s, formed in 1943 by Hitler's allies.
According to author <ent type='PERSON'>Russ Bellant</ent>, "The <ent type='ORG'>ABN</ent> brought together fascist
forces from Hungary, <ent type='GPE'>Bulgaria</ent>, <ent type='NORP'>Romani</ent>a, the <ent type='GPE'>Ukraine</ent>, the Baltic
States, Slovenia and other nations." <ent type='PERSON'>Slava Stetsko</ent> is the widow of
<ent type='PERSON'>Yaroslav Stetsko</ent>, leader of the <ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> puppet government in the
<ent type='GPE'>Ukraine</ent> during <ent type='ORG'>World</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent> II. She once wrote a glowing introduction
to a book that defined anti-Semitism as a "smear word used by
<ent type='NORP'>Communist</ent>s against those who effectively oppose and expose them."</p>

<p>These are the fascist forces with which <ent type='PERSON'>Bevel</ent> has allied himself,
and is a striking example of the opportunistic flexibility of
fascism as a political ideology, able not only to embrace
<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>-collaborators but also to entice <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> civil rights activists.
Bevel's ties to the fascist <ent type='LOC'>Moon</ent> circles are through a shared
loathing of communism as a godless ideology, an issue which resonates
with many <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> church-based constituencies. Another congruent
theme that fascism can employ to seek alliances with <ent type='NORP'>African</ent>-<ent type='GPE'>America</ent>ns
and Hispanic-<ent type='GPE'>America</ent>ns is the opportunistic manipulation of the
issues of nationalism and self determination.</p>

<p>Other <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> leaders such as <ent type='PERSON'>Roy Innis</ent> and the late Ralph David
<ent type='PERSON'>Abernathy</ent> have forged alliances with the fascist right. <ent type='ORG'>Innis</ent> has
worked in alliance with the LaRouchians. <ent type='PERSON'>Abernathy</ent> worked with
Moon's Unification movement until his death.</p>

<p>Other Right-Wing Groups and <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent></p>

<p>Conservative groups overwhelmingly supported sending U.S. troops
to the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent>. Right-wing forces aligned with <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>. <ent type='LOC'>Sun</ent> Myung <ent type='LOC'>Moon</ent>
and those supportive of the <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>i political right forged a pro-war
coalition that placed ads in newspapers and purchased television
commercials.</p>

<p>Other rightists, primarily those who have politics that are more
accurately termed reactionary than conservative, staked out an
isolationist or "<ent type='GPE'>America</ent> First" position, and opposed sending U.S.
troops to fight <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent>.</p>

<p>The LaRouchian antiwar theories parallel many of the themes promoted
by <ent type='ORG'>the Liberty Lobby</ent>, the <ent type='ORG'>Birch Society</ent>, and author Fletcher Prouty.
According to one flyer issued by the LaRouchians, "If war is to
come, it will be the result of deliberate 'geopolitical' plotting
by <ent type='NORP'>British</ent> Prime Minister <ent type='PERSON'>Margaret Thatcher</ent>, Lord <ent type='PERSON'>Carrington</ent>, and
other <ent type='GPE'>London</ent> friends of <ent type='PERSON'>Henry Kissinger</ent>."</p>

<p>Some white supremacists outlined a frank racist agenda in their
<ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent> publications. <ent type='ORG'>The Invisible Empire</ent>, Knights of the Ku Klux
<ent type='ORG'>Klan</ent>, in the January/February, 1991 issue of <special>The <ent type='ORG'>Klan</ent>sman</special>, ran
a banner headline "<ent type='EVENT'>War</ent> in <ent type='LOC'>the Middle East</ent>? Another Blood Sacrifice
on the Altar of International <ent type='NORP'>Jew</ent>ry. Integrated Effeminate U.S.
Military Will Not Win!" <special>On <ent type='ORG'>Target</ent></special>, published by <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent>point Tactical
Teams in <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent> Carolina, released a forty-page special edition,
"Desert Shield and the New <ent type='ORG'>World</ent> Order," which ascribes the conflict
to a <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent>-<ent type='NORP'>Communist</ent> conspiracy involving <ent type='PERSON'>Henry Kissinger</ent>, David
<ent type='PERSON'>Rockefeller</ent>, George <ent type='PERSON'>Bush</ent>, and <ent type='PERSON'>Mikhail Gorbachev</ent>.</p>

<p>At the 35th Anniversary <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent> convention held in September,
1990 there was considerable antiwar sentiment expressed by speakers
who tied the U.S. presence in Saudi <ent type='NORP'>Arab</ent>ia to pressure from <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>
and its intelligence agency, <ent type='ORG'>Mossad</ent>. No matter what actual political
involvement, if any, forces that support <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent> may have had in
shaping the events that led to <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent>, the history of Liberty
Lobby is to circulate lurid anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> propaganda, not principled
factual criticisms.</p>

<p>At the conference Fletcher Prouty released the new <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent> for
Historical <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>iew's <ent type='ORG'>Noontide Press</ent> edition of his book on <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent>
intrigue, <special>The <ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent></special>. Prouty moderated a panel where
much-decorated <ent type='GPE'>Vietnam</ent> veteran Bo <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> wove a conspiracy theory
which explained the U.S. confrontation with <ent type='GPE'>Iraq</ent> as a product of
the same "<ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent>" outlined by Prouty. Both Prouty and <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent>
serve on the advisory board of <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent>'s Populist Action
Committee. <special>Spotlight's</special> coverage of <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> featured a headline
proclaiming "<ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent>ns...Get Ready to Fight or Lose Freedom:
Links Drugs, <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent>, <ent type='ORG'>Mossad</ent>; Slams U.S. Foreign Policy; Alerts Patriots
to Martial Law Threat."</p>

<p>Other conference speakers and moderators at the September 1990
<ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent> convention included attorney <ent type='PERSON'>Mark Lane</ent>, who has
drifted into alliances with <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent> that far transcend his
role as the group's lawyer, and comedian and activist <ent type='PERSON'>Dick Gregory</ent>,
whose anti-government rhetoric finds fertile soil on the far right.
<ent type='PERSON'>Dick Gregory</ent> also spoke in 1991 at the January 19th antiwar rally
in <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent>, D.C. <ent type='ORG'>Organizers</ent> of the antiwar event say they were
unaware of Gregory's previous appearance at <ent type='ORG'>the Liberty Lobby</ent>
meeting.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Mark Lane</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Dick Gregory</ent> co-authored a 1977 book on the assassination
of <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>. <ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent> Luther <ent type='ORG'>King</ent>, Jr., and both have circulated complex
conspiracy theories about other world events which could account
in part for their drift towards the conspiratorial <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent>
network.</p>

<p>The attempts by some of the rightist groups who opposed the war to
penetrate the progressive antiwar movement came during a period of
significant realignment among U.S. right-wing and conservative
political groups. In some rightist groups, long hidden racialist
theories are being dusted off and recirculated, which has caused
further splits. One of the most significant historical divisions
on the <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n political right is between those groups that espouse
racialist (race-based) theories--generally anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> and white
supremacist--and those that do not.</p>

<p>People associated with <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent> and the historically-related
<ent type='ORG'>Populist Party</ent> circulated antiwar and pro-isolationist literature,
including <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent>'s weekly newspaper <special>Spotlight</special>, at several
antiwar rallies, including demonstrations in <ent type='GPE'>Boston</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent>,
D.C., <ent type='GPE'>Los Angeles</ent>, and <ent type='GPE'>West Palm</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>Beach</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Florida</ent>. <special>Spotlight</special> cheers
the activities of U.S. neo-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>s and skinheads but masks its
anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> stance behind coded phrases such as "dual-loyalist."
According to the Center for <ent type='NORP'>Democratic</ent> Renewal:</p>

<p>"The <ent type='GPE'>Florida</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Populist Party</ent> attended [the <ent type='GPE'>Florida</ent>] anti-war
rally...handing out a leaflet that read in part: 'The most conspicuous
foes of war have been on the left, and we in <ent type='ORG'>the Populist Party</ent>
support their efforts.' <ent type='PERSON'>Don</ent> <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent>, a former <ent type='ORG'>Klan</ent> leader, had a
taped message on the Party's phone line: 'Make no mistake, this is
Israel's war, and <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n sons and daughters are fighting it for
them.' "</p>

<p>In its January 7-14, 1991 edition, <special>Spotlight</special> carried an article
titled "<ent type='ORG'>Volunteers Flock</ent> to <ent type='GPE'>Iraq</ent> To Help Fight U.S., <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>." This
phenomenon was favorably compared to "the building of <ent type='ORG'>the Waffen</ent>
SS legions in Europe during <ent type='ORG'>World</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent> II, when almost 1 million
men from all over Europe and as far away as India voluntarily
enlisted to fight communism under the leadership of the <ent type='NORP'>German</ent> high
command. That development was also suppressed and never mentioned
by the Anglo-<ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n press. <ent type='ORG'>Allied</ent> commanders, however, knew the
Waffen SS as an extremely effective fighting force."</p>

<p>An advertisement in the same issue of <special>Spotlight</special> touted a book
"<ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>: Our Duty...Our Dilemma" under the headline "How Will You
Respond To The Next Mid-East <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent>?" While <special>Spotlight</special> itself usually
avoids the loaded language of this ad, the pages of <special>Spotlight</special>
are frequently used by racist, anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent>, and pro-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> groups to
call attention to their products, publications, events, and views.
The ad copy is also significant because it encapsulates many of
the themes used by anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> bigots in criticizing <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent> and
<ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent>:</p>

<p>"If you are like most <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>ns you will react as the pro-<ent type='NORP'>Zionist</ent>
media has <special>BI</special>programmed&lt; you to react. "</p>

<p>"But if you have read "<ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>: Our Duty...Our Dilemma" you will
see the <special>BI</special>whole&lt; picture--how Israel's ruling elite are using
terrorism, <ent type='EVENT'>Holocaust</ent> sympathy, twisted Bible verses--toward one
objective: Power. "</p>

<p>"Power in <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>. Power in <ent type='LOC'>the Middle East</ent>. Power in the world.
"</p>

<p>"Distilling 14 years' research in semi-secret <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> sources,
evangelical writer <ent type='PERSON'>Theodore Winston Pike</ent> demonstrates that through
Kabbalistic occultism, international banking, communism, liberalism,
and media control, <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent> is doing exactly what the Bible prophesies:
establishing a power base in <ent type='LOC'>the Middle East</ent> upon which her false
messiah, AntiChrist, will someday rule. "</p>

<p>- The <ent type='PERSON'>Buchanan</ent> Controversy The issue of anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> rhetoric over
the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> crisis first surfaced in September, 1990 as part of a long
simmering feud within the political right in <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent> States.
Ultra-conservative columnist Pat <ent type='PERSON'>Buchanan</ent> fired the first salvo to
reach the mainstream media when he declared on the McLaughlin Group
roundtable television program that the two groups most favoring
war in <ent type='LOC'>the Middle East</ent> were "the <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>i Defense Ministry and its
amen chorus in <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent> States." <special><ent type='GPE'>New York</ent> Times</special> columnist A.M.
<ent type='PERSON'>Rosenthal</ent> charged that Buchanan's comments reflected anti-Semitism,
to which <ent type='PERSON'>Buchanan</ent> retorted that <ent type='PERSON'>Rosenthal</ent> had made a "contract hit"
on him in collusion with the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith
(<ent type='ORG'>ADL</ent>).</p>

<p>To unravel the background of the dispute takes a political scorecard.
<ent type='PERSON'>Buchanan</ent> is allied with reactionary and hard-line rightist forces
in the U.S. who sometimes are called paleo-<ent type='NORP'>conservatives</ent> or
"<ent type='PERSON'>Paleocons</ent>" due to their ties to the "Old Right" in <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent>
States. Racism and anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> bigotry were common themes in some
(although not all) Old Right groups. <ent type='ORG'>ADL</ent> is a <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> human rights
group often allied with the "<ent type='ORG'>Neocons</ent>," the neo-conservative movement
in <ent type='GPE'>the Unites</ent> States. <ent type='ORG'>ADL</ent> leaders are also frequently ardent and
uncritical supporters of <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>i government policies, as are many
<ent type='ORG'>Neocons</ent>. <ent type='ORG'>ADL</ent> has produced some excellent material on bigotry and
prejudice, but its leaders have labeled as anti-<ent type='NORP'>Semitic</ent> statements
which are solely political criticisms of <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent> or <ent type='NORP'>Zionism</ent>. Since
there are some high-profile <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent> in the intellectual leadership of
the neo-conservative movement, some persons have concluded that
neo-conservatism is a <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> ideology. This is as prejudiced an
assertion as the claim that communism is a <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> ideology because
of the role played in it by some <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> intellectuals.</p>

<p>Buchanan's statement in and of itself was not necessarily anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent>,
but in the context of Buchanan's long record of insensitivity when
writing about <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent>, the contention that <ent type='PERSON'>Buchanan</ent> is an anti-<ent type='NORP'>Semite</ent>
is not without foundation. <ent type='PERSON'>Buchanan</ent> has not only defended those
who say the <ent type='EVENT'>Holocaust</ent> was a hoax, but implied their views have some
merit. <ent type='PERSON'>Buchanan</ent> endorsed the work of the Rockford <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent> after
other <ent type='NORP'>conservatives</ent> criticized it for its tolerance of apparently
anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> sentiments. In his January 25, 1990 newsletter, <ent type='PERSON'>Buchanan</ent>
penned what was in essence an ode to fascism which celebrated the
efficiency of autocracy, and concluded with the line, "If the people
are corrupt, the more democracy, the worse the government." The
column also echoed historically racialist themes.</p>

<p>Actually, the <ent type='ORG'>Neocons</ent> for ten years quietly have tolerated more
than a little anti-<ent type='NORP'>democratic</ent> authoritarianism, anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> bigotry,
and racism from their tactical allies on the Paleocon right. Their
alliance was based on shared support for militant anti-communism,
celebration of unfettered free enterprise, calls for high levels
of U.S. spending on the U.S. military, and support for a militarily
strong <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent> dominated by hard-line ultra-conservative political
parties that would stand as a bulwark against communism in the
<ent type='LOC'>Middle East</ent>.</p>

<p>Author Sara <ent type='PERSON'>Diamond</ent> (who covered the <ent type='PERSON'>Buchanan</ent>/<ent type='PERSON'>Rosenthal</ent> feud in &lt;Z
Magazine&gt;) notes "the <ent type='PERSON'>Buchanan</ent> forces explicitly rejected coalition
with the left on the issue of opposing intervention in the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent>."</p>

<p>The Courtship Continues</p>

<p>"Reactionary concepts plus revolutionary emotion result in <ent type='NORP'>Fascist</ent>
mentality. "</p>

<p>(<ent type='PERSON'>Wilhelm Reich</ent>)</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Craig Hulet</ent>'s Reductionist <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent> Critiques</p>

<p>One critic of government policies who draws from both left and
right sources and perspectives is <ent type='GPE'>Seattle</ent>-based analyst <ent type='PERSON'>Craig</ent> B.
Hulet. During the past year, progressive radio stations including
<ent type='ORG'>KPFA</ent> in <ent type='GPE'>San Francisco</ent> and <ent type='ORG'>KPFK</ent> in <ent type='GPE'>Los Angeles</ent> aired compelling
condemnations of <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent> produced by Hulet, also known as K.C.
DePass. A number of study groups were formed in <ent type='GPE'>California</ent> following
Hulet's radio and personal appearances. Hulet claimed in an
interview that his theories have no relation to conspiracist theories
such as those circulated by <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Birch Society</ent></ent>, and he is quick
to distance himself from the racialist and anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> theories of
far-right groups such as <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent>. Still, Hulet's analysis,
which exaggerates the role of the Al Sabah family in world affairs,
has many of the hallmarks of other oversimplified conspiracist
theories which reduce complex issues to simple equations; and it
seems to scapegoat one family of <ent type='NORP'>Arab</ent>s, albeit one with powerful
financial holdings, in a way that would be equally unacceptable if
their name was <ent type='PERSON'>Rothschild</ent> rather than Al Sabah. No matter what his
actual affiliations, Hulet essentially employs a variation on the
elite financial insider conspiracy of <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Birch Society</ent></ent>.</p>

<p>Hulet has a smooth style and self-confident tone, but in essence,
Hulet's analysis reflects a cynical right-wing libertarian perspective
laced with conspiratorial theories. The basic theme of his <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent>
<ent type='EVENT'>War</ent> analysis boils down to an assertion that Kuwait's ruling Al
Sabah family dictated U.S. policy in <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent> in concert with
ruling financial elites in <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent> States. According to Hulet,
the Al Sabah family could do this because they controlled vast
financial holdings in the U.S. and they threatened to withdraw
those holdings and collapse the U.S. economy unless the U.S. pushed
<ent type='GPE'>Iraq</ent> out of <ent type='GPE'>Kuwait</ent>. Hulet also maintains that the investments of
George <ent type='PERSON'>Bush</ent> and his father <ent type='PERSON'>Prescott</ent> make George <ent type='PERSON'>Bush</ent> vulnerable to
manipulation by the Al Sabah family.</p>

<p>A Hulet promotional brochure reveals a pattern of similar reductionist
statements and unsubstantiated conspiratorial claims. According to
the brochure:</p>

<p>"Hulet outlines the actual political objectives of the <ent type='PERSON'>Bush</ent>
administration regarding <ent type='LOC'>the Middle East</ent>...why we gave <ent type='PERSON'>Hussein</ent> the
green light to invade <ent type='GPE'>Kuwait</ent> and why <ent type='PERSON'>Bush</ent> will disallow any
legitimate cease fire overture by <ent type='PERSON'>Hussein</ent>....volatile...material
concerning George Bush's connections as well as those of his father,
<ent type='PERSON'>Prescott</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>Bush</ent>...<ent type='LOC'>Middle East</ent> and the New <ent type='ORG'>World</ent> Order discussed in
detail... "</p>

<p>The brochure claims that the Hulet report &lt;Overview of Government
Corruption and Manipulation&gt; provides "an excellent understanding
identifying the elite and how and why they control society". In a
similar vein, the brochure claims the Hulet report &lt;<ent type='ORG'>The Gnomes</ent> of
<ent type='GPE'>Zurich</ent>&gt; provides, "...an overview identifying the elites who manage
this country and how and why they control it's aim...."</p>

<p>The text of <special><ent type='ORG'>The Gnomes</ent> of <ent type='GPE'>Zurich</ent></special> shows a more detailed yet
consistent reliance on conspiratorial assertions:</p>

<p>"Keeping the left wing grass roots at the throat of the right wing
grass roots, serves the purpose, the means, and ultimately..., the
END, of these quite powerful elitists. As each side at the basic
root level; the grass roots level if you will, are both being used,
duped, and manipulated by the <ent type='ORG'>Elite</ent>...They are quite simply, these
sincere yet almost silly at times local people, unwittingly part
of an ingenious plan to create a &lt;synthesis...ingenious because of
its simplicity...For you see the <ent type='ORG'>Elite</ent> in the <ent type='ORG'>Kremlin</ent>&gt;, and the
<special><ent type='ORG'>Elite</ent> in <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent></special> quite agree on the end at which they both
aim (the synthesis). <special>A <ent type='ORG'>Global Regime</ent></special>. "</p>

<p>These are just a few examples of Hulet's conspiracist style. Most
of Hulet's work concerns conspiracies of the "elites." Actually,
much of Hulet's thesis is an echo of the book "Call it Conspiracy"
by <ent type='PERSON'>Larry Abraham</ent>, which is itself a rewrite and expansion of the
book "None Dare Call it Conspiracy" by <ent type='PERSON'>Gary Allen</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Larry Abraham</ent>.
Allen's writings were widely popularized by <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Birch Society</ent></ent>.
Hulet's intellectual tradition can clearly be shown to be congruent
with that of <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Birch Society</ent></ent>.</p>

<p>In at least one case, Hulet moves beyond conspiracism into elevating
a satire to documentary status. Hulet labels as fact material from
the book <special>Report from <ent type='LOC'>Iron Mountain</ent></special>. Hulet refers to the work as
if it were a secret government document. Actually, &lt;Report from
<ent type='LOC'>Iron Mountain</ent>&gt; is an allegorical critique of the pro-militarist
lobby and a well-known example of political satire. [f-6] While an
excellent philosophical discussion of the errors of the Cold <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent>,
it should be noted that it was produced by Leonard C. Lewin,
described on the book jacket as a "critic and satirist" who was
editor of <special>A Treasury of <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n <ent type='ORG'>Political</ent> Humor</special>. Apparently
Hulet didn't get the joke.</p>

<p>Hulet also plows the ground of left/right coalition. Hulet says
that he works closely with former <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent> attorney Lanny
<ent type='ORG'>Sinkin</ent> to buttress his credibility on the left.</p>

<p>On one radio interview, Hulet responded to a question regarding
third parties in the U.S. by saying:</p>

<p>"The problem with those third parties is that they are such a tiny,
tiny minority of the intelligentsia. Many of them like the <ent type='NORP'>Libertarian</ent>
<ent type='ORG'>Party</ent> is splintered between factions. They are fighting amongst
themselves. They still see it as a left-wing right-wing dialectic
that they must oppose. And all I'm trying to make very clear to
the <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n people, including the ones that read all the right
books, is that the enemy is our government. The enemy is not part
of our society. It has always historically been them versus us.
The government versus the people. And the <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n people have to
stop fighting amongst themselves. "</p>

<p>Hulet recommends the research on Trilateralism of Antony C. <ent type='PERSON'>Sutton</ent>,
a far-right theorist who publishes the &lt;<ent type='ORG'>Phoenix Letter</ent>: A Report
on the Abuse of Power&gt;, and <special><ent type='ORG'>Future Technology Intelligence Report</ent></special>.
The latter carried Sutton's sentiment that "without political
intervention cancer would have been cured decades ago." Citing
<ent type='PERSON'>Sutton</ent> in any context is problematic given Sutton's exotic views.
<ent type='PERSON'>Sutton</ent>, for instance, asserts that various government and political
operatives, controlled by international bankers, have suppressed
the technology to control the weather, produce free energy, and
achieve "<ent type='ORG'>Acoustical Levitation</ent>." <ent type='PERSON'>Sutton</ent> also reports on "possible
advanced alien technology" including anti-gravity devices recovered
from <ent type='EVENT'>UFOs</ent> by the U.S. government. When Hulet was asked why he would
put forward <ent type='PERSON'>Sutton</ent> as someone to prove his thesis, he replied that
it was a choice between <ent type='PERSON'>Sutton</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Holly Sklar</ent>, and he considered
<ent type='PERSON'>Sklar</ent> a <ent type='NORP'>Marxist</ent>. This says much about the political milieu from
which Hulet is emerging.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Sklar</ent>, who has written progressive critiques of the <ent type='NORP'>Trilateralists</ent>,
warns antiwar activists that "there is a big difference between
understanding the influence of <ent type='ORG'>the Trilateral Commission</ent> on world
affairs and the paranoid right-wing fantasy that the <ent type='NORP'>Trilateralists</ent>
and their allies are an omnipotent cabal controlling the world.
It's important for people to base their political decisions on
facts, not lazy catch-all conspiracy theories."</p>

<p>Journalist <ent type='PERSON'>David Barsamian</ent> interviewed Hulet for a <ent type='GPE'>Boulder</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Colorado</ent>
radio station and his Alternative Radio tape series which is aired
on numerous local radio stations nationwide. The <special><ent type='ORG'>Open Magazine</ent></special>
pamphlet series reproduced a transcript of Barsamian's interview
with Hulet, and sold them alongside interviews with researchers
who have a more substantial and serious track record, including
<ent type='PERSON'>Noam Chomsky</ent>, Helen Caldicott, and <ent type='PERSON'><ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Stockwell</ent></ent>. After selling
one thousand copies of the pamphlet--far less than the others,
<special><ent type='ORG'>Open Magazine</ent></special> did not reprint the pamphlet and it went out of
print, according to co-owner <ent type='PERSON'>Stuart Sahulka</ent>. According to <ent type='ORG'>Sahulka</ent>,
the Hulet pamphlet was published because there was "such an
overpressing need for information about the war," and that except
for exaggerating the amount of <ent type='GPE'>Kuwait</ent>i investment in the U.S., it
seemed accurate.</p>

<p><ent type='NORP'>Barsamian</ent> is troubled by some of Hulet's assertions regarding the
genesis of <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent>, and Hulet's apparent claim that the <ent type='GPE'>Kuwait</ent>i
royal families control of $300 billion in U.S. investments was
the key issue in prompting the war. (Most newspapers and financial
reporting services place the <ent type='GPE'>Kuwait</ent>i/U.S. investment figure in the
range of 30-50 billion dollars, with a low of 15 and a high of 80
in current documented mainstream and alternative press accounts.)
<ent type='NORP'>Barsamian</ent> and other progressive researchers and journalists have
been unable to document some of Hulet's claims, which may represent
legitimate suppositions, but were presented by Hulet in numerous
radio interviews as facts. Hulet argues that the integrity of his
research should not be judged on the basis of radio interviews
where discussions are often hectic and condensed. On the other
hand, Hulet gained his influence as a <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent> critic and his
largest audience through radio talk shows.</p>

<p><ent type='NORP'>Barsamian</ent> warns progressives of falling for the type of "left
guruism" where sensational anti-government theories are accepted
without any independent critical analysis. He notes that during
the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> crisis <ent type='PERSON'>Craig Hulet</ent> was elevated to expert status by
progressives who accepted his pronouncements as fact without
seriously examining his credentials, which he sometimes inflates.</p>

<p>For instance, one Hulet brochure describes him as a "Published
columnist and political cartoonist. Articles frequently appear in
national publications: &lt;Financial Security Digest, International
Combat Arms, <ent type='GPE'>Seattle</ent> Times, LA Weekly, SF Examiner, <ent type='ORG'>Oakland Tribune</ent>&gt;
and more." In fact, while the phrasing strongly suggests Hulet has
written for the latter four publications, Hulet admits those cites
actually refer to instances when he was quoted or his research used
in preparing the article. Most journalists and academics would
consider that a misrepresentation. In the long run, whether or not
Hulet's analysis stands up to intellectual criticism will be
determined by his ability to defend his thesis--a defense that can
only take place if his views are vigorously debated, not uncritically
accepted as gospel. That is the same critical standard to which
all researchers should be held.</p>

<p>An especially useful book in understanding how Hulet's conspiracy
theories of oligarchic manipulation, anti-government demagoguery,
and appeal to individualism fits into the fascist tradition is "The
<ent type='NORP'>Fascist</ent> Ego" by <ent type='PERSON'>William</ent> R. <ent type='PERSON'>Tucker</ent>.[f-7] The book is a study of
the <ent type='NORP'>French</ent> intellectual fascist, <ent type='PERSON'><ent type='PERSON'>Robert</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>Brasillach</ent></ent>, whose egocentric
flirtation with fascism ended with his execution as a collaborator
at the end of WWII.</p>

<p>Author <ent type='PERSON'>Tucker</ent>, as the jacket blurb explains:</p>

<p>"...sees in Brasillach's involvement in fascism a form of anarchic
individualism or 'right-wing anarchism.' He suggests that, far from
being a form of social or moral conservatism, Brasillach's fascism
was inspired by an anti-modernism that placed the creative individuals
sensibilities and his ego at the center of things. Brasillach's
fear that the individualist prerogatives of the creative elite
would be submerged in the industrialized and rationalized society
that loomed on the horizon was important as a basis for his thoughts
and actions. "</p>

<p>To understand <ent type='PERSON'>Brasillach</ent> and his soul-mates is to understand <ent type='PERSON'>Craig</ent>
Hulet, and his followers.</p>

<p>How <ent type='ORG'>the Populist Party</ent> Uses Hulet</p>

<p>While <ent type='PERSON'>Craig Hulet</ent>, featured on the <ent type='GPE'>California</ent> <ent type='NORP'>Pacifica</ent> radio
stations, is careful to distance himself from views that are racist
or anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent>, not everyone who champions Hulet as an commentator
on <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent> or Bush's New <ent type='ORG'>World</ent> Order makes those distinctions.
Some persons, wittingly or not, use Hulet's theories to introduce
others to the more bigoted theorists. Hulet helped spark a political
movement in <ent type='GPE'>California</ent> following <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent> that, according to
persons attending the meetings, fed scores, perhaps hundreds, of
political activists into a far-right, racist, and anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent>
political organizing drive supporting the Presidential candidacy
of Col. James Bo <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> of <ent type='ORG'>the Populist Party</ent>.</p>

<p>The story of one person living in <ent type='LOC'>the Bay Area</ent>, called here Dana
<ent type='PERSON'>Pierce</ent>, illustrates the study group phenomenon sparked by Hulet's
presentations. The story shows an organizing dynamic in action,
and is not meant to imply that Hulet is a party to the dynamic,
merely that others opportunistically use Hulet as bait.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Dana Pierce</ent> had become critical of domestic U.S. financial policies,
and attended a meeting of others who shared that view. <ent type='PERSON'>Pierce</ent> was
invited by the leader of the group, an older man with "a pro-democracy
demeanor," to a meeting in the <ent type='GPE'>San Rafael</ent> area to meet someone who
might assist with a particular financial problem.</p>

<p>At that second meeting, the facilitator announced the group was
trying to understand George <ent type='PERSON'>Bush</ent> and the New <ent type='ORG'>World</ent> Order. They were
studying history and political science, and were reading material
by <ent type='PERSON'>Noam Chomsky</ent>. It was explained that the group had formed after
several core persons, who opposed sending U.S. troops to the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent>,
had heard <ent type='PERSON'>Craig Hulet</ent>'s speeches in <ent type='LOC'>the Bay Area</ent>, primarily on
radio station <ent type='ORG'>KPFA</ent>, both in live interviews and on tape. Some people
had seen Hulet on videotape. They had responded to Hulet's call
for people to educate themselves by forming the group.</p>

<p>The group consisted of at least thirty people and had met about
four times when <ent type='PERSON'>Pierce</ent> attended the meeting. For the main program
of the meeting, the group watched a videotape of <ent type='PERSON'>Eustace Mullins</ent>
talking about the sinister aspects of the <ent type='ORG'>Federal Reserve</ent> system.
As the tape progressed, <ent type='PERSON'>Pierce</ent> became increasingly uneasy.</p>

<p>"<ent type='PERSON'>Mullins</ent> was jumping back and forth, claiming bankers supported
both the <ent type='NORP'>Bolshevik</ent> revolution and the <ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>s, he praised the right-wing
Hunt brothers, and then began to mention the <ent type='PERSON'>Rothschild</ent> family. He
said the <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> was part of the plot, and <ent type='PERSON'>William</ent> F. <ent type='ORG'>Buckley</ent> is <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent>
which was why some conservative groups dismissed his theories. All
the while I watched people smiling and nodding their heads and I
began to wonder if I was the only one to catch the reference to
the <ent type='PERSON'>Rothschilds</ent> and wondered if I was being over-sensitive because
I was <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent>. "</p>

<p>After the tape, according to <ent type='PERSON'>Pierce</ent>, "the host stood up and praised
<ent type='PERSON'>Mullins</ent> and said he was a close associate of <ent type='PERSON'>Ezra Pound</ent>. The host
also said that the banking system is communistic because both are
monopolistic."</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Pierce</ent> went to the local library and looked up a biography of Ezra
Pound and discovered that <ent type='PERSON'>Mullins</ent> had been associated with Pound,
and that Pound was a virulent anti-<ent type='NORP'>Semite</ent>. <ent type='PERSON'>Pierce</ent> then read <ent type='PERSON'>Hannah</ent>
Arendt's treatise on the origins of anti-Semitism, and pieces of
the puzzle began to fall into place.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Pierce</ent> had not heard Hulet before and so went to hear a July 1991
speech at <ent type='ORG'>the First Unitarian Church</ent> in <ent type='GPE'>San Francisco</ent>. Admission
was ten dollars and the audience numbered at least 100.</p>

<p>"He was a glib speaker, and he presents concerns all of us
have--concerns many people on the left certainly have about the
<ent type='PERSON'>Bush</ent> administration and how there is no effective congressional
oversight. I can listen to him and agree he is focused on some real
problems in this country. What he does is bring into the open a
lot of concerns and he discusses issues succinctly and in ways that
people can follow. If I had just gone to hear him I probably would
have been quite taken with him, but in the context of the first
meeting, I listened with skepticism, and am worried. People want
so much to believe in him they don't want to hear any criticism.
I saw how people can hear Hulet and then be led to <ent type='PERSON'>Mullins</ent>. If
you look at the origins of anti-Semitism described by <ent type='PERSON'>Arendt</ent>, you
can see how a self-confident person who provides simple explanations
can offer comfort to people who sense that something is wrong with
our society and that they are being lied to, which is true. But
it was scary to see how easily people were then led into accepting
the scapegoating of <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent> and the other conspiracy theories discussed
by <ent type='PERSON'>Eustace Mullins</ent> on the videotape. At first I thought there was
something wrong with me, but now I think there is a serious problem
that people on the left need to talk about. "</p>

<p>Hulet was listed in a 1986 <special>Spotlight</special> advertisement as a speaker
at a day-long seminar with ultra-rightist <ent type='NORP'>Australian</ent> Eric D. <ent type='ORG'>Butler</ent>
and pro-apartheid writer <ent type='PERSON'>Ivor Benson</ent>, a notorious anti-<ent type='NORP'>Semite</ent>. Both
men are leading theorists affiliated with <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent>. Also on
the 1986 panel was rightist newsletter editor Lawrence Patterson,
recently named to <ent type='ORG'>the Liberty Lobby</ent> PAC, and <ent type='PERSON'>David Irving</ent>, an author
who claims the <ent type='EVENT'>Holocaust</ent> was a <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> hoax. Repeated attempts to
interview Hulet regarding this meeting and the <ent type='GPE'>California</ent> study
groups, including a visit to his base in a town north of <ent type='GPE'>Seattle</ent>,
were brushed off by his wife, Kathleen DePass Hulet, who handles
his publicity from a frame shop in downtown <ent type='GPE'>Everett</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent>.
Hulet has told one newspaper that he did not attend the event. The
matter is unimportant in an overall assessment of Hulet's
ideological--as opposed to organizational--allegiances.</p>

<p>Left/Right Critiques and <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent>s</p>

<p>It would be grossly unfair to suggest that all information from
the political right is inaccurate conspiracism. Right-wing groups
are quite capable of producing factual investigative material and
persuasive journalistic stories. For instance, every year "Project
Censored" runs a contest to pick the ten top stories not adequately
covered by the mainstream press. On a 1991 <ent type='ORG'>PBS</ent> television program
reviewing the 1990 Project Censored stories, commentator <ent type='PERSON'>Bill Moyers</ent>
held up a copy of the <special>Spotlight</special> as an example of two such
stories--one on aspects of U.S. foreign policy in the early days
of the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> crisis, another highlighting repressive features of an
anti-crime bill. Not all stories surfaced by the far right are
accurate, however, and many feature convoluted and undocumented
conspiracy theories featuring a paranoid analysis.</p>

<p>At the same time the right has been wooing the left, right-wing
groups have been promoting a number of left resources such as books
and videos that criticize certain aspects of government policy or
ruling elites. For instance, <ent type='PERSON'>Noam Chomsky</ent>'s critiques of U.S.
foreign policy, <ent type='PERSON'>Holly Sklar</ent>'s studies of <ent type='ORG'>the Trilateral Commission</ent>,
and <ent type='PERSON'>Brian Glick</ent>'s manual on domestic repression are praised and
distributed by right-wing book peddlers.</p>

<p>These cross-ideological pollinations do not imply any ideological
connection between the left researchers and the right--any group
can distribute a book--but demonstrates that the political right
sees points of alliance with the left, especially around issues
relating to government abuses of power.</p>

<p>Government repression and intelligence abuse are not the only areas
of research on the left where convoluted theories are circulated.
Unsubstantiated conspiracist theories, claiming secret circles of
corporate influence in <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent> States, also flow between left
and right pro-environmentalists. One <ent type='GPE'>Massachusetts</ent> environmental
activist researches alternative energy sources, circulates materials
on elite control of energy policy, and refers interested
environmentalists to the work of <ent type='PERSON'>Eustace Mullins</ent> who writes about
the so-called <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> international banking conspiracy. In his
worldview, <ent type='PERSON'>Mullins</ent>' research unraveling powerful industrial and
banking conspiracies can help explain government antagonism toward
environmental reform[f-8]</p>

<p>On one forum for activists on a national electronic computer based
network, excerpts from LaRouchian and <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent> publications
have been uncritically posted by persons who primarily circulate
information from left and progressive sources. This builds the
credibility of the LaRouchians and <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent> circles and implies
that they are natural allies.</p>

<p>An example of one left/right information alliance involves Dan
<ent type='PERSON'>Brandt</ent>, creator of the Namebase software program, an immensely
useful computer tool which searches a huge index of <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent>-related
publications and documents. <ent type='PERSON'>Brandt</ent> has created a non-profit group
with a board of advisors composed of both left and right critics
of U.S. intelligence agencies, including <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>-defender Fletcher
Prouty who joined the advisory board of <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent>'s Populist
Action Committee. On the other hand, <ent type='PERSON'>Brandt</ent> is highly critical of
the LaRouchians.</p>

<p>True <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent></p>

<p>In 1991, ultra-right political groups began organizing a nationwide
campaign to build support for <ent type='ORG'>Populist Party</ent> candidate Bo <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent>.
<ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> was named in 1991 to the advisory board of the Populist Action
Committee created by the quasi-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent>, publisher of
the weekly newspaper <special>Spotlight</special>. The <ent type='ORG'>Populist Party</ent> organizing
drive is of interest to progressives because <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> told a July,
1991 meeting in <ent type='GPE'>Palo Alto</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>California</ent> that they should reach out
and attempt to recruit persons from the left.</p>

<p>Also named to <ent type='ORG'>the Liberty Lobby</ent> Populist Action Committee was
retired <ent type='ORG'>Air Force</ent> Colonel and intelligence specialist Fletcher
Prouty, author of the 1973 book <special>The <ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent></special>, now published
by <ent type='ORG'>IHR</ent>. Prouty has been appearing at conferences and on radio
programs sponsored by <ent type='ORG'>the Liberty Lobby</ent>.</p>

<p>Others named to <ent type='ORG'>the Liberty Lobby</ent> Populist Action Committee were
<ent type='PERSON'>Abe Austin</ent>, described as an <ent type='GPE'>Illinois</ent> businessman and expert on
money; <ent type='PERSON'>Mike Blair</ent>, <special>Spotlight</special> writer whose articles on government
repression were highlighted by Project Censored; <ent type='PERSON'>Ken Bohnsack</ent>, an
<ent type='GPE'>Illinois</ent> resident called the founder of the Sovereignty movement;
<ent type='PERSON'>Howard Carson</ent>, a <special>Spotlight</special> distributor; <ent type='PERSON'>William</ent> Gill, president
of the protectionist <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> for Competitive Trade; Boyd
Godlove Jr., chairman of <ent type='ORG'>the Populist Party</ent> of <ent type='GPE'>Maryland</ent>; <ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent>
Larson, a contributor to <special><ent type='ORG'>The Journal</ent> of Historical <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>iew</special> which
maintains the <ent type='EVENT'>Holocaust</ent> was a <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> hoax; <ent type='PERSON'>Roger Lourie</ent>, president
of Devin-Adair Publishing; <ent type='PERSON'>Pauline Mackey</ent>, national treasurer for
the 1988 <ent type='PERSON'>David Duke</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Populist Party</ent> Presidential campaign; Tom
McIntyre, national chairman of <ent type='ORG'>the Populist Party</ent> from 1987-1990;
<ent type='PERSON'>John Nugent</ent>, who ran for <ent type='ORG'>Congress</ent> from <ent type='GPE'>Tennessee</ent> as a <ent type='NORP'>Republican</ent>
in 1990; Lawrence Patterson, publisher of the far-right
ultra-conspiratorial <special>Criminal Politics</special> newsletter; <ent type='PERSON'>Jerry Pope</ent>,
chair of the Kentucky <ent type='ORG'>Populist Party</ent>; <ent type='PERSON'>John Rakus</ent>, president of the
<ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>al Justice Foundation; Hon. <ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> R. <ent type='PERSON'>Rarick</ent>, former <ent type='NORP'>Democratic</ent>
<ent type='ORG'>House</ent> member now in <ent type='GPE'>Louisiana</ent>; <ent type='PERSON'>Sherman Skolnick</ent>, a <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent>an who
has peddled bizarre conspiracy theories for over a decade; Major
James H. Townsend, editor of the <special><ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>al Educator</special> from <ent type='GPE'>California</ent>;
Jim <ent type='PERSON'>Tucker</ent>, <special>Spotlight</special> contributor who specializes on covering
the <ent type='NORP'>Bilderberger</ent> banking group; <ent type='PERSON'>Tom Valentine</ent>, <ent type='LOC'>Midwest</ent> bureau chief
for <special>Spotlight</special>; <ent type='PERSON'>Raymond Walk</ent>, an <ent type='GPE'>Illinois</ent> critic of free trade;
and <ent type='PERSON'>Robert</ent> H. <ent type='ORG'>Weems</ent>, founding national chairman of the Populist
<ent type='ORG'>Party</ent>.</p>

<p>The <ent type='ORG'>Populist Party</ent> has long been a meeting ground for segregationists,
anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> conspiracy mongers, white supremacists and former
members of the Ku Klux <ent type='ORG'>Klan</ent>. The formation of <ent type='ORG'>the Liberty Lobby</ent>
Populist Action Committee comes at a time when some right wing
groups are attempting to build bridges to the left around shared
critiques of government misconduct, a process that was accelerated
during <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent>.</p>

<p>In the June, 1991 issue of <special>The Populist Observer</special>, <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> wrote,
"I call upon you as <ent type='NORP'>Republican</ent>, <ent type='NORP'>Democrat</ent>, <ent type='NORP'>Libertarian</ent>, Independent,
right, left, conservative, liberal, et.al., to UNITE AS POPULISTS
[emphasis in original] until we have our nation firmly back on her
feet." <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> made a similar plea at a July meeting in <ent type='GPE'>Palo Alto</ent>,
<ent type='GPE'>California</ent>.</p>

<p>Gritz's call for the left/right coalition apparently first surfaced
publicly at his Freedom Call '90 conference held in July, 1990 in
<ent type='GPE'>Las Vegas</ent>. Speakers at that conference included <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> and anti-<ent type='NORP'>Semite</ent>
<ent type='PERSON'>Eustace Mullins</ent>, as well as Father <ent type='PERSON'>Bill Davis</ent> of the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent>
<ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent>, ex-<ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> official (now critic) <ent type='PERSON'><ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Stockwell</ent></ent>, and author
<ent type='PERSON'>Barbara Honneger</ent>. This fact of attendance is not meant to imply
that all these persons share the same views. It is meant to
demonstrate that <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> is attempting to draw a broad range of
government critics into a coalition. <ent type='ORG'>Stockwell</ent>, <ent type='PERSON'>Honneger</ent>, and <ent type='PERSON'>Davis</ent>
have all said their appearance at the conference should not be
interpreted as an endorsement of Gritz's research or political
views. Gritz's Center for Action still sells a set of tapes from
the conference, including speeches by <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Mullins</ent>, along with
Father <ent type='PERSON'>Davis</ent>, <ent type='PERSON'>Barbara Honneger</ent>, and <ent type='PERSON'><ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Stockwell</ent></ent>. This set of
tapes is advertised in the Prevailing Winds catalog.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'><ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Stockwell</ent></ent> has expressed concern over the the way Prevailing
Winds has lumped his research together with research he finds
problematic. In the past, <ent type='ORG'>Stockwell</ent> has been highly critical of
<ent type='PERSON'>Honneger</ent> as a reliable source of information, and has had criticisms
of some aspects of <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> research as well. <ent type='ORG'>Stockwell</ent> says he
"met <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> there on stage" at the 1990 conference and "came away
greatly unimpressed," and he was quick to distance himself from
<ent type='ORG'>the Populist Party</ent>.</p>

<p>After the controversy broke in the left press, a spokesperson at
Prevailing Winds (who asked to be identified simply as <ent type='ORG'>Patrick</ent>)
said they were now considering at least including a warning in
their catalog about Bo Gritz's ties to <ent type='ORG'>the Populist Party</ent> and other
rightist and anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> groups and individuals. <ent type='ORG'>Patrick</ent> said their
catalog came out before <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> accepted <ent type='ORG'>the Populist Party</ent> presidential
nomination, but defended the inclusion of the <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> material, saying
that "middle <ent type='GPE'>America</ent> needs this kind of information" because "<ent type='PERSON'>Bush</ent>
is basically a dope-peddling <ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>."</p>

<p><ent type='ORG'>Patrick</ent> said the appropriateness of carrying Gritz's material,
given his ties to the anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> far right, has been discussed by
the Prevailing Winds staff, and also discussed with Bo <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> and
with Father <ent type='PERSON'>Davis</ent> of <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent>.</p>

<p>According to the Prevailing Winds representative:</p>

<p>"Its an argument we've gone back and forth on, it's a tough question,
whether or not to make it available and to preserve it for research.
We are interested in getting the information to the people. The
good thing about it is no one else is trying to build these bridges
between groups. We need to reach a rainbow of people." "</p>

<p>Christic's Father <ent type='PERSON'>Bill Davis</ent> walked out of the 1990 <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> conference
when <ent type='PERSON'>Mullins</ent> gave his speech. Yet over a year after the event,
<ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> still had made no public statement distancing itself from
<ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> or <ent type='PERSON'>Mullins</ent>. In the meantime, <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> was touring the country
promoting Christic's <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> research and implying a friendly
working relationship between himself and key <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> figures,
especially Danny <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent>. <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> is featured in a privately-distributed
videotape program focusing on Gritz's research which takes a critical
look at the Reagan and <ent type='PERSON'>Bush</ent> Administrations' intelligence and drug
policies. That videotape, circulated by <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> and his allies, also
uncritically shows a headline from the LaRouchian newspaper &lt;New
Federalist&gt; to illustrate a point.</p>

<p>Christic's national director, <ent type='PERSON'>Sara Nelson</ent>, told <special>In These Times</special>
that <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> apologizes for the appearance of <ent type='PERSON'>Davis</ent> at the conference
with <ent type='PERSON'>Mullins</ent>, and no one is suggesting that <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> harbors any
racist, anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> or fascist views. But <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> has not issued
a clear and widely disseminated public statement alerting people
who may have seen the Prevailing Winds catalog or the <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> material
and who now seem confused over who supports whom. This is not meant
to be interpreted as a blanket criticism of <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent>.
Many <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> projects have been valuable. They circulated a
tremendous amount of useful information about the issue of covert
action and the <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> scandal. Especially notable in other
areas are the work of <ent type='PERSON'>Lewis Pitts</ent> at <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> South and the project
by <ent type='PERSON'>Andy Lang</ent> to illustrate problems with forging democracy in
eastern Europe. Yet Christic's <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent>, <ent type='PERSON'>Davis</ent>, and <ent type='PERSON'>Nelson</ent> have not
taken seriously the problem of right-wing groups and individuals
linking themselves to the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> case and recruiting <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent>
supporters in a way that implies a shared agenda. While this is
not just a problem with <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent>, the role that <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> could,
and should, be playing in providing leadership on this question
would be extremely useful.</p>

<p>In <special><ent type='ORG'>Front</ent> Man for Fascism: Bo <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> and the Racist <ent type='ORG'>Populist Party</ent></special>,
a report issued by the <ent type='GPE'>California</ent> anti-fascist group People Against
Racist Terror, the extent to which <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> has promoted himself on
the left is thoroughly detailed. The report urges <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> to be
more vocal:</p>

<p>"<ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> should join the campaign to expose Bo's campaign for the
fascist vehicle it is. <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> should take the lead in condemning
the <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> campaign, rather than demanding retractions from those
who have raised criticisms and concerns. It should share frankly
and self-critically with its followers the process of deception
and rationalization by which it was hoodwinked, so that others can
escape the same fate.</p>

<p>It is the failure of alternative and left critics of government
policy to take responsibility for clarifying the confusion being
intentionally sown by the far right that is the key issue. If the
problem is turned on its head, it is easier to understand why the
issue of public statements by groups such as <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> is so important.
In the course of preparing this study scores of persons were
interviewed in a dozen cities. Here is a summary of some of the
questions raised by persons who reject the criticism.</p>

<p>On the LaRouchians:</p>

<p>"Were they not victims of government repression and <ent type='ORG'>FBI</ent> harassment
just like <ent type='ORG'>CISPES</ent>? Wasn't that what <ent type='PERSON'>James Ridgeway</ent> said in the
<special><ent type='ORG'>Village Voice</ent></special>? Didn't their views get reported by David MacMichael
in the newsletter of the former intelligence officers turned critics?
Isn't <ent type='PERSON'>Ramsey Clark</ent> their attorney? Isn't it true that they were
reporting on the <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> affair before the mainstream media
and <ent type='ORG'>Congress</ent> publicized the matter? Don't several former <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent>
investigators recommend their work? "</p>

<p>"Are they not our natural allies? "</p>

<p>On <ent type='ORG'>the Liberty Lobby</ent>/Populist network:</p>

<p>"Didn't <special>Spotlight</special> get mentioned by <ent type='PERSON'>Bill Moyers</ent> on the <ent type='ORG'>PBS</ent> program
on the Most Censored Stories awards as an excellent source of
information? Doesn't <ent type='PERSON'>Bill Davis</ent> appear with Bo <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> at conferences?
Doesn't Danny <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> appear on the Bo <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> videotape? Can't we
buy <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent>' writings by sending a check to <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent>'s
<ent type='LOC'>West Coast</ent> office? Wasn't that Danny <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> on the cover of the
Prevailing Winds catalog with <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> material along with material
from <ent type='ORG'>Gritz</ent> and Prouty? "</p>

<p>"Are they not our natural allies? "</p>

<p>On <ent type='PERSON'>Craig Hulet</ent>:</p>

<p>"Isn't he on <ent type='ORG'>KPFA</ent> and <ent type='ORG'>KPFK</ent>? Can't we order Hulet tapes from the
<ent type='NORP'>Pacifica</ent> Archive? Doesn't he say he works with <ent type='PERSON'>Lanny Sinkin</ent> who
was an attorney at <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent>? Doesn't he say he isn't a right-winger?
Didn't the <ent type='GPE'>San Francisco</ent> Mime Troupe thank Hulet for his research?
"</p>

<p>"Is he not our natural ally? "</p>

<p>This raises a question for every progressive political leader,
journalist and attorney whose name has been used by the fascist
right to build their movement. If hundreds (perhaps thousands) of
people have come to believe there is a coalition or alliance that
involves the left and fascist right, is there not an an obligation
to speak out publicly and deny what the right is suggesting publicly?</p>

<p>In fact, some of the above questions clearly represent misunderstandings
and erroneous assumptions. But when the right is making the assertion,
silence implies consent, or as the button says: "Silence is the
voice of complicity."</p>

<p> The <ent type='NORP'>Fascist</ent> Response</p>

<p>Telephone call to 503-796-2124</p>

<p>November 20, 1991 10:00 PM</p>

<p>[Man's voice:]</p>

<p>"Greetings, you have reached the <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n <ent type='ORG'>Front</ent> Ministry of
Information hot line. COINTELPRO, <ent type='ORG'>the counter</ent>-intelligence agency
of the <ent type='NORP'>Jew</ent> S. of A., or <ent type='ORG'>ZOG</ent> [<ent type='NORP'>Zionist</ent> Occupational Government], is
a group of well financed government agents who have not only
infiltrated but absolutely control a great portion of the so-called
left wing in <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>. Their purpose is to make sure that these
self-styled progressive organizations don't actually take any action
against the true enemy of the people, the U.S. government. "</p>

<p>"They have been doing a very good job at keeping radical elements
of the supposed left and right fighting each other, thereby nullifying
a great deal of revolutionary activity, and keeping the fat-cat
warmonger capitalists who run this government safe from the bloody
tide of reprisal they so richly deserve. "</p>

<p>"No matter where you stand on the political spectrum this abhorrent
undertaking affects you. <ent type='ORG'>ZOG</ent> is bound and determined to make sure
the trend of increasing anti-government unity of radical factions
in Europe doesn't take effect here. "</p>

<p>"For local evidence of this lefty alliance with Big Brother, you
need go no further than <ent type='PERSON'>Jonathan Mozzochi</ent> of the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> for
Human Dignity. He's an avid follower of renowned COINTELPRO guru
<ent type='PERSON'>Chip Berlet</ent>. <ent type='GPE'>Mozzochi</ent> has even been known to plagiarize the writings
of Mr. <ent type='PERSON'>Berlet</ent>, and as is very evident by the CHD's activity, <ent type='GPE'>Mozzochi</ent>
has completely dedicated himself to the government program of
keeping the radicals fighting each other instead of Big Brother.
Just because he serves you cappuccino at La Patisserie and pretends
to be a so-called progressive, the fact remains that he is nothing
but the <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> in alternative geek clothing. This further illustrates
the fact that the anti-racist movement as a whole is nothing but
a tool of the capitalist regime, designed to destroy the
self-determination of all races and keep <ent type='ORG'>ZOG</ent> as the ruler of all.
"</p>

<p>"For more information, contact <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n <ent type='ORG'>Front</ent> at P.O. Box 68333,
<ent type='GPE'>Portland</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Oregon</ent>, 97268. White Victory. "</p>

<p>[Woman's voice:]</p>

<p>"You may start your message now. "</p>

<p>Anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> Scapegoating &amp; <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>alism</p>

<p>Unraveling the overlapping tendencies of reactionary politics,
conspiracism, scapegoating, opportunism, demagoguery, nationalism,
racism, anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> theories, and fascism is a difficult but
necessary task. This section will discuss several situations and
trends where these issues are involved, focusing on the rise of
right-wing anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> theories in some nationalist sectors of the
<ent type='NORP'>African</ent>-<ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n community.</p>

<p>Any serious discussion of these issues needs first to be grounded
on at least a working knowledge of the theories of racialism and
nationalism, as well as familiarity with the characteristics of
mass fascist political movements prior to their ascendancy to state
power. Especially useful is a study of the nationalist movements
of Europe at the beginning of this century. The nationalism of
pre-<ent type='ORG'>World</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent> II Europe included movements based on racialist
theories. This racial nationalism took several forms, including
the heroic mythical racial nationalism of <ent type='GPE'>Italy</ent> and <ent type='GPE'>Spain</ent> which
glorified the organic leadership of autocratic father-figures, the
ego-centric anti-modernist intellectual fascism of <ent type='GPE'>France</ent>, the
religious/racial clerical fascist movements of <ent type='GPE'>Croatia</ent> and <ent type='GPE'>Rumania</ent>,
and the scapegoating demagogic movement of <ent type='NORP'>German</ent> <ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>sm with its
anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> conspiracy theories.</p>

<p><ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>sm was a fascist movement, but not all mid-century European
fascist movements employed a master race theory. Nevertheless,
fascism as a political form is premised on racial or cultural
nationalism.</p>

<p>As scholar <ent type='PERSON'>Barry</ent> Mehler, a leading researcher on the history of
racial eugenics, points out:</p>

<p>"<ent type='ORG'>Classical</ent> eugenic theories of the nineteen-twenties and thirties
emphasized that nations were biological entities and that political
ideologies emerge from racial characteristics which in turn have
developed out of evolutionary changes in racial groups. The classic
expression of these theories can be found in Madison Grant's &lt;The
Passing of the Great Race&gt;. This was, of course, the foundation of
both <ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> racism and <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n white supremacism. It is not
surprising, therefore, that white supremacist organizations continue
to reprint and sell these expressions of <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n racism. "</p>

<p>In fact, the white supremacist movement is the largest and most
significant purveyor of theories of racial nationalism in the U.S.,
and its threat to democracy and pluralism far outweighs that posed
by the misguided participants in the tragic and counterproductive
current dispute between <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent>s and <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent>. Further, the single greatest
impediment to racial justice in the U.S. is not the policies and
practices of any one political group or individual, but the
institutional racism in the government and business sectors that
is still so widespread yet so invisible in our society, and which
has deeply undermined the ability of <ent type='NORP'>African</ent>-<ent type='GPE'>America</ent>ns, <ent type='NORP'>Hispanics</ent>,
<ent type='PERSON'>North</ent>-<ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n <ent type='NORP'>Indians</ent>, and other racial groups in this country to
share in the bounty and freedoms described in school textbooks as
a birthright in our country. It is within that framework that the
following discussion must be set.</p>

<p><ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>alism and Anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> Conspiracy Theories</p>

<p>Some members of <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> nationalist groups in the U.S. circulate
conspiracist theories about <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> oppression where discredited
ultra-right theories of exaggerated <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> power and manipulation
have found new life and a new audience. While in the past some
pro-<ent type='NORP'>Palestinian</ent> and even anti-<ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent> sentiments made by <ent type='NORP'>African</ent>-<ent type='GPE'>America</ent>ns
have been mislabeled as anti-Semitism by groups promoting pro-<ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>
policies, there is still plenty of evidence that anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent>
conspiracy theories are discussed openly in some segments of the
<ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> community</p>

<p>For example, in <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent>, during the late 1980's, <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> activist
<ent type='PERSON'>Steve Cokely</ent> taught classes at a <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent> of <ent type='NORP'>Islam</ent> center where he
alleged that <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> doctors were injecting <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> children with the
AIDS virus. When <ent type='PERSON'>Cokely</ent> was exposed, <ent type='ORG'>NOI</ent> leader Louis <ent type='LOC'>Far</ent>rakhan,
rather than rejecting Cokely's assertions as bigoted lunacy, issued
a statement saying that if <ent type='PERSON'>Cokely</ent> could document his charges, the
<ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent> of <ent type='NORP'>Islam</ent> would provide a public forum for the discussion.</p>

<p>At a February 28, 1991 anti-abortion lecture by <ent type='PERSON'>Barbara Bell</ent>,
founder of <ent type='GPE'>Massachusetts</ent> <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent>s for Life, Bell asserted that "it
is the <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> doctors that are the ones that are the ones trying
to wipe out the black society." The statement came in the context
of an assertion that <ent type='ORG'>Planned Parenthood</ent> wanted to wipe out all
minority populations.</p>

<p>The <ent type='GPE'>Detroit</ent> magazine <special><ent type='PERSON'>Alkebulanian</ent></special> is dedicated to providing the
reader with "the power of <ent type='NORP'>African</ent> pride and dignity" and seeks to
"speak the truth and expose the falsehoods that have weakened a
precious people through the course of history." But according to
anti-eugenics scholar <ent type='PERSON'>Barry</ent> Mehler, the magazine carries articles
that assert "the <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> Talmud was written by 'racist dogs,' that
<ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent> have manipulated the world into grieving over the <ent type='EVENT'>Holocaust</ent>
as a way to make 'black people forget that the it was same handful
who participated in the <ent type='NORP'>African</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>Holocaust</ent>.' "</p>

<p>At a July, 1990 meeting in <ent type='GPE'>Cairo</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Illinois</ent>, several <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> nationalist
groups under the leadership of <ent type='ORG'>the All</ent> <ent type='NORP'>African</ent> Peoples <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>olutionary
<ent type='ORG'>Party</ent> (<ent type='EVENT'>AAPRP</ent>) proposed the formation of an "Afrikan Anti-<ent type='NORP'>Zionist</ent>
<ent type='ORG'>Front</ent>." <ent type='PERSON'>Kwame Ture</ent> (formerly <ent type='ORG'>Stokely Carmichael</ent>) of <ent type='EVENT'>AAPRP</ent> was
elected chairperson of the front. At the time, several spokespersons
made careful distinctions concerning their criticisms of <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>
and <ent type='NORP'>Zionism</ent>. For instance, a statement issued by the <ent type='ORG'>Front</ent> at a
planning meeting held in <ent type='GPE'>Tripoli</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Libya</ent> included the disclaimer
that, "The founders of the <ent type='ORG'>Front</ent> state that the struggle against
zionism is not a struggle against <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent> or <ent type='ORG'>Judaism</ent> but rather a
struggle against zionism as a racist and imperialist ideology and
movement."</p>

<p>Although extreme, and implying objection to the state of <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>
itself, the statement by the <ent type='ORG'>Front</ent> is not fairly characterized as
anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent>. However, the careful distinctions in the Front's
statement are missing in a current educational brochure by <ent type='ORG'>the All</ent>
<ent type='NORP'>African</ent> Peoples <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>olutionary <ent type='ORG'>Party</ent>.</p>

<p>The brochure starts out criticizing <ent type='NORP'>Zionism</ent> and <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>i politics
but soon descends into rampant anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> conspiracism. "ZIONISM
is a well organized and financed, international conspiracy which
controls the economic and political life of <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent> States and
Europe," says the brochure. Although accurately noting, "All <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent>
are not <ent type='NORP'>Zionist</ent>s," the brochure goes on to claim, "The international
<ent type='NORP'>Zionist</ent> movement exerts an almost total strangle-hold over the
economic, political, social and cultural life of the <ent type='NORP'>African</ent>
community." It also claims that <ent type='NORP'>Zionism</ent>, "controls...all of the
banks, businesses and financial institutions in our community," as
well as the mass media and the entertainment industry. According
to the brochure, the international <ent type='NORP'>Zionist</ent> movement controls:</p>

<p>"The political, social, cultural, educational and legal institutions,
agencies and organizations in the <ent type='NORP'>African</ent> community. Almost all of
the civil rights and political groups in our community are controlled
by <ent type='NORP'>zionists</ent> and <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent>. They use their money, their power, the <ent type='ORG'>FBI</ent>,
<ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent>, <ent type='ORG'>IRS</ent>, the courts and prisons; and many other ways to control
and destroy our movements, leaders and people. "</p>

<p>Many of these sentiments regarding <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent> are virtually identical to
charges in white supremacist publications which claim that <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent>
play a similar role in oppressing white <ent type='NORP'>christians</ent>. One mail order
videotape lecture by a leading <ent type='NORP'>Christian</ent> Identity pastor is a
lengthy exposition of his theory that slavery was the result of
the usury employed by <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> bankers in <ent type='GPE'>Britain</ent> when financing
colonial enterprises.</p>

<p> <ent type='LOC'>Far</ent>rakhan and the <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent> of <ent type='NORP'>Islam</ent></p>

<p>Although the <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>. Louis <ent type='LOC'>Far</ent>rakhan denies he is a bigot, and some
of his critics have themselves used racist appeals, <ent type='LOC'>Far</ent>rakhan has
in fact made a number of statements concerning <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent> over the past
few years that reflect disdain and prejudice.</p>

<p>Yet the most troubling aspect of <ent type='LOC'>Far</ent>rakhan is not his demagogic
bigotry. Writing in the January 28, 1991 issue of <special>The <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent></special>,
professor <ent type='PERSON'>Adolph Reed</ent>, Jr. cautions that "demonizing" <ent type='LOC'>Far</ent>rakhan,
or focusing merely on his prejudice, misses the main point, which
is the troubling nature of <ent type='LOC'>Far</ent>rakhan's reactionary political views
and anti-<ent type='NORP'>democratic</ent> "racial organicism." As <ent type='PERSON'>Reed</ent> explains, <ent type='LOC'>Far</ent>rakhan's
use of racial organicism is found in the belief that <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> leaders
"emerge organically from the population and that the objectives
and interests of those organic leaders are identical with those of
the general racial constituency." <ent type='PERSON'>Reed</ent> notes that this theory has
been used by white majoritarian leadership to justify and manage
racial subordination by "allowing white elites to pick and choose
among pretenders to race leadership."</p>

<p>Equally dangerous, however, are the themes of authoritarianism and
racial nationalism which underlie racial organicism. <ent type='PERSON'>Reed</ent> warns
that "because of his organization and ideology, however, <ent type='LOC'>Far</ent>rakhan
more than his predecessors throws into relief the dangerous,
fascistic presumptions inscribed at the foundation of that model."</p>

<p>In July, 1990 <ent type='LOC'>Far</ent>rakhan granted an extensive exclusive interview
to <special>Spotlight</special> where his views of separate development for the
<ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> and white communities was stressed. The interview was presented
in an overwhelmingly sympathetic and supportive fashion, with an
introduction by the editors where <ent type='LOC'>Far</ent>rakhan's movement was described
as "based on the cultivation of spiritual, education, and family
values, as well as racial separation."</p>

<p>The idea of racial or national organicism, that leaders emerged
from homogeneous national groupings and metaphysically expressed
the collective will of the people, was a basic tenet of fascism,
especially the form of fascism called national socialism. In the
1988 report of the small <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n <ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Party</ent> in <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent>, the term
national socialism was defined as "the organized will of the race,
in its quest for racial survival, and physical, mental, and spiritual
self betterment." One modern offshoot of national socialism, called
the "<ent type='ORG'>Third Position</ent>," has adherents in both Europe and <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent>
States, and is known for its attempts to build bridges to the left,
especially around the issues of protecting the environment and
support for the working class.</p>

<p>Racialist nationalism, anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> bigotry, and fascist principles
have provided a basis in the past for white supremacists and
anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> bigots such as <ent type='PERSON'>Tom Metzger</ent> to voice support for <ent type='LOC'>Far</ent>rakhan.
The October 12, 1985 <special><ent type='GPE'>New York</ent> Times</special> reported on a <ent type='GPE'>Michigan</ent> meeting
of white supremacists where <ent type='PERSON'>Metzger</ent> told his audience of neo-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>s
and <ent type='ORG'>Klan</ent> members, "<ent type='GPE'>America</ent> is like a rotting carcass. The <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent> are
living off the carcass like the parasites they are. <ent type='LOC'>Far</ent>rakhan
understands this." That meeting was attended by <ent type='ORG'>Political Research</ent>
Associates author and freelance journalist <ent type='PERSON'>Russ Bellant</ent> who reported
the <ent type='PERSON'>Metzger</ent> quote and incidently disclosed the attendance of another
white supremacist, <ent type='PERSON'>Roy Frankhouser</ent>, a former Ku Klux <ent type='ORG'>Klan</ent> leader
from <ent type='GPE'>Pennsylvania</ent> who was for many years a top security consultant
to <ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>.</p>

<p>The beginning of the 1990's saw increasing joint political work
between various LaRouchian front groups and <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>. <ent type='LOC'>Far</ent>rakhan's <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent>
nationalist <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent> of <ent type='NORP'>Islam</ent> (<ent type='ORG'>NOI</ent>). For instance, the NOI's newspaper
<special><ent type='ORG'>Final Call</ent></special> ran an article by <ent type='PERSON'>Carlos Wesley</ent> on <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent> in its issue
of May 31, 1990, which was credited as a reprint from the LaRouchian
magazine <special><ent type='ORG'>Executive Intelligence Review</ent></special>. The LaRouchian &lt;New
Federalist&gt; has run several articles praising the political work
of Dr. <ent type='PERSON'>Abdul Alim Muhammad</ent>, editor of NOI's <special><ent type='ORG'>Final Call</ent></special>.</p>

<p>Another group allied with <ent type='LOC'>Far</ent>rakhan that promotes the idea of racial
or national organicism is the political organization run by Dr.
<ent type='PERSON'>Fred Newman</ent>, a former protege of <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>. Persons who extol Newman's
idiosyncratic form of "social therapy" control a variety of political
organizations under Newman's influence, including the New Alliance
<ent type='ORG'>Party</ent> (<ent type='ORG'>NAP</ent>), Rainbow Lobby, <ent type='GPE'>New York</ent>'s <ent type='ORG'>Castillo Cultural Center</ent>,
and various Centers for Short-Term Therapy. <ent type='ORG'>NAP</ent> promotes the
political theories of <ent type='LOC'>Far</ent>rakhan, the <ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>. Al Sharpton, and Dr.
<ent type='PERSON'>Lenora Fulani</ent>, presidential candidate of the New Alliance <ent type='ORG'>Party</ent>.
The Rainbow Lobby has forged a working coalition with the <ent type='NORP'>Libertarian</ent>
<ent type='ORG'>Party</ent> and the racialist <ent type='ORG'>Populist Party</ent> to challenge state laws
limiting ballot access. At the same time NAP's <ent type='PERSON'>Lenora Fulani</ent> stood
side-by-side with Al Sharpton and other <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent> nationalists in the
summer of 1991 as they inflamed an already tense and tragic situation
in the <ent type='LOC'>Crown Heights</ent> neighborhood in <ent type='GPE'>Brooklyn</ent>, which has seen a
long-simmering dispute between <ent type='LOC'>Black</ent>s and a sect of Orthodox <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent>.</p>

<p>Sorting out the Dilemma</p>

<p>We are all aware that there are shifting factions in political
groups, government bureaucracies, and intelligence agencies. Even
though there is an historic overlap of government repression and
reactionary politics, at the same time, factions of the right have
from time to time made a tactical decision to expose government
wrongdoing to smash an opposing faction on the right or derail a
bothersome government project.</p>

<p>Around the world the right has adopted a strategy of tension to
smash the center, and one part of that strategy is to seek temporary
tactical alliances with left groups in attacking government policies.
The left/right alliance seeks to displace the center, but historically
the right always triumphs and then smashes the left. This is
certainly one lesson of <ent type='NORP'>Italian</ent> fascism and <ent type='NORP'>German</ent> national socialism.
Do we really think a corrupt wealthy anti-labor repressive centrist
power is worse than fascist power? As the health of the <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n
economy declines, it will generate a move towards alternative
political viewpoints and either new political parties or realignment
of current parties. A left/right alliance under such circumstances
would be precarious and dangerous.</p>

<p>Serious anti-repression researchers frequently find themselves in
contact with elements of the ruling center, opposition centrist
parties, and far right in the normal course of their research.
The mere contact between left and right is not the issue, but when
left researchers become <special>de facto</special> conduits for the right's
information, and do so uncritically and without revealing their
sources at least by general description, serious ethical and
pragmatic problems arise.</p>

<p> The Problem of <ent type='NORP'>Fascist</ent>s as Research Sources</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Herb</ent> Quinde is one of the main LaRouchian intelligence contacts
for reporters in the <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent>, D.C. area. Quinde boasts that the
LaRouchians maintain ties with a network of current and former
intelligence agents and military specialists who oppose current
U.S. foreign policy and its reliance on covert action over direct
military engagement.</p>

<p>Quinde confirms that he and his fellow LaRouchian investigators
are in constant touch with journalists and researchers across the
political spectrum. In several interviews in 1990 and 1991 Quinde
refused to go on the record with the names of any of his regular
contacts among left political groups and critics of government
repression, although he bragged that such contacts are a regular
part of his work.</p>

<p>While <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> now says they no longer have any contact with the
LaRouchians, some former <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> staff seem willing to keep some
doors open. Investigators formerly connected to <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> have
maintained information ties to the LaRouchians, and advised
progressive researchers to rely on the LaRouchians as experts in
the area of government intelligence abuse. These referrals have
over a period of several years helped forge an information exchange
network that has drawn some left researchers, journalists and radio
talk show hosts further into unsubstantiated conspiracy theories
and into ongoing relationships with fascist and anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> groups
and individuals.</p>

<p>David MacMichael still maintains close ties to <ent type='PERSON'>Herb</ent> Quinde, meets
with him personally, and advises researchers probing government
intelligence abuse to contact Quinde for help. MacMichael defends
his association with Quinde as legitimate, albeit sometimes
embarrassing.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Russ Bellant</ent> is the author of &lt;Old <ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>s, The New Right and the
<ent type='NORP'>Republican</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Party</ent>&gt; and has extensively studied <ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>-linked emigre
intelligence and political networks. In the course of his research,
he has found several authors in this field who have developed a
working relationship with LaRouchians. <ent type='PERSON'>Bellant</ent> says he raised the
ethical problems of working with the LaRouchians with these authors,
generally to no avail. To be sure, there is no consensus among
reporters, mainstream or progressive, on what is an ethical way to
deal with information from groups such as the LaRouchians.</p>

<p>According to <ent type='PERSON'>Peter Dale Scott</ent>, "My own ground rules are that until
something happens where I feel someone is manipulating me or they
have <special>personally</special> done something horrible that I feel is objectionable,
I feel it is a matter of intellectual freedom to keep the lines of
communication open. As long as they deal with me as a human being
I will treat them as such." <ent type='ORG'>Scott</ent>, however, balked at signing a
petition about <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> being a victim of human rights abuse because
he felt there was "enough evidence to show the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> people were
probably guilty of some criminal conduct."</p>

<p>Author <ent type='PERSON'>Jonathan Marshall</ent>, now with the <special><ent type='GPE'>San Francisco</ent> Chronicle</special>,
says the LaRouchians "have given me information, but given their
history, I never take it at face value." <ent type='PERSON'>Marshall</ent> says "sometimes
they are a source of good leads, their work on <ent type='GPE'>Panama</ent> has been of
particular use." <ent type='PERSON'>Marshall</ent> does not accept the LaRouchian premise
that <ent type='PERSON'>Noriega</ent> was a humanitarian, but neither does he accept the
idea that opposition to <ent type='PERSON'>Noriega</ent> was pure. "Here you have a case of
evil versus evil, and the enemies of someone are often a good place
to go for information." According to <ent type='PERSON'>Marshall</ent>, he will sometimes
pursue LaRouchian leads, "and then do my own independent research."
If something turns up, he considers it his own effort, and does
not credit the LaRouchians, in part, he admits, because it would
lessen his credibility as a journalist.</p>

<p>"If you look across the board at cultish groups that do 'research'
you find sometimes that they have found amazing documents that do
in fact check out," says <ent type='PERSON'>Marshall</ent>. But he hastens to add that
"documents are one thing, but accepting their analysis is simply
not responsible."</p>

<p>In the late 1980's author <ent type='PERSON'>Carl Ogelsby</ent> considered working with
LaRouchian <ent type='PERSON'>Herb</ent> Quinde to unravel the story of the recruitment of
the <ent type='PERSON'>Gehlen</ent> <ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> spy apparatus into U.S. intelligence. <ent type='PERSON'>Ogelsby</ent>
comments:</p>

<p>"If Quinde had been able to provide even a single scrap of useful
information I would have turned a cartwheel in excitement, but he
never did. Everything he sent me was bullshit. He was trying to
convince me to depend on the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> information network. He was
always boasting about the documents he could send me, but he never
gave me a useful thing about <ent type='PERSON'>Gehlen</ent> or anything else about the
<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>fication of U.S. intelligence. "</p>

<p>During <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent>, Quinde asked <ent type='PERSON'>Ogelsby</ent> to speak at a LaRouchian
antiwar conference, but <ent type='PERSON'>Ogelsby</ent> declined, "because whatever Herb's
essential charm and persuasion, I would never publicly associate
myself with them, primarily because my friends warn me it would
damage my credibility. In fact, I've never initiated a contact with
them." Putting up with an occasional phone call from Quinde is one
thing, said <ent type='PERSON'>Ogelsby</ent>, but appearing at a conference is another.
Still, <ent type='PERSON'>Ogelsby</ent> isn't convinced that they are really a neo-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>
outfit. "My advice is not to make such a big deal about this guy.
I think that he is basically comic relief." <ent type='PERSON'>Ogelsby</ent>, however, is
suspicious of the actual purpose of the LaRouchians:</p>

<p>"I think it's an intelligence operation, and the only question is
what's animating it. I don't think it is, strictly speaking, an
organization representing one individual--<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>. I believe it
has access to sources of information that reflect official circuits,
most likely European, but I don't think he's officially <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> or <ent type='ORG'>FBI</ent>.
I think U.S. intelligence is a little baffled by them too, although
in the first few years of the Reagan Administration they clearly
allowed them privileged access. "</p>

<p>Journalists <ent type='PERSON'>James Ridgeway</ent> and David MacMichael have defended their
contacts with the LaRouchian network as part of the standard
journalistic practice of cultivating a wide range of sources of
information. They and other journalists argue that taking information
from someone in no way implies any agreement whatsoever with the
information provider. In fact, reporters at a number of mainstream
daily newspapers admit off-the-record that they frequently receive
material from the LaRouchians, and in some cases develop stories
from the documents supplied by the LaRouchians. <ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent>, however,
acknowledges that the LaRouchians are a "neo-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> or fascist
movement." and warns that journalists need to exercise extreme
caution when contacting them for information.</p>

<p>This is a real issue since a score of progressive researchers and
journalists report that in the past two years, operatives from the
LaRouchians and the far-right have stepped up their attempts to
forge working relationships with them over the basis of shared
criticism of the government.</p>

<p>A <ent type='LOC'>West Coast</ent> journalist, Ed Connolly, recalls an incident in the
fall of 1990:</p>

<p>"I was tracking a story on <ent type='ORG'>Air Force</ent> Intelligence and I called
everyone I could think of. Two weeks later <ent type='PERSON'>Gene Wheaton</ent> called me,
which was odd because I hadn't called him. <ent type='ORG'>Wheaton</ent> tells me, "You
know the people who have very good intelligence on these things
are the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> people, you should call the people that put out
<special><ent type='ORG'>Executive Intelligence Review</ent></special>, call <ent type='PERSON'>Herb</ent> Quinde." So I did, but
they wanted more information than they were willing to give out
and I was immediately skeptical. I never talked to them again. "</p>

<p>Eugene <ent type='ORG'>Wheaton</ent>, an early adviser to <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent>, accepted
an invitation to speak at the December, 1990 <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> antiwar
conference in <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent>.</p>

<p>Journalist <ent type='PERSON'>Jim Naurekas</ent> of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (<ent type='ORG'>FAIR</ent>)
bemoans the fact that LaRouchian <ent type='PERSON'>Herb</ent> Quinde has followed him
through three jobs trying to pester him with tidbits of information.
One academic who wrote a 1990 article on government civil liberties
infringements in a left journal says she was quickly contacted by
several persons who recommended she share her material with
<special>Spotlight</special> and other far-right anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> publications.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Russ Bellant</ent>, who is critical of persons who accept material from
the LaRouchians, also warns that some of the LaRouchian documents
may be forged. "They did create a passable bogus copy of a section
of the <special><ent type='GPE'>New York</ent> Times</special> blasting their enemies," he points out.
<ent type='PERSON'>Bellant</ent> thinks the LaRouchians "don't give you anything that you
can rely on," and that by talking with them about research issues,
"you allow them to track what you are up to which lets them go back
to their <ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> friends and report on you to them."</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Bellant</ent> and others say they are not troubled by intellectual
curiosity and open-mindedness that bridge ideological lines, but
they do have concerns when left and right groups and individuals
forge covert relationships. There is a big difference between
reading books by or interviewing members of far-right and racialist
groups, and working in what amounts to an ad-hoc investigative
coalition with members of these groups. There is a serious difference
of opinion among progressive researchers as to the propriety of
working with the LaRouchians or other ultra-right groups, especially
those that preach bigotry. Some say they cannot, in good conscience,
even accept unsolicited information from such groups, while others
argue they need to interview members of these groups for their
research.</p>

<p>Journalist Jane Hunter says she has consistently rejected overtures
from the anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> far right. Hunter is highly critical of anyone
who would covertly or overtly work with racists, anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> bigots,
or neo-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>s. She notes that even on a pragmatic level, "Any
information that these people have is bound to show up someplace,
free for the taking, for what it's worth. Our energies need to be
spent in reaching out to people who are victims of the system--the
people with whom we share a common interest in changing it."</p>

<p>Not all the rightist groups seeking an alliance or information
exchange with the left are bigoted or fascist. Some are principled
<ent type='NORP'>conservatives</ent> or libertarians seeking an open debate. However, some
of the groups seeking to link up with the left have openly neo-fascist
or neo-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> agendas, including some that call themselves conservative
or libertarian. The ethical parameters on these questions for
journalists and researchers need further debate.</p>

<p>It is important to recognize that the moral issues for persons
building coalitions in the movement for peace and social justice
are different than those for lawyers, academics, and reporters.
For organizers the principles of unity seldom (if ever) are such
that working with fascist, racist and anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> groups is
appropriate.</p>

<p>Most people agree that uncritical reliance on either right-wing or
left-wing material can lead to the recirculation of misinformation
or disinformation. When working with the political right, there is
the additional possibility that the left could unintentionally end
up letting the right set its agenda. Some progressive researchers
also argue that it is unethical for progressive groups to take
information covertly from the political right and repackage and
recirculate it without disclosing the source. That issue, however,
remains unsettled, and needs to be debated openly.</p>

<p>A good illustration of the problem came up in an October 15, 1991
<special><ent type='ORG'>Village Voice</ent></special> article on the mysterious death of writer Danny
<ent type='PERSON'>Casolaro</ent> by authors <ent type='PERSON'>James Ridgeway</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Doug Vaughan</ent>. <ent type='PERSON'>Casolaro</ent> at
the time of his death was researching the legal case filed by the
<ent type='ORG'>Inslaw</ent> corporation alleging theft and illegal sale of its software
program, Promis. Promis is a program used to track complex litigation,
but it can also be used to track dissidents and criminal conspiracies.
Persons involved in several federal agencies are alleged to have
participated in the illegal use and distribution of Promis. <ent type='PERSON'>Casolaro</ent>
had nicknamed the government and private conspiracies he perceived
to be surrounding the <ent type='ORG'>Inslaw</ent> case "The Octopus," and had circulated
a book proposal.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Vaughan</ent> do report that <ent type='PERSON'>Casolaro</ent>, in the course of his
research, would "head into <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent> for a congressional hearing
or a meeting with, for example, Danny <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> of the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent>
<ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent>--whose '<ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent>' could just as easily have been called
the Octopus." They also mention that <ent type='PERSON'>Casolaro</ent> was working with the
LaRouchians in gathering information.</p>

<p>Not mentioned in the article is that the LaRouchians funneled
information to <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent>, <ent type='PERSON'>Barbara Honneger</ent>, and the
<special>Spotlight</special>/<ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent> crowd; or that another named source,
investigator Bill McCoy, also worked with <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> and supplied
information from the LaRouchians; or that co-author <ent type='PERSON'>Vaughan</ent> works
at <ent type='ORG'>the <ent type='NORP'>Christic</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent></ent>.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Vaughan</ent> do mention LaRouche's criminal conviction and
the LaRouchian obsession with conspiracy theories and report, "The
LaRouchies had ties to the Reagan <ent type='ORG'>White House</ent> and have long run a
surprisingly elaborate intelligence-gathering operation of their
own." They do not, however, characterize the LaRouchians as fascists
or anti-<ent type='NORP'>Semites</ent>.</p>

<p>In the course of the article a LaRouchian intelligence operative
is cited along with other sources. Should LaRouchian sources be
treated differently than any other journalistic source? Again,
there is no agreement even among alternative journalists. "I have
great respect for Jim <ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent>, but to put any credence in anything
a LaRouchite has to say is a leap into faith that I can't make,"
says <special>Voice</special> columnist <ent type='PERSON'>Nat Hentoff</ent>. Another <special>Voice</special> writer, <ent type='PERSON'>Robert</ent>
I. <ent type='PERSON'>Friedman</ent> says, "The LaRouchians are an anti-<ent type='NORP'>Semitic</ent> conspiracy
organization. It's a mistake for a journalist to use LaRouchians
as a source without describing the kind of organization it is."
<ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent> responds that he has characterized the LaRouchians as
conspiracists, fascists, and neo-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>s in other settings, and he
thinks most people who read his column already know who the
LaRouchians are.</p>

<p> <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> as Victim of Government Repression</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> has picked up support for his campaign to get
released from prison from a number of right-wing extremists,
including retired <ent type='ORG'>Air Force</ent> Colonel and intelligence specialist
Fletcher Prouty, a leading light among ultra-right researchers,
who also works with the quasi-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Liberty Lobby</ent>. Prouty has issued
a statement declaring that "instrumentalities of the government
have hounded" <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> and "created wrongs where none existed
before." The LaRouchians, however, have picked up support for their
theory of a government conspiracy against <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> from a broader
spectrum than the political right.</p>

<p>Both <ent type='PERSON'>James Ridgeway</ent> and David MacMichael have reported the allegations
of the LaRouchians that they are not guilty of financial crimes,
but the victims of a massive government conspiracy aimed at crushing
them politically.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent>, in the preface to his book on the U.S. white supremacist
movement, <special>Blood in the Face</special>, omits <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> from a discussion of
the "racist far right." Instead, <ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent> refers to <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> in
the context of discussing how the collapsed rural economy in the
1980's distorted the politics of the farm belt and "the whacko
candidates of <ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> LaRouche's party were serious contenders."
This passing reference to <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> (there is one other bland
paragraph in the book) places <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> in a discussion mentioning
serious politicians such as <ent type='PERSON'>Jesse Jackson</ent>, George <ent type='PERSON'>McGovern</ent>, and
<ent type='PERSON'>James Hightower</ent>. This seems to characterize <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> as merely a
strange and comical player in the electoral arena. <ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent> says
that this was not meant to imply <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> was not a force in farm
belt fascism, but that his publisher felt that adding the LaRouchians
into the book would have confused the issues.</p>

<p>Critics of Ridgeway's view of the LaRouchians, including this
author, argue that <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> is in fact a neo-<ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent> ideologue who
should be discussed along with the Ku Klux <ent type='ORG'>Klan</ent> and the other white
racist groups with whom the LaRouchians have associated for years.
No one is suggesting that <ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent>, who has a prodigious track
record of sound investigative reporting, shares any of the LaRouchian
viewpoints. But it is legitimate to ask whether or not Ridgeway's
analysis and treatment of the LaRouchians has perhaps unconsciously
been influenced by their value to him as a journalistic source of
information on government misconduct and other issues. Ridegway,
like other reporters who cover government repression, received
packets of information from the LaRouchians for many years and
sometimes relied on the material to develop a story. [f-9] This in
itself is hardly unique and not necessarily questionable--other
reporters do likewise.</p>

<p>In one case, however, <ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent> appears to have relied on <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>
material without independently verifying the accuracy of the
material.</p>

<p>On May 17, 1988 <ent type='PERSON'>James Ridgeway</ent> penned a lengthy article in the
<special><ent type='ORG'>Village Voice</ent></special> titled "<ent type='PERSON'>Dueling Spymasters</ent>: How the Government
Bungled the Case Against <ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>."</p>

<p>Even a careful reading of the <ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent> article leaves the impression
that when a federal judge declared a mistrial in the <ent type='GPE'>Boston</ent> fraud
case against <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> and several colleagues, it was caused by
government misconduct. This is what the LaRouchians contend--but
not what the judge said. <ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> and his associates were
on trial in <ent type='GPE'>Boston</ent> for an alleged credit card scam. The mistrial
declared by U.S. <ent type='ORG'>Federal District Court</ent> Judge <ent type='PERSON'>Robert</ent> E. <ent type='PERSON'>Keeton</ent> came
after complaints of hardship were voiced by more than one third of
the jurors who had been told the trial would end in early summer,
and then learned it could stretch through the end of the year. The
judge declared the mistrial because he feared a continuation of
the trial would be a waste of time and money due to the real
possibility that the number of jurors would fall below the legal
limit before the trial ended.</p>

<p>While there was substantial evidence that the Justice Department
may have improperly withheld documents relating to <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> in
pre-trial discovery, a lengthy hearing resulted in a ruling that
the documents had no bearing on the criminal charges. According to
<ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent>, "the proceedings had revealed...<ent type='ORG'>FBI</ent> agents planting
obstruction of justice evidence on <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>." This is what the
<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> attorneys sought to prove--and given the history of the
<ent type='ORG'>FBI</ent>, Justice Department and other government bureaucracies, such
an allegation was not far-fetched--but no hard evidence to prove
that claim had been introduced in court at the time of the mistrial.
In fact, the prosecution was still presenting its case. Further,
the delay of the trial which caused the juror hardship was caused
not only by lengthy side hearings into the document and informant
questions, but by numerous challenges and extended cross examinations
by the phalanx of defense attorneys representing <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>, his
associates and their organizations.</p>

<p>Legal actions by both federal and local agencies against <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>
for questionable fundraising and financial practices commenced
years before the flap over <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent>gate and the well-publicized
airport assault involving <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> partisans and <ent type='PERSON'>Henry Kissinger</ent>,
who was traveling with his wife. Furthermore, there is a virtual
army of persons who claim to have been swindled and victimized by
<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>-related organizations. <ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent> offers no evidence the
<ent type='GPE'>Boston</ent> criminal case was a result of the government being out to
get <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> any more than it is out to get any person accused of
being a common crook.</p>

<p>The "seeds of the government's investigation" were not planted by
a petulant <ent type='PERSON'>Henry Kissinger</ent>, as <ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent> asserts, but by hundreds
of persons who claimed to have found unauthorized credit card
charges on their monthly statements at a time in 1984 when <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>
was buying half-hour presidential campaign spots on network
television. The grand jury which indicted <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> heard evidence
from angry credit card holders, not <ent type='PERSON'>Henry Kissinger</ent>.</p>

<p>Yet <ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent> is correct is asserting that there was government
misconduct against the LaRouchians which surfaced as part of the
case. That the government shut down the LaRouchian publications as
part of its probe into loan fraud and tax evasion was a civil
liberties outrage, and the action was later rightfully declared
unconstitutional. This abuse of government power, however, had no
bearing on the evidence which convicted <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> and his followers
of the charges in the <ent type='GPE'>Virginia</ent> indictments.</p>

<p>There is no debate that <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> was a little fish in the cloudy
waters trolled by U.S. intelligence agencies. But when <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>
hired informants and self-styled intelligence operatives such as
<ent type='PERSON'>Ryan Quade Emerson</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Mitch</ent>ell WerBell, and <ent type='PERSON'>Roy Frankhouser</ent>, he was
aware he was opening a Pandora's box filled with smoke and mirrors,
double-dealing, and betrayal. WerBell, for instance, was a former
<ent type='ORG'>OSS</ent> officer and international arms merchant. <ent type='PERSON'>Frankhouser</ent> was a
well-known government informant and Ku Klux <ent type='ORG'>Klan</ent> organizer. While
<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> may have been belatedly frozen out of an active role in
Reagan Administration intelligence functions, to conclude that his
former allies turned up as government witnesses through a conspiracy
to isolate <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> the "Spymaster" was a fanciful but unsubstantiated
charge. A more likely explanation is that they turned up as witnesses
against <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> in an attempt to keep themselves out of jail.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent> also describes <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> without mentioning LaRouche's
notorious anti-<ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> sentiments. <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>, for instance, has
claimed there is no such thing as <ent type='NORP'>Jewish</ent> culture, and that "only"
a million and a half <ent type='NORP'>Jews</ent> perished at the hands of the <ent type='NORP'>Nazi</ent>s, and
then primarily due to illness and overwork.</p>

<p>A letter criticizing <ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent> for publishing LaRouchian assertions
as fact was published in the May 31, 1988 issue of the <special>Voice</special> over
the signatures of this author and journalists <ent type='PERSON'>Russ Bellant</ent>, Joel
Bellman, <ent type='PERSON'>Bryan Chitwood</ent>, <ent type='PERSON'>Dennis King</ent>, Ed Kayatt, and <ent type='PERSON'>Kalev Pehme</ent>.</p>

<p>David MacMichael is the editor of <special><ent type='ORG'>Unclassified</ent></special>, the newsletter
of the Association of <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>al Security Alumni (<ent type='ORG'>ANSA</ent>). In the
Feb.-March, 1991 edition of <special><ent type='ORG'>Unclassified</ent></special>, MacMichael casually
cites unnamed <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> sources in an article about a dismissed case
involving <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent>gate figures Oliver <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Joseph Fernandez</ent>,
"<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> sources point out that Prosecutor <ent type='PERSON'>William</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>Burch</ent> was not
particularly diligent in arguing his case. They note that <ent type='PERSON'>Burch</ent>
has been active in the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> prosecutions."</p>

<p>In the October-November 1990 issue of <special><ent type='ORG'>Unclassified</ent></special>, MacMichael
presents the same story of intrigue previously reported by <ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent>.
MacMichael also mentions the LaRouchian competition with the
"<ent type='PERSON'>North</ent>-Secord enterprise for donations from wealthy individuals,"
implying it was connected to the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> criminal prosecutions.</p>

<p>It is true that the Oliver <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent> network targeted the LaRouchians
for investigation, when <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> fundraising, especially to rich
older <ent type='NORP'>conservatives</ent>, was found to be hampering private fundraising
efforts for the <ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent>s. There is, however, no conclusive evidence
that the <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent>/Secord political investigation of <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> influenced
the <ent type='GPE'>Boston</ent> or <ent type='GPE'>Virginia</ent> criminal investigations or indictments.</p>

<p>Numerous criminal and civil actions against illegal <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>
financial activities were launched as early as the late 1970's.
One such probe was initiated by the <ent type='GPE'>Illinois</ent> State Attorney General
on the basis of an article by this author charging irregularities
in LaRouchian financial activities. The article was based on several
boxes of original office and bank records. [f-10] In 1979 and 1980,
<ent type='PERSON'>Dennis King</ent> published documented charges of widespread LaRouchian
financial misconduct in a series of articles in <ent type='GPE'>New York</ent>'s &lt;Our
Town&gt;, a neighborhood newspaper. Several articles were based on
secret internal <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> memos and financial records obtained by
<ent type='ORG'>King</ent> from sources close to the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> operation.</p>

<p>On December 16, 1981, <ent type='PERSON'>Dennis King</ent>, <ent type='PERSON'>Russ Bellant</ent>, and this author
held a press conference in <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent>, D.C. charging the LaRouchians
with "a wide variety of potentially illegal activities," including:
carrying out intelligence tasks for several foreign governments,
including <ent type='GPE'>Iraq</ent> and <ent type='GPE'>South Africa</ent>; conducting a pattern of "illegal,
deceitful and fraudulent activities by non-profit corporations,
foundations and fundraising front groups controlled by <ent type='PERSON'>Lyndon</ent>
<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>."</p>

<p>The <ent type='GPE'>Boston</ent> grand jury was already investigating illegal LaRouchian
fundraising practices well before <ent type='NORP'>conservatives</ent> and neo-<ent type='NORP'>conservatives</ent>
forced the Reagan Administration to stop access by LaRouchians to
the staff at the <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>al Security Council and <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent>. It is not likely
that <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> was the victim of a conspiracy to indict him falsely
for crimes. What is more likely is that after <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> was forced
out as a marginal player in Reagan intelligence circles, his immense
criminal fundraising schemes could no longer be ignored, and some
of the numerous probes into his many frauds finally were allowed
to proceed to court.Certainly both MacMichael and <ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent> have a
right to report what they wish, and draw any conclusions they feel
are warranted by the facts. But to report the <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> side of the
story of the government's criminal indictments without historical
context is to give an imprimatur to the unsubstantiated--and widely
disputed--LaRouchian allegations claiming that LaRouche's conviction
was the result of a government conspiracy to deny him his political
rights. This in turn is used by the LaRouchians to gain sympathy
and worm their way into left political circles, especially among
students, where the LaRouchians' long history of fascist attacks
on left groups is unknown.</p>

<p> Some <ent type='ORG'>Criteria</ent> for Discussion</p>

<p>Circulating information from (and in essence for) the right without
an accompanying principled criticism and analysis of intent
accomplishes several things. It:</p>

<p>*** Builds the left group's reputation as an independent and
resourceful information gatherer;</p>

<p>*** Gives information credibility as being from the left rather
than the right by laundering original sources;</p>

<p>*** Advances often unstated implicit rightist agendas;</p>

<p>*** Protects the rightist group from punitive attack by the right
or the government since information is perceived as coming from
left;</p>

<p>*** Results in a conscious or unconscious reluctance by the left
group to criticize the right group for fear of having information
flow cut off.</p>

<p>It is important both journalistically and politically to know the
source of information in order to consider the ulterior motives
and possible implications of the information being circulated.</p>

<p>We certainly shouldn't let the right set our research agenda through
leaks but contact with the right seems inevitable and often proper
and useful. Since persons on the left have contacts with the right
for varied and complex reasons, one blanket criticism is neither
sufficient, nor helpful. We do need to think through policies.
What then are the principled conditions for contact with the right?
Keep in mind that we all need to work in coalitions while maintaining
independent political analysis and ability to criticize freely.</p>

<p>Some suggested points of principle might include:</p>

<p>*** Do not trade potentially harmful information on left groups
with the right. Only trade information on government abuses and on
other right groups;</p>

<p>*** Double check and double source all stories;</p>

<p>*** Name the group or sector supplying the information and provide
an honest thumbnail political sketch;</p>

<p>*** Consider why information is being passed by the group and make
that part of the analysis or story;</p>

<p>*** Condemn flaws in all groups concerned;</p>

<p>*** Do not refer people to rightist networks without warning them
of the nature of the source, and allowing them to make a principled
moral decision whether or not to seek the information through that
group.</p>

<p>Flaws of Logic, Fallacies of Debate</p>

<p>With so much political confusion, it becomes vital to keep in mind
that there are some useful ways to evaluate the validity of political
arguments regardless of their political viewpoint.</p>

<p>Useful standards by which to judge the rational merits of any
statement or theory are easily found in textbooks on debate,
rhetoric, argument, and logic. These books discuss which techniques
of argumentation are not valid because they fail to follow the
rules of logic. Among the more common fallacious techniques or
inadequate proofs:</p>

<p>*** Raising the volume, increasing the stridency, or stressing the
emotionalism of an argument does not improve its validity. This is
called argument by exhortation.</p>

<p>*** <ent type='ORG'>Sequence</ent> does not imply causation. If <ent type='PERSON'>Joan</ent> is elected to the
board of directors of a bank on May 1, and <ent type='PERSON'>Raul</ent> gets a loan on July
26, further evidence is needed to prove a direct or causal connection.</p>

<p>*** Anecdotes alone are not conclusive evidence. Anecdotes are
used to illustrate a thesis, not to prove it.</p>

<p>*** Association does not imply agreement, hence the term guilt by
association has a pejorative meaning. Association proves association;
it suggests further questions are appropriate, and demonstrates
the parameters of networks, coalitions, and personal moral
distinctions, nothing more.</p>

<p>*** Participation in an activity, or presence at an event, does
not imply control.</p>

<p>*** Congruence in one or more elements does not establish congruence
in all elements. <ent type='PERSON'>Gloria Steinem</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Jeane Kirkpatrick</ent> are both
intelligent, assertive women accomplished in political rhetoric.
To assume they therefore also agree politically would be ludicrous.
If milk is white and powdered chalk is white, would you drink a
glass of powdered chalk?</p>

<p>*** Similarity in activity does not imply joint activity and joint
activity does not imply congruent motivation.</p>

<p>When a person serves in an official advisory role or acts in a
position of responsibility within a group, however, the burden of
proof shifts to favor a presumption that such a person is not a
mere member or associate, but probably embraces a considerable
portion of the sentiments expressed by the group. Still, even
members of boards of directors will distance themselves from a
particular stance adopted by a group they oversee, and therefore
it is not legitimate to assume automatically that they personally
hold a view expressed by the group or other board members. It is
legitimate to assert that they need to distance themselves publicly
from a particular organizational position if they wish to disassociate
themselves from it.</p>

<p> Techniques of the Propagandist</p>

<p>In 1923 Edward L. <ent type='PERSON'>Bernays</ent> wrote the book &lt;Crystalizing Public
Opinion&gt; and later, in 1928, the text <special>Propaganda</special>, considered
seminal works in the field. "There is propaganda and what I call
impropaganda," says the 98-year-old <ent type='PERSON'>Bernays</ent> impishly. Propaganda
originally meant promoting any idea or item, but took on its current
pejorative sense following the extensive use of sinister propaganda
for malicious goals during <ent type='ORG'>World</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent> I and <ent type='ORG'>World</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent> II. While all
persuasion uses the techniques of traditional propaganda, what
<ent type='PERSON'>Bernays</ent> calls "impropaganda" is "using propaganda techniques not
in accordance with good sense, good faith, or good morals...methods
not consistent with the <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n pattern of behavior based on
Judeo-<ent type='NORP'>Christian</ent> ethics." <ent type='PERSON'>Bernays</ent>, who is called the "father of
public relations," is worried about the increased use of "impropaganda"
in political campaigns and has spoken out against it. "Politicians
who use techniques like these lose the faith of the people," says
<ent type='PERSON'>Bernays</ent>.</p>

<p>In 1936 <ent type='GPE'>Boston</ent> merchant <ent type='PERSON'>Edward Filene</ent> helped establish the short-lived <ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent> for Propaganda Analysis which sought to educate
<ent type='GPE'>America</ent>ns to recognize propaganda techniques. Alfred McClung Lee,
<ent type='ORG'>Institute</ent> director from 1940-42, and his wife <ent type='PERSON'>Elizabeth Briant Lee</ent>,
co-authors of &lt;The Fine Art of Propaganda, Social Problems in
<ent type='GPE'>America</ent>&gt;, recently wrote an article in the periodical &lt;Propaganda
<ent type='GPE'>Rev</ent>iew&gt; in which they suggested educating the public about propaganda
techniques was an urgent priority. The <ent type='ORG'>Lees</ent> also discussed the
Institute's symbols for the seven hallmark tricks of the manipulative
propagandist:</p>

<p>Name Calling: hanging a bad label on an idea, symbolized by a hand
turning thumbs down;</p>

<p><ent type='ORG'>Card Stacking</ent>: selective use of facts or outright falsehoods,
symbolized by an ace of spades, a card signifying treachery;</p>

<p>Band Wagon: a claim that everyone like <special>us</special> thinks this way,
symbolized by a marching bandleader's hat and baton;</p>

<p>Testimonial: the association of a respected or hated person with
an idea, symbolized by a seal and ribbon stamp of approval;</p>

<p><ent type='ORG'>Plain Folks</ent>: a technique whereby the idea and its proponents are
linked to "people just like you and me," symbolized by an old shoe;</p>

<p>Transfer: an assertion of a connection between something valued or
hated and the idea or commodity being discussed, symbolized by a
smiling <ent type='NORP'>Greek</ent> theatre mask; and</p>

<p>Glittering Generality: an association of something with a "virtue
word" to gain approval without examining the evidence; symbolized
by a sparkling gem.</p>

<p>The Institute's last newsletter reflected that "in modern society
an element of propaganda is present in a large portion of human
affairs...people need to be able to recognize this element even
when it is serving 'good' ends."</p>

<p> Some Examples</p>

<p>Here are two examples of how the fallacies of debate and errors of
logic are employed regarding General <ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>Singlaub</ent>, a man whose
roles in <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent>gate and world fascist movements are already
well documented, and need no discussion here.</p>

<p>General <ent type='PERSON'>John</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>Singlaub</ent> was involved in promoting the yellow ribbon
campaign during <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent>. He was one of dozens of influential
people who formed the <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent> for <ent type='GPE'>America</ent> at Risk. That <ent type='ORG'>Coalition</ent>
was one of at least ten other major national groups promoting the
yellow ribbon campaign, including veterans groups with tens of
thousands of members nationwide. Families of service personnel have
been tying yellow ribbons on trees in anticipation of the safe
return of their active duty relatives ever since this military
tradition which dates to the Civil <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent> was revived during the
<ent type='GPE'>Vietnam</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent>, in part due to a popular song. To suggest, as some
do, that <ent type='PERSON'>Singlaub</ent> created the yellow ribbon campaign as a continuation
of his nefarious role in <ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> fundraising is to stretch credulity
beyond the breaking point.</p>

<p>Another case involving <ent type='PERSON'>Singlaub</ent> shows how a series of individual
facts from underlying footnotes can be strung together so that the
conclusions are not accurate because they fail the tests of deductive
logic. &lt;The <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent> <ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> Connection: <ent type='ORG'>Secret Team</ent>s and Covert Operations
in the Reagan Era&gt;, combines into one book chapters written by
<ent type='PERSON'>Jonathan Marshall</ent>, <ent type='PERSON'>Peter Dale Scott</ent> and Jane Hunter. On page 67 in
a chapter written by <ent type='PERSON'>Peter Dale Scott</ent> it is asserted that the
<ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent> organization "previously posed as left-wing but in fact
harassed anti-nuclear and other left-wing demonstrations with the
help of the right-wing domestic intelligence group known since 1979
as <ent type='NORP'>Western</ent> Goals." It is documented that the LaRouchians spied on
and harassed the left, and it is documented that <ent type='NORP'>Western</ent> Goals
spied on and harassed the left, but it does not automatically follow
that they worked together to spy on and harass the left.</p>

<p>The evidence linking the two groups is this: General <ent type='PERSON'>Singlaub</ent>, at
the time on the board of <ent type='NORP'>Western</ent> Goals, once lectured to a group
that included some LaRouchians at a training center run by <ent type='GPE'>Mitch</ent>
WerBell. <ent type='PERSON'>Singlaub</ent> met LaRouchians from time to time when he visited
WerBell, who served as an intelligence adviser to <ent type='PERSON'>LaRouche</ent>. The
LaRouchians in 1977 gave <ent type='ORG'>the New Hampshire</ent> State Police background
material on anti-nuclear activists including several pages from a
private <ent type='PERSON'>Rees</ent> newsletter. At the time, <ent type='PERSON'>Rees</ent> was not connected to
<ent type='NORP'>Western</ent> Goals. In fact, <ent type='NORP'>Western</ent> Goals had not as yet been founded.</p>

<p>That both the LaRouchians and <ent type='PERSON'>Rees</ent> have spied on the left is both
documented and a matter of some bragging by both parties. That the
LaRouchians spied on and harassed the left with help from <ent type='NORP'>Western</ent>
Goals is unsubstantiated, and faces conflicting evidence. In fact,
<ent type='PERSON'>Rees</ent> and the LaRouchians have despised each other for years, and
denounce each other regularly in print, gleefully sending nasty
information about each other to reporters, including this author.</p>

<p>It is common for <ent type='PERSON'>Singlaub</ent> and other figures criticized by the left
to point to the inaccurate and unsubstantiated charges leveled
against them by their critics as a means to deflect the charges
that are well documented. The use of fallacious arguments and the
circulation of unsubstantiated conclusionary charges in an area of
research such as government repression or intelligence abuse
undermines the credibility of the whole area of research. It makes
the job all the harder for cautious progressive researchers, whose
work becomes suspect in the eyes of mainstream reporters and broad
audiences.</p>

<p> <ent type='PERSON'>Harry Martin</ent> and Propaganda Techniques</p>

<p>Harry V. <ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent> is the editor of the <special>Napa Sentinel</special>. His articles
on government corruption have gained popularity on the left. An
analysis of the content and style of the <ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent> articles raises
questions about his credibility as a reporter. <ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent> uses classic
leaps of logic and propaganda techniques in his reporting. This
section will look at several articles which <ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent> has written
concerning the pending <ent type='ORG'>Inslaw</ent> court case.</p>

<p><ent type='ORG'>Inslaw</ent>, a small computer company, developed a very sensitive computer
program, Promis, which <ent type='ORG'>Inslaw</ent> alleges was appropriated without
authorization by the U.S. Justice Department and other government
agencies. Promis software was an early contender in case management
software, but by no means unique. Several vendors at the time Promis
was being offered also offered similar case tracking software. It
can be argued that at the time Promis was indeed ahead of its
competitors in many key features, but today <ent type='ORG'>Lotus Agenda</ent> with its
case tracking overlay is just as powerful. [f-11]</p>

<p>Martin's <ent type='ORG'>Inslaw</ent> stories use the classical propaganda technique of
stringing together chronological events and implying that one causes
the other. One story, for example, which looks at the role governmental
retribution may have played in the failure to re-appoint to the
bench one judge, <ent type='PERSON'>George Bason</ent>, whose rulings has supported Inslaw's
position. Martin's article assumes allegations it needs to establish.
He says:</p>

<p>"As a result of the <ent type='ORG'>Inslaw</ent> cases, many heads in the Justice Department
were lopped off. When Judge <ent type='PERSON'>George Bason</ent>, a bankruptcy court judge,
refused to liquidate <ent type='ORG'>Inslaw</ent>, ruling instead that <ent type='ORG'>the Department</ent> of
Justice used deceit, trickery and fraud, he was only one of four
who were not re-appointed to their jobs. A total of 132 were
re-appointed. But to show the collusion of the Justice Department,
when it removed Judge <ent type='PERSON'>Bason</ent> from the bench after his ruling against
them and for <ent type='ORG'>Inslaw</ent>, they had S. <ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>Teel</ent> appointed to the bench
to replace <ent type='PERSON'>Bason</ent>. Who was <ent type='PERSON'>Teel</ent>? He was a Department of Justice
attorney who unsuccessfully argued the <ent type='ORG'>Inslaw</ent> case before Judge
<ent type='PERSON'>Bason</ent>. "</p>

<p>Certainly the failure of Judge <ent type='PERSON'>Bason</ent> to be re-appointed after ruling
in favor of <ent type='ORG'>Inslaw</ent> is curious. A good reporter would seek evidence
to show that there was a connection between the <ent type='ORG'>Inslaw</ent> case and
the failure to re-appoint Judge <ent type='PERSON'>Bason</ent>. That one event followed the
other is not this proof. The same situation applies to <ent type='PERSON'>Teel</ent>. The
sequence is curious but the cause and effect relationship remains
unproven.</p>

<p><ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent> also makes extensive use of arguments by exhortation, which
are arguments based more on emotion that on reason. For example,
he claims:</p>

<p>"An official of the <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>i government claims [a person] sold the
Promis program to <ent type='GPE'>Iraq</ent>i military intelligence at a meeting in
<ent type='GPE'>Santiago</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Chile</ent>. The software could have been used in the recent
Persian <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent> to track U.S. and allied troop movements. Ari
Ben-Menashe, a 12 year veteran of <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>i intelligence, made the
statement in a sworn affidavit to the court. "</p>

<p>When <ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent> claims the software could have been used against the
U.S. during <ent type='EVENT'>the <ent type='LOC'>Gulf</ent> <ent type='EVENT'>War</ent></ent>, he is using jingoistic appeals to emotion
rather than reason to garner support for his position. He is
deliberately painting a picture of the possible deaths of U.S.
soldiers as a direct result of the purported theft of the Promis
software program by U.S. government agencies. That software also
could have been used to track hamburger shipments by Mc<ent type='PERSON'>Don</ent>alds, or
alternatively, troop movements could have been tracked by <ent type='ORG'>Lotus</ent>
AGENDA rather than Promis. It is hype, and misleading, to single
out the one possibility that suits his political ends.</p>

<p>There are other misleading statement in the paragraph quoted above.
For example, Ari Ben-Menashe was hardly "an official of the <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>i
government." He was at best an <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>i intelligence staffer who
became a player in the international arms trade, and even that has
been contested. Martin's inflation of Ben-Menashe's status serves
to condemn the entire <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent>i government in a way that a discussion
based on Ben-Menashe's actual status would not have done. Another
example is Martin's emphasis on the fact that Ari Ben-Menashe "made
the statement in a sworn affidavit to the court." As anyone who
has worked on legal cases can attest, sworn statements carry no
guarantee that they are truthful or factual. Absent documentation
or corroborating testimony, they stand as allegations, not facts.</p>

<p>In the same article, <ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent> goes on to claim that Promis is now
being used by the <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent>, the <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>al Security Agency, the Defense
Intelligence Agency, and the U.S. Department of Justice. In fact,
these are unproven allegations that are being presented as though
they were facts. They may indeed be proven at some point, but have
not yet been proven. The technique of first presenting allegations,
then later referring to them as facts, is a classic propaganda
technique. A closer examination of Martin's presentation reveals
that the claimed use of the software by these U.S. government
agencies is actually an allegation from Ben-Menashe's affidavit,
in which Ben-Menashe claims he was told by a third party that this
was true. Legally, this is hearsay, which is typically inadmissible
in court as evidence. Nevertheless, <ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent> converts this hearsay
allegation into a statement of fact. But <ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent> is not through with
his daisy chain of proof.</p>

<p>Still utilizing unproven assertions, <ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent> goes on to expand the
cast of villains from a few corrupt officials of the Justice
Department to the entire U.S. government. He writes:</p>

<p>"[The] Judiciary Committee is conducting its own investigation in
what has been described as the U.S. Department of Justice's "trickery,
deceit and theft" of the software. The U.S. Government has been
connected with the illegal sale of the sensitive software to South
Korea, <ent type='GPE'>Libya</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Iraq</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Israel</ent> and <ent type='GPE'>Canada</ent>, as well as being pirated by
a number of U.S. agencies, including the <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent>, <ent type='ORG'>Nation</ent>al Security
Agency and other military units. The software is also in use by
the <ent type='ORG'>FBI</ent>. Only the U.S. Justice Department was licensed to use the
software... "</p>

<p>&gt;From a proposition of criminal or unethical conduct by individuals
within the Justice Department, a proposition itself unproven, <ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent>
moves on to argue the existence of an international conspiracy,
led by the U.S. government to steal and distribute Promis software.
While such a claim could later be proven, <ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent> here merely presents
the allegation as though it were true, a technique known as a
"conclusionary" or "Kierkegaardian" leap.</p>

<p>One final example of Martin's tendency to confuse unproven allegations
with established matters of fact can be found in Martin's treatment
of <ent type='PERSON'>Riconoscuito</ent>, a computer software technician who has submitted
a sworn affidavit in the <ent type='ORG'>Inslaw</ent> case. <ent type='PERSON'>Riconoscuito</ent> has claimed that
he was threatened by a former staff member of the Justice Department
with criminal prosecution on an unrelated charge and with an
unfavorable result in a pending child custody dispute if he testified
on the <ent type='ORG'>Inslaw</ent> case. <ent type='PERSON'>Riconoscuito</ent> has also claimed that he made a
tape recording of the telephoned threat, two copies of which were
confiscated when he was arrested. Although he has not produced it,
he claims a third copy exists, which is being held in a safe
location. When <ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent> discusses <ent type='PERSON'>Riconoscuito</ent>, he begins with what
appears to be a statement of uncontested fact, "In February,
<ent type='PERSON'>Riconoscuito</ent> was called by a former Justice Department official
and warned against cooperating with an investigation into the case
by the <ent type='ORG'>House</ent> Judiciary Committee." In fact, while some of what
<ent type='PERSON'>Riconoscuito</ent> has alleged can be verified, much cannot. Despite the
plethora of details <ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent> presents, the entire content of Martin's
story on <ent type='PERSON'>Riconoscuito</ent> is composed of Riconoscuito's own unverified
assertions or other unproven allegations made in the early stages
of a lawsuit.</p>

<p><ent type='PERSON'>Riconoscuito</ent> has also been championed as a source by the LaRouchians
who say they introduced <ent type='PERSON'>Riconoscuito</ent> to <ent type='PERSON'>Danny Casolaro</ent>, according
to the <special><ent type='ORG'>Village Voice</ent></special> article by <ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Vaughan</ent>. Anyone
reading that article carefully will get the idea that authors
<ent type='PERSON'>Ridgeway</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Vaughan</ent> think that some of the <ent type='PERSON'>Riconoscuito</ent>/<ent type='PERSON'>Casolaro</ent>
allegations are unsubstantiated and reflect undocumented conspiracy
theories.</p>

<p>These few examples buttress the assertion that <ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent> is not a
reliable source of information. A careful reading of all the <ent type='ORG'>Martin</ent>
<ent type='ORG'>Inslaw</ent> articles reveals many other instances of fallacious argument
and propaganda technique. Questions regarding <ent type='PERSON'>Harry Martin</ent>'s
judgement and political orientation are also raised by the fact
that he has allowed his articles to appear regularly in the
<special>Spotlight</special>[f-12]</p>

<p> Conclusions</p>

<p>"When we destroy international Fascism we must at the same time
destroy national Fascism, we must replace the reactionary forces
at home with truly <ent type='NORP'>democratic</ent> forces which will represent all of
us. "</p>

<p>(<ent type='PERSON'>George Seldes</ent> )</p>

<p>(<special>Facts and Fascism</special>, 1943 )</p>

<p>We suffer in the U.S. from an unfortunate reluctance to recognize
and name the resurgence of fascist ideology around the world. In
part this is because we are not taught in our schools what fascism
was or is. We hold ourselves up as a model of democracy while half
the eligible citizens rarely feel motivated to vote, and we are
bombarded with advertising that tells us that freedom is the ability
to purchase four different varieties of Coca-Cola at 7-11.</p>

<p>Some have argued that the main potential threat of fascism comes
from a bipartisan government increasingly willing to employ repressive
and authoritarian solutions to societal problems during a time of
economic decline. <ent type='ORG'>Political</ent> analyst <ent type='PERSON'>William</ent> <ent type='PERSON'>Pfaff</ent> is one of the
few mainstream analysts who warns that an unconscious strain of
<ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n fascism is influencing national affairs. Writing in the
<special><ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent> Tribune</special> with a <ent type='GPE'>Paris</ent> dateline of March, 1987, <ent type='PERSON'>Pfaff</ent>
concluded that the actions of the Reagan Administration during the
<ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent>-<ent type='ORG'>Contra</ent> scandal revealed "a pattern of conduct and a state of
mind among important people in this administration which must be
described as an <ent type='GPE'>America</ent>n style of fascism. I would prefer to avoid
that term, but it is the only one in the modern political vocabulary
that adequately describes" the situation.</p>

<p>Given the upsurge of nationalism, jingoistic patriotism, militarism,
scapegoating, and race-baiting practiced by both the Reagan and
<ent type='PERSON'>Bush</ent> Administrations, a discussion of the proto-fascist elements
in U.S. domestic and foreign policy is not unwarranted. At the same
time, it is hyperbole to describe the current political climate in
the U.S. as fascist. Yet it clearly is an error to assume that
anyone who opposes repressive aspects of U.S. policy is an
anti-fascist, or upholds <ent type='NORP'>democratic</ent> principles.</p>

<p> A Painful Task</p>

<p>The dilemma for left activists is to sort out the various strains
of fascist ideology circulating in the world and in <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent>
States. To ignore the threat posed by critics of our government
who represent overt fascism is a dangerous folly.</p>

<p>While revealing our government's policies as corrupt, we must not
concede the debate over foreign policy and domestic social justice
to the demagogues on either the left or the right. If these people
monopolize the debate, then political discourse in the U.S. will
soon echo the themes of the fascist era in Europe where hysteria
and holocaust, blood and bounty, blind patriotism and deaf obedience
became synonymous with the national spirit.</p>

<p>Author <ent type='PERSON'>George Seldes</ent> reached his 100th birthday in 1990 as the
early editions of this report were first being researched and
written. More than half a century earlier, in 1938, <ent type='PERSON'>Seldes</ent> wrote
<special>You Can't Do That</special>, a book with a prophetic warning about how
fascism comes to power as the result of a pincer movement between
authoritarian state repression supported by corporate elites and
mass movements sparked by ultra-rightist demagogues. <ent type='PERSON'>Seldes</ent> wrote:</p>

<p>"We must guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism,
especially that patriotism which is the last refuge of scoundrels
and which is so prevalent, so professional and so well paid nowadays.
Eternal vigilance must become more than the slogan for small
associations desperately fighting almost overwhelming cases of
infringements on individual liberties. "</p>

<p>"We must realize that those who use red-baiting to attack every
liberal and <ent type='NORP'>democratic</ent> movement today, are the armed cutthroats of
reactionary Fascism tomorrow. "</p>

<p>"Two facts emerge from any study of European turmoil and the new
class alignment in our own land. The enemy is always the Right.
Fascism and Reaction inevitably attack. They have won against
disunion. They will fail if we unite. "</p>

<p>While the concept of broad-based peace and social justice coalitions
remains desirable, activists and their coalitions should be very
careful to examine the backgrounds and ideologies of those groups
with which we seek to build coalitions.</p>

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