I have never written a diary here. I have lurked and commented for some time but given the events of today I feel I need to speak out. Speak out before I think that in light of what has happened today people need to know what agencies like the FBI, DOD, NSA and other like them really are.
I currently serve in the military. I know that many people don't see in a good light what the military do. Please never blame the soldier that day in day out go about doing their job, sacrificing themselves for a better future for them and their family. Our current military is made out of poor folk, myself included, joining because we see it as a way to break the chains of poverty that has permeated in our immediate families for decades.
If you want to point blame, blame the roots of these institutions. Ever since I joined the military since early bootcamp all the way up to your duty station is a constant indoctrination of conservative/rightwing propaganda. You can walk to any military base visitor center, any platoon headquarters and cafeteria, commissary and private exchange and you will see all the TVs tuned in to FoxNews. I remember in bootcamp the only network they will show us news was FoxNews and that still happens today. Your tax dollars at work!!
I went to take the FBI agent test once and guess what they were showing on TV in the waiting area?... yup... Fox News. Again… your tax dollars at work!! I have friends that have worked for the NSA and is more of the same. The very reason why we don't have many Snowden's leaking info about this covert government programs is because many of this people have been indoctrinated on right wing propaganda as we are in the military as well.
The indoctrination in these agencies are so strong that it made a young black/hispanic man such as myself believe that we hispanics and black were the problem in this country. I was so indoctrinated that I remember supporting the Bush illegal wars like it was the right thing to do and refuse to hear any facts against it.
I was one of the few fortunates who was able to break the chains of indoctrination thanks to having a family that instead of shunning me away for my new found hyper right wing political beliefs just kept chipping away piece by piece every piece of indoctrination I was subjected to. My family calmly reminded me that I can be a progressive who serves his country proudly while at the same time advocating for progressive idea within and outside the military. It wasn't easy for them but they stood by me and I'm thankful to them for that for eternity.
And like the military so are other organizations like the FBI. This is another american institutions that is deep rooted top/down-bottom-up with hyper rightwing activist that would do anything legal AND illegal to stop anything close to being progressive to move forward. Its like having the Tea Party running these institutions. They aren't able to be transparent because they are a micro echo chamber of what is posted on Breitbart, broadcasted by FoxNews and said by Rush Limbaugh.
If you are a progressive you should never EVER trust these institutions at all. They are the last bastion of power for the right wing and until that changes our attitude towards them should be of mistrust borderline contempt.
What we need to do to fight these agencies is to VOTE!! VOTE early!! VOTE for down ballot democrats. Let win the Senate!! Lets win the House!! The only way to stop these right wing institutions is to have the ability to bring them in for questioning when they play the political hackery game like Comey and his FBI is doing right now. Thats the only way we can keep these hyper rightwing activist in check!