I’m thankful that we do have a few actual conservatives in the Senate. We may not always agree with each individual’s statements or voting record, but I’m proud of them for the following. Senators Coburn, Brownback, DeMint, Burr, Murkowski, Inhofe, and Vitter sent the following letter to Janet Napolitano after the release of the “right-wing extremism” memo from the Department of Homeland Security.
April 16, 2009
The Honorable Janet Napolitano
Secretary
The Department of Homeland Security
310 7th street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20528-0150
VIA FASCMILLE
Dear Secretary Napolitano,
We write today concerning the release of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report titled “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment” prepared by the Extremism and Radicalization Branch, of the Homeland Environment Threat Analysis Division.
While we agree that we must fight extremists who are both foreign and domestic we are troubled by some of the statements your department included as fact in the report titled above, without listing any statistical data to back up such claims.
First, your report states that “Returning veterans possess combat skills and experience that are attractive to rightwing extremists…” without listing any data to support such a vile claim against our nation’s veterans.
Second, the report states that the millions of Americans who believe in the Second Amendment are a potential threat to our national security. Why? Do you have statistics to prove that law-abiding Americans who purchase a legal product are being recruited by so-called hate groups?
Thirdly, the report states that those that believe in issues such as pro-life legislation, limited government, and legal versus illegal immigration are potential terrorist threats. We can assure you that these beliefs are held by citizens of all races, party affiliation, male and female, and should not be listed as a factor in determining potential terror threats. A better word usage would be to describe them as practicing their First Amendment rights.
Also, you list those that bemoan the decline of U.S. stature and the loss of U.S. manufacturing capability to China and India as being potential rightwing extremists. We would suggest that the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs in the manufacturing industry to foreign countries are not potential terror threats, but rather honest Americans worried about feeding their families and earning a paycheck.
In closing, we support the mission of DHS in protecting our country from terror attacks and are proud of the many DHS employees who make this possible in conjunction with our state and local law enforcement. We ask that DHS not use this report as a basis to unfairly target millions of Americans because of their beliefs and the rights afforded to them in the Constitution. We also ask that you provide us with the data that support the unfair claims listed in the report titled above and to present us with the matrix system used in collecting and analyzing this data?
Finally, we look forward to your prompt reply and we offer our assistance to DHS in our shared effort to fight terrorism both home and abroad by using data that is accurate and independent of political persuasion.
I also just read that over the weekend, Sec. Napolitano said on CNN that crossing the border was not a crime, that it was a civil matter. I would hope that someone would remind the Secretary that according to US Code Title 8 Section 1325, illegal immigration is–uh, well,–illegal. If you want, you can read the full transcript here.
It is my hope that the seven senators who sent the above letter, and others who are wise enough to see, and brave enough to act, will continue to speak out against Napolitano’s efforts to weaken and divide this country.
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{ 6 comments }
All who were left scratching their heads when Obama chose this obedient toady to head Homeland Security now can get a handle on it: a serious choice, focused upon real terrorist threats (not imaginary, partisan ones i.e. the TEA parties)- like, say, a Rudolph Giuliani, wouldn’t have been a willing collaborator in a sham report trashing US vets for the President’s political purposes.
Napolitano’s qualification for this job was simply being a liberal Obama sycophant… certainly not any skills, insight, or ability.
Her statements on the Canadian border illustrate how incompetent and puzzled she is- Neopolitano completely lacks the credentials to be in-charge of protecting our country from the likes of Al Qaida.
Trouble is, narcissist Obama needs to be surrounded by mindless drones to confirm his omnipotence and pollyanna world view. But such appointments as Napolitano and Panetta to vital national security posts are a show of weakness that will surely encourage terrorists and myriad other rogue characters who see America as their enemy- no matter how hard Barack tries to schmooze them.
Anyone who expected this president to place the nation’s practical defense interests above those of his own political security and radical agenda hasn’t really looked at how he got this far in the first place.
Napolitano likes to split hairs. As most lawyers do for their convenience – it is part of the training in playing both sides against the middle. It is a “civil” matter, it’s in the civil codes and statutes. It is not a “criminal” matter is what she is referring to. But that is so only because those that are the globalists and liberals in the House and Senate have fought criminalizing it. In Mexico, incarcerated indefinitely if you are there either under visa or lawfully. It’s in their Constitution. In fact to most border residents, it is a well known fact that Mexico’s policies with respect to Americans is actually to hold them in jail and then charge their relatives to visit them until they bleed those relatives dry, or if someone in the embassy finally intervenes. Although since America is now cowtowing to Mexico in every respect, the embassy rarely intervenes.
There are thousands of stories by border residents of what they have experienced at the hands of Mexico’s justice – including waiting months for bodies to be released until the thousands of dollars worth of extortion are paid to the Mexicans if one of your loved ones should happen to die while visiting that country.
This is interesting, since those Senators had to be aware of the “Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorist Act,” that was passed in 2007 by a vote of 400-35 in the House, and which was funded under that stimulus most of them signed off on which is somewhat responsible also for these actions of DHS. You can read about it here:
http://backupamerica.blogspot.com/2009/04/violent-radicalization-and-homegrown.html
So far, no word whether it has actually formally passed the Senate, but a great deal of the monies for the Fusion Centers and DHS activities under this Act were already funded under that stimulus – whether it has “officially” passed or not. This is simply CYA on the part of those Senators, I’m sure, since some of them have some other skeletons in their closets and will be, after all, coming up for re-election – Vitter in 2012 I believe.
Thanks Betsy, for coming by and for your comments. As you point out in your own well-written post on this topic on your blog, in the link above, the “Violent Radicalization……Act” of 2007 has passed the House only, so far. It has not come up for a vote in the Senate. So, as far as I know, these seven senators who signed the above letter haven’t voted for that. As for it being “simply CYA” on their part, in your opinion due to funding from the stimulus package, maybe it is. I am not remembering right now if any senators voted against the stimulus package, but will look that up later.
If these seven didn’t vote for the stimulus, then I see no hypocrisy. If they did, then one might possibly make a stretch for that. I am curious though, in your opinion, would it have been better if they had not written the letter? Just not spoken out? I don’t like hypocrisy either, and will do further research to see if these senators are speaking out against something they voted to fund.
I still like it though, that they wrote the letter.
Thank you for your articulate and knowledegable comments; you know more about this than I do, and I appreciate your input.
Pup
Praise God for these men. I have been wondering where all the “wise men” are? I started a post awhile back about that. We may be approaching a time when men will have to sacrifice their all to turn this around.
Hey again, Pup. I would be interested in a link to the source of this letter that you quoted. I may want to put in on my sidebar. Thanks.
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