FBI to hand over John Lennon documents

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Registered: 03-18-2000
FBI to hand over John Lennon documents
4
Sat, 10-02-2004 - 12:06am

The FBI has been ordered to hand over files on John Lennon by a judge after claims MI5 shadowed the late Beatle's political activities.


 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3706262.stm


The Los Angeles ruling by US District Judge Robert Takasugi brought to an end a 23-year legal battle by California professor Jonathan Wiener.

He first requested the information in 1980, shortly after Lennon was shot.

The files were gathered during the early 1970s, when Lennon participated in protests against the Vietnam War.









 

Judge Takasugi rejected the US government's national security claims when making his ruling earlier this week.

The US government has 60 days to announce whether it will appeal against the ruling.

Charles Miller, spokesman for the US Department of Justice, said government lawyers were "reviewing the court's ruling" but that no decision had been made.

Mr Wiener, a University of California professor, requested the information for a book he was writing shortly after Lennon was murdered in New York in 1980.

He said: "The issue has become government secrecy and the absurdity that, today, when the FBI should have better things to do they are still trying to keep secret 34-year-old documents about the anti-war activities of a dead rock star."

Music concerts

Mr Wiener did have some success in 1997 when, along with the American Civil Liberties Union, he won the release of about 200 pages from the file.

The contents were chronicled in his 2000 book Gimme Some Truth: The John Lennon FBI File.

Wiener said the documents revealed efforts by President Richard Nixon to deport Lennon to silence his anti-war activities in 1971 and 1972.

"Lennon was planning a national concert tour through the United States to urge young people to vote," Wiener said.

"Nixon got wind of this and ordered Lennon to be deported so he couldn't do this concert tour."

Mr Wiener said the documents ordered released this week probably contain similarly embarrassing but not damaging information collected by the British government.

"All they've told us is these pages contain information provided by a foreign government under an explicit promise of confidentiality," Wiener said.

"We think these are MI5 reports on Lennon's left-wing political activities in England."


 



 John Lennon
cl-Libraone~

 


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Avatar for baileyhouse
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Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 10-02-2004 - 8:46am
I think this is just further proof that Mr. Nixon was more than just a little paranoid.

I wonder if Bush has started a file on Bruce yet???

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20041002/D85F3CU01.html

Springsteen Kicks Off 'Vote for Change'





Oct 2, 1:02 AM (ET)

By PATRICK WALTERS





PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Twenty years after releasing "Born in the U.S.A.," Bruce Springsteen returned to the anti-war anthem as he and other artists kicked off a multistate tour aimed at helping oust President Bush.

Springsteen and R.E.M., both vocal critics of Bush and the war in Iraq, are the headliners for the "Vote for Change" tour, a 10-day series of shows in battleground states. Friday night's performance at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia was one of six across Pennsylvania.

Springsteen and R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe introduced the first band, Bright Eyes, and reminded the crowd of the importance of voting Nov. 2.

"This is a very important moment for every one of us and for our country," Stipe said.

Springsteen opened his set with a solo version of "The Star Spangled Banner," followed by "Born in the U.S.A."

"I hope everybody saw the debate (Thursday) night," Springsteen said at one point, adding that he thought Democratic candidate John Kerry did well. "We're on a roll now."

During R.E.M.'s hourlong set, Stipe occasionally offered political comments. Introducing a song called "Final Straw" that was released the week the United States declared war on Iraq, he said: "Did anyone watch the debates last night?" Thousands in the packed stadium cheered loudly, many raising their hands.

On the other end of the state, the Dixie Chicks and James Taylor performed in Pittsburgh. Other concerts were held in Erie, State College, Reading and Wilkes-Barre.

"I think our guy did really pretty good last night," Taylor said of Kerry's debate performance. He advised undecided voters to "take a real close look at both of the candidates and then vote for the smart one."



Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines, once criticized for saying she was ashamed to share her home state of Texas with Bush, noted that a few people booed Taylor's assessment of Kerry's debate performance.

"We don't feel at home unless we hear some boos, so you're welcome," she said.

The tour, also featuring Pearl Jam, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, John Mellencamp and others, includes 37 shows in 30 cities through Oct. 11. Proceeds will go to America Coming Together, or ACT, a group raising money for Democratic candidates. Organizers said 90 percent of the shows, including the one in Philadelphia, were sold out as of Friday.

The tour will also make stops in Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Washington, Arizona and Washington, D.C.

Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard said he wants to convince voters that the Bush administration has been reckless in its foreign policy since Sept. 11.



"For me, personally, I very much want John Kerry to win," Gossard said in an interview. "I think that he's expressed an interest in re-engaging the world community and saying the last administration is not representative of the way America wants to do business with the world."

---

Associated Press Writers Jennifer Kay in Philadelphia and Joe Mandak in Pittsburgh contributed to this report.

---

On the Net:

America Coming Together: http://www.actforvictory.org

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Registered: 03-18-2000
Sat, 10-02-2004 - 9:12am

"Mr. Nixon was more than just a little paranoid."


Oh yes. In the end it was that paranoia that brought him down.


LOL Bush can't deport Bruce!

 


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Avatar for baileyhouse
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 10-02-2004 - 5:00pm
I bet he wishes he could deport the Dixie Chicks!!! I'm surprised Texas hasn't tried to already, I mean they seem to think they are their own country sometimes....
Avatar for papparic
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Registered: 03-27-2003
Sun, 10-03-2004 - 7:08pm
Nixon was not paranoid. We Were out to get him! (nt)