Top House Democrat (Chairman - Homeland Security Committee) "Dumbfounded" By "Extremism" Report
Center-Right
Audrey Hudson
The top House Democrat overseeing the Department of Homeland Security
is demanding that officials there explain how and why they wrote and
released a controversial report identifying veterans as potential
terrorist threats.
Rep. Bennie G. Thompson of Mississippi, chairman of the House Homeland
Security Committee, said in a letter to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano
that he was "dumbfounded" such a report would be issued.
"This report appears to raise significant issues involving the privacy
and civil liberties of many Americans -- including war veterans," Mr.
Thompson said in the letter sent Tuesday.
"As I am certain you agree, freedom of association and freedom of
speech are guaranteed to all Americans -- whether a person's beliefs,
whatever their political orientation, are 'extremist' or not," Mr.
Thompson said.
The report "blurred the line," and Mr. Thompson said he is
"disappointed and surprised that the department would allow this
report to be disseminated" to law enforcement officials nationwide.
Also Wednesday, Ms. Napolitano issued a statement standing by the
report, which she personally had reviewed before it was issued. She
insisted that DHS never would investigate based on political ideology
and agreed to meet the head of the American Legion, who already had
expressed anger over the report.
The Washington Times reported Tuesday that the department's Office of
Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) released a report titled Rightwing
Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence
in Radicalization and Recruitment on April 7. It identified as
potential terrorist threats people who collect guns, veterans,
supporters of border control, and pro-life advocates.
"I am particularly struck by the report's conclusion which states that
I&A 'will be working with its state and local partners over the next
several months to ascertain with greater regional specificity the rise
in rightwing extremist activity in the United States with a particular
emphasis on the political, economic, and social factors that drive
rightwing extremist radicalization,'" Mr. Thompson said, demanding to
know what types of activities DHS had planned for "the next several
months."
-------------
I'll try not to call our POTUS, "Barry".
I'll try not to call our POTUS, "The Messiah".
I'll try not to call our POTUS, "not-too-bright".
-CR-
Alric Knebel
> April 15, 2009
> Audrey Hudson
You got away with it, Clay. Usually you're so vain you have to put some
part of your real name in the e-mail address. Well, you know the score,
my favorite little killfile buddy.
*plonk*
--
____________________________________________________
Alric Knebel
Guy Inside
> Center-Right wrote:
> > April 15, 2009
> > Audrey Hudson
>
>
======================
Steve <steven...@yahooooooo.com> wrote:
... I have no recourse but to slap them down, or in the case of the
really slimy-stupid ones, just quietly slip them into the kill file.
... and that brings up another point.. why do some fools imagine that
it's important to announce a "plonk?" do they really believe that
their announcement makes a difference?
--------------
*snicker*
-C-
Unique
Stop morphing. If you want what you say to be taken seriously by anyone
then you should respect people's right to filter out your posts. Don't
be a dick about it.