Weekly Discussion 8

Alejandro Aguirre

March 30, 2014

SOC 122 – M/W 3:30PM

Kubal

 

Weekly Discussion

 

      In Democracy Now’s story, Why did the FBI Label Ryan Shapiro’s Dissertation on Animal Rights a Threat to National Security?, Shapiro discusses the opposition of the FBI and corporations against animal rights activists and those who simply promote what these activists believe in. Shapiro began discussing how this hostility began from his experience: when his dissertation was considered (by the FBI) one that promotes terrorism. The reason behind this opposition revolved around the illegally retrieved footage (as a result of trespassing) of animal abuse in slaughterhouses that Shapiro used in his dissertation. It should also be noted that the hostility came from the food industries that made profits from selling meats. In his defense, he stressed that he and these activists have not harmed a single person in the course of these practices. He said that activists who merely chalked anti-animal abuse slogans on sidewalks were prosecuted and identified as felons.

 

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/3/25/why_did_the_fbi_label_ryan

 

      Democracy Now’s story brings Ryan Shapiro again in Exclusive: NSA, FBI, DIA Sued over Refusal to Disclose U.S. Role in Imprisonment of Nelson Mandela discussing the injustices of these three agencies towards Mandela’s imprisonment. It was Shapiro who filed the lawsuit against these parties. One of the injustices he shared was the 27 years of incarceration Mandela spent after his apprehension. In addition to this injustice, Mandela was released in the 90s, but was not taken off the CIA terrorist watchlist until 2008. Why it took so long may still not have been disclosed. It was also mentioned how Mandela was sought as a national threat to the U.S. intelligence community. What should be kept in mind is how this incarceration took place even after his Nobel peace prize was awarded to him. Shapiro also discussed that Espionage Act of 1917 was the motive for refusing the disclosure of Mandela’s charges, but noted that it was in violation of conducting inadequate searches for the requested files by Shapiro. This and the denial of a document’s existence is also against the law and Act.

 

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/3/25/exclusive_nsa_fbi_dia_sued_over