You Might Be a "Radicalized Right-Wing Extremist" If…

Townhall.com ^ | 4/14/09 | Michelle Malkin

[pissant]

What and who exactly are President Obama's homeland security officials afraid of these days? If you are a member of an active conservative group that opposes abortion, favors strict immigration enforcement, lobbies to protect Second Amendment rights, protests big government, advocates federalism or represents veterans who believe in any of the above, the answer is: You.

Department of Homeland Security Sec. Janet Napolitano has turned her attention away from acts of Islamic jihad on American soil (which she now refers to as "man-caused disasters"). Instead, her department is sounding the alarm over an unquantified "resurgence" in "right-wing extremism activity." On April 7, DHS sent a nine-page warning memo to law enforcement offices across the country titled "Right-wing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment."

The report includes a sweeping definition of the threat:

"Right-wing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups), and those that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or rejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration."

You cannot ignore the context or the timing of this DHS report. It's no small coincidence that Napolitano's agency disseminated the assessment just a week before the nationwide April 15 Tax Day Tea Party protests. The grassroots events organized by fiscal conservatives, independents, Libertarians and, yes, even some Blue Dog Democrats were fueled by the "current economic and political climate" of bipartisan profligate spending and endless taxpayer-funded bailouts. The growing success of the loose-knit movement has invited scorn, ridicule and fear-mongering from Obama's supporters. Liberal bloggers have likened the Tea Party movement to neo-Nazis, militias and even Weather Underground terrorists.

These attempts to demonize the Tea Party movement come on the heels of widespread conservative-bashing over the recent shooting sprees in Pittsburgh and Binghamton, N.Y. Taking Hillary Clinton's advice to "never waste a good crisis," left-wing pundits and analysts have blamed the tragedies on everyone from Rush Limbaugh to Fox News to the NRA.

The DHS spokespeople I talked to on Monday insisted that the report was not a politicized document and that DHS had done similar assessments on "left-wing extremism" in the past. But past domestic terrorism reports have always been very specific in identifying security threats -- such as the Animal Liberation Front and the Earth Liberation Front -- and very specific in identifying their methods and targets, including repeated physical harassment, arson and vandalism against pharmaceutical companies, farms, labs and university researchers.

By contrast, the Obama DHS report is an overarching indictment of conservatives. "Right-wing extremist chatter on the Internet continues to focus on the economy, the perceived loss of U.S. jobs in the manufacturing and construction sectors, and home foreclosures," the assessment warns. When I asked DHS spokeswoman Sara Kuban to explain who was responsible for this "extremist chatter," she could not and would not name names.

Moreover, the report relies on the work of the left-leaning Southern Poverty Law Center to stir anxiety over "disgruntled military veterans" -- a citation that gives us valuable insight into how DHS will define "hate-oriented" groups. The SPLC, you see, has designated the venerable American Legion a "hate group" for its stance on immigration enforcement. The report offers zero data, but states with an almost resentful attitude toward protected free speech: "Debates over appropriate immigration levels and enforcement policy generally fall within the realm of protected political speech under the First Amendment, but in some cases, anti-immigration or strident pro-enforcement fervor has been directed against specific groups and has the potential to turn violent."

"Potential to turn violent"? So did the hysterical fervor whipped up by Capitol Hill over the AIG bonuses, which prompted ugly death threats from across the country. No mention here, though. Not "right wing" enough. Nor will you see Obama DHS warnings to police and sheriff's departments about self-proclaimed bank terrorists such as Bruce Marks of the aggressive Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America or the mob activists of ACORN who have committed burglary, stormed corporate executives' homes and vowed to conduct "civil disobedience" by "any means necessary" in response to the "current economic and political climate."

If you can redefine dissenting opinion as "hate," you can brand your political opponents as "extremists" -- and you can marginalize electoral threats. "Antigovernment"? "Pro-enforcement"? "Disgruntled"? Feeling taxed enough already and "recruiting" and "radicalizing" your friends and neighbors through "chatter on the Internet"?

We are all right-wing extremists now. Welcome to the club.

[Jack Black]

CW II ping!

[3catsanadog]

Judge Napolitano was just on Foxnews being interviewed about this very document.

In essence, he is of the opinion that this is treading on very dangerous ground and is tatamount to the government trampling on the first amendment.

[PzLdr]

Hillary finally gets her ‘vast right wing conspiracy’. Courtesy of some bureaucratic gnome at DHS.

[Dead Corpse]

I am neither Right, nor Left. On the political Triangle, I am far North. A Radical Individualist.

You cannot support "collective" Rights if you don't first protect the Rights of the Individual. Every "collective" beings with at least ONE person.

But yes, I am a Radical. My positions are solid, if extreme. I'm ok with this...

[Centurion2000]

Glad someone sitting in a government position is realizing where this is going.

[Grampa Dave]

Eradicate Left Wing Extremists in Office! Vote them out of office!

[Nowhere Man]

This is not going to end well for America. Check this link out, especially the picture with the Swatika flags. Is this in America? I for one, seriously doubt it.

We've always had Nazis/Neo-Nazis, even before World War II with the Bunds but assuredly, they are a minority of a minority. The Ku Klux Klan, perhaps a little more but not much. Back in the 1920's, the Klan did have a presence here in Pennsylvania, my grandmother (she just turned 94) remembers the huge 1922 meeting here in Pittsburgh's Riverview Park with the lighting of a huge cross you can see for miles. I look at it this way, you always have your nuts out there, unfortunately, they provide liberals with fodder to compare conservatives to, then again, they have their nuts too, think of William Ayers, Stokely Carmichael, H. Rap Brown which are mirror images of the likes of Tim McVeigh but they see them as heroes.

All I can say is I hate the Nazi comparision, heck, my grandfather was among the frist to hit Omaha beach in Normandy. He fought Nazis, even got shot and a purple heart. He survived the war but his mind was screwed up for a while. I'm part Jew anyways, I would not be compatible with their thought processes anyways.

This is fear mongering. The very best of wishes to our FR and Republican allies from your friends in India.

Thanks for checking in. BTW, one of the marks for a "terrorist" is owning and listening to a shortwave radio. I have several plus an an amateur radio operator so that makes me a terrorist too. B-) BTW, sometimes I am able to receive "All India Radio" but it is hard at times.

[steamroller]

Napolitano is going to wreck the Obama ship.Trying to put conservative patriots in the same category as Klansmen and Stormfront a**holes will have a deadly effect on the left,because it will really piss people off.
Making returning veterans “suspect” is the last straw.i always take time to thank our uniformed sevice man and women.No one thought to do so to those of us who were in Nam and I will never let down today’s great people who are in our armed forces.When the s**t hits the fan these veterans will be with us every step of the way.
Napolitano will have her vibrator and Americans will have something a little better.
And here’s hoping Al Franken emulates Wellstone.Him in the Senate is like a turd in the punchbowl at a family reunion.

[aclusux.com]

“right-wing extremist” now that’s an oxymoron!

What are they all doing, going to Sunday School early?

[DocH]

You are correct.

JBT's, are JBT's, no matter WHO is President.

Then again, matters are more dire when the president (Clinton, not Bush) is a backroom cheerleader for oppression of the citizens.

[ronnyquest]

Bump

[GOLDCLAW]

I am proud to be a right wing extremist-—Obama is set to destroy Capitalism(the economic system of our existence as a free nation)-—THE REVOLUTION IS COMING!!!

[GOLDCLAW]

I am proud to be known as a right wing extremist—Obama is set to destroy Capitalism(The economic system that made our nation free!!)—THE REVOLUTION IS COMING!!!

[comraderasputin]

Jedi,

We up here in Canada are already feeling the pinch. Voting is the only way to stop the assault on our English Common Law heritage.

Applying democratic principles to all is how we keep our freedom.

Are their not enough things wrong with the world to prevent the governments from turning on their own citizens?

George Bush will remain my hero along with Pope John Paul and Ronald Reagan. Where are the leaders we need? Where are the leaders of tomorrow?

CR

[eyedigress]

You Might Be a "Radicalized Right-Wing Extremist" If…

You DON'T have bumper stickers pasted all over your car!