Incited by Hate
In April, the extremism and radicalization branch of the Department of Homeland Security’s threat analysis division released its report on potential threats from right-wing extremists. That report stated: “Despite similarities to the climate of the 1990s, the threat posed by lone wolves in small terrorist cells is more pronounced than in past years. In addition, the historical election of an African-American president and the prospect of policy changes are proving to be a driving force for right-wing extremist recruitment and radicalization.”
Conservative radio talk show host, Roger Hedgecock insisted: “If the Bush administration had done this to left-wing extremists, it would be all over the press as an obvious trampling on the First Amendment rights of folks and dissent.” Actually, in January, there was a warning about left-wing extremists. It was issued by the Obama administration, but both reports were begun under Bush.
Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano responded: “We do not exist to infringe, impinge or invade anybody’s Constitutional rights of free speech, of free assembly or anything else like that. We exist to protect the country against the homeland (sic) consistent with the United States Constitution. And so in there is where that product was created and what it was designed to do.”
Nevertheless, Secretary Napolitano was called before the House Homeland Security Committee and ranking Republican, Peter King, demanded that she further apologize for the report about right-wing extremist. Hate filled rhetoric keeps ratcheting up, and we seem to have forgotten, that Army veteran Timothy McVeigh, was incited by hate speech. Reportedly, the recent shooting of three Pittsburgh police officers by a man influenced by racist ideology and fears of gun confiscations. In early June, we saw two fatal shootings in which the prime suspects were clearly motivated by extreme right-wing political views, which the Homeland Security report had warned about. The killing of a guard at the Holocaust Museum, by James Von Brunn and the assassination of Dr. George Tiller in Kansas could embolden others, who are already on the edge.
Conservative radio talk show host, Roger Hedgecock insisted: “If the Bush administration had done this to left-wing extremists, it would be all over the press as an obvious trampling on the First Amendment rights of folks and dissent.” Actually, in January, there was a warning about left-wing extremists. It was issued by the Obama administration, but both reports were begun under Bush.
Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano responded: “We do not exist to infringe, impinge or invade anybody’s Constitutional rights of free speech, of free assembly or anything else like that. We exist to protect the country against the homeland (sic) consistent with the United States Constitution. And so in there is where that product was created and what it was designed to do.”
Nevertheless, Secretary Napolitano was called before the House Homeland Security Committee and ranking Republican, Peter King, demanded that she further apologize for the report about right-wing extremist. Hate filled rhetoric keeps ratcheting up, and we seem to have forgotten, that Army veteran Timothy McVeigh, was incited by hate speech. Reportedly, the recent shooting of three Pittsburgh police officers by a man influenced by racist ideology and fears of gun confiscations. In early June, we saw two fatal shootings in which the prime suspects were clearly motivated by extreme right-wing political views, which the Homeland Security report had warned about. The killing of a guard at the Holocaust Museum, by James Von Brunn and the assassination of Dr. George Tiller in Kansas could embolden others, who are already on the edge.
posted by Jim O'Leary | 1:12 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home