Janet Napolitano, the Director of Homeland Security and the lady who informed us that we are no longer fighting a global war on terrorism but rather a war on "man-caused disasterism," has released a report to law enforcement agencies that warns of a growing danger in the U.S. from "right-wing extremists." The report has caused quite a stir since it apparently offers no substantiation for its claims and because it defines right-wing extremists in a manner that would include most of the Founding Fathers. The Washington Times column on the DHS report opens with these words:
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.
Has no one at the DHS ever read The Federalist Papers? A preference for state and local authority is a principle upon which this country was founded. It is the basis for the much ignored 10th Amendment to the Constitution. Apparently the Obama administration considers people who still harbor the hope that we will one day return to the Constitution to be dangerous rogues who need to be watched.
"It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single-issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration," the warning says.
According to Ms Napolitano the gentle nuns who pray daily for the repeal of Roe v. Wade and those who are perplexed at our government's failure to secure our borders are also members of this nefarious class of extremists.
There's something peculiar about the fact that Barack Obama's associations with known left-wing extremists who planted bombs and terrorized innocent families was pooh-poohed during the campaign, but now his administration is planning to place opponents of abortion on demand and illegal immigration under the watchful eye of the police.
The report, which was first disclosed to the public by nationally syndicated radio host Roger Hedgecock, makes clear that the Homeland Security Department does not have "specific information that domestic rightwing terrorists are currently planning acts of violence."It warns that fringe organizations are gaining recruits, but it provides no numbers.
The report says extremist groups have used President Obama as a recruiting tool.
"Most statements by rightwing extremists have been rhetorical, expressing concerns about the election of the first African American president, but stopping short of calls for violent action," the report says. "In two instances in the run-up to the election, extremists appeared to be in the early planning stages of some threatening activity targeting the Democratic nominee, but law enforcement interceded."
It would be interesting to see exactly what data the DHS has to support any of these claims. No data appeared in the report. In fact, the report reads like a summary of liberal stereotypes of anybody who disagrees with them on the issues facing the country. Of course, a lot of Americans were concerned about the election results, but who, precisely, was concerned about them because Obama was an African-American? The report doesn't tell us. You just have to take their word for it and accept that you are possibly guilty of thought crime if you express concerns about being led by the most radically left administration in the history of this country.
The Homeland Security assessment goes on to say specifically that "rightwing extremists will attempt to recruit and radicalize returning veterans in order to exploit their skills and knowledge derived from military training and combat."
But in fact:
The FBI report said that from October 2001 through May 2008 "a minuscule" number of veterans, 203 out of 23,000, had joined groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nations, the National Socialist Movement, the Creativity Movement, the National Alliance and some skinhead groups.
Here's an odd nut: Why are the National Socialists considered a right-wing group? National Socialists (neo-Nazis) are socialists; socialism is a phenomenon of the left; ergo neo-Nazis are leftist extremists, they're not "right-wingers."
The DHS report is filled with meaningless claims (meaningless because there's no way to determine their significance). For example:
DHS/I&A notes that prominent civil rights organizations have observed an increase in anti-Hispanic crimes over the past five years.
But who's perpetrating these crimes? Other Hispanics? Hostile blacks? White racists? The report doesn't say. We're just left to ponder why this fact is to be construed as evidence of the rise of right-wing extremism.
Those of you who consider yourselves pro-life, or are returning vets, or have serious qualms about allowing everyone into this country who wants to come in should be on notice that Big Sister Janet is watching you. Perhaps we can expect the Obama administration to soon be placing telescreens in every home and public space.
