Herr Mueller: by what name should we address you? When the head of the secret police took charge, the people of the fair land looked the other way. A veteran of war in the service of his country, he was well trained for the task that he was assigned. Police work came natural, and his talents were well suited to collecting information about members of groups that were enemies of the State. When he was put in charge of the secret police he involved himself in the tracking down of potential opponents to the Fatherland. His methods became infamous. His orders were followed with total obedience. And the carnage that ensued, will never be forgotten! Or has it? The name of this man was Mueller. You heard of him, haven't you? Just recently that name appeared in the press with the announcement of a change in his mission. The domestic and national force of federal policemen, would now expand their role and scope. Borders would be crossed, warrants would be abundant and interrogation would be intense. Fear would be their weapon and the snitch their tongue. Anyone who posed a threat of terror against the regime, would feel the wrath from this Reich. Who is this man? If you think this person responds to the name Robert, you may be half right. But this top cop was born with the name of Heinrich, and his police force was not the FBI but the Gestapo. Herr Mueller was the prototype of this vast enforcement spy network. It would be most difficult to present a soft and sagacious absolution for their work. Who among us could defend or advocate their deeds? So why are so many Americans remaining docile in the face of a pattern that some of us view with deep concern? Some will say it could never happen here in America. Well, have you ever heard of Pastor Niemoller ? You certainly know his story - a German clergyman under the Nazi regime, later confessed that when the Nazis attacked opposing groups such as the Communists, he was a little uneasy. But, he said, after all, he was not a communist, so he did nothing. When the Nazis began to attack the Jews he was even more uneasy, but he still did nothing. Then they attacked the Church, and because he was a clergyman he tried to do something, but it was too late. But have you ever heard this account from the pulpit in your church? "We have no more thought of using our own powers to escape the arm of the authorities than had the Apostles of old. No more are we ready to keep silent at man's behest when God commands us to speak. For it is, and must remain, the case that we must obey God rather than man." This subject is painful for many Americans to confront. They are comfortable in their safe cocoon of denial. The facts don't matter and for many of them, their rights are optional. When the priorities of the FBI are transformed into a blueprint to turn America upside down, we 'Old Cause' conservatives should take pause. You don't have to be a card carrying ACLU member to agree with their spokeswoman Laura Murphy : "You no longer have to do anything unlawful in order to get that knock on the door . . . You can be doing a perfectly legal activity like worshipping or talking in a chat room, they can spy on you anyway." As for the expanded scope and mission of the FBI is it correct when she says: "The government is rewarding failure" ? The excuse that we are at war is as bogus as the claims that the ' Carnivore ' network has been tamed with its change in name to DCS1000. But what is the justification for a systemic monitoring program of private communications to begin with? By their own admissions, they capture e-mails unconnected to targets of an investigation. And we are suppose to trust the FBI to obey the law! Now the Herr Mueller overhaul plan circumvents and lifts restrictions on conducting surveillance at public gatherings. If this isn't a return to the Cointelpro domestic surveillance program of J. Edgar Hoover what would you call it? But we are supposed to be at war! Protecting the public is supposed to be the primary mission . . . Where did we hear that before? From the National Archives and Records Administration we learn that Heinrich Mueller managed security and counterespionage operations. His most spectacular counterespionage success was the development of a double-cross network, capturing a number of these agents and "turn" them. This sure sounds like a function that the CIA is suppose to be charged with. Now we are being conditioned to accept that the FBI deserves an expanded role to conduct these kind of operations. What is the point, even if you are one that encourages such operations, when all the government would need to do is absolve the CIA from the 'so called' domestic restrictions? Could it be that the "Agency" is so involved with waging their own private wars that they forgot about spying? So Robert Mueller, comes to the rescue in order to avoid turf disputes, and wants to establish a constant "Big Brother", after we were told that 'Carnivore' was only used to catch the bay guys? Where are the sunset guarantees that this change in direction will not become a permanent expansion of purpose? Well, the aim should be obvious. That magnification in Gestapo powers is exactly the intent of the FBI. Efram Zimbalist, Jr retired a long time ago. Now the Bureau only hires graduates of the Hitler Youth, who have their certificates from the Reichspropagandaleitung. If real security and elimination of the terrorism from an Islamic adversary is the objective, when will the borders be closed to their ranks, or when will these illegal's be deported? Better yet, when will America renounce the foreign policy of empire and stop supporting causes of phony allies? . . . Probably not until the surveillance and eavesdropping of the G-men is put back in their box. Conservatives are defined as people who favor traditional values. What is traditional in the imitation of the Fascist Gestapo model for national security? Read the entire FBI mission statement : “The mission of the FBI is to uphold the law through the investigation of violations of federal criminal law; to protect the United States from foreign intelligence and terrorist activities; to provide leadership and law enforcement assistance to federal, state, local, and international agencies; and to perform these responsibilities in a manner that is responsive to the needs of the public and is faithful to the Constitution of the United States.” We do not need Herr Robert to become an American version of Heinrich? The WSJ pointed out that "If Mr. Mueller had wanted to send a message to change the FBI mindset, he would have fired the supervisory special agent who ignored the Minneapolis warnings on Moussaoui. Instead, Ms. Rowley says, that agent was promoted." The Wall Street Journal is right - Robert Mueller must go. America can do better - protect her citizens and respect the Constitution. When will you speak out? SARTRE - June 1, 2002