[Sixstrings]

Federal agency warns of radicals on right

The Department of Homeland Security is warning law enforcement officials about a rise in "rightwing extremist activity," saying the economic recession, the election of America's first black president and the return of a few disgruntled war veterans could swell the ranks of white-power militias.

A footnote attached to the report by the Homeland Security Office of Intelligence and Analysis defines "rightwing extremism in the United States" as including not just racist or hate groups, but also groups that reject federal authority in favor of state or local authority.

"It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single-issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration," the warning says.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/200 ... -on-right/

I don't know what to make of this. Surely, TPTB that wrote this report know what a charged phrase "right-wingers" is. To label "right-wingers" as a threat to the Homeland has the effect of casting an aspersion on what, 40% of the population?

I'm a democrat myself, but I don't like seeing a net cast so far. I can understand identifying particular groups, but they shouldn't be all lumped together as one great "right-winger" threat. Why, for example, are state's rights groups lumped in? There's nothing wrong with states' rights supporters -- the focus should be on groups that promote violence. And the same goes for the "anti-abortionists" included in this threat group -- they are annoying, yes, but not criminal.

I find it really hard to believe there is some major Pro Life domestic terrorist threat out there.

I guess either there really is trouble brewing, or this is just an opening salvo to bring the fairness doctrine back and shutting down right-winger talk radio.

[dinopello]

The same article mentions that the report warning of "left wing extremist" activities came out in December from DHS. So, it's not a right or left, it's every extremist they are watching out for. But I agree with you, it doesn't matter what kind of extremist you are unless you become violent or otherwise break laws. Bush should of never created DHS and left it to the agencies that already exist. It is a problem to have federal agencies looking for something to do.

[Cloud9]

As one of those gun clinging, bible reading, state's rights folks, I don't feel the love.

[Sixstrings]

I ran across the full report on Huffpost:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/1 ... 86834.html

Interesting stuff.. the report says that the right-wing groups being monitored are just "rhetorical" and not violent, but that those groups could become violent if the economy worsens.

It's basically lumping in the whole right-wing crowd -- folks opposed to illegal immigration, people mad about the bail outs, the economy, and it even mentions people "paranoid" about the New World Order.

[SeaGypsy]

+1 Dinopello.
They have the tech, they are using it, they will continue to use it.
'Extremists' are the replacement boogeyman since the 'War on Terror' became unfashionable.
They need an excuse when they get caught or whistleblown.

[PrestonSturges]

They found that right wing neo-Nazi trustfund baby building an honest to God dirty bomb in Maine last month only because his wife killed him. And they keep finding these clowns running around with large amounts of ricin, but again they only find them by mistake.

Clearly they aren't doing enough.

[SeaGypsy]

It's civil rights versus human rights. As long as TPTB can be seen to use the tech in defense of the latter with minimal attack on the former; the public will accept it. When it crosses the line into spying for lesser crimes, like smoking pot for instance; there is righteous outrage.

[Arsenal]

The harder the Feds squeeze the more they will push people to "right/left wing" extremists. This won't end well.

[mos6507]

The harder the Feds squeeze the more they will push people to "right/left wing" extremists.

They hardly need pushing to the right when you've had people like this doing it for years.

[Arsenal]

Those stooges have already pushed most of the people that would have already gone to the right. If the FEDs start cracking down then you might see the "center" move one way or another.

[rangerone314]

Seems to me the defining feature should not be right wing vs left wing, liberal vs conservative, but libertarian vs statist (ie everyone in favor of high taxes, corporations running government, many regulations, rules, nanny state, big government, huge law enforcement & security spending)

[efarmer]

I think conservatism is a needed and vital ingredient in the nation and
is very poorly served at present.

They have a good core of principles and goals but I am skeptical that
you can scare enough people and keep them there long enough to
build a stable platform. What does work is borrowing massive amounts
of money to operate while you reduce taxation to the most influential
and politically active folks and operating this way until the system
collapses. If you can scare the folks about the collapse recovery
efforts too, I suppose it is a little financial kicker after the big haul
for the scare merchants.

I hope it is a going out of business sale.

[Schmuto]

If they define "normal" narrowly enough, then we're all "extreme."

[Sixstrings]

Some updates:

"Let me be very clear: we monitor the risks of violent extremism taking root here in the United States. We don´t have the luxury of focusing our efforts on one group; we must protect the country from terrorism whether foreign or homegrown, and regardless of the ideology that motivates its violence," Ms. Napolitano said.

That's the Secretary's defense of her position, about the net being cast so wide to include all of "right-wing" political thinking. What she's saying here is they don't have the time to just focus on "particular groups" -- call me a layman, but it seems to me this country isn't exactly rife with domestic terrorism, and the government SHOULD be focusing on the few worrisome groups out there.

But what the Secretary is saying here, is that the efforts must be expanded to include the whole spectrum of the right-wing "ideology." She is literally equating right-wing constituationalist, anti-abortion, states' rights fundamentalism with Islamic fundamentalism.

"We are on the lookout for criminal and terrorist activity but we do not — nor will we ever — monitor ideology or political beliefs.

That should sound sane and comforting, but if you read the report you'll see that it spends a lot of time talking about just that -- conservative ideologies.

(quotes link: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/200 ... extremism/)

Was it Jefferson who said that the man who trades his liberty for security will have neither? I know the cow has done left the barn on this one, but it really is sad. Of course none of us want crazy militia types committing violence, and government tracking and action against such violent groups is certainly warranted.

I just wish there was some more nuance here, more focusing on specific groups. The report even makes it obvious the government sees US VETERANS as a major domestic terrorism threat. (are we living in the Tiwlight Zone?).

To sum up, it seems to me that basically anyone who complains can now be labeled a "potential threat."

[PrestonSturges]

Was it Jefferson who said that the man who trades his liberty for security will have neither?

No, it was Franklin

I just wish there was some more nuance here, more focusing on specific groups. The report even makes it obvious the government sees US VETERANS as a major domestic terrorism threat. (are we living in the Tiwlight Zone?).

To sum up, it seems to me that basically anyone who complains can now be labeled a "potential threat."

HARTMAN: Do any of you people know who Charles Whitman was? None of you dumbasses knows? Private Cowboy?
COWBOY: Sir, he was that guy who shot all those people from that tower in Austin, Texas, sir!
HARTMAN: That's affirmative. Charles Whitman killed twelve people from a twenty-eight-storey observation tower at the University of Texas from distances up to four hundred yards. Anybody know who Lee Harvey Oswald was? Private Snowball?
SNOWBALL: Sir, he shot Kennedy, sir!
HARTMAN: That's right, and do you know how far away he was?
SNOWBALL: Sir, it was pretty far! From that book suppository building, sir!
HARTMAN: All right, knock it off! Two hundred and fifty feet! He was two hundred and fifty feet away and shooting at a moving target. Oswald got off three rounds with an old Italian bolt action rifle in only six seconds and scored two hits, including a head shot! Do any of you people know where these individuals learned to shoot? Private Joker?
JOKER: Sir, in the Marines, sir!
HARTMAN: In the Marines! Outstanding! Those individuals showed what one motivated marine and his rifle can do! And before you ladies leave my island, you will be able to do the same thing!
-Full Metal Jacket

[mos6507]

Seems to me the defining feature should not be right wing vs left wing, liberal vs conservative, but libertarian vs statist

If people are so libertarian then why wasn't Ron Paul a contender for the nomination?

Seems like everyone becomes a born-again libertarian when they don't like who's in the white-house.

[Cloud9]

With the bail out, we Americans got a good glimpse at what our government is about. It is about power and privilege and the personal interest of politicians. It is not all a government of the people by the people and for the people.

Both parties have done a great job of splintering the population along the lines of religion, race, gun rights, gay rights and abortion. We have been so divided for so long that government has been able to grow itself into the all intrusive nanny state we see today. If 57 % of the population pays the taxes and 43% pays none. My guess is that by the time you total all the people who work for government city, state and federal and then add on to that all the people who receive some kind of public assistance we are already over the tipping point. My bet is more than half of us are beholding to the state in one way or the other.

This nonproducing majority can only exist at the expense of the producing minority.

Home Land Security is attuned to the fact that this producing minority is becoming self aware. Traditionally Americans have secured their rights with the vote, the bullet or the rope. Minorities do not win their goals with votes. The civil unrest the government fears may very well begin as a tax revolt. Fear is the only way to control a people who feel that their rights have been violated. The first step in instilling that fear requires that the producing minority be marginalized. They must be painted with a broad brush as enemies of the state. The must be vilified as those who would sabotage the great plan. Then they must be disarmed. And then they must be contained.

Texas is already on the way out. We live in interesting times.

[dinopello]

Congress wants an explaination

April 14, 2009 (WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security sent a letter to Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security, inquiring about and expressing concern over the recently released report from the Department on rightwing extremism entitled "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment."

A link to the letter (PDF) at the link above

[Schmuto]

With the bail out, we Americans got a good glimpse at what our government is about. It is about power and privilege and the personal interest of politicians. It is not all a government of the people by the people and for the people.

Both parties have done a great job of splintering the population along the lines of religion, race, gun rights, gay rights and abortion. We have been so divided for so long that government has been able to grow itself into the all intrusive nanny state we see today. If 57 % of the population pays the taxes and 43% pays none. My guess is that by the time you total all the people who work for government city, state and federal and then add on to that all the people who receive some kind of public assistance we are already over the tipping point. My bet is more than half of us are beholding to the state in one way or the other.

This nonproducing majority can only exist at the expense of the producing minority.

Home Land Security is attuned to the fact that this producing minority is becoming self aware. Traditionally Americans have secured their rights with the vote, the bullet or the rope. Minorities do not win their goals with votes. The civil unrest the government fears may very well begin as a tax revolt. Fear is the only way to control a people who feel that their rights have been violated. The first step in instilling that fear requires that the producing minority be marginalized. They must be painted with a broad brush as enemies of the state. The must be vilified as those who would sabotage the great plan. Then they must be disarmed. And then they must be contained.

Texas is already on the way out. We live in interesting times.

Awesome post. Dead on.

[Arsenal]

+1 Cloud9