Enemy of the state revealed

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April 18, 2009

By Craig Ziemba / guest columnist The Meridian Star Sat Apr 18, 2009, 11:56 PM CDT

Fortunately for us, our crack defenders at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have identified a nefarious group threatening America. In its newly released document titled, “Right Wing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment” Janet Napolitano’s DHS has revealed that one particularly dangerous segment of society bears watching. It’s not terror ist sleeper cells with dirty bombs or drug cartels running wild along our border—it’s me (and probably many of you).

As I read excerpts of the document published to educate law enforcement about this emerging threat to national security, it sounded like an internet hoax. Here’s a sample of the Obama Administration’s new McCarthyism:

“Rightwing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented…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.”

Wow. So those of us who favor state or local authority (ala the 10th Amendment), are pro-life (devout Catholics and Evangelical Protestants) and anti-illegal immigration (believe immigrants should respect our laws) are hate oriented?

DHS offers even more specificity: “Proposed imposition of firearms restrictions and weapons bans likely would attract new members into the ranks of right-wing extremist groups…” And, “DHS assesses that rightwing extremists will attempt to recruit and radicalize returning veterans in order to exploit their skills and knowledge derived from military training and combat.”

Please. Now returning veterans bear watching, especially if they have contact with Subversives, or Conservatives to the non-DHS educated layman. Although there’s considerable overlap between these rabid extremists (gun owners, citizens against illegal immigration, pro-lifers, Bill of Rights proponents, veterans, etc…), I’d estimate that at least half of our citizenry fits the DHS mold as ripe for recruitment and radicalization.

Could the Obama Administration be any more condescending than to suggest that those who have endured combat in defense of liberty could easily be turned into enemies of the very Constitution they swore to defend and uphold? As someone who fits most of the descriptors in DHS’s ridiculous threat assessment, I challenge any federal agency to substantiate their doubts regarding the patriotism of tax-paying, God-fearing, gun-owning Americans. Curiously enough, when DHS was pressed for specific threats or names of organizations, the department said they had none. Surprise, surprise.

It’s true there are nut jobs in every facet of society, Liberal and Conservative. But the biggest threat to America’s security doesn’t come from individual Rightwing outcasts. Do the math. Including the tragic Oklahoma City bombing fifteen years ago, so-called Right wing extremists have killed less than 200 citizens. Compare that to 3,000 Americans killed on 9-11 by Islamic jihadists or 7,000 people killed within 100 miles of our southern border in the last year alone by drug cartels.

The greatest threat to our homeland security comes from these well-funded jihadists and violent, drug fueled cartels, not some Conservative veteran with a hunting rifle. And the greatest threat to our personal freedoms comes from government agents who can’t tell the difference.

Craig Ziemba is a pilot who lives in Meridian. To have him speak at your event, email craigziemba@aol.com.

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