MuckRock FOIA Request Releases Christopher Hitchens' FBI Files

v3rgEz writes: Outspoken atheist firebrand Christopher Hitchens was never one for understatement, and apparently the FBI took notice. A Freedom of Information request from investigative news site MuckRock has resulted in the release of his 19-page FBI file, including details such as how his interest in socialism in college sparked heightened monitoring when given a scholarship to come to the United States. Some of the pages had actually been previously released, but were then removed from the FBI's own website a few years ago. Despite the monitoring, Hitchens files have nothing on the hundreds of pages the FBI had on Richard Feynman.

Comments

Well duh

[Smidge204]

"Despite the monitoring, Hitchens files have nothing on the hundreds of pages the FBI had on Richard Feynman."

No shit. I'd expect a world class physicist who was involved in the top-secret development of the nuclear bomb would attract a bit more scrutiny than a vocal anti-religious advocate and author. One of these things is not like the other things...
=Smidge=

Re:Well duh

[TheGratefulNet]

anyone who advocates a challenge-to-authority and shakes up the 'established' order is a threat to any modern government, these days. at least in the US, we want pawns who will do what they are told and not rock the boat.

religion is the main way the elite controls the masses. if you shake up belief in religion, the upper classes will worry about their stability in maintaining control. they don't like that.

I find it disgusting that 'law enforcement' wastes time on people who are absolutely no threat at all.

one more sign that our 'free society' is a lie. impression of freedom but not true freedom. the watchers are still totally out of control.

Re:Well duh

[DerekLyons]

No shit. My FBI file (the last time I saw it) ran fifty plus pages. (Courtesy of getting a significant clearance and a couple of compartmentalized accesses.)

Actually reading the linked files... most of them are just noise, routine bureaucratic acknowledgements of something or other. When you summarize what's left it adds up to "we looked into this guy, nothing significant found, nothing to worry about". Nothing scary, nothing more than I'd expect of foreign national travelling in the US, or of someone becoming a citizen, or of someone getting a White House press pass.

Move along, nothing to see here except clickbait meant to excite the usual easily excitable demographic.

Re: Well duh

[kenh]

Let's also remember that Feynman had made a habit of 'cracking' the various top secret safes at Los Alamos during the Manhattan project... Besides, Feynman is infinitely more interesting than Mr. Hitchens

A 19 page FBI file is a very, very thin report IMHO.

Re:Atheism / Socialism

[Archangel Michael]

Pointing to bad behavior is not an excuse for nor should be a distraction from other bad behavior.

Press Pass for White House

[kenh]

While you may find it upsetting that the FBI had a file on an author, understand a few things:

1) the original impetus for the report appears to be a 'tip' from an informant

2) a number of the documents in the file have to do with a request for a press pass into the White House

3) the resounding conclusion of the 19 pages is that there is nothing to be concerned about

I would hope that reporters that want to work inside the White House would have SOME investigation into their background performed before issuing credentials, and at 19 pages, this was a very minimal investigation.