Were you looking at the woman in the red dress?
Reality is often stranger than fiction, but in the case of COINTELPRO agents in reality, the Matrix movie gives us an accurate representation of their typical bait-and-switch tactics. Whereas the woman in the red dress – a metaphor for seemingly pleasant or appealing things rendered unto you by an agent – is nothing more than a distraction, a bait, to hold your attention and trust long enough for the agent to switch and execute his/her insidious plans.
What is COINTELPRO?
COINTELPRO, short for counterintelligence, is a series of covert and unlawful / illegal operations – first conducted by the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), but now is also conducted by most corporate policy enforcement [State and Local “law enforcement”] agencies – aimed at surveilling, infiltrating, discrediting, and disrupting American political [and religious] organizations.
COINTELPRO Agents are any persons, natural or artificial, that serve the interest of counterintelligence operations, to gain finance or housing, reduce or avert jail / prison sentence, or receive some other reward or benefit. Agents, as they are commonly known, are usually – though not always – adult males between 18 and 45 years old who share similar character traits, economic conditions, and/or legal challenges. Women are known to work as COINTELPRO agents as well, though to a lesser degree than males.
Why should you care?
Considering that the goals of counterintelligence operations are to spy, infiltrate, discredit, and disrupt your organization to halt or delay its progress, it is vital – for the longevity of your body politic – that you are able to recognize the signs of COINTELPRO operatives. Failure to identify agents in a timely manner may result in undesirable consequences for both your organization as a whole and its individual members.
Understanding the mind of COINTELPRO Agents
Agents come in a wide array of appearances, but their mindset – the force that shapes their character – share similar qualities. Here are a few examples of thought patterns and characteristics that are common among agents.
- Love and lack of money [fiat, federal reserve notes, commercial paper, etc.] – While it’s true that many people in this capitalistic society are infatuated with money, it’s more often the ones who love but lack money who are easy targets for recruitment as paid informants. Common targets are unemployed or low wage workers, but also includes the overly ambitious businessmen or ministers.
- Opportunistic and power hunger – To be more effective in their COINTELPRO operation, it’s in the agent’s best interest to rise through the ranks of your organization as quickly as possible. Wherever there is no opportunity for advancement, they will try to create one by intentionally sabotaging the credibility of a leading officer or manager with the aim of having the target fired, demoted, or harmed in some way. At the same time, they will attempt to befriend the higher-ups while promoting themselves as a viable candidate for replacement.
- Egotistical and lazy – One prevalent characteristic of COINTELPRO agents is a love for stroking their own ego at the expense of everyone around them. Psychologically, this is often a defense mechanism to hide their incompetence behind an outwardly strong superiority complex. Once challenged, however, this facade quickly vanishes into thin air and the agent is not too far behind. To add to their ego, they are often lazy as they usually receive payment for being an informant and don’t have to work very hard for finance.
- Desperate for a way out – Human beings, in desperation, will often do things that a normal person would think is irrational, idiotic, or foolish. COINTELPRO agents usually sign up for the job when they find themselves in desperate situations revolving around the lack of finance or facing serious jail / prison sentences. Though there are rare cases in which someone agrees to be an informant for unselfish reasons like being able to see and be with their children, the majority usually agree for purely selfish gains.
Initial warning signs after first encounter
When you first encounter an agent, they will often appear to be quite normal. Depending on the setting, normal people may have a slight apprehension but are generally very welcoming with friendly smiles. Agents, on the other hand, almost always express apprehension – and sometimes nervousness – due to their uncertainty of your awareness and intention as well as the gravity of potential consequences if they’re caught. At this point, they are sizing you up mentally trying to figure out if you (1) know what they’re up to, and (2) are a good candidate for gathering intel. Behavioral analysis is a great skill to have when observing potential agents.
Once they’ve determined that you’re likely unaware of the fact that they are agents, the conversation usually turns into a light inquisition with a friendly tone. The less experienced agent will begin a sometimes lengthy process of Q&As to:
- Learn about your personal history, plans, and motives.
- Know your thoughts about other people in the organization.
These Q&A sessions are specifically designed to assess your character, strengths, weaknesses, and loyalty. Agents may express different degrees of determination and eagerness to gather this intel about you. The less experienced agents tend to be more determined and eager, while the more experienced ones are adept in playing the waiting game. One thing they will always do, however, is shower you with compliments and pleasantries to gradually lower your guard. Once they get the information they need, you will notice a completely different disposition toward you.
Signs of infiltration
One major sign to look for in your organization is a “lack of contribution“. It is not the agent’s intention to help you or your body politic. They are determined to undermine everything. Therefore, they will say and do whatever it takes to not contribute to the progress of the organization. Be on the lookout for delay tactics and a mountain of excuses when it’s time to get work done. This, of course, is more prevalent in the less experienced agent. More experienced agents will have others do the work for them, if possible, to keep up appearances of commitment.
Other signs of infiltration include:
- The spreading of false rumors about members of the organization.
- The exercise of color of authority or assuming power without delegation.
- The spreading of fear or fearful thinking to stir up confusion.
- Manipulative behavior; trying to convince you that you’re a psychopath.
Note: When agents employ drastic tactics that doesn’t go the way they want, they will often leave the organization in disgrace instead of staying because they’ve failed their mission.