Sound off

Thank you to Mike Miliard and the Phoenix for publishing this story. I'm a radio producer and reporter who for 20 plus years has worked mostly for non-commercial networks and stations. So I know how difficult it is to earn respect from public officials and those in authoritarian positions such as police officers. If the law on wiretapping is going to be applied in this way toward journalists, then we all have a stake in seeing it's removal from the general laws or at least modified. On the other hand, I know Jeff, and I know that he can be extremely volatile at times; something that would have come through in this story if Mike had gotten feedback from any number of my colleagues at WZBC, WMBR, or WMFO. Never, in 20 years, has a police officer while on duty at a protest, granted me an "on mike" interview. The question a journalist must ask is: if there is a better way to find out the who, what, where, why and when of the story, does it make sense to approach police officers. In my experience, it does not, as they either don't know, won't say, or are not allowed to speak to the press. Does this in any way excuse the alleged actions of Officer Harer; absolutely not, in my opinion. (For full disclosure purposes, I produce the weekly public affairs program RADIO with a VIEW on WMBR Cambridge) Respectfully, Dave Goodman

Freeman here. In (quoting G.W. Bush,) “a nation of laws” it is the act, not the actor, that defines a crime. I accidentally happened to appear to catch Harer breaking the law. I had no desire to speak with him at all, but he did something noteworthy, if not news-worthy. Harer first approached me, threatening to sue me out of my rights to make overt public documentary photography. Later, I asked him to what law he referred. He said “Look in any law book in any law library.” Scout’s Honor. When my wrongful verdict is overturned, it's conceivable that an (embarrassing-for-Harer ) recording may surface. On advice of Counsel, I am not going to say whether I intended , made, or possess any such recording, (though I shamelessly imply that I did, did, and do, and that the Commonwealth is violating the law by intimidating me from publishing an exculpatory item of public interest.) Any such recording would show me to have been calm and reasonable, though rather amazed. Look into Paul Pechonis and conte 2006 (Muzzle Awards, linked above) for more from the publishing angle. I hope that when testimony on reforming this law is heard on Beacon hill, that you will have something more productive to say than calling me volatile, like maybe suggesting that this happened because of my coverage of Arab demonstrations, which were soon ended in Boston after the torture of the Canadian Jaoudat Abouzza and the forced departure of Jordanian Amer Jubran, (who, incidentally, claimed to have caught and returned my now infamous cassette.) Thanks Dave, for taking the time to post your thoughts. (In the interest of full disclosure, I have been privileged assisted Mr. Goodman’s broadcast recording activities on at least two occasion.) -Freeman Z

Thanks to Freeman for assisting me on those occasions when I needed recording help! I won't get into a tug-of-war over the volatility issues. I just think Mike Miliard (or his editor) should have checked in with some of the other non-commercial radio journalists in town. I do feel called to address Jeff's assertion that the harrasment and arrest he suffered were politically motivated. He cites his coverage of pro-Palestinian demonstrations as context. I am about as sure that I can be that Officers Harer and Riel absolutely had no idea who Jeff was or knowledge of his past activities. Citing testimony from Harer saying he doesn't support that day's cause is irrelevant to the political question. I have been covering many of the same protests and issues as Jeff (including recording and photographing authorities at the periphery of the story) and have never come close to being arrested. In fact, I would love to find a police officer (or state legislator for that matter) who has ever listened to my show or Pacifica Radio or read the Indymedia website. I think more attention should be given to the journalists killed in Oaxaca, Mexico or those arrested and detained in NYC during the 2004 Republican Presidential Convention. Anyway, thanks for the dialogue. Respectfully, Dave Goodman

I am so happy that the Phoenix decided to publish this story. It is a very important one. Freeman Z has been covering and supporting the anti-war and other progressive movements for a long time and it has been heart breaking to see how he has been made to pay for his commitment. Thanks for getting the word out and also placing his story in a good context.

I would rather spend time talking to Freeman Z than all the "stars" in Hollywood. The work that he does is actually attendant to what is happening for the vast majority, whereas the work that so many celebrities do in America is alien to the actual human needs of the million of people in the working class. Do we really need people spending zillions of dollars on perfecting their appearance and making the less affluent members of society (the majority) feel like they are somehow not as important? In my opinion, NO! Hell no. On the other hand, do we need people like Freeman Z to stand up and give the less affluent members of society inspiration and hope that they have a voice, they have power , and they can challenge/stand up to the dominant ideology? Yes! In my opinion, the example that he is setting is not based on a pseudo-reality that is totally alien to and unattainable by the vast majority of society (which is what the affluent do when they spew out their illusions that if anybody in America just works hard enough they too can look like a moviestar and have all the loot that goes along with the "good life"). Freeman Z is setting an example that is based on the reality of the environment that most of us are living in. We feel oppressed, exploited, disenfranchized, and voiceless. But Freeman Z is showing those of us who aren't particularly valued in this society that we are powerful. It reminds me of what Celie said in The Color Purple when Albert told her " Who you think you is? Look at you. Your black, your poor, your ugly, your a woman, your nothing at all! " She responded " I'm poor, black, I may even be ugly, but dear God I'm here, I'm here! " Like Celie, we are here and there's no shutting us up. We have a voice and we are also the majority so when we do fully realize our power, the ruling class is going to have a rude awakening.

Our Sunday morning program "Truth and Justice Radio" (6-10am on WZBC 90.3FM) is one place where from time to time you can hear some of Freeman Z's meticulous, conscientious audio recordings of significant political events. TJR's producers are very pleased to see this well-deserved public recognition of Freeman Z's work. The frosting on the cake is The Phoenix's own research into the police and anti-accountability establishment's darkly motivated treatment of so-called "wiretapping." THANK YOU!

As a former reporter and Civil Rights lawyer I am sending out emails to Mr. Miliard about an almost identical case in New Hampshire involving Mike Gannon, whom I interviewed. In today's blawg entry I compare the two (ridiculous) cases: http://christopher-king.blogspot.com/2006/12/boston-phoenix-story-on-freeman-z-is.html As a law-based video podcaster, I document abuses as well, including those of Boston's American Tower Corp., who just admitted deceit and paid back $15M in ill-gotten backdated securities: http://christopher-king.blogspot.com/2006/12/kingcast-watches-american-tower-corp.html And now we are making Nashua reconsider First Amendment Rights in a School Board venue: http://christopher-king.blogspot.com/2006/12/will-there-be-protracted-first.html I had a one year suspension after I upset some folks in Ohio, but I think it's time to get back into the practice. Viva the Fourth Estate. Peace.

Thanks to the Phoenix for investigating and publishing this story. I too know Freeman Z, and appreciate him as an intelligent person, artist, and scrappy fighter. When words of law and "evidence" can be manipulated and people put away almost at will, we need people who will fight intelligently for our freedoms, however tied to their own life their cause may be. Aren't we all motivated and shaped by where we come from, what we've been through, and who we've known, anyway? What someone wrote here about making the powerless powerful, I agree...I believe that God sees and remembers everyone, and to Him, everyone is valuable. Whatever you have done for the least of these...whoever fights for the oppressed and the defenseless will have God in his side. Happy New Year and many blessings for everyone. Andy Pratt, author and musician.

Bravo!, Jeff Manzelli. Bravo! Mike Milliard for writing and The Phoenix for printing this excellent profile of a true free man---a vanishing breed in America. We're on the road to fascism here. Citizens, guard your rights with guts, like Jeff Manzelli

The comments above included these gems: "We're on the road to fascism here. Citizens, guard your rights with guts, like Jeff Manzelli" "Freeman Z has been covering and supporting the anti-war and other progressive movements for a long time and it has been heart breaking to see how he has been made to pay for his commitment. Thanks for getting the word out and also placing his story in a good context." Progressive, you say? Good context, you say? I'll give you good context: http://www.solomonia.com/blog/archive/2007/12/local-antijewish-activist-sentenced-to-6/ "As Lowney’s trial was set to begin in early November, the arresting officer began to receive vulgar and threatening voice messages at his home phone number. Other law enforcement officials received similar calls, as did the president of Boston University, who on Nov. 7 received on his office voice mail a number of messages in which the caller stated, "I’m on your ass, buddy. You people are [expletive] fascist. Fascist should be [expletive] slit in the throat. Do you understand what I am saying to you? You are a [expletive] fascist." "In a subsequent message, the same caller identified himself as JEFFREY D. MANZELLI (D.O.B. 6/2/63) and provided a contact phone number. That information led authorities to summons the 44-year-old Medford resident to Brighton District Court, where he was arraigned Nov. 29 on three counts of witness intimidation. Manzelli was represented by attorney Terrance Stone and is expected to return to court on Jan. 11." Now, this was not only criminal on the part of Mr. Manzelli -- it was also plain dumb, stupid, moronic. As for Amer Jubran, who is mentioned by Manzelli, "Arab demonstrations, which were soon ended in Boston after the torture of the Canadian Jaoudat Abouzza and the forced departure of Jordanian Amer Jubran, (who, incidentally, claimed to have caught and returned my now infamous cassette.)" Jubran is a thug, who wrapped himself in a Palestinian flag. Pete Lowney and his insane buddy David Rolde are just imbeciles who get a kick of wrapping themselves in the Palestinian flag. But Jubran is a real thug -- he attacked and physically assaulted Jews at Jewish events, was arrested for it a number of times, and was finally deported on grounds of an illegal fictitious marriage so as to be able to reside in the U.S. Al Capone was convicted of tax evasion, you know. Whatever works, I say, just as long as we have such scum either in jail, or out of the country. Google is your friend -- check the sources first.