Summary of Tony Brown's Journal

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

Big SHOUTOUT to Oxsys@aol.com for this

The Last Roundup Intelligence authorities plan "Y2K Mad Max" Scenario?

(From PBS show: Tony Brown's Journal, airing this week...check your local PBS (Public Broadcasting, not cable) listings "Race and Y2K")

Ok, we are going to write our coverage of this show from two perspectives, as best we can. The African American or People-of-Color version and the White Folk version. This is because we have discovered a lot of white peeps filter their information differently once they perceive the story concerns a racial issue... Please, white folk, do not miss the message here or misdirect your fears ... It is about a threat that can apply to all groups. We recommend everyone read both of the following perspectives:

A black ex-FBI special agent with a Ph.D. in criminal justice speaks with black journalist Tony Brown on a PBS television show about law enforcement plans for Y2K disruptions:

Tyrone Powers, a 10-year veteran agent of the FBI, explains his views of government reaction to Y2K.

For some years, the U.S. intelligence community has developed a multi-level list of scenarios and response plans for domestic unrest, and these plans are geared specifically to Y2K next year. Alledgedly, these plans include rounding up dissidents, mass relocation of people, acceptable casualty/loss rates of innocent people, use of Hostage Recovery Teams and urban tanks to restore order in unprecedented ways. Also, 1960's-era intelligence-gathering efforts remain in effect. (For instance, intelligence authorities can bug hotel rooms, etc. without court order to obtain information, if they do not plan to arrest you. Civil liberties issues pertain only if a case goes to court, Powers said...)

Version A.

1. The intelligence community has specific plans in place to deal with local African American communities.

2. The FBI has planned for three possible levels of Y2K intensity: The Brown Out - Minor, localized, temporary or intermittent loss of power. Few problems. The Black Out -- More extended loss of power and utilities, but no resulting chaos. The "Mad Max" Scenario -- Catastrophic computer failures, loss of utilities, resulting social unrest, looting, severe disorder.

3. The response to the "Mad Max" Scenario would be: A. The President would declare martial law (actually, there are also other names for this...) Plans are already in place so that martial law will be possible, Powers said. B. Law enforcement (Hostage Recovery Teams, urban tanks etc. would be used in inner city black communities, if necessary, probably during darkness when authorities believe most looting and violence would occur) to restore order, not to recover hostages.

4. Order would be restored by: relocating masses of people, using Hostage Recovery Teams in ways not normally associated with these teams, rounding up dissidents whom authorities think could further enflame the community. These efforts might take place at night because that is when authorities expect most looting and disorder to occur. Because of problems with power failures and resulting darkness, innocent people could die. There is an acceptable loss rate of innocent civilians factored into the possible government response, Powers said.

5. The intelligence community has pegged African Americans as emotional and not likely to pursue justice for their own grievances once they have been allowed a specific period to vent and protest. The law enforcement thinking is, let them vent, get it over with, and they will quiet down and go away, Powers said.

6. Each FBI agent is pushed to develop many sources of information. The intelligence community receives ongoing "Friends of the Bureau" reports on these communities, including updates on local civic leaders, media leaders, churches and dissidents. Intelligence authorities will assess and do everything possible to stop alarmists from making matters worse next year.

7. Even though there may be hard statistical evidence of solid, commen sense preparation among African Americans, or of a lesser disruptive reaction among Blacks, law enforcement in a multi-task-force conference about response efforts will accept the current FBI verbal assessment of the situation over any media reports or prepared research or analyses. If the FBI says there will be riots, the law peeps will believe the FBI, any other analysis or evidence to the contrary, Powers said.

8. The FBI and other agencies are preparing for Y2K disruptions and worse throughout 2000... from Jan 1 on through March and even June of next year, if things have not resolved, in case Y2K frustrations are high and the heat of summer sets in.

Version B

1. If you do not live in the inner city, please put aside for now any apprehension over gangs of African Americans running amok trying to get to you during Y2K. This is not the issue today, and it could prevent you from understanding the current issue regarding intelligence agencies. If inner city unrest occurs, be concerned for other African Americans caught in the midst of disorder: black-on-black crime is just as tragic during a catastrophe. Other Black/White concerns can be discussed in a future newsletter, depending on interest.

2. Although the number of Blacks who own computers and have access to information on the Internet is considerably lower than the number of Whites who have access, Blacks in general are preparing for Y2K on a ratio of 2 to 1 more than Whites are, according to Brown and some polls. Why is this? Possibly because of their history of deprivation, African Americans are more likely to take the threat of this crisis more seriously, this TV show says. Many affluent, comfortable whites don't really get what Y2K is about... the threat of a computer catastrophe and its impact ... and remain in denial.

3. By Black Americans' preparations for Y2K, we mean prudent African Americans are reportedly storing food, water etc and making common sense household plans. We do not mean black gangs are preparing in advance to rush into the white community and loot.

4. Intelligence agencies have sophisticated methods for taking the pulse of every community, not just the African American community. Their efforts to keep tabs on what is going on with individuals and groups through informants: agent provocateurs, FOB (friends of the bureau), reliable sources, cooperating witnesses and others is continuous and apparently widespread. So you do not have to be an inner-city African American to find your activities or personal information forwarded by someone you know to a government office and monitored or catalogued with reference to Y2K, with an assessment made as to whether you will contribute to an incendiary atmosphere should things get difficult next year.

5. The response of intelligence authorities to unrest and dissidents as described in this TV program also could apply to your own subgroup, if you are engaged in Y2K or other political issues that could become acute during a Y2K catastrophe. Intelligence strategies are now in some ways unprecedented and represent civil liberties issues for all races and groups within the U.S.

6. If African Americans in the inner-cities and elsewhere are preparing for Y2K, stockpiling food, water and money, even more than Whites, they have as much much to risk and fear in terms of forced relocation as Whites. Their loss of household stockpiles is just as worrisome to them as it is to others who have prepared.

7. Conclusion... The issues of Whites, Blacks and Hispanics concerning Y2K are similar in many respects. As our concern for next year continues, please be alert to ways in which we can earmark the common ground among people, rather than their fears of each other, that may be associated with Y2K.

Tony Brown quote regarding the Government's Plans:

Advice for People of Color (African American, Hispanics): "Let us not play into the plans of people who could harm us."

And, we may add, Advice for White Folk: "Let us not play into the plans of people who could harm us."



-- Jimmy Bagga Doughnuts (jim1bets@worldnet.att.net), December 19, 1999

Answers

What an interesting combination of 'posters' we have here. Hmmmmmm

So what's your point? I don't think any of us *here* are being told anything we weren't already aware of. I would suggest ya'll post this info on some skinhead site, or have I taken this the wrong way?

One message that has *ALWAYS* been made abundantly clear on this forum is:

WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. That includes clueless Pollies who haven't known their ass from a hole in the ground, when it comes to Y2K...........

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), December 19, 1999.


Thanks for the kind words and tolerence Will. Actually I have no point. Just trying to help the discussion. For a good article on whether the companies who say they are compliant really are go to the New York Times Technology section. You have to register so I'll summarize for you Paranoid Scitzos out there. They're not.

-- Jimmy Bagga Doughnuts (jim1bets@worldnet.att.net), December 19, 1999.

Nooo, thank YOU Jimmy. Where's corrine?

I heard she was coordinating the entertainment for the Clinton relatives who will be eating New Year's Eve dinner in a heated tent in the Rose Garden. Can you verify? Is there a three tier cake involved? Cigars? Ya gotta love that gal.......

:)

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), December 19, 1999.


Tony Brown has IMHO the best information/discussion show on TV today. He has been the only journalist who has taken on the Y2K menace honestly and head on. Tony has also exposed the HIV/AIDS fraud that has cost the lives of 300,000 healthy Americans to AZT poisonong. His views on the African-American experience are unique as he is firm believer in self-empowerment. I highly recommend his two books. Both are real eye openers.

http://www.tonybrown.com/DEFAULT.HTM

-- ishman (bw@bw.net), December 19, 1999.


FYI:

This show is a repeat from last July. I'm almost certain there are links concerning it on the Y2000 thread from then...

-- RJ (LtPita@aol.com), December 19, 1999.



FYI,

FYI it's actually a repeat from September. No offense, just trying to be factual.

Someon should start a thread on the NY Times article mentioned above.

-- Jimmy Bagga Doughnuts (jim1bets@worldnet.att.net), December 19, 1999.


NEW YORK TIMES on Y2K: "In Final Year 2000 Testing, Focus Is on Smallest Flaws"

-- this it? (NY@Times.y2k), December 19, 1999.

Jimmy: Is it just my perception or has there been a significant change in your approach to these issues over the past several months?

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), December 19, 1999.

Arnie-

Over the last couple days, I think. He was patting Ladylogic on the back for here cogent thinking last week. Take this guy with a grain of salt.

-- (cavscout@fix.net), December 19, 1999.


Arnie,

I've rarely been here the past several months. Before that I stepped on the wrong facist toes and became personna non grata. I've always tried to lampoon the gun toting crazies and have made many rational posts stating my position on various Y2K related issues. So, to answer your question, no I haven't changed.

Your Pal JBD

-- Jimmy Bagga Doughnuts (jim1bets@worldnet.att.net), December 19, 1999.



JBD, the nastiest troll ever. A rattlesnake with long sharp venom who smolders grudges. The snake that cannot be charmed.

-- beware (mean@mean.troll), December 19, 1999.

[rude comment snipped--JBD read the guidelines--formerly you topped the charts in being the most viscious, foul-mouthed troll on this bboard--chill out--or leave--Sysop]

-- Jimmy Bagga Doughnuts (jim1bets@worldnet.att.net), December 19, 1999.

Jimmy Bagga Doughnuts started a previous thread asking for information on Tony Brown's September television program on Y2K.

I just happened to have written a synopsis of the show, "Race and Y2K" for my Y2K newsletter "Days to Go" so I sent JBD a copy of my report. Actually, I do not know who JBD is. Just trying to be helpful here.

He then posted my information on this thread. I do not mind, but I would like to add some background: My intent in this September newsletter was to describe the main points of the television program for my readers. I had already received e-mails from readers (the show was televised in different areas over a week's time) some who had seen the show already and some who had not.

The problem I was encountering was that some of the white readers were focusing more on the racial aspect of the program, rather than the law enforcement aspect as it applied to all races. I was concerned some were losing the message. I tried to express the contents of the program in ways that would capture the point of FBI involvement with Y2K, regardless of the race of the person.

My other hope was that readers would "get" that we are all in this together, with similar challenges, vulnerabilities and stakes. To assume my material belongs with the skinheads is to completely misunderstand my position.

-- Oxsys (Oxsys@aol.com), December 19, 1999.


For (SOME YEARS), the U.S. intelligence community has developed a multi-level list of scenarios and response plans for domestic unrest, and these plans are geared (SPECIFICALLY) to Y2K next year.

I would have to assume from this statement that the U.S. intelligence community has not only known about possible problems associated from Y2K, but have known for years. Just makes one wonder why some people still don't think it's that big of a deal.

Oh I'm sorry, I forgot, denial. Also I sure would like to know exactly how many years. Two, three, four, how many?

-- ~***~ (~***~@earth.ebe), December 19, 1999.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ