Monday, April 20, 2009

Terrorists like me

I know that the Bush administration put out at least two reports discussing threats from leftwing extremists but at least they made clear that the concern was extremist groups and not liberals who might morph into terrorists. Last week's DHS document, the misnamed "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment" is an embarrassing piece of propaganda. It fails to define "right wing extremists." It misidentifies "hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups" as right-wing (it can just as easily be left wing).

It argues that the economic downturn and the election of a black president may radicalize these unnamed and undefined groups. But it presents precisely no evidence that this has happened or might happen in the future. In fact, it says that DHS "has no specific information that domestic rightwing* terrorists are currently planning acts of violence ...." (Nor, I might add, does it offer any general information.)

Because of the looseness of its language, suggests that any group might be "extremist" if it is "antigovernment" or "dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration." It comes perilously close to identifying as extremist any one who is critical of the administration:

Rightwing extremists are harnessing this historical election as a recruitment tool. Many rightwing extremists are antagonistic toward the new presidential administration and its perceived stance on a range of issues, including immigration and citizenship, the expansion of social programs to minorities, and restrictions on firearms ownership and use.


That's not what they mean, you say, and I hope not. But this is a bulletin to law enforcement agencies across the country. How could an agency possibly respond to it than to conclude it is being asked to monitor right wing political groups.

The report could have been written by that noted neurophysiologist Janeane Garafolo as part of her enmerging limbic brain theory. (Physiognomy can't be far behind.)

Of course, any agency during any administration can put out a piece of crap like this. What is disturbing is Janet Napolitano's defense of it.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey, Rick, ever hear of Tim McVeigh? That's the concern here. There have been numerous death threats against our new president, and, in a depression with war veterans returning without jobs awaiting them, it'd be imprudent not to red flag the risks of right wing terrorism -- mentally unbalanced folks all hepped up by tea parties, talk radio, and the like.

This report isn't calling on law enforcement to investigate you. It's just saying, be watchful.

Dad29 said...

I think it's time we stopped meeting for lunch...

From here on, all correspondence will be through blind drops.

Anonymous said...

How many times would they need to waterboard dad29 until he spilled his secrets? Being he's twice the man KSM is, basic math tells you 300+ enhanced treatments.

Anonymous said...

Let's see if I understand 'Anonymous's logic. Timothy McVeigh disagreed with government policies and Timothy McVeigh was a terrorist. Therefore, anybody who disagrees with government policies is a terrorist.

Also, what about the angry left types all hepped up on antiwar demonstrations, global warming hysteria, Gene Garafolo, Keith Olberman, Perez Hilton, and CNN? Shouldn't they also be watched?

Anonymous said...

"what about the angry left types all hepped up on antiwar demonstrations, global warming hysteria, Gene Garafolo, Keith Olberman, Perez Hilton, and CNN? Shouldn't they also be watched?"

Just as soon as they start shrilling about Obama coming to take their guns.

Anonymous said...

Rick, have you been shrilling about the gov't. taking your guns again? How many times do I have to tell you about that?