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The Spectacle Blog
The Department of Homeland Security continues to be busy. Unfortunately, it isn't clear that busy activity by the Department of Homeland Security actually contributes much to homeland security in America.
The same Homeland Security Department office that categorized veterans as potential terrorists issued an earlier report that defined dozens of "extremists" ranging from black power activists to abortion foes. The report was nixed within hours and recalled from state and local law enforcement officials.
Whites and blacks, Christians and Jews, Cubans and Mexicans, along with tax-hating Americans were among several political leanings listed in the "Domestic Extremism Lexicon" that came out of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) in late March.
Quick question: is there a greater danger of terrorism committed by Islamic jihadists or anti-abortion activists? It might be best not to ask DHS.
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More Blog Posts by Doug Bandow
http://spectator.org/blog/2009/05/06/homeland-security-securing-any
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Pingback| 5.6.09 @ 7:00AM
Homeland Security; Securing Anything but the Homeland | But As For Me links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Tom Paine| 5.6.09 @ 8:52AM
Mr. Bandow,
Your question is illogical.
Police do not ignore burglaries or car thefts because there are rapes and murders.
The worst terrorist attack in U.S. History was the Oklahoma City bombing. Those bombers fit a profile that DHS is rightfully looking out for, and I'm sure the people in Oklahoma City would agree with the move.
The government does not need to focus excusively on Islamic terrorists. In fact, it would actually weaken our ability to fight Islamic terrorists or be prepared for an attack were we to focus on them. Think about it for a minute. You're a smart fellow. I think you can understand why.
Tom Paine| 5.6.09 @ 8:53AM
Correction: the worst terrorist attack BEFORE 9.11.
Rather a serious error on my part. But my point stands.
Crusader| 5.6.09 @ 9:29AM
Read Jayna Davis' book before you assume Tim McVeigh was a "right wing terrorist" who fits a goofy DHS profile.
The point being that in assessing threats, you have to be realistic about them and not let politics get in the way. Which poses a more realistic threat to America right now? If you think some guy who attended a Tea Party is an equal threat as a jihadist, we're all in a lot of trouble.
Eric Damon| 5.6.09 @ 10:48AM
While the attack by Timothy McVeigh was a shock and devastating, his attack does not automatically mean that all people on the right are potential terrorists. And if DHS were really worried about securing us from domestic terrorists, it seems that a better place to look would be on the left at such groups as the ELF and various animal rights and environmentalist extremists who have a long history of terrorist acts...instead of dreaming up scenarios that target people for basically disagreeing with the government!
And there is a serious problem when military vets, the freaking American Legion for gosh's sakes, and opponents of illegal immigration can be openly labeled as terrorists...for doing nothing...when honest to goodness terrorists are not allowed to be called what they are! Our current DHS is just following the lead of the POTUS and TOTUS in foolishly attempting to buy some sort of 'peace' by pretending that the terrorists are something that they aren't.
And to Thomas Paine: The jihadists are a much more viable threat to us than any 'right-wing extremists' have ever been...McVeigh notwithstanding. How many times must the jihadists attack us at home (WTC 93, 9/11), at sea (USS Cole), or abroad (Beirut or Khobar Towers) before you stop singing the song that we have more to fear from US than THEM?!
Mike Lee| 5.6.09 @ 11:58AM
It is typical of the cowardly left that to them the real enemy are other Americans whom they disagree with rather than the real enemy. The administration does not have blinders on. It is just like the hard left in that the enemy to them is their political opponents. We are on a slippery slope to Civil War 2 with thinking like this. Just know that we conservatives will not take this lying down. If legitimate political dissent is called radical by the cultural left an their allies in the genuflecting MSM pretty soon we will actually become what you fear. You've been warned.