Barry, let’s call this Homeland Security report on “Rightwing Extremism” what it is – offensive and insulting to millions of law-abiding citizens – including veterans and pro-life supporters – who exercise their constitutional rights to speak about issues that matter most to them.
Here’s the definition of “rightwing extremism” that appears in the DHS report:
“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.”
And, what’s even more troubling, we are now learning that the DHS issued this report after its own reviewers expressed concern about the language used in the report.
The Associated Press is reporting that the civil rights division inside the Department of Homeland Security expressed concern about the report – specifically about the definition of “rightwing extremism.” The offensive definition apparently was “flagged” by the internal reviewers, but apparently, that didn’t matter. The report was issued anyway – with the offensive language intact.
Of course, there are extremists on both sides of the spectrum and the federal government should do all it can to protect us from those who break the law and commit violent and deadly crimes. But, come on Barry, this report is not narrow in its focus and is disturbing because of the sweeping characterizations that it makes.
Nowhere in this report is there any mention of Al Qaeda cell groups operating domestically here in the United States. DHS has taken its focus away from rooting out those people that are bent on causing harm to the United States. Instead, they seem more interested in using government resources to monitor pro-life citizens who are exercising their free speech rights by holding up a sign in front of an abortion clinic.
There’s growing outrage on Capitol Hill about this report. The Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss) said he was “dumbfounded” by how the agency could release such a report. And, now Rep. Peter King of New York, the ranking Republican on the Committee, is calling for a hearing into the matter.
This just doesn’t cut it. The DHS needs to remove this language. Let’s go after the REAL terrorists – not the millions of law-abiding citizens who happen to have strong feelings and voice their concerns about immigration or protecting the life of the unborn. Last time I checked, that was still protected by the First Amendment.
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posted April 17, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Jay,
Though, as an atheist and libertarian, I find it hard to agree with you on most issues presented here, you are right-on on this one. Hell, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King and Jesus Christ himself would agree with you on this one. Barry Lynn is off in Statist Left Field.
posted April 17, 2009 at 7:26 pm
“It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration.” What is so offensive about this? We lefties have been on terrorist watch lists for years even if all we did is give some money to Greenpeace. The biggest home grown terrorist events of the past 20 years HAVE all been far right crazies like Tim McVeigh and Eric Rudolph, both of whom were anti-abortion. Please. Quit whining and trying to make yourselves into victims. If you are pro-life and not planning on killing someone, they’re not talking about you!
posted April 18, 2009 at 9:14 am
I am a God fearing christian, a conservative, pro life, pro marriage. If that makes me an enemy of the”state”, then so be it! So these LEFTWING lunatics think WE are a threat? That figures! Leftist or should I say communist are always paranoid about holding onto power, and will do whatever they can to divide the populace. I did not vote for Obama, he is NOT and will NEVER be my president, I will NOT submit to his authority ever!
posted April 18, 2009 at 9:47 am
I did not vote for Jesus, he is NOT and will NEVER be my God, I will NOT submit to his authority ever!
posted April 18, 2009 at 3:20 pm
A clay unbaked tablet found. A 1899 expedition of a translation of: Dr. Hilprecht discovery. Nippur Clay Tablet 2000 B. C. has an account of the flood and the ark. Burried tablets found under a very ancient Nippur Temple Library. Unbaked tablets with a covering of sediment of hardenned clay from adobe walls. A picture is available.( New York Times Mar. 19, 1910 article) google it.
Cara Floyd
posted April 18, 2009 at 3:54 pm
I sincerely do not see anything offensive whatsoever about that definition. However, even if I had, so what?! When people are offended by certain phrases or by something someone else says, they seriously need to reflect on WHY they feel so offended. I guess what I am trying to say is: take responsibility of your feelings because if you allow yourself to feel like a victim when in reality you are not you’re only hurting yourself.
In this particular case, taking offense to a report put out by the DHS is damaging to yourself because you are failing to see the problem at hand as a result of your being hung up on the wording of the report! Personally, I do feel that rightwing extremists are a threat to national security whether they be Christian, Muslim, or any other religion. The time for coddling religious extremists of any kind passed a long, long time ago. They are not the majority here any longer, and people are fed up with the atrocities being committed in the name of God.
posted April 18, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Cara, that is old news. Accounts of a great flood predate the Old Testament story by several thousand years. Apparently many Middle Eastern civilizations used the trope of a great flood to tell us something about themselves and their beliefs. No biggie.
posted April 18, 2009 at 8:40 pm
Personally, I do feel that rightwing extremists are a threat to national security whether they be Christian, Muslim, or any other religion. The time for coddling religious extremists of any kind passed a long, long time ago.
Absolutely, Patricia, and even Christians will tell you that the extremists are not really Christian… whatever that means.
At any rate, as long as Christians, Muslims, and people of all the other faiths practice their religion as they know they should and don’t resort to violence in the name of their gods, everyone should be fine.
posted April 19, 2009 at 1:34 am
Mr. Sekulow, yes or no, did you read the full report?
posted April 19, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Congratulations Keith, you proved the report to be true better than DSHS could have ever explained it. You right-wingnuts won’t accept the democratically elected and inaugurated President of the United States because you are unapoligetically unAmerican. So why don’t you move to a real Christian country? Oh, that’s right, there is no such country. There is only Hayden Lake Idaho and the State of Alabama and the Michigan Militia and — wait a minute — these domestic terrorist organizations are spreading everywhere there are white people, immigrants, and poverty. Surprise! That’s just what the report says…
posted April 20, 2009 at 1:23 am
It was referencing an account on a clay tablet about 2000BC. This is a big deal if you were conscerned with people validating Genesis through another document before the flood. It was believed to be buried under an adobe wall not referrencing other tablets of fables of that time period. It was of ancient writings Semetic dialect of the Akkadian language. Some of the translation: Thee (The confines of Heaven and Earth), I will loosen, (A deluge I will make and)it shall sweep away all men together;(But thou seek) life before the deluge cometh forth;(For over all living beings) as many as there are, I will bring overthrow, distruction, annihilation Build a great ship and….Total height shall be its structure it shall be a houseboat carrying what has been saved of live, with a strong deck cover(it)(The ship)which thou shalt make(Into it bring )the beasts of the field, the birds of Heaven(and the creeping things two of everyhthing instead of a number…..Number……and the family…..and…….. Nippur Clay Tablet 2000BC Another document in alignment with biblical scripture. This would be a big deal for those who don’t want to even crack open the Bible and would like to look at something during that time period, wrather than a copy. p.s. Consistant with Genesis Ch. 6 13-21 Translation is taken from the New York Times Mar. 19,1910
posted April 20, 2009 at 9:14 am
Wow, Jay Sekulow is off in black helicopter land with this one. Watch out Jay, the One World Government is coming to take you away!
A few facts that he leaves out:
1) The report was commissioned by the DHS under Bush, not Obama.
2) Similar reports have been issued about left wing extremist groups, including environmental groups that employ arson and vandalism as methods — but you didn’t hear the Sierra Club complaining that environmentalists were being singled out, right? Because mainstream environmentalists know that the extremists are enemies of the environmental movement.
3) I don’t know if you recall this, Mr. Sekulow, but right wing extremists have killed many, many people in the United States. And no one’s rights are being infringed here; the report is simply discussing some trends today that have domestic security implications for the United States.
I suggest that the right wing in the United States need to stop cozying up with white supremecists and people that stockpile guns. Your mainstream relevance is rapidly diminishing, and nothing illustrates that better than Mr. Sekulow’s adoption of the extreme right’s talking points on this blog where he ostensibly is here to represent a conservative Christian view on church and state issues.
posted April 20, 2009 at 11:43 am
Jay ounce again you have proven that htere is one thing certain about injustice collectors(laike You) they can always find and injustice to collect
posted April 20, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Jay and son,
Thank you once again for bringing US the issues that if not taken seriously as citizens of this great country of OURS will lead to even further demise of Constitutional RIGHT. This is JUST the next step after we did nothing (other than YOU taking ACTION by putting IT into OUR field of VISION to warn US that OUR government is alienating ITself from the foundation that made US who we are).
The instance I’m speaking of is the recent NJ play-act of “TERRORISTS” invading a local high school to kill students if they weren’t Christians. The so-called “TERRORISTS” they decided on (because we sit in our pews and smile till Jesus comes back) was CHRISTIANS… a TRUE CHRISTIAN lives by the very Word of God… and the final Word by God is GOD IS PRO-LIFE!!!!!!!
Nothing NEW under the Son. The DEVIL will always TWIST the RIGHT to look wrong to the average beholder. Those who have ears… NEED TO LISTEN UP… OR be LEFT BEHIND… “then when THEY came for me… it was too late… there was no one to STAND UP for what was RIGHT and say something about INJUSTICE”.
posted April 20, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Was there a law passed somewhere that would make it illegal for Cara Floyd to post something that’s actually on-topic to the thread the post is appearing in?
posted April 20, 2009 at 10:47 pm
Daniel
Cara marches to the beat of a different drummer. Perhaps even a bongo player. I’m looking through the previous posts trying to figure out what got her off the abortion subject and on this flood story. And who are these posts directed at anyway?
posted April 21, 2009 at 8:39 am
It was referencing an account on a clay tablet about 2000BC.
And I was referencing clay tablets dating from about 3500 years before Genesis.
posted April 21, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Jay – I am a pro-lifer and am a Born-again Christian. I consider myself an outstanding citizen; having been born and raised here. This declaration by our Department of Homeland Security shocked me. I view this as just one more step toward our government controlling every aspect of our lives or at least trying to. I did not vote for Obama; I respect the Office of the United States, but I cannot respect Obama; a man who immediately supports abortions, in any stage, gay/lesbian marriage, or who above all proclaims this nation is no longer a Christian Nation. Everyone who believes this needs to read the Bible along with the history of this great nation; they will find that we founded this country on the belief in God with Jesus Christ as our Chief Cornerstone. I love this country but fear out government; I continually pray all eyes will be open to His truth.
posted April 21, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Do not be afraid, God is in complete control. As it is written, so it shall be. Things are happening just as we have been told. We should not be surprised, only prepared for the end of this system of things. The U.S. may fall as God’s word is fulfilled. For what you see is passing away. Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but My Word stands forever. Rejoice! For our redemption cometh. It only means the His arrival will be sooner, rather than later. And at that time, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. Both willingly, and unwillingly. He is coming soon. Get ready. Be prepared. We should constantly be about our Father’s business. Do you know Him? Trust Him today… Love God… Love others… Invite them to come with you…
posted April 21, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Flood story
Abortion
Christianity
I could put different evidence in here to turn you to the truth, but you can believe what you want. God gave you the gift of choice and he lets you choose a lifestyle different than the one he intended you to have.
So why do I do this? to save lives.
Why are The Ten Commandments of todays importance?
Do you want to make your government full of ideals and conscepts which are contrary to your maker?
Cara Floyd
posted April 21, 2009 at 9:26 pm
“I consider myself an outstanding citizen; having been born and raised here.”
What does the second part of that quote have to do with the first? Just because you were born and raised in the U.S. does not automatically make you an “outstanding citizen.”
“This declaration by our Department of Homeland Security shocked me.”
What “declaration?”
“…a man who immediately supports…gay/lesbian marriage,…”
Wrong. Obama supports civil unions for gays and lesbians, but not full-on marriage rights for them.
“…they will find that we founded this country on the belief in God with Jesus Christ as our Chief Cornerstone.”
Wrong. The words “Jesus Christ” do not appear one time in either the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution.
“I love this country but fear out government;”
Well, the U.s. government, by definition, is part of America, so you do not love at least one aspect of “the country.”
posted April 22, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Daniel 6:26
I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel:for he is the living God, and stedfast forever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.
posted April 22, 2009 at 11:39 pm
“Barry, let’s call this Homeland Security report on “Rightwing Extremism” what it is – offensive and insulting to millions of law-abiding citizens – including veterans and pro-life supporters – who exercise their constitutional rights to speak about issues that matter most to them.”
This is a bit pot-calling-the-kettle-black. Under the bush administration, the same was done with some liberal groups, who were also made up of decent law-abiding citizens. Now i know two wrongs don’t make a right, but how does it feel now the shoe is on the other foot?
But a bit of honesty here, not all the pro-life groups are “decent law abiding citizens”. Wasn’t there an abortion-clinic firebombing campaign a few years back?
posted April 27, 2009 at 8:34 pm
This “controversy” is nothing but another example of right wing outrage at hearing the truth. Just like when Obama made the absolutely turthful comment that some white Americans are bitter and cling to their guns and religion, this DHS document likewise points out a truth of American life. That truth is that, besides muslim terrorists, it is right wing extremists who have caused the dangerous and destructive incidents over the last 30 years. There are Ruby Ridge, and the Oklahoma City bombing to name just a few. Also, we must not forget Eric Rudolf and his multiple bombings, not to mention the unabomber. So you right wiongers need to stop with all your grief just because the DHS document didn’t use the politically correct terminology you might prefer. The truth is the truth, whether you like ti or not.
posted May 5, 2009 at 8:49 pm
I consider myself to be pretty liberal and think this report is biased and offensive. I don’t think labeling any group of individuals within the U.S. a terrorist group is constructive. It would upset me if republicans were in power and outright calling me a terrorist for my liberal beliefs.
The report should have either not provided any examples, or provide more examples of extremist groups, such as liberal extremists or animal rights activists, abortion clinic bombers, anti-government groups, etc.
Having said that, I also don’t like to hear your radio program constantly referencing muslim terrorists as if Christian terrorists don’t exist at all. They definitely don’t go around blowing themselves up everday, but they do exist.
posted May 8, 2009 at 2:39 pm
My take on all this is at the link provided.
posted November 23, 2009 at 7:52 pm
Targeting law abiding citizens is distracting energy and initiatives on the real terrorists. It is much like a statute that was overturned which stated that it was unlawful to participate in any actions on public sidewalks that would tend to annoy others; that is, over broad. Don’t be lazy, do the work, and report on the real people and groups that are an ever-present threat to America.