Recession fueling right-wing extremism, U.S. says

Recession fueling right-wing extremism, U.S. says

news.yahoo.com

MIAMI (Reuters) – Right-wing extremists in the United States are gaining new recruits by exploiting fears about the economy and the election of the first black U.S. president, the Department of Homeland Security warned in a report to law enforcement officials.

The April 7 report, which Reuters and other news media obtained on Tuesday, said such fears were driving a resurgence in "recruitment and radicalization activity" by white supremacist groups, antigovernment extremists and militia movements. It did not identify any by name.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This is frankly quite disturbing. People that may stand up for the US Constitution are going to be lumped in with neo nazis and white sumpremacists by Homeland Security.

The very apparatus used to protect the Homeland from foreign terror is about to be unleashed on the citizens of this country. Everything that the Bush administration built up to fight the War on Terror looks like it will be turned on the American people. People that may be survivalists or patriots will be compared with and accused of being neo nazis or white supremacists regardless of the truth.

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Yeah, they are lumping in veterans as "potential risks" as well.

Here is a PDF of the 9 page DHS document, read it for yourself. After Reading This, I am putting in a disclaimer right now:

FOR the record - I am not and do not want to be in a militia nor am I recruiting or trying to stir up trouble or want anyone to respond in a non-civilized manner. This Document is already posted on the internet and linked to major news sites so I am not posting any sensitive information. The reason I am posting it is because I am quite concerned about the wording of the document as in my opinion it "LUMPS' in people who have nothing to do with any "right wing fringe groups" at all just because many people side with the SAME issues like border security, legal immigration, NAFTA, The 2nd amendment, Veterans, Abortion law, etc. Pretty much it states that anyone who has "conservative values" "can be or be the targeted for recruitment for" a Domestic Terror Group and that disturbs me greatly.

wnd.com...

Proposed imposition of firearms restrictions and weapons bans
likely would attract new members into the ranks of rightwing extremist groups, as well as potentially spur some of them to begin planning and training for violence against the government. The high volume of purchases and stockpiling of weapons and ammunition by rightwing extremists in anticipation of restrictions and bans in some parts of the country continue to be a primary concern to law enforcement.

DHS/I&A is concerned that rightwing
extremists will attempt to recruit and radicalize returning veterans in order to boost their violent capabilities.

Many rightwing extremists are antagonistic toward the new presidential
administration and its perceived stance on a range of issues, including immigration and citizenship, the expansion of social programs to minorities, and restrictions on firearms ownership and use.

Prominent among these themes were the militia movement’s
opposition to gun control efforts, criticism of free trade agreements (particularly those
with Mexico), and highlighting perceived government infringement on civil liberties as well as white supremacists’ longstanding exploitation of social issues such as abortion, inter-racial crimes, and same-sex marriage.

Conspiracy theories involving declarations of martial law, impending civil strife or racial conflict, suspension of the U.S. Constitution, and the creation of citizen detention camps often incorporate aspects of a failed economy. Antigovernment conspiracy theories and “end times” prophecies could motivate extremist individuals and groups to stockpile food, ammunition, and weapons. These teachings also have been linked with the radicalization of domestic extremist individuals and groups in the past, such as violent Christian Identity organizations and extremist members of the militia movement.

Rightwing extremists were concerned during the 1990s with the perception
that illegal immigrants were taking away American jobs through their willingness to work at significantly lower wages. They also opposed free trade agreements, arguing that these arrangements resulted in Americans losing jobs to countries such as Mexico.

Many rightwing extremist groups perceive recent gun control legislation as a
threat to their right to bear arms and in response have increased weapons and ammunition stockpiling, as well as renewed participation in paramilitary training exercises. Such activity, combined with a heightened level of extremist paranoia, has the potential to facilitate criminal activity and violence.


— (U//FOUO) On the current front, legislation has been proposed this year
requiring mandatory registration of all firearms in the United States. Similar
legislation was introduced in 2008 in several states proposing mandatory tagging and registration of ammunition. It is unclear if either bill will be passed into law; nonetheless, a correlation may exist between the potential passage of gun control legislation and increased hoarding of ammunition, weapons stockpiling, and paramilitary training activities among rightwing extremists.
(U//FOUO) Open source reporting of wartime ammunition shortages has likely spurred rightwing extremists—as well as law-abiding Americans—to make bulk purchases of ammunition. These shortages have increased the cost of ammunition, further exacerbating rightwing extremist paranoia and leading to further stockpiling activity.

Both rightwing extremists and law-abiding citizens share a belief that rising crime rates attributed to a slumping economy make the purchase of legitimate firearms a wise move at this time.

(U//FOUO) Weapons rights and gun-control legislation are likely to be hotly contested subjects of political debate in light of the 2008 Supreme Court’s decision in District of Columbia v. Heller in which the Court reaffirmed an individual’s right to keep and bear arms under the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, but left open to debate the precise contours of that right. Because debates over constitutional rights are intense, and
parties on all sides have deeply held, sincere, but vastly divergent beliefs, violent extremists may attempt to co-opt the debate and use the controversy as a radicalization tool.

Rightwing extremist views bemoan the decline of U.S. stature and
have recently focused on themes such as the loss of U.S. manufacturing capability to China and India, Russia’s control of energy resources and use of these to pressure other countries, and China’s investment in U.S. real estate and corporations as a part of subversion strategy.

DHS/I&A 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. These skills and knowledge have the potential to boost the capabilities of extremists—including lone wolves or small terrorist cells—to carry out violence. The willingness of a small percentage of military personnel to join extremist groups during the 1990s because they were disgruntled, disillusioned, or suffering from the psychological effects of war is being replicated today. The FBI noted in a 2008 report on the white supremacist movement that some returning military veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have joined extremist groups.

You guys didn't see this coming? It was inevitable.

They are also still playing the party-card, making it seem as if "right-wingers" are all upset that a black "left-winger" is in office. It doesn't really have anything to do with that, of course. The REAL protestors are protesting what has been in the works for decades now, not what is just starting to happen this year.

Yes, this isn't a right wing versus left wing issue. This is a government vs the people issue. The same thing was done during the Bush administration against the same people. Anyone who could be viewed as against the government was a potential terrorist. Now that the democrats are in power, the threat is from the "right wing extremists." The threat is still the same, the shoe is just on the other foot now.

Bush didn't put those powers in place to fight terrorism. It was put in place for what it is being used for. To keep the populace in check. Obama is just keeping the wheels turning.

Seems like there is also some reverse psychology in play here. Personally I do not own a gun, have never owned a gun. I don't think I have ever even held a gun. But put all these restrictions in place, especially ones telling me I can't have a gun because I might be a political extremist because of some attitudes I have about living, and I begin to want to go buy myself a gun. It might be a deliberate attempt to stimulate gun sales so it can be said gun sales are getting out of hand, etc etc. It certainly riles the emotions and resentment picks up steam. I think this is another example of both parties doing the same thing: make the government powerful and the citizens powerless.

Hold on, let me trawl through my memory banks and see if I can pull out some Right-Wing words of wisdom that the Lefties heard time and time again when warning of the threat of government intervention and surveillance by the DHS at its inception and expansion...

"If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to worry about..."

Seriously though...the only reason that the Right-wingers are in a tizzy right now is because they're lacking political power at the moment, not realizing that government organizations, such as the DHS and DOJ are, supposedly, separate from political biases. For instance, Right-wing extremist groups have been very high on the FBI watch list since the mid-90s. Why?

Simple reasons.

Right-wing extremist groups have been on the incline, have the tendency to have access to stockpiles of weapons, and have the tendency to have far more overtly subversive agendas than their Left-wing counterparts who, at the current moment, are relatively docile and non-existent.

Currently, there is a lot of anti-government chatter and increased stockpiling of weapons and ammo by right-wingers...

I suppose that in the current economic climate, knowing that poor economies correlate pretty directly to conflict, the government should just ignore the possible crisis that could be brewing...because, I mean, its not as if there is an overt, public, anti-government message being broadcast daily by ideological figureheads of right-wing extremism....oh wait, there is...

This document is an analysis of what is going on NOW.... I mean, stop worrying about it as something that is going to lead to your guns being taken away, or the government maybe labeling and watching some extremists so that they don't go all Timothy McVeigh on us all...read it as an analysis of what is going on...the choice is up to the individual to decide to go along with the trend, or fight the trend....

Originally posted by madhatr137
"If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to worry about..."

In my experience that tends to be a phrase pushed forward by the left more than the right. After all it is the left that are pushing forward more watching and regulation. Although TBH I think left and right are starting to become obsolete in America at least as far as the Liberals and Republicans are concerned.

Also on the topic of a recession causing a rise in extremism that is how it has always been. The economy's belly has dropped out so a previously unheard of politician comes up with a radical way of fixing things and you vote for him because you are scared.

-Cauch1

Just remember folks that our founding fathers them selves would be considered Right wing Extremist! In fact the sad thing is they talk about disgruntal veterans, but comparing all veterans to Tim McVeiy will only anger them anyhow.

It was only a mater of time before they turned the DHS agianst us! This will not end well for america.

Long live the Sons of Libirty!

Originally posted by MikeboydUS


This is frankly quite disturbing. People that may stand up for the US Constitution are going to be lumped in with neo nazis and white sumpremacists by Homeland Security.

The very apparatus used to protect the Homeland from foreign terror is about to be unleashed on the citizens of this country. Everything that the Bush administration built up to fight the War on Terror looks like it will be turned on the American people. People that may be survivalists or patriots will be compared with and accused of being neo nazis or white supremacists regardless of the truth.

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

c'mon you know the difference...mikeboy...there are some people out there that want to do harm to this president, and frankly i don't think your one of them. i mean, this president was CONSTITUTIONALLY elected, so if these people want to harm the president to change the leadership of this country...then they are NOT following the constitution.

oh, and by the way, it said the DHS is also keeping tabs on LEFT WING EXTREMISTS too. this cuts to both sides of the political extremes. i sometimes think that the (resonable, and i do mean reasonable) right and left are like brothers wrestling and fighting for control, but we both want to live in a great country that benefits us all.

[edit on 15-4-2009 by jimmyx]

It infuriates me that our government is going to target the very men and women that risked their lives to defend this country as possible terrorists, how dare they second guess the loyalty of military personal to this country.

The fact is that they do not truely fear that these returning soldiers will turn against their country by becoming terrorists, what they fear is the possibility that these soldiers are too loyal to their country and take their oath to uphold the constitution and defend this country from enemies both foreign and domestic, very seriously.

They fear the fact that these soldiers may realize that this government is no longer a government of the people, by the people, for the people, but rather a government that is all too concerned with corporate America, changing this republic into a democracy, slowly abolishing the constitution and that they are now themselves a domestic enemy.

reply to post by chise61


FANTASTIC Post! As a vet, your words resonate with me. They should fear the veterans. They should be the most angry about what is being done to the country.

Originally posted by Karlhungis
This is a government vs the people issue. The same thing was done during the Bush administration against the same people.

Clinton pulled this crap too. Can't forget Ruby Ridge and Reno's love of sending federal storm troopers down Main St. USA for just about any reason whatsoever.

The government has hated us for a long time and each POTUS adds a little more fuel to the fire never stopping to put out the fire set by the last guy because after all is said and done they're all just the fed.

reply to post by madhatr137


Republicans do lack political power right now, but the reason they are in a tizzy is because the system is unbalanced. There is no mechanism in place keeping Congress in check, so the extremist liberals, aka Pelosi, Reid, Schumer, Feinstein, etc. are able to get their screwed up ideas on the floor and to a vote where they have a good chance of passing.

By next year when it's time to vote in new Congressional members to the House and Senate, the laws passed will have seriously compromised Americans' rights and civil liberties beyond anything that the Bush administration ever did.

Why is it that anyone that is "stockpiling" weapons and ammo is automatically labeled as a right wing extremist ? Because someone wants to stock up on ammo because they are trying to pass legislation to encode all ammo does NOT make them an extremist.

It seems like anybody that believes in the constitution of these United States and the the core beliefs that founded this country are all too quickly labeled as "right wing extremist" lately. I wonder why that is, could it possibly be that these are the very people that see this government for what it really is and what it's really trying to do ? Could it be that they are running scared because they see that more people are starting to open their eyes to what a joke, and how truely anti-American this government has become.

This government that now openly disrespects and disregards our constitution and our constitutional rights, that openly disregards our immigration laws and in fact wants to give an estimated 12 million illegel immigrants legal status, that wants to weld more power over this country than it has a right to, has the audacity to label American citizens that believe in the fundementals of this country as the ones who are a threat to this country

FOR the record - I am not and do not want to be in a militia nor am I recruiting or trying to stir up trouble or want anyone to respond in a non-civilized manner. This Document is already posted on the internet and linked to major news sites so I am not posting any sensitive information.

Dude. By saying this, you cave in to them. What they are doing are gestapo tactics, we must not be afraid by it or they suceed. In east germany, everybody though they had a file on them and they were afraid all the time. Turns out only 10% of the people had a file on them. But by hyping their own power and labelling everyone a terrorist, they make everyone afraid.

We must not be afraid. We must fight them with information and expose how they are scumbags traitors because they act like the gestapo and stasi.

And the whole ``anti-terrorism`` system was ALWAYS for all americans opposing the take over of a fascist economy and total control of society.

Why do you think they have a list of terrorists including lawyers, journalists, peaceful movements, anti-war movements, pro-second amendment movements, veterans movements, states rights movements and many others peaceful and pro liberty movement are infiltrated by the FEDs and names taken into the federal terrorist list.

When they finally drop the hammer, they'll take the leaders... just like the nazis did with the jews, they had lists.

[edit on 15-4-2009 by Vitchilo]

reply to post by Karlhungis


Thank you. I also Thank You for your service to this country

I can only hope that every person that is now, or ever has been in the military reads this document and sees how our government truely views them, and takes heed.

"A kingdom that is divided surely will not stand" - Jesus Christ.

Whether you agree with one side or the other the fact of the matter is that this kingdom is divided. As the division grows wider the abyss of hell will swallow this kingdom alive.

To my point of view what happening is: the right wing created a lot of powerful control laws/tactics/tool/toys in the lawmakers mindset in the previous years...

now the left-wing is in the power and the tools are there... they are using them

I have to disagree with the notion that the left wing controls America at the moment. Sure, by american standards the democrats are left-wing radicals but they are really pretty much centrist. And america is becoming more and more authoritarian, not moving closer to the left.
It is true that left-wing extremists are pretty much dormant in the US and therefore not given attention, but it seems to me that the current situation makes people turn to both extreme camps, after all the ongoing political struggle is primarily the people versus the government, not the right-wing versus the left. Nice post though, interesting to hear.