Will student activism/civil disobedience prevent me from getting a security clearance? (Lynchburg: college, vs.)

[rosemckin]

When I was in college, I helped organize some direct action/civil disobedience on my college campus - sit ins in buildings, etc. I also had ties to local anarchists who shut buildings down on a much larger scale and who got arrested frequently. I am not an anarchist anymore although I do find some of the authors interesting. I was never charged, but I was arrested (just cited and released, I don't even have a record). Would this prevent me from getting a Secret security clearance?

[Carlingtonian]

Depends. How long ago? And by "ties," how close and how often? Were these people advocating for the overthrow of the US government? I ask these rhetorically, but the investigator will want answers.

If you're honest and forthcoming, I doubt they will care about what you did in college, since you didn't do anything that got you charged with a crime. But if you lie, they will find out through interviews with others, and then they won't trust anything you're saying. Plenty of people did dumb stuff when they were young.

[rosemckin]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

Depends. How long ago? And by "ties," how close and how often? Were these people advocating for the overthrow of the US government? I ask these rhetorically, but the investigator will want answers.

If you're honest and forthcoming, I doubt they will care about what you did in college, since you didn't do anything that got you charged with a crime. But if you lie, they will find out through interviews with others, and then they won't trust anything you're saying. Plenty of people did dumb stuff when they were young.

Thanks for your response. By ties, I mean they were my friends/had social relationships, and community anarchists helped student activists organize protests on campus. I still have some of them on facebook but don't talk. They advocate for the abolition of prisons and the dissolution of police, but aren't organizing for the overthrow of the entire government. My ideology is very different than it was back then. (Obviously.)

[johnsonkk]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

Depends. How long ago? And by "ties," how close and how often? Were these people advocating for the overthrow of the US government? I ask these rhetorically, but the investigator will want answers.

If you're honest and forthcoming, I doubt they will care about what you did in college, since you didn't do anything that got you charged with a crime. But if you lie, they will find out through interviews with others, and then they won't trust anything you're saying. Plenty of people did dumb stuff when they were young.

You'll still have to list your arrests, traffic tickets, etc. and provide explanations which should match any reports, interviews, etc. It would help if your college days were protesting the Vietnam war vs. Last year.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by rosemckin

When I was in college, I helped organize some direct action/civil disobedience on my college campus - sit ins in buildings, etc. I also had ties to local anarchists who shut buildings down on a much larger scale and who got arrested frequently. I am not an anarchist anymore although I do find some of the authors interesting. I was never charged, but I was arrested (just cited and released, I don't even have a record). Would this prevent me from getting a Secret security clearance?

I hope it prevents you from obtaining a clearance. Will it? Not really sure but let's hope. Sometimes things we do come back to bite us.

[LynchburgLover]

Originally Posted by Bigfoot424

I hope it prevents you from obtaining a clearance. Will it? Not really sure but let's hope. Sometimes things we do come back to bite us.

Aww, come on, what difference at this point does it make?

After all, half the country is aligning with a woman for President who brazenly disregarded and was "not sophisticated" enough to understand classified documents. Why should we even bother with security clearances?

[gemstone1]

"Plenty of people did dumb stuff when they were young".....yeah, like protesting against the Vietnam conflict, which brought an end to the maiming, death and distruction. Sure hope you weren't referring to that type of "dumb stuff".

egards
Gemstone1

[WildParrot]

Originally Posted by LynchburgLover

Aww, come on, what difference at this point does it make?

After all, half the country is aligning with a woman for President who brazenly disregarded and was "not sophisticated" enough to understand classified documents. Why should we even bother with security clearances?

#TRUMP2016

'Murica

[hertfordshire]

Taking bets on how long before this thread gets shut down.

[Old Guard]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

You'll still have to list your arrests, traffic tickets, etc. and provide explanations which should match any reports, interviews, etc. It would help if your college days were protesting the Vietnam war vs. Last year.

I believe you have to list your convictions, not arrests, which is a huge difference.

I am not sure what your ties were and to what organizations but I would be honest and not try to cover anything up. I think you will be fine.