by Mona Gallagher

Created on: April 20, 2009

On April 7, 2009, the Department of Homeland Security released a report to US law enforcement offices under the title, Rightwing Extremism: Current Economical and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment. The report was concerned with the rise in right wing extremism. The problem with the DHS report is that it offered no specific information on the "rising."

The DHS instead targeted not specific groups, but the ideology of conservatives who believe in US Constitution amendment rights. The report cited examples of what "right wing extremists might do" if they opposed current or proposed government policy on gun control, abortion, illegal immigrants, and states sovereign rights designated by the US Constitution.

Mentioned in the report of right wing possible uprising:

*Groups that reject federal authority in favor of state or local authority.

*Racist or hate groups (justifiable item, but no uprising activity cited)

*Opposition to abortion (opposition cited, but no activity or group named)

*Opposition to Immigrants Since no known group opposes legal immigration, we must decode this statement as "opposition to illegal immigration" and Obama's plans for blanket amnesty.

A Rasmussen Poll of April 16, 2009 showed that 66% of likely voters said it was very important for the government to improve border enforcement and reduce illegal immigration. Obama has likened immigration raids to "terrorists" in past statements, while Nancy Pelosi calls the raids "un-American." If you protested Pelosi's remarks, as I did with a fax to her, you may be on the hit list.

Perhaps, Janet Napolitano should put her ICE team on the list of domestic terrorists based on statements by the president, Speaker of the House, and Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) who compared ICE agency to the "Gestapo."

The language pitted against right wing ideology and "possible" uprising is vague and can be interpreted to mean whatever the DHS wants it to mean. However, there are moderate Democrats and Independents who still believe in personal liberties too. Will they be targeted next or have right-wingers won the contest without competition?

War Veterans:

War veterans were singled out as examples of "possible" disgruntled right-wingers that "might" be inclined to grow the ranks of white power militia. The description reveals that the report is slanted toward white veterans and therefore is discriminatory in tone and substance.

Many war veterans, who've resumed their lives and were not angry before,

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