A Death Threat for Daniel
On October 6, 2003, a death threat was posted for me on Indymedia. The threat was in response to a comment I had posted under the article Local Peace Group Infiltrated by Government Agent by Mike Rhodes.
http://sf.indymedia.org/news/2003/10/1650550.php
Below are my post, followed by the threat, and then my response.
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Epitaph for a deceiver
by Daniel Monday, Oct. 06, 2003 at 1:58 PM
He lived a lie; now he lies in peace. Or does he?
The double life of Aaron Kilner, AKA Aaron Stokes, came to an end on August 30, 2003, when he died in a motorcycle accident, and it was shortly afterwards discovered that while presenting himself as a peace activist, he was working as an undercover agent for the Fresno Sheriff's Office. Lying was part of his job, but why did he accept such a job assignment? It may have been for career advancement, or maybe for the thrill of lying. It's also possible that he told himself that he was really doing no harm.
Nevertheless, whatever justification he may have given it, his job was to deceive and betray. He hurt people who trusted him. That's how Aaron Kilner made his living. There are, of course, people for whom such a lifestyle comes easy, who don't much care who they hurt, but there are also some who find it hard to live with. I'm reminded of the story of Judas, who ended himself after betraying a certain first century peace activist. Judas was an informer with a conscience.
What sort of person was Aaron Kilner? According to the Fresno Bee, he was the father of two young daughters, with whom he spent whatever free time he had. I find it hard to believe that a father who loves his children can be totally amoral.
He died in a motorcycle accident. Did some Freudian slip of the hand occur? There's probably no way to ever know for sure, but it's not impossible that his conscience caught up with him.
Be that as it may, Aaron Kilner left two small children who must some day come to terms with who their father was.
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it'll be your turn soon
by WATCH YOUR BACK DAN Monday, Oct. 06, 2003 at 4:19 PM
I'm looking for you
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after encountering a cyberspace death threat
by Daniel Saturday, Oct. 11, 2003 at 12:55 AM
A death threat must be the highest form of praise, and I never expected to receive one. But on October 6th I did. It happened shortly after I wrote "Epitaph for a Deceiver," a commentary on the Fresno undercover agent who died in a motorcycle accident. I posted it on Indy Media, and the next time I visited the website, there was a message for me which read: "It'll be your turn soon / by WATCH YOUR BACK DAN / I'm looking for you".
Wow! That sent a chill through me, and I was frightened, flattered and amused-all at the same time. To think that my words had inspired such passion! For a moment I felt as though I were up there with Salman Rushdie; the fact is that death threats can cause acute attacks of megalomania.
Of course I've heard that that 99 % of such threats are not carried out. Nevertheless, real or not, a threat is a threat. I believe it would be fair to call it a subtle form of "terrorism." It's certainly intimidation, aimed at deterring us from exercising our First Amendment right of free speech.
Intimidation has become part of life under the Bush regime, and it comes in many forms, usually something less dramatic but far more real than a death threat. Most commonly it's the threat of losing jobs or career opportunities. But it's always for the same purpose-to rob us of our First Amendment rights. And it nearly always comes from the very ones who falsely claim to be the defenders of our democracy.
http://sf.indymedia.org/news/2003/10/1650550.php
Below are my post, followed by the threat, and then my response.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Epitaph for a deceiver
by Daniel Monday, Oct. 06, 2003 at 1:58 PM
He lived a lie; now he lies in peace. Or does he?
The double life of Aaron Kilner, AKA Aaron Stokes, came to an end on August 30, 2003, when he died in a motorcycle accident, and it was shortly afterwards discovered that while presenting himself as a peace activist, he was working as an undercover agent for the Fresno Sheriff's Office. Lying was part of his job, but why did he accept such a job assignment? It may have been for career advancement, or maybe for the thrill of lying. It's also possible that he told himself that he was really doing no harm.
Nevertheless, whatever justification he may have given it, his job was to deceive and betray. He hurt people who trusted him. That's how Aaron Kilner made his living. There are, of course, people for whom such a lifestyle comes easy, who don't much care who they hurt, but there are also some who find it hard to live with. I'm reminded of the story of Judas, who ended himself after betraying a certain first century peace activist. Judas was an informer with a conscience.
What sort of person was Aaron Kilner? According to the Fresno Bee, he was the father of two young daughters, with whom he spent whatever free time he had. I find it hard to believe that a father who loves his children can be totally amoral.
He died in a motorcycle accident. Did some Freudian slip of the hand occur? There's probably no way to ever know for sure, but it's not impossible that his conscience caught up with him.
Be that as it may, Aaron Kilner left two small children who must some day come to terms with who their father was.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
it'll be your turn soon
by WATCH YOUR BACK DAN Monday, Oct. 06, 2003 at 4:19 PM
I'm looking for you
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
after encountering a cyberspace death threat
by Daniel Saturday, Oct. 11, 2003 at 12:55 AM
A death threat must be the highest form of praise, and I never expected to receive one. But on October 6th I did. It happened shortly after I wrote "Epitaph for a Deceiver," a commentary on the Fresno undercover agent who died in a motorcycle accident. I posted it on Indy Media, and the next time I visited the website, there was a message for me which read: "It'll be your turn soon / by WATCH YOUR BACK DAN / I'm looking for you".
Wow! That sent a chill through me, and I was frightened, flattered and amused-all at the same time. To think that my words had inspired such passion! For a moment I felt as though I were up there with Salman Rushdie; the fact is that death threats can cause acute attacks of megalomania.
Of course I've heard that that 99 % of such threats are not carried out. Nevertheless, real or not, a threat is a threat. I believe it would be fair to call it a subtle form of "terrorism." It's certainly intimidation, aimed at deterring us from exercising our First Amendment right of free speech.
Intimidation has become part of life under the Bush regime, and it comes in many forms, usually something less dramatic but far more real than a death threat. Most commonly it's the threat of losing jobs or career opportunities. But it's always for the same purpose-to rob us of our First Amendment rights. And it nearly always comes from the very ones who falsely claim to be the defenders of our democracy.
