LOL, LQTM or ostrich pose?

I am so flabbergasted, I don't even know what reaction to have. I'm normally a proud Marylander. Its public schools have done me well; all hospitals are required to accept any patient, insured or not; everyone wants to Save the Bay; that old ship permanently parked in the Inner Harbor served to interdict slave ships before the Civil War. Good things, right?

But, all good things must come to an end. Or, at the very least, be tarnished beyond the repair of the bar-keeper's friend. Such is my reaction to the recent news that the Maryland State Police spent 2 years in covert operations against its own citizens, in an effort to root out terrorist threats. As a fact, that wouldn't be too bad. Until you ask...which citizens? Well, the citizens targeted were members of the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance, protesters against the death penalty, and other pacifists. PACIFISTS. Who is the last Quaker terrorist that anyone has ever heard of?

Imagine, if you will, the undercover MD Police officer...crew cut, wide brimmed goofy looking hat, swagger...attending meetings of the non-violent war protesters at Red Emma's. Yes. This really happened. More than once. Learning, wisely, that the male officers perhaps weren't the most covert operatives, they sent a female - named "Lucy" - who attended meetings, said nothing, and reported on the proceedings of the next organic food bake sale to raise money for bus transport to other non-violent anti-war protests.




Seriously. And, if anyone knows the Quaker pacifist with whom I have the most interaction...you can understand why I find this so darkly humorous. What happens if a member of your dissertation committee is impugned for pacifist activities?