This essay reminded me of my own experience with the FBI. About eight years ago I was introduced to ICQ chat room. One morning, I was hailed by a total stranger who wanted to chat with me. It turned out to be a high school girl. I was not too keen because I was not about to waste my time with a kid. However, the child got offended and in a very nasty way told me to just go see her own website. When I visited her own webpage, I was horrified. It was so full of violent images. I mean maimed, mutilated bodies on one page. Images of people hannging by the neck in the next. Graphics of blood flowing. There were essays the girl had written aboout how she is going to kill her schoolmates and teachers and also how she hates her parents etc. This was a few weeks after Columbine. I was shocked like hell. Fearing that some tragedy is about to take place, I quickly scoured the telephone directory for the local FBI office in Phoenix/Tempe area. After phone tag of almost two hours, I finally was able to talk to an agent. What shocked me was even before I said a word, he began grilling me as if I was a suspect. Each time I tried to make him understand he would cut me off and would continue with his grilling. Finally aboout an hour of this drama (I was already on the phone for almost three hours now), he asked me where the girl’s location was. Quickly I went back to ICQ and got the location. When I told him, his statement shocked the hell out of me. He said the location is in another state and his office would not allow long distance call. He told me to call the FBI office in that location and see if I can report to them. Tax dollars at work here for sure. I just could not believe what I am hearing. This is the FBI for heaven sake. Disappointed, I asked to speak to his supervisor in the hope that some sanity would prevail. At first the agent refused. After I repeated a few times, he finally connected me to another agent presumably his supervisor. Again, I was grilled as if I was a guilty party. I gave him the girl’s website so that he can see for himself. Man, I was running out of steam already. It was almost five hours since this phone tag began. When he saw the website (very reluctantly I would presume),he mentioned that the website looks suspicious and asked me how to do internet search. What the hell do they teach these guys at the academy? I was thinking with all their trainings and gizmos at their disposal, they would easily get to the root of the problem. My enthusiastic spirit was close to a dead end by then. In the end, this agent said I had to get in touch with the Phoenix Police Department. Oh my God. I was already tired. I was hungry. It was close to mid night and I gave up. I just could not believe this nonsense. I was dejected. All the super dooper FBI prowess went out the window. I was deeply saddened. I was really pissed off too. This was supposed to be a super security outfit. Their lack of morale and spirit was shinning through. I don’t think I want to deal with them after that episode. That was in 1998. About three years later 9/11 happened. I was not surprised to read about theirs and the CIA’s amateurish blunder in the media. What was real shocking was that one of the Mofo who did 9/11 was for a time living in Phoenix area. I am still in shock after all these years.
Rex
