Napolitano-DHS Terror Report Is No Way to Treat Veterans

Mary Kate

What's your definition of a terrorist?

Would it happen to refer to people who are defending the very elements of the Constitution?

Do you have an issue with the Constitution? Maybe you'd like it to be changed.

Mary Kate Cary Article

There are those who have criticized Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano for suggesting that some disgruntled veterans who return home might well fall prey to "right-wing extremists" and, in turn, become potential terrorists . It’s apparently beyond their comprehension that either a veteran or a gun owner could become a threat to the state. Thus, it will probably do little good to remind them that....

... a few days ago, Sgt. John Russell fired on his fellow troops at a counseling center in Iraq, killing five of them.

... in September 2008, in Tunnis, Iraq, a 39-year-old soldier was charged with killing Staff Sgt. Darris Dawson and Sgt. Wesley Durbin.

... in October 2007, in Bahrain, U.S. Seamen Anamarie Camacho and Genesia Gresham were shot and killed by a third sailor, who then shot himself.

... in June 2005, in Baghdad, Lt. Willie Brown fatally shot Sgt. Joseph Tackett and later pleaded guilty to a charge of negligent homicide. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison.

... in 2003, at Camp Pennsylvania, Kuwait, Sgt. Hasan Akbar launched a grenade attack on his fellow soldiers, killing Capt. Christopher Seifert and Maj. Gregory Stone of the Army's 101st Airborne Division and wounding 14 other officers. Akbar was later court-martialed and sentenced to death.

Indeed, since these critics so greatly enjoy waving the flag, hugging the Constitution, and mouthing conservative platitudes like some mindless politically-programmed robot, it is perhaps far too much to ask that they please, please, please grow up.

Words are twisted ... again

From Politifact.com:

“This brings us back to Bilirakis' claim that DHS thinks that "returning military veterans and gun owners are likely to commit terrorist acts." This is a distortion of what the report actually said. The report said that rightwing extremists would try to recruit veterans, and that they would try to use gun control legislation as a "radicalization" tool. That's very different.”

Your article is a distortion as well. If you read the actual memo you’d see that it never said returning vets were terrorists. The operative word here is ”potential” and this potential has been documented before. All she was saying was that these militia groups, many of whose members are former military, may try to recruit veterans who they see as venerable because of extreme hardships they may face upon their return. It did not offer an opinion as to how successful there groups might be. It did NOT call veterans terrorists.

Mary Kay, I see you were a speechwriter for our previous president. Can you please explain to me, via e-mail, what is with this blind loyalty? Whatever happened to nuanced thought? Why must Republicans take the opposite position of a Democrat, whatever that position may be? Can’t the Republicans see that the hypercriticism, the immediate rush to take the opposing side, is hurting this country? It is certainly hurting your party. Where was your criticism of Napolitano when DHS issued a memo describing the potential (there’s that word again) for increased activity from left-wing extremist groups?

Veterans and Domestic Terrorism

This is a subject that I can personnaly relate to. When I was stationed at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma city, I was a witness and also relief worker in the aftermath of the OKC bombing. I will never forget the sights and smell of death I experienced there.

I watched the helicopter that transported Tim McVeigh to Tinker under secrecy. The citizens of Oklahoma wanted mob justice. Thats why Tim was outfitted with a bulletproof vest and surrounded by federal agents when being transported (for his protection against possible sniper fire).

It is indeed wrong for anyone to assume that all veterans are vulnerable to recruitment by terror and hate groups.

Quite the contrary is also true. There are a growing number of veterans that are becoming aware that the United States is vulnerable to the agenda of political extremist groups and the War Lobby in Washington.

Veterans should remember the oath of enlistment...defend the United States and the Constitution against all enemies foreign and DOMESTIC !

see!

you people who voted for this kind of crap, will see more of it. you people slobber all over obama, crying, you voted for him because he "SOUNDS" good when he speaks? so we lower our standerds to elect a dummy in the white house. i know he is not acting alone, but our vets deserve better then this. how dare this stupid idiot dumb nobody call our vets terrorist. when the left and some DEMS will not call the stone aged al qaeda and the like terrorist. but calling are vets that, when they didnt do anything. wow. this is NOT THE AMERICA I KNOW! THE SHADOW GOV. AT WORK. DIVIDING THE MASSES. DESTROYING OUR DOLLAR, SEE! JUST WAIT, YOU PEOPLE ARE SO DUMB!

Disgrace: Obama and Napolitano

VSteele - Quit blaming everything Obama does on Bush. Janet Napolitano is responsible for the report idiot.

Lame, lame lame - accept responsiblity for the pinhead group you elected into office - the group villifying our vets and calling them terrorists. I expect this type of attitude from Obama, his cronies and the dem pinheads that have villified our troops on numerous occasions. And none of which have ever served their country in ANY capacity.

Change: Labeling everyone in America who served in the armed forces a terrorist.

Just the "change" we need.

Watch how a vet votes

Veterans as terrorists? Yes, the way veterans vote spreads fear into the hearts of the democrats and hussien Obama's minions.

I have never meet and vets that could even remotely be consider terroristic or even leaning towards terrorism. DHS = best and brightest of the dumb sheep.

Terrorism by Whom?

This is a perfect example of the very thing that gives the conservatives their justification for calling liberals & Democrats soft, wishy-washy & weak on terrorism. They tiptoe around the fragile feelings & so-called civil rights of the most evil & dangerous group of people on the planet (al Qaeda & its minions)only to imply that we'd better keep an eye on our returning veterans who may have been turned into terrorists themselves. And worse...we may be at risk for them becoming recruits for anti-government terrorist cells. We are supposed to protect the innocent Muslims from persecution & suspicion because they are themselves being identified with terrorism (as they look the other way)? Oh, that's right...they're the poor, helpless & victimized minority while the rest of us Americans are the ones who are intolerant, prejudiced & suspect?

This makes me sick to my stomach. Not only do we deprive our veterans of adequate mental & physical health care after their service, largely ignoring the physical, emotional & psychological trauma they have endured, not to mention the social & financial ramifications of their service; we are now labeling them “potential terrorists.” This is our new Director of Homeland Security? Maybe Ms. Napolitano ought to be forced to spend a week (or a year) as a patient in a place like Walter Reed Army Hospital and reevaluate her perspective. If President Obama has half the courage he seems to possess he will fire her sorry butt & do so post haste. Otherwise, his administration has just suffered a major blow to its credibility, at least with me. And these are the “good” guys? God help us all!

As for J. Burrell’s (of FL) remarks…. he ought to be ashamed as well. While no one expects veterans to be saints any more than anyone else is, it must be very disconcerting for the veterans with whom he volunteers his time compare them to potential terrorists. I’m sure some are angry….and with very good reason. But while this country has considerable experience with anger & related violence directed toward all manner of injustices throughout its history, I don’t think any rational person or historian would compare us to terrorists simply because we get angry from time to time. Our ancestors & fellow citizens have more often than not chosen to deal with this like civilized and accountable citizens who respect & uphold the rule of law, unlike so many Muslim countries terrorized & in some cases ruled by nothing more than a bunch of thugs and self-appointed judges, juries & executioners. J. Burrell (of FL) should be more careful before drawing a parallel between what terrorists do & have done to spread violence, hatred & intolerance all over the world with the well-deserved anger of veterans are themselves victims of some of the most egregious injustices this country has ever perpetrated. While I concede his actions (volunteering with fellow veterans)speak louder than his words, he ought to be more sensitive the impact of those words.

Napolitano

She needs to be removed from office. She is dumber than most of the rest of the new administration, and that is hard to do.

Just another "ignored" disgrace

This report is another disgrace of the current Administration. I feared the creation of the DHS because I knew in the wrong hands, it could be used inappropriately. I work with many Veterans and they are some of the finest people I know.

The Administration should be more concerned with the growing discontent of the American people towards it's policies.

Despite Obama's denial, it was no coincidence that this report was released the same day 170 protests took place across this nation.