A valid need to know

This past week a furore erupted - rightly so - about a document out of DHS labelling just about everybody who is not an Obama sycophant as "right wing extremists." Alarm bells rang especially within the military community as veterans were included in the sweeping labelling of any who dare to challenge governmentspeak. Found the following via Facebook:

I Am an Extremist
Oliver North

According to the U.S. government, I am an extremist. I am a Christian -- and meet regularly with other Christians to study God’s word. My faith convinces me the prophesies in the Holy Bible are true. I believe in the sanctity of human life, oppose abortion and want to preserve marriage as the union of a man and a woman. I am a veteran with skills and knowledge derived from military training and combat. I own several firearms, frequently shoot them, buy ammunition and consider efforts to infringe on my 2nd Amendment rights to be wrong and unconstitutional. I fervently support the sovereignty of the United States, am deeply concerned about our economy, increasingly higher taxes, illegal immigration, soaring unemployment, and actions by our government that will bury my children beneath a mountain of debt.

Apparently, all this makes me a “rightwing extremist.” At least that’s what it says in the April 7, 2009 “Assessment” issued by the Office of Intelligence and Analysis at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The nine-page report, titled, “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment,” is full of warnings about American citizens who share any of my background or subscribe to the beliefs above. It is one of the most alarming documents produced by our government that I have ever read.

Evidently neither you nor I were ever supposed to read this “Assessment.” At the bottom of the cover page is a warning that it is “not to be released to the public, the media, or other personnel who do not have a valid need-to-know.” We’re Americans. We have a need to know what’s going on in our government -- especially in an administration that promised to be “transparent.” A full copy of the report is posted at www.freedomalliance.org.


The “Assessment” purports to alert law enforcement officials that “rightwing extremists” -- the term is used more than 35 times -- are intent on exploiting Americans who have strongly held beliefs on everything from Christian faith to rising unemployment, U.S. sovereignty and the 2nd Amendment....

Go here, read it all. Pay attention. You ARE paying attention, aren't you?