The government, it has been revealed, has been spying on groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Greenpeace and the Catholic Worker. Apparently, PETA has been targeted as part of the government's "Vegan Community Project," (I wonder if Lantern's a member?) which I must admit sounds not only very scary but only an Allahu Akbar away from Al-Qaeda. Similarly subversive is the Catholic Worker, which is accused of having a "semi-communistic ideology" based, no doubt, on the deeply un-Christian ideas of helping the poor and redistributing wealth.

Just as in the times of Nixon and a generation previously with McCarthy, the government is going after those who seek to call it to account, while, in this case, blatantly ignoring policies (such as an intelligent policy in the Middle East) that would drastically cut down on genuine terror threats. This surveillance has nothing to do with genuine terrorism, but everything to do with comforting people who make their living from exploiting the earth and other animals, and, in the case of the Catholic Worker, who believe that Jesus would not drive an SUV, or go shopping, or demand that everyone be an intolerant bigot, but would instead suggest that we care about those that have not rather than help those who have more.