MLK Wiretaps Raise Quesions

Thanks to the Freedom of Information Act(FOIA), countless FBI records recently reveal the agencies unhealthy obsession with tracking every move of civil rights champion Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A few questions that come to mind after reading the story:

• Why was his surveillance constant and seemingly unrestricted?
• The stated reason for the initial surveillance were "to prove he was influenced by communist": what sort of influences does our free nation consider threatening nowadays that would warrant a citizen to be monitored, and does it violate any first amendment rights?
  
• Since the surveillance gathered only embarrassing personal details, why were the records kept and publicized, since they didn't relate to any criminal activity?

• Why did the FBI send him threatening and harassing letters? Is this standard practice for them?

Speaking on behalf of King's character, had the FBI had that level on surveillance on me(gulp!), they would have found much worse than a couple of sex incidents and a few off color jokes. Their attacks on his character have only elevated him in my eyes, knowing him at his worst is similar to me on a weekday.