Investigate Your Federal Building :)

[The Gate <gate@id.WING.NET>]

Had problems with the original transmission...

21:22 EST
July 17th, 1995
New Haven, CT

Day One, Investigation Begins.

	Of course, I've been researching THE FACTS all my life, but never 
before have I gone to the FBI to ask for information.

	Also of course, they gave me none, or practically none, just this:

	(202) 324-3000. Can anyone guess? FBIHQ it says on the yellow 
post-it note. That's all she could give me.

	I have been incredibly scared these last couple of days, 
wondering exactly what I was doing, but I feel better this evening. Just 
going down to the Federal Building and poking around asking questions has 
not gotten me killed, and I don't think it will. Check.

	In a recent post to this list I said I was going to go to the 
Federal Building here in New Haven to begin a local investigation of 
Federal Events.

	So I put on my coat and tie, washed up a little (long-hair and 
beard couldn't be controlled, will not cut) and started walking, stopping 
off at Kinko's Copies to make a free local phone call to one of my 
partners and grab some note paper for the session. Then on across the 
green towards the courthouse, town hall and on Orange Street, the Robert 
N. Giaimo (sp) Federal Building.

	Of course, I'd been there before, to the post office, and it was 
always a rather non-descript affair. But now I was looking for something, 
and though I didn't find what I was looking for, I did find out a lot. 
Alot of it was disturbing, alot of it was funny, and alot of it was 
encouraging, especially the print of the original Declaration and 
Constitution/Bill of Rights, as well as the posted Code of Ethics for 
Government Service, Public Law 96-303, passed unanimously in Congress on 
June 27, 1980, signed by the President (Carter?) on July 3, 1980:

	Article One of Ten: "Put loyalty to the highest moral principles 
and to country above loyalty to persons, party or Government department." 

	No problem, I thought, I'll keep that in mind.

	Article 9: "Expose corruption wherever discovered."

	Whoa, that's a tough one, where are you going to find corruption 
in the United States of America?

Article 11:"Uphold the Constitution, laws and regulations of the United 
States and all governments therein and never be a party to their evasion."

	Well, the Constitution I can uphold, as it upholds me, but I 
don't know about all the other laws and regulations...I'm not sure 
everything signed since 1776 passes my muster. You?

	But though I had been to the Federal Building several times 
previously, I wasn't ready for what I encountered this time, as it had 
never before been present: heavy security presence. No secret service 
types, just rent-a-cops with a metal detector and baggage x-ray device. 
But they were bustling, somewhat loud, and definitely a presence.

	A humorous note: Usually the electro-magnetic energy that I 
generate because of meditation and honest emotional presence is enough to 
kick the metal detectors, but I thought if I took my belt off, I could 
get through. No such luck, and when I took my belt off, my pants, which 
were bought for my bigger brother, started to fall off. I don't wear 
underwear either, so I ended up walking through security holding my 
breeches up by hand. I thought, mmm the joy of security...of course, it 
was *my* costume (cover) that was falling apart, but I got back together 
without real embarassment.

	That's when I started to look around the building lobby. First I 
checked the directory. Yup, there it was, FBI, fifth floor, right 
underneath the penthouse cafe. BATF on the second floor, IRS third. 
Department of Protective Service (SS) first floor, though I saw no 
evidence of their lair or personnel. Bill Clinton and Al Gore on the 
wall, of course...Recycling bins for paper, cans, bottles and something 
else, perhaps newpapers. Nice touch I thought, it would be nice to see 
more of those.

	I wandered over to the bulletin board: 

	Arson informants offered rewards
$100,000 to $250,000 rewards offered to informers leading to convictors 
of international terrorists - mostly airplane and boat hijackers.
The Code of Ethics for Government Service as mentioned above.
Help for choking victims...

(At this time, I was rushed by the closing of the computer center. The 
facts are flear though...)

	Anyway, on to greater heights...
	Elevator, fifth floor, get in, man there, looks like FBI, look at 
numbers in elevator, 5 already lit. A real live FBI agent and I in the 
elevator together, wow. Day already made, still only ten o'clock or so. 
Get off 5th floor. Man goes one way, I go another, meet another real live 
FBI guy,

	 "Where's the receptionist?" 

	"Through that door" came the warm reply from a brown-suited man
with a pock-marked face. Hmm, definitely FBI. 

	Into FBI visitor center, one small room, bulletproof glass, Time 
magazines, American Flag with gold tassels in corner, photos of Agents, 
woman behind the counter:

	"Uh, I'm something of a freelance reporter for Citizen's Television
and Internet newsgroups, and I'd like to know if you can confirm whether
or not someone worked for the FBI..."
	Polite no from FBI woman.
	"Is there a public information office?"
	No, then checks mind, goes to back to talk with all male 
contingent, at least seven agents in back room, including the one I saw 
on the elevator, all are rustled into alert by the inquiry from CTV 
producer and Searchnet Reporter. I can just hear them saying, by gosh 
they were right, the Internet really is spawning investigators...
	
	Then all I get back is the phone number, but it was a lot of fun. 
	
	Down to the BATF? nah, enough for the day.
	
	Thoughts on the way to the library...
	
	Next time, maybe I'll deliver a message. Gotta run, Lee.

____________________________|||||||||||||||||||||______________________________
		 R. Leland Lehrman@The Gate, New Haven, CT.     	    
		    http://id.wing.net/~gate/gate.html
	  God, Art, Technology and Ecology Research and Development
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Do you love the Mother?>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>