Disillusioned Officer of the State

[apoState]

Hey all, I am happy to have found this board as I have been having a difficult time finding an online forum in which I feel like I fit in. I have spent a few days browsing the threads and have been learning quite a bit.

My political ideology has been changing quite a bit over the past few years. I have found myself strongly leaning toward anarchism.

But this has put me through some serious "soul" searching as I now have to admit I am a hypocrite. I don't practice what I preach.

You see, I am an officer of the State. I have served on 5 continents over the decades. My high security clearance has allowed me to see how the sausage is made and let me tell you, it is ugly. I would never pull a Snowden or a Manning, though I respect what they did. I can say that even though some of the things published by Wikileaks were drafted by my own hands.

Back in the 90s when I first enlisted in the military I was a patriot. A Born-Again Christian who believed my country was the greatest on Earth. I thought I was defending freedom. What a naive idiot I was. The State is the enemy of the People. I have seen too much to fool myself into believing otherwise anymore. I have shed the blinders of patriotism just as I shed the blinders of religion several years ago.

I am currently getting my ducks in a row so I can walk away from this career. I will be doing so just shy of being vetted for a pension. Many may think that is foolish, walking away from that monthly check, but I don't want to profit from this evil any longer than I have to. I have done things in the name of the State that I will forever regret. I know things that will haunt me till the day I die. Governments across the planet are in the pockets of corporations. I know this as a fact. I have played my part in bolstering the corporatocracy.

While in theory I know the State must be dismantled one day, there are still many aspects to this philosophy that I am still coming to grips with. I look forward to learning the nuances of this here at RevLeft. I know I have blood on my hands and I fully expect there will be members here who will not forgive me for the role I played in empowering the State. I do not seek forgiveness, only knowledge.

PS: To any colleagues who may be monitoring this, I value my life with my family more than anything, including my conscience, so I won't be breaking any non-disclosure agreements I have signed. I will do the job I agreed to do until the day comes I can resign. And even then I wont reveal the dirt I have agreed to keep under the rug. I am not Snowden and I am not Manning; they are far better men than I.

[Q]

Welcome :)

If you have political questions, you can ask them in the Learning forum. That's why it's there after all!

If you have questions about your account, don't hesitate to send me a PM or ask here.

Interesting case you are and great to see that everyone can potentially see the light. As for the answers you seek: There are many possible ones, as there are many tendencies. Anarchists are flat-out anti-state. Marxists take a more nuanced position and call for dismantling the capitalist state, to be replaced by another one that is radically democratic as it would put our class, the proletariat - the vast majority of society, into political power.

I look forward to your contributions.

[bad ideas actualised by alcohol]

While revleft might not be the best place for nuances, I hope you can learn something from us (and we from you).

Welcome!

[The Douche]

Ok, Mr. special agent...

[The Feral Underclass]

Yeah, okay.

[ВАЛТЕР]

Seems legit...

[Yet_Another_Boring_Marxist]

Ok, Mr. special agent...

Erm

Says the former vet?


Seriously, the government has better things to do than to spy here, I mean look around, do you see any ultra-lefts in the 60's lets-blow-stuff-up sense around here? No, the closest thing you'll find are the lame modern ultra-lefts who insist on waiting patiently until capitalism does itself in. So let's stop being so self important, this site doesn't matter, nor do the people on it (including and expectually myself), if the government was spying on our tendency wars, then good for them.

To the original poster, welcome to this board, normally we aren't this rude to eachother.

[Q]

Ok, Mr. special agent...


Yeah, okay.


Seems legit...
Now consider this: Why would a pro-state agent announce himself as being an agent? That would be the dumbest thing ever.

Now don't make me hand out warnings.

[Sam_b]

Why would a pro-state agent announce himself as being an agent? That would be the dumbest thing ever.

Because it may just be a troll? That's what everyone's getting at here.

They've also done nothing to warrant any handing out of warnings so don't pull that one either.

[bad ideas actualised by alcohol]

Now consider this: Why would a pro-state agent announce himself as being an agent? That would be the dumbest thing ever.

Now don't make me hand out warnings.

Double agent, bruh.

[G4b3n]

Double agent, bruh.

Or maybe a triple, perhaps even a quadruple agent.
Or maybe a troll.

If not, welcome!

[Brutus]

Only time will tell

[ВАЛТЕР]

Sounds like a troll to me. I simply don't buy their story. :P

[Ace High]

I feel like this is just too cliche of a "gives-me-hope" story. But still bravo, this is a master troll. I like this approach. :D Welcome.

[Fourth Internationalist]

Welcome to RevLeft! :D

[apoState]

Thanks for the welcome, and the laughs. :)

Don't worry mods, I wasn't least bit offended by any of the posts. I can see how one might be suspicious of my post.

I am not a troll. though I realize that is exactly what a troll would say. If any of the admins have access to my ip logs they can easily verify that I am not a troll. You will see I use several IP addresses. One is in the US and the rest are in the country I am currently stationed in. I use the US IP at work. We are allowed to use the internet there for unofficial reasons in our off time as long as it isn't porn or gambling. If the admins do a search of that US based IP they will see which government agency owns it. I do ask that you don't mention it on a public board.

As for me being a double/triple/quadruple agent? I guess you'll never really know. But that is fine. I always wanted to be "mysterious". ;)

[The Feral Underclass]

Why would a pro-state agent announce himself as being an agent? That would be the dumbest thing ever.

Well yes, exactly. Why would a pro-state agent announce himself as being an agent? That is a very good question. Perhaps because he's full of shit?


Now don't make me hand out warnings.

If you think this guy is genuine then you have to go and sit in a corner until you've learned your lesson.

[apoState]

Well yes, exactly. Why would a pro-state agent announce himself as being an agent? That is a very good question. Perhaps because he's full of shit?



If you think this guy is genuine then you have to go and sit in a corner until you've learned your lesson.

I admit, I am enjoying this. So, TAT, what would I have to do to prove it to you? Send you an email from a .gov account? Post a pic of me holding up a sign that says "The Anarchist Tension Rocks!" next to my closed Dip passport? Sorry, I'm not opening it for the internet. ;)

I'm open to suggestions.

[blake 3:17]

Welcome! It sounds you've made some big decisions. Questions are more important than answers.

[The Feral Underclass]

I admit, I am enjoying this. So, TAT, what would I have to do to prove it to you? Send you an email from a .gov account? Post a pic of me holding up a sign that says "The Anarchist Tension Rocks!" next to my closed Dip passport? Sorry, I'm not opening it for the internet. ;)

I'm open to suggestions.

Interesting that you've learned so quickly to abbreviate my username to TAT. In the decade I have frequented this board, I have never seen a new user adapt so quickly.

But let's just assume that was a fluke, do you honestly expect any serious revolutionary militant to believe or more importantly trust a completely random person who comes to the board proclaiming themselves to be an, as of yet, unspecified "agent of the state" and that they have somehow become an anarchist?

First of all, any one who works for the state and suddenly had a fundamental about turn on their beliefs so much so they now want to violently overthrow it, wouldn't come to a message board and declare this. I have friends who work in health care who wouldn't publicly declare themselves an anarchist. If you were an "agent of the state" and had these changes of heart, are we really to believe that you would post this information so brazenly on a public message board, especially when you consider the fact you have implied your life could be in danger? No one with so much to lose starts a thread like this, with the topic title as it is and the information you have provided. No matter how many proxy IP's they are using. Not unless they are really fucking stupid, which takes us on to the second point. No one who has knowledge of security procedures and the importance of protecting identity, unless they are monumentally fucking moronic (or a troll), publicly implicates themselves in potential crimes -- presumably even telling people that you have security clearance to classified information is in itself a crime, or at least a very precarious thing to do in this day-and-age of the states hyper-vigilance. Even if it's not a crime, you have potentially put yourself in danger of being targeted -- as someone with access to classified information who may commit a crime -- either by law enforcement officers or some other third party interest.

Now either three things are happening here: Either 1) you are who you say you are making you a completely inept moron, and therefore shouldn't be trusted 2) you have an overblown sense of your own importance and really you're just a mail man or 3) you are a troll.

My money is on 3.

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

Welcome! It sounds you've made some big decisions. Questions are more important than answers.

Hahahaha!... Yes questions are important, but answers to the problems posed by the class system are more important.

[apoState]

Interesting that you've learned so quickly to abbreviate my username to TAT. In the decade I have frequented this board, I have never seen a new user adapt so quickly.

I have been participating on message boards for over a decade. It has been common practice on every board I have ever belonged to abbreviate long handles.


But let's just assume that was a fluke, do you honestly expect any serious revolutionary militant to believe or more importantly trust a completely random person who comes to the board proclaiming themselves to be an, as of yet, unspecified "agent of the state" and that they have somehow become an anarchist?

I never said "agent". I said I am an officer of the State.


First of all, any one who works for the state and suddenly had a fundamental about turn on their beliefs so much so they now want to violently overthrow it, wouldn't come to a message board and declare this. I have friends who work in health care who wouldn't publicly declare themselves an anarchist. If you were an "agent of the state" and had these changes of heart, are we really to believe that you would post this information so brazenly on a public message board, especially when you consider the fact you have implied your life could be in danger? No one with so much to lose starts a thread like this, with the topic title as it is and the information you have provided. No matter how many proxy IP's they are using. Not unless they are really fucking stupid, which takes us on to the second point. No one who has knowledge of security procedures and the importance of protecting identity, unless they are monumentally fucking moronic (or a troll), publicly implicates themselves in potential crimes -- presumably even telling people that you have security clearance to classified information is in itself a crime, or at least a very precarious thing to do in this day-and-age of the states hyper-vigilance. Even if it's not a crime, you have potentially put yourself in danger of being targeted -- as someone with access to classified information who may commit a crime -- either by law enforcement officers or some other third party interest.

When I said I value my life I was referring to my freedom, which is why I wn't be breaking the law. No, the government is going to kill me. This isn't the Bourne Identity. I also never said I am for the violent overthrow of the State. That WOULD be a pretty stupid thing for me to say. I certainly do hope a day comes when the People choose to dismantle it but I personally don't know how that would come about. And i did day that I will not be breaking any laws or violating any nondisclosure agreements. HAVING a security clearance is in no way classified. Saying you have one is in no way classified. Hell, people list on their resumes. If I don't break any laws the ONLY thing the powers that be can do to me for posting here is strip me of my security clearance and force me to resign. Oh no! Don't throw me into the briar patch!


Now either three things are happening here: Either 1) you are who you say you are making you a completely inept moron, and therefore shouldn't be trusted 2) you have an overblown sense of your own importance and really you're just a mail man or 3) you are a troll.

My money is on 3.

So let's examine those options.

1. I'm a moron: Seriously? How am I a moron? What is the downside of me posting this? I haven't and won't be breaking any laws so they can't take legal action against me. I am free to express my political opinions. They CAN take my security clearance but as I said, I will be resigning anyway. Now, if I enjoyed this line of work and wanted to keep doing it then I would be a moron for posting like this. So I guess it is a good thing I don't plan on staying in, huh?

2. The overblown sense of importance thing: I am ashamed of the career I have had. So there is no sense of importance going on with me. Maybe I CAN do something important with my new life, though. One can hope.

3. I'm a troll: I suppose even if I proved to you I am who I say I am it might still be possible I am a government officer AND still trolling you. Time will just have to tell on this one. It may take a year, or two, or three, but eventually, TAT, you'll come around. :)


So the correct answer is:
4) I'm just a dude who has spent his life doing a government job he regrets and is about to walk away from it all. And if seeking out a community of like minds means my employer shows me the door a few months earlier than planned then it is no skin off my nose.

[The Feral Underclass]

I'm not going to argue with you about it. Nothing you are saying is convincing. Either you are untrustworthy and incompetent or you are a liar.

[The Douche]

Erm

Says the former vet?


Seriously, the government has better things to do than to spy here, I mean look around, do you see any ultra-lefts in the 60's lets-blow-stuff-up sense around here? No, the closest thing you'll find are the lame modern ultra-lefts who insist on waiting patiently until capitalism does itself in. So let's stop being so self important, this site doesn't matter, nor do the people on it (including and expectually myself), if the government was spying on our tendency wars, then good for them.

To the original poster, welcome to this board, normally we aren't this rude to eachother.

1) You can't be a "former vet", I will always be a veteran...

2) What does that have to do with anything? (aside from giving my suspicions slightly more weight than a non-veteran's)

3) What is that paragraph about spying all about? This dude came here and said he's a fucking secret agent. I said I don't believe it. And hey, maybe he is, and if he is, then he won't be bothered one bit by the fact that a couple people on the internet don't believe him.

But having met some field assets and some analysts from various intelligence agencies, I am not convinced by this story. And no, I don't have any cool exaggerated stories about meeting "spies".

[apoState]

Where is everyone getting this secret agent crap from? Where did I say that?

I was just trying to share where I was coming from. There is nobody IRL that I can share my political views with. I was just looking for a community.

[ВАЛТЕР]

The guy doesn't seem to have any ill will. I say let him be. If it turns out he is a troll it is easy to get rid of him. Welcome to revleft, feel free to engage in discussions and ask questions.