the Word memorandum usually creates a negative reaction in most people. It conjures memories of cubicle walls and oppressive day time meetings that somehow warp time space into a never ending time loop. Most people would rather not encounter them in their lives if they are not on the clock. Frankly, nobody is excited to read a Memorandum, well almost nobody.
a Memorandum is from the “Latin memorandum "(thing) to be remembered," neuter singular of memorandus "worthy of remembrance, noteworthy," gerundive of memorare "to call to mind," from memor "mindful of" (from PIE root *(s)mer- (1) "to remember").” 1
the Word should bring to the imagination sweet memories of past lovers, birthdays, and other milestones of human life not the constancy of corporate monotony. (That PIE root is also shared by the word commemorate.)
a Record is a “testimony committed to writing," from Old French record "memory, statement, report," from recorder "to record" (see record (v.))”2
it Also is a part of many idioms in the English language and something being for the record is done “so that (one's own version of) the facts will be known; for open, public knowledge. (This often is said when there are reporters present.)”3
these Remembrances are used by technocrats and bureaucrats to put something in the official record so people will one day be made aware of the contents for some reason or another. It could be a personal grudge against someone or just making sure that some boring point in a meeting was recorded for posterity.
the Following memo is an example of Director of CIA John McCone in meetings with the Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara about a variety of issues.
this Document appears very dull, but actually it is almost as flashy as the next example but it shows the normal style that government documents of bore you to death that puts most of the public off of reading these memorandum in full. In this boring memo, there are references to programs that are very sensitive including CORONA, which was a reconnaissance satellite, and OXCART which was a very expensive spy plane that became the SRI 71 Blackbird.
other Times they are extreme suggestions that people would have been shocked if they were aware of them at the time. John McCone, the Director of Central Intelligence at the time of the memo, made the following suggestion:
the Idea was not adopted but it is still interesting to know that such a high level of CIA was advocating for a reforming and a re-branding of CIA. This document getting out at the time could have shifted the public discourse about the way that Intelligence is handled in our country but doing so would have required someone leaking it, which as we know didn't happen. It is only through Freedom of Information Requests, and Wikileaks, that we the people get to finally read all these words that we pay people to write on paper we paid for with computers we paid for. These secrets are ones we have paid for.
Sometimes these memos are not intended for the public and were written for briefing purposes as is the case with Operation Northwoods which got the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lyman Limnezter fired for suggesting a myriad of false flag ideas to get things going with Cuba. Here are introduction page and then two pages with the actual suggestions.
this Document is chilling and all should experience it as it is worth knowing what the Joint Chiefs of Staff signed off on but then was stopped by the President(JFK) from implementing the recommendations.. A terror campaign against Miami by military operators disguised as Castro Cubans for example. It can be read in full here http://www.smeggys.co.uk/operation_northwoods.php . The general who was responsible was asked to retire afterwards as a consequence as well
Memorandum for the Record exists to bring to the public attention some important documents that the government has because it is important that citizens know what the government is writing down. The second purpose is to push for more transparency of government documents and a strengthening of FOIA. Right now, the FOIA mechanism is not nearly strong enough to produce documents of relevance in a time scale that matters. We still don’t have all of the JFK documents about the investigation because knowing all the details about how our president was shot in Dallas would JEOPARDIZE NATIONAL SECURITY.
Informed citizens are the most important thing in a country. It is the national security of the state when the state is the people. Are we not the state? An informed citizens is a national asset.
it is easy to identify enemies of the people and therefore the state. Any person that is trying to hide information from you about the government is your enemy. Why can CIA still redact and withhold documents about the JFK murder over 70 years later in contradiction to laws requiring its disclosure in the 90s?
Why are documents from World War One still classified? Hiding and rewriting history is what tyrants do to justify the status quo.
the People must know and understand what the government says has happened and what is happening if rational decision can be made about the future.
America has a freedom of Information problem.
Lets work together to fix this problem.
Who gets to know what? When do we all get to know the same?
E PLURIBUS UNUM
1 https://www.etymonline.com/word/memorandum2
2 https://www.etymonline.com/word/record
3 https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/for+the+record