The CIA are assholes, and they do routinely violate the rights of Americans (even today, though it was probably worse decades ago).
But their interests are narrow. What about that would have piqued their curiosity? If you are right, does that mean one of the hippies was some Soviet asset? And even then, that's got to be the worst cover story ever. On the other hand, the Feebs were really bad at counterintel tradecraft, but it's difficult to imagine them being sophisticated enough to pull off an academic cover like that.
Maybe I was harsh. Near as I can tell, almost all of those agencies were into some seriously stupid shit (when did they give up on psychic phenomena research again?), but it still just doesn't strike me as plausible. I've having trouble processing it.
If you ever do write that book, plug it here so I have a chance of noticing it, would ya?
Can I write you a book on growing up in a family that built California?
You know why there are so many places and streets named 'Folsom' <-- my great-great-uncle
I know a lot of shit.
My great grandfather was ticketed MANY times when they were first installing street lights in SF to "NO MACHINE IS GOING TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO"
(I kinda inherited that)