Abstract

The Return of the Red Squads
Donner, Frank | October 12, 1985 issue

add to cart   close window

Police repression in the United States follows a unique cyclical pattern. First, a wave of alleged subversion gives rise to abuses. When the fear recedes people are confronted with evidence that the practices violate the fundamental norms by which people have agreed to live as a people. And so steps are taken to stop them and prevent their repetition. But memory fades, and the old practices are renewed. The cycle now ending began in the 1960's. In response to the wave of protest, intelligence units, or Red squads, stepped up their activities. By the early 1970's the backlash had set in. The cooling of political passions as the Vietnam War wound down left the police without a threat to exploit.

See Also:

POLICE -- Complaints against; POLICE -- United States; INTELLIGENCE officers; POLICE misconduct; VIETNAM War, 1961-1975; UNITED States
ARCHIVE HOME
Pricing
Articles are sold in 'packs,' which are priced as follows:

1 for 2.95
4 for 9.95
10 for 19.95
50 for 34.95
300 for 149.95
Refund Policy
Sales of archive individual articles, full issues or article packs are final and no refunds will be issued.
Access for libraries
help
Search
Browse
Sample Article

My Articles

You must be logged in to view your articles.

User name

Password

I don't have a login.

I forgot my user name/password.
Advertisement
Advertisement

Blogs

» The Beat

Jimmy Carter on "An Unnecessary War" | "The devastating invasion of Gaza by Israel could easily have been avoided."
John Nichols
Posted 34 minutes ago

» State of Change

Torture Prosecutor Tops 70,000 Questions for Obama on Change.Gov | We just put torture prosecutions on top of Change.gov -- will Obama answer before Eric Holder's nomination hearing?
Ari Melber
Posted at 10:31 PM ET

» Capitolism

Things You Learn in Washington | Why are congressional Democrats "negotiating" with Citigroup?
Christopher Hayes
Posted at 9:20 PM ET

» Altercation

Altercation 3.0 | Altercation takes up residence today at The Nation. In this incarnation, expect more music and movies and maybe a little less politics. But first, a word about Cass Sunstein.
Eric Alterman

» Editor's Cut

Obama Must Get Afghanistan Right | If he doesn't, the US will be stuck in another military catastrophe.
Katrina vanden Heuvel

» The Dreyfuss Report

Panetta? Ummmmm... Well..... | Could Obama have made a weirder choice for CIA director? Here's why Panetta is doomed.
Robert Dreyfuss

» Act Now!

Allow Media into Gaza | Israel is encouraging abuses by preventing foreign journalists from entering the Gaza Strip.
Peter Rothberg

» The Notion

Hard Times Without Studs | One of Terkel’s former book editors considers a Studs-less world.
Tom Engelhardt

» And Another Thing

Bill Ayers Whitewashes History, Again | The Weathermen were not just a bunch of idealistic young people.
Katha Pollitt