They should try to find out how such a sloppy report came into existence in the first place, who wrote it, and who selected the writers and research staff. It's like a college freshman's or high school student's essay in a PoliSci class.
Posted on 04/17/2009 10:06:53 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
Senators to Napolitano: Show us the data By Michelle Malkin • April 17, 2009 12:58 PM
Senators Coburn, Brownback, DeMint, Burr, Murkowski, Inhofe, and Vitter sent the following letter to DHS Secretary Napolitano yesterday concerning the DHS conservative hit job:
April 16, 2009
The Honorable Janet Napolitano Secretary The Department of Homeland Security 310 7th street, S.W. Washington, DC 20528-0150
VIA FASCMILLE
Dear Secretary Napolitano,
We write today concerning the release of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report titled “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment” prepared by the Extremism and Radicalization Branch, of the Homeland Environment Threat Analysis Division.
While we agree that we must fight extremists who are both foreign and domestic we are troubled by some of the statements your department included as fact in the report titled above, without listing any statistical data to back up such claims.
First, your report states that “Returning veterans possess combat skills and experience that are attractive to rightwing extremists…” without listing any data to support such a vile claim against our nation’s veterans.
Second, the report states that the millions of Americans who believe in the Second Amendment are a potential threat to our national security. Why? Do you have statistics to prove that law-abiding Americans who purchase a legal product are being recruited by so-called hate groups?
Thirdly, the report states that those that believe in issues such as pro-life legislation, limited government, and legal versus illegal immigration are potential terrorist threats. We can assure you that these beliefs are held by citizens of all races, party affiliation, male and female, and should not be listed as a factor in determining potential terror threats. A better word usage would be to describe them as practicing their First Amendment rights.
Also, you list those that bemoan the decline of U.S. stature and the loss of U.S. manufacturing capability to China and India as being potential rightwing extremists. We would suggest that the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs in the manufacturing industry to foreign countries are not potential terror threats, but rather honest Americans worried about feeding their families and earning a paycheck.
In closing, we support the mission of DHS in protecting our country from terror attacks and are proud of the many DHS employees who make this possible in conjunction with our state and local law enforcement. We ask that DHS not use this report as a basis to unfairly target millions of Americans because of their beliefs and the rights afforded to them in the Constitution. We also ask that you provide us with the data that support the unfair claims listed in the report titled above and to present us with the matrix system used in collecting and analyzing this data?
Finally, we look forward to your prompt reply and we offer our assistance to DHS in our shared effort to fight terrorism both home and abroad by using data that is accurate and independent of political persuasion.
“Is there any evidence whatsoever that the other 44 or so GOP Senators were asked to sign the letter and refused to? It is common practice in Congress for a number of members to sign a letter without attempting to get other signatures.”
I called DeMint’s office and asked that question. As soon as they find out, they will get back to me. I can’t imagine that 44 wouldn’t sign it, on the other hand, i can’t imagine them not having been asked either.
I like Coburn as well. His work identifying waste at the CDC and other places was priceless. Unfortunately nothing substantial came from it. But we need people like both of Oklahoma’s Senators in Washington fighting this ridiculous pork spending.
Forget about the data; data can be fabricated from nothing. The demand should be to cease the profiling. Yeah, that profiling we have been told is absolutely unconstitutional for the last 8 years.
Back when I worked for Congress this happened all the time.
They should try to find out how such a sloppy report came into existence in the first place, who wrote it, and who selected the writers and research staff. It's like a college freshman's or high school student's essay in a PoliSci class.
If the summary was that odious, can you imagine what the classified document says?
. . . and why should we have to imagine anything? If the Obama administration can release every detail of the interrogation techniques used during the Bush Administration . . .
Thanks for calling him and giving us a report.
So we have a Senator who is afraid to speak in public about this affront to veterans. Who is he afraid will curtail his free speech? Guess he wants to keep getting invites to the ZERO White House which is more important then standing up for what is right.
And Napolitano should be watched because of Mussolini and Al Capone.
We expect nothing better from Lautenberg but I had to call.
He is actually a neighbor living down the block and I made sure to tell the aide that. Of course, their caller ID had me identified from the first moment of the call.
I really laid it on about how O would never understand the love and respect military vets have for each other. That O wouldn’t understand because I doubted he ever knew anyone who served.
Thomas More (not Moore)
Love it!
Hmmm,, Ya know,, Hitler was a national leader. In fact,, he was the leader of an entire country! So was Mussolini, and Emperor Hirohito of Japan. Then there are others,, like Idi Amin, Stalin was the head of his country. In fact,, there have been lots of butchers and mass murderers, dare I say extremists that have been leaders of nations!
In fact,, extremist leaders of nations, extremist heads of state have killed millions,, far far more than some nutcase like Timothy McVeigh could ever hope to kill.
So,, if Vets and pro-lifers and Tea Party goers need to be closely watched due to the extremism of a few,,,, then certainly the people are justified to carefully watch over and monitor their government,,, to be suspicious of those within it who would attempt to alter, change and destroy the foundations of this free society,,, certainly we as a people are justified by history, in fact more justified,,, far more justified and have greater cause to watch and be concerned about the possibility of extremism coming from our own government,,
They have conjecture! At the most,, one example of a murderer,, named Timothy McVeigh,, by that one example they paint all Vets as suspect.
They have their example,, we have ours! Hitler, Mussolini, Emperor Hirohito, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, communist and socialist and Islamo Fascist leaders all ,, need we go further back into history?? To Rome? To Asia? Whom is more justified to watch over whom???? Who has the greater need to be alarmed???
I like your idea.
Yo!
You’re probably right....I’m so damned old I can’t keep my facts straight any longer....
Thanks for the correction....
5.56mm
I believe she has now qualified for the
Can't
Understand
Normal
Thinking
award....
McVeigh's last hours.
McVeigh was anti-government? Yes. To the extreme.
Catholic as a youth but McVeigh was definitely not a Christian as an adult.
I bet Janet Renolitano has even brought up the Olympic Bomber's name -- though I don't think that pot head ever served in the military.
Olympic Bomber Eric Rudolph is often described as a religious nut. Wrong! Unless Nietzsche is god. Even the SPLC knows the truth
the civil war begins
I’ll take a 10% finders fee.
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