Obama Warns of Right Wing Extremism

President Obama sent a letter to homeland security on April 14th warning of a growing threat from “Right Wing Extremists”. I got ahold of the PDF of the 10 page letter today. Here’s my take on it. In a nutshell, the letter warns that people in the following groups may potentially be domestic terrorists and should be watched. And yes, the word “terrorist” is used. People who are:

• Antigovernment (no reasons specified)
• Rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority
• Rejecting government authority entirely
• People dedicated to Pro-Life causes
• People who are against illegal immigration
• People who believe the 2nd amendment guarantees their personal right to own guns
• People who take gun lessons or undergo paramilitary weapons training 
• Returning veterans from the U.S. military
• People who warn against the U.S. heading towards Communism
• People who warn against a “New World Order” one world government
• Religious people (implied Christian) who speak of “end times” prophecies

Sounds like our founding fathers to me, with a few fair exceptions. The founding fathers were not antigovernment or anarchists and neither are a large majority of the people Obama just grouped together in this category.

In the letter, these people are also unfairly grouped and labeled as:

• People who are spreading propaganda
• People who are recruiting for violent purposes
• People who are out to radicalize others
• People who are antigovernment
• People who are “white supremacists”
• People who are against the “first African American president”
• People who create Conspiracy theories
• People who would take in and support the likes of Timothy McVeigh

Is this really fair? This “report” was sent out the day before the April 15th tea parties took place across the nation. These were non-violent demonstrations, which last I checked was still legal in the United States of America under our first amendment:

Amendment 1 - Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression. Ratified 12/15/1791. 

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

What about the “Leftwing Extremists” who believe it’s not only ok to kill unborn children, but a fundamental right? What about the people who rioted in the streets with signs such as “Bush is a terrorist”, “Bush hates black people”, etc? People on the left were even seen burning American flags in anti-war protests. A majority of the media portrayed them as patriots. Is it really so hard to believe that the political party in America that leans the most towards Socialism could ever do any wrong?

Last but certainly not least, what about the people who kick off their political career in the house of known domestic terrorists such as Bill Ayers while attending church services by the highly controversial and openly racist Jeremiah Wright? I can think of one person who fits into that category. Did the department of homeland security get a warning letter on January 20th, 2009? I highly doubt it.

This is not an attempt to disrespect or talk down our president. One of the greatest things about America is the fact that we are able to voice our opinions and choose our leaders. Barack Obama won the election last November and therefore became our president on January 20th. I am both proud and thankful for the fact that I had the opportunity to vote in that election. With respect to our current president, as a right leaning individual myself, I think I am speaking for many of us when I say that we would appreciate it if the term “terrorists” was reserved for the real terrorists. We would appreciate it if those among us who are Pro-Life would not be incorrectly labeled as “anti-government radicals”. Right now the White House doesn’t even refer to the “War on Terror” as the “War on Terror” anymore. Our own president warns against peaceful protestors who are simply exercising their first amendment rights, and then goes and shakes hands and fist bumps with Venezuelan Dictator Hugo Chavez. I don’t get it.