Tuesday, April 14, 2009

H'land Security: Get Righties?

I'm afraid I'm going to have top rescind my previous endorsement of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.
Here's a VERY troubling report from Audrey Hudson and Eli Lake at the Washington Times:
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.
The White House has distanced itself from the analysis. When asked for comment on its contents, White House spokesman Nick Shapiro said, "The President is focused not on politics but rather taking the steps necessary to protect all Americans from the threat of violence and terrorism regardless of its origins. He also believes those who serve represent the best of this country, and he will continue to ensure that our veterans receive the respect and benefits they have earned."
The nine-page document was sent to police and sheriff's departments across the United States on April 7 under the headline, "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment."
It says the federal government "will be working with its state and local partners over the next several months" to gather information on "rightwing extremist activity in the United States."
The joint federal-state activities will have "a particular emphasis" on the causes of "rightwing extremist radicalization."
Homeland Security spokeswoman Sara Kuban said the report is one in an ongoing series of assessments by the department to "facilitate a greater understanding of the phenomenon of violent radicalization in the U.S."
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. . . .
The Homeland Security report added: "Over the past five years, various rightwing extremists, including militias and white supremacists, have adopted the immigration issue as a call to action, rallying point, and recruiting tool."
The report could signify a change in emphasis for Homeland Security under former Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano. A German magazine quoted Ms. Napolitano as rebranding "terrorism" as "man-made disasters." Since its inception in 2003, the department has focused primarily on radicalization of Muslims and the prospect of homegrown Islamist terrorism.

9 comments:

Radu Gherman said...

I was actually worried about you and this blog being targets of some sort of Obamonic investigation; until I read the rest of the article.

I'd place this "report" right between the one talking about a possible Canadian invasion and the one warning about the possible deaths associated to tea-bagging.

Anonymous said...

Dan: According to Michelle Malkin this report has been in the works for a year. Can anyone say "Reichstag Fire"?
Thank goodness I'm not a conspiracy theorist.

mjloehrer said...

I'm not anonymous. I'm moi.

Radu Gherman said...

Can anyone say Poplawski? Thank goodness that the DHS is incompetent and there's no such thing as a right-wing nut.
I guess MLK got what he deserved, speaking out about minorities and such, right?
And that McVeigh, the gosh darn bastard probably voted for Clinton.
I could keep going, but I have to practice keeping a straight face for the Tea Party tomorrow.

Sean Schafer said...

Poplawski is as much a right-wing extremist as Governor Rendell is thin.

I consider myself right-wing and I'm not racist or anti-semetic, although I'm not too fond of Italians (Mr. Cirucci! haha just kidding). Where the correlation between Right-Wing and the hate-filled Neo-Nazi groups comes from is simple. More minorities are associated with the Democrats than with the Republicans. Neo-Nazi's hate minorities and pretty much anyone different from them. Therefore these scumbags vote for the right. We don't want them at all. We want them as much as Islam wants the terrorists. But the fact remains they have absolutely no right-wing beliefs at all other than the right to bear arms. Which is why the press called Poplawski right-wing.

Aside from that I guess Daniel Faulkner got what he deserved. And MOVE is a peaceful organization. All those WEATHER underground bombings that Baracks boy Ayers colaborated on we're right and just, since they got back at the government for a harmful war. Oh and the OHIO 7 were completely justified throughout all of their actions.

The point is, there are nut jobs on both sides and they normally are working off some absurd morphed view of what they think their side stands for.

And as for the Tea Party. I find it funny that when people rally behind the idea of "change," a loose term that can pretty much mean anything, it's a mesmerizing and a wonderful thing. Now as people want to rally around an idea to "stop wasteful spending, stop government control and to gather on behalf of the Constitution," it's a joke. Seems a little partisan to me.

But what do I know, I'm just a hockey player. Do you know I am the only person ever to take his skate off and try to stab someone with it... haha (Sorry Happy Gilmore is on) That line is too funny to pass on.

Radu Gherman said...

Sean,

Let's start with the funny stuff first. Tea-bagging was an awful choice of words. I think the idea behind it has merit. I just want to see Michele Bachmann proclaim loud and clear that she tea-bagged the hell out of someone tomorrow. That'll set me up for a wonderful week.

But back to the important point:

Left-wing and right-wing, in this context, mean the extreme people on wither side. Skin-heads and their ilk are right-wing because they espouse traditional WHITE values, and social discrimination that puts their kind above all other races. They are the opposite of LEFT, meaning communism and socialism. So the term is accurate, but you can't really get offended if you don't fit the mold they are talking about. I'm left of center, but I'm not offended by any other report aimed at he extremes of any left-wing goof, including the people you mentioned.

Sean Schafer said...

Didn't realize you we're talking about tea-bagging, I can agree on that hahaha

Dan Cirucci said...

I never know which posts are going to trigger the liveliest (or the funniest) conversation.

Sean Schafer said...

So a day or two after this right-wing extremist report comes out, left-wing extremists interrupt and cause havoc at a speech in North Carolina. And I do consider these people extremists. Anyone who sets out to ruin a groups plan is an extremist. These people disgust me. It's also hilarious that on a day when so many right-wingers were protesting throughout the nation the only hate story/violent story to come out is one about left-wingers at UNC. Typical, typical, typical. t.