The New McCarthyism: DHS Reports on Right-Wing Extremism

Bob said: "Seems to me the report focused on anti-American nutcases who want to stir up racism and anti-semitism..."

Bob, read the document again. There are a number of concerning sentences and phrases that imply something more sinister than just concern over "anti-American nutcases." In particular, read this paragraph: "(U) Rightwing 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."

No one can really define "hate oriented" in any legally meaningful construct, so the first half of this definition is dubious at best. The phrase about "rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority" is VERY frightening. This phrase in effect indicts many of the Founding Fathers like Thomas Jefferson or Patrick Henry. Finally, the idea that a group organizes around a single issue is certainly NOT an indication that said organization is in any way a 'rightwing extremist organization.' It simply means that a group of people feel strongly about a particular issue. Every single political party STARTS as a group of people who feel strongly about a small number of issues. Our First Amendment right to free association is threatened by such vague statements. Furthermore, the idea that Timothy McVey in some way represents significant numbers of returning Iraqi veterans is repulsive and inflammatory to say the least. If the authors of this document were unable to substantiate such claims with numbers or statistics, they should never have written them. This report reads like it was written by a high school child... loaded with drama... anecdotal support for every assertion. Seriously, is this what we're paying our federal civil servants to produce?

All Americans should be very concerned by this document, regardless of political affiliation. More importantly, we should be concerned about the state of the department that produced it. DHS is a dysfunctional organization, in which huge numbers of Federal employees are disgruntled and concerned about their own leadership (see the July 2006 OPM report on DHS). DHS needs a more concrete mandate, a good housecleaning, and a TIGHT budget, because it's not difficult to imagine how such a department could easily impinge on all our rights if given enough leash and a good cover story / excuse. In effect we've created our own American Gestapo organization (Don't believe me? Go read the titles of the Gestapo Departments in a history book... this report could easily be used as justification for the creation of one of those departments -- Department A).

JR of IA 2:31AM April 16, 2009

I guess this will do no good, but here goes:

First, we have seen American veterans recruited by gangs, outlaw motorcycle gangs, and right wing hate groups; they have used their knowledge to help these groups -- in fact, they have even, at times, used US military equipment. This is open source knowledge.

Most American servicemen are patriots -- but some clearly are not. Why does that surprise you? If you were in the military, it wouldn't.

Mr. Roff, you would rather law enforcement officials censor these facts, and deny our security professionals valuable intelligence. Why would you call for this?

Second, Secretary Napolitano's use of the term "man caused disaster" is correct usage. There are many "man-caused" disasters such as chemical spills or gas leaks that might kill thousands. If you're responsible for homeland security, you must prepare for all these possibilities, and the phrase "man caused" properly identifies a host of potential threats. Terrorism is a species of "man caused" disaster. Secretary Napolitano should have explained this better, and should not have used the partisan phrase "ending the politics of fear" in the same sentence. Regardless, "man caused" is proper, and your need to build a world where liberals are communists wimps and conservatives are virile defenders of freedom does not change reality.

Let me suggest, Mr. Roff, that you actually learn a little about the subject first before spouting off -- you're certainly not alone, but you could set a great example for your peers by doing so.

Publius of VA 8:30PM April 15, 2009

So let's see...A Department of Homeland Security report about the rising radicalization of “rightwing extremists” along with an earlier report on radicalized left-wing groups, which was requested by the Bush administration but not completed until recently is new McCarthyism, but Spencer Bachus (R-AL) and his "list of 17 Socialists" is not...

You might think that wild claims about the administration moving to “stifle dissent” would be disproved by the “massive protests” the right wing claims are taking place today.

The problem with pathological lying is that it gets hard to keep the lies straight.

tvi of TX 8:00PM April 15, 2009

It appears that the govenment really is turning against the average American. It is time to organize and prepare ourselves for the onslaught against our families, homes, savings, retirement, lifestyle, and our very freedom. As Thomas Jefferson so eloquently stated...The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

Leo of WY 7:57PM April 15, 2009