Day #4 Lies & Family Ties
Analysis - Lies and Family Ties
DAIS
Last year, Katy, Ryan, Pete and myself attended a talk by Malcolm Gladwell, where the New Yorker journalist spoke alongside writer and broadcaster Afua Hirsch, on his new book ‘Talking to Strangers.’ The subject revolves around how we misread those we encounter and the assumptions we make when dealing with strangers, or in some cases the people most close to us. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to get hooked on a few non-fictitious news events of previous times; some tragic, some fascinating and some absolutely bizarre.
There is one story in the book which I would like to talk about now, that since reading has sparked a lot of ‘brain whizziness’
brain whizziness
a state that involves diving headfirst into one’s neural pathways, sprinkling them with fairy dust, and connecting them to a 240- volt power socket.
The story involves a former American intelligence analyst, Ana Montes. Montes turned out to be spying for the Cuban’s from her position as the Defense Intelligence Agency’s top Cuban analyst.
Her brother, Tito Montes, was a special agent for the FBI, alongside his wife. Ana’s sister, Lucy Montes, a language specialist for the FBI, was actually (though unbeknownst to her) integral to uncovering Montes as a Cuban spy. Without the knowledge that her sister was a mole, Lucy went on to transcribe her sister’s classified recordings and documents until the point Ana was exposed.
(Quite irrelevant to the story but fascinating, Montes’s ex-boyfriend also worked for the Pentagon, specializing, ironically, in Latin American Intelligence.)
Her siblings, as well as lover, had absolutely no idea that Montes had been a Cuban spy for 16 years, until the date she was exposed.
When Ana was detected, she released a statement saying that she acted in line with political ideology. She followed what she thought was right, to help the Cuban’s against the enemy of Clinton, and therefore the United States.
This brings me onto the Johnson’s. A link that I’m sure you won’t have seen coming.
Leo Johnson, the brother out of the political eye, is a forecaster for PwC. He approves of Keir Starmer and has been shown to like several of the Labour Party Leader’s tweets in previous weeks.
Rachel Johnson, the Prime Minister’s sister is a journalist who unsuccessfully fought to be an MEP for pro-EU party Change UK, and prior to that was a Liberal Democrat.
Jo Johnson, the sibling I knew nothing about until he quit his own brother’s government last September. He is now chairman of the Times Educational Supplement.
And then of course, Boris Johnson. Now I know Boris is not in espionage (not sure that comic image works whatsoever), but he does have something in common with Ana Montes when it comes to family.
Both have shown unresolvable tensions between family loyalty and political interest, with them on one side and their siblings on another.
For Boris, this disparity between him and his family, throws into dispute the genuine authenticity of his views, and more specifically his pro-Brexit stance. In light of his aired warnings against Brexit not that long ago, this is made ever greater. Lies and manipulated views are an issue when trying to unite your family, let alone the public.
It is speculated how close the Johnsons remain for now. And only time will tell if the siblings’ political loyalty outweighs that of their family allegiance.
In January 2023, Ana Montes will be freed from FMC Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas, where she has faced 23 years of imprisonment. She will be released at the age of 66. Her actions were against everything her family stood for; national progress and a life of public service. Only time will tell how her family reacts to her release, and whether she too will be forgiven for going against the heart of her family and relying on lies for her survival at the top.
