Meeting the Defender of Capitalist Democracy: FBI Agent

President Nixon had ordered carpet bombing of Vietnam. And as a part of National Protest Coalition of American People against the War, I led a 300 strong anti- War Students’ contingent marching in the Washington D.C.

After a few days, a middle aged white man walked into my office and showed his identity card that he was from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agency that keeps watch on its own citizens. Though polite he was sternly conveying ideological message of being defender of Freedom and Democracy. Though respected my rights of “freedom of speech” , he could not understand “ how and why a university professor could be involved with subversive activities of the commies” (communists).

I tried to explain a bit Asian history of 300 years European colonization and that now it was the US forces that were denying the freedom of the helpless people of Vietnam and Indo-China. But the intruder was not convinced with my historiany and spoke of the high ethics of capitalism and the great opportunity I was enjoying as an émigré to America, holding my Green Card. If I do not disengage from “the subversives”, he was speaking to me as “ a friend,” that my “entire academic life would be ruined”. I protested that as a tax payer citizen I was within my rights to protest against the government policies.

“No, no, it is not that, we are concerned about the commies and the Russian agents have infiltrated the Civil Rights and the Peace Movement. We must stop them here. We don’t want communist agents in America…” the FBI man continued lecturing me on my rights and duties as a loyal citizen of the United States of America. After about half-an-hour’s exchanges, I asked the gentleman to leave. But he now showed his virtual authority: “Doc, I say to you, stop all subversives or else we gona ruined you..” he was menacingly gesturing now. The man representing the powers of America was threatening me in my small office room.

If I don’t give up my subversives, how gona he’d ruined my life? He was candid: many ways. First: a sophomore (student) girl would be embracing me in my office and they would rush to rescue the crying girl. Caught red-handed and “no white jury and judge would take your word against the young white girl for truth.” I was shaken to my wits and astonished on his audacity. But the representative of the State of Liberty persisted: “Doc, don’t misunderstand me. As a friend I advice you to give up your radical activities. You are subverting our youth by anti-American speeches.” Now I firmly asked him to leave; he stood up and his parting advice came in no uncertain terms:
“You know, Doc, there are every year 30,000 car accidents in this country. You too can go in one of them. Surely your wife will get good insurance money and children would be taken care…” the friendly man from the FBI had gone.

In a public meeting I narrated the episode to a few thousand students and citizens in my campus and surely pre-empted the evil designs of the FBI.