Detroit FBI Faked Letter to Divide Black Activists and Student Leftists, and This Stuff is Still Going On
Everyone should be aware of what the FBI has done and is still doing
Hey there,
I'm working on a major project in the background but am getting back on a schedule that will allow me to publish much more regularly here.
Last week, I published a story in the Detroit Metro Times. Ostensibly an expansion of my Rolling Stone story on the FBI's surveillance of Aretha Franklin, there are some things I really want to highlight that didn't make it into the Rolling Stone version.
I believe those in leftist, Black, and POC organizing spaces should especially be aware of the tactics the FBI has used and continues to use.
Detroit FBI Faked a Letter to Divide Black activists and Student Leftists
In 1970, the FBI sent a false letter in Detroit as part of a memo titled “COINTELPRO–NEW LEFT” in an attempt to divide interests and allegiances between the leftist organization Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the Black Panther Party.
In a now declassified document, the FBI wrote, “Detroit is drafting an anonymous letter incorporating the suggestion of the Chicago office regarding efforts to further expand the rift between the SDS [Students for a Democratic Society] and the Black Panther Party (BPP)…”
The FBI document outlines, “The [fraudulent] letter would purportedly be from a black militant who has become disenchanted with SDS [Students for a Democratic Society] and who accuses SDS of using blacks. Since the letter may serve to widen the split, it is being approved.”
The fraudulent FBI letter, written as if it were from a Black member of the Black Panther Party, stated, “Since when do us Blacks have to swallow the dictates of the honky SDS? Doing this only hinders the Party progress in gaining Black control over Black people…” (cont’d)
(Cont’d) “We’ve been fucked over by the white facists pigs and the Man’s control over our destiny … The damn SCS [SDS] is a paper organization with a severe case of diarhea of the mouth which has done nothing but feed us lip service…” (cont’d)
(Cont’d) “They call themselves revolutionaries but look at who they are. Most of them come from well heeled families even by honky standards. They think they’re helping us Blacks but their futile, misguided and above all white efforts only muddy the revolutionary waters” (cont’d)
(Cont’d) “The time has come for an absolute break with any non-Black group and especially those nit-shit SDS and a return to our pursuit of a pure black revolution by Blacks for Blacks.” (End of false FBI letter)
FBI DOCUMENT APPROVING THE FALSE LETTER
THE FALSE FBI LETTER DIVIDING THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND LEFTIST STUDENT ACTIVISTS
Abusive surveillance and other tactics used by the FBI are not “old news.”
In 2019, journalist Ken Klippenstein did important reporting via leaked documents on the IRON FIST program and FBI labeling of “Black Identity Extremists.”
In 2017, the American Civil Liberties Union and MediaJustice filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit to acquire FBI records showcasing the targeting of Black activists — specifically, of what the ACLU has called a “fictitious group of so-called ‘Black Identity Extremists.’”
In 2020, the FBI’s Black Identity Extremists label was changed to “RMVEs [Racially Motivated Violent Extremists].” Specifically, the documents note anger felt by activists and in Black communities due to “perceptions of police brutality against African Americans.”
Of these files and noting their timing, a source now-retired from the FBI tells Metro Times, “I would not be surprised that the reason that Black extremist groups were placed high on the list was an appeasement to the Trump White House.”
Now What?
I wanted to highlight these things to show that what the FBI has been capable of and is still capable of. You can find additional links, documents, and examples in my Detroit Metro Times story and via my Twitter thread on the same.
What do we do about it? We expose it. I'll continue digging and reporting.
Thank you so much for your support! I can't do what I do without you.
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Good research. Surveillance of citizen groups should not be legal when it involves disinformation and creation of friction between groups. I would not support this tactic being used against alt-right groups either. The step beyond mere surveillance makes it immoral and it should be illegal as well.
Thankyou for the important info Jenn. Further confirmation that the ruling class want avoid working class solidarity.