I know, late to the party again, but better late than never, I suppose*.

By now, you’ve all read about the DHS (Homeland Security) report on “rightwing extremists”. While I don’t think it’s something to be particularly upset over, I do think it’s something we need to keep an eye on. I’m inclined to think it’s a politically motivated report more than anything else.

On the one hand, I tend to agree with AJ on this: it’s nothing to really get worked up about. Some bloggers are.

On the other hand, I also agree with Capt. Ed, who points out that this “report” offers no examples or evidence of said right-wing extremists. They only claim that far-right groups are growing, but don’t back it up:

They have no threat information. In fact, the report can’t even say definitively whether “extremists” are gaining “new recruits”. In order to find that, they’d have to identify the actual groups, note the recruiting patterns, and determine whether in fact they’re gaining recruits or losing members. Bottom line: DHS has no actual data. They’re pulling threats out of their collective arse and publishing them without any supporting research whatsoever.

Now, I know this report has been in the works for some time (Bush-era) and that it probably has nothing to do with the Tea Parties, but you do have to question the timing a little bit. And, of course, you know that some left-leaning apple-polishers had a hand in preparing this. But regardless of that, I don’t think it’s too much to be concerned with…yet.

When the government prepared similar reports on far-left kooks a while back, they named names and laid out the evidence. Here, not so much. If this report serves any purpose, it serves as a talking point for the far left and their bloggers (who still *sob* aren’t getting paid enough, dammit!). And, as I said, I don’t think the timing of its release is a coincidence. It was released at this time to smear the entire right as racists, bigots, and homophobes who are hell-bent on violence and destruction.

There’s a lot going on in this country that the left doesn’t like: the Tea Parties and talk radio/Rush Limbaugh, for example. They can’t handle the fact that these things are beginning to attract some serious followers and believers, so they have to shut them up or shut them down. Even that’s not enough, though. The movement has to be totally discredited so that nobody even THINKS of dissenting again, and the quickest way to do that is with smears like these. And what better way than to issue a report like this?

But to some, even that’s not quite enough. They wish to infiltrate these Tea Parties and stage some mock scandals, which will, of course, be played endlessly on the nightly news (most particularly, Keith Olberdork’s show). They’ve tried saying the Tea Parties are being sponsored by FOX News (as if Cavuto, Hannity, or O’Reilly are reporters, instead of guys who simply give their opinions. They have no problem with Olbermann or Matthews spewing their opinions, but let a FOX employee say something, then look out!). None of that has worked, and so now the report comes out. The liberal MSM will now go to these Tea Parties, seeking to find examples to back this report up. And with far-left kooks out en masse posing as right-wingers and reporters, they’ll find something to cry about, mark my words.

That’s what this entire report represents. It’s the typical left-wing move: you discredit your opponent and then try to gain the high ground. They’ve done it before, and they’ll do it again, and we can’t let them get away with it. We should work towards discrediting IT (the report) before they use it to discredit US. It’s not something to get all worked up about, because it’s out there, over and done with. I guess what I’m saying is that I’m not worried about what the government will do with this report; I’m more concerned with what the left will try to do with it. Every movement has its fringe, kook elements (the left has more than their fair share, to be sure), but to paint an entire movement as being “extremist” or whatever based on the actions of a handful of goofballs goes beyond ridiculous. But that’s exactly what they’ll try and do/say and then point to this report as their “proof”.

*I’m finishing up our new dining room. Ooooh, I’m such an extremist!

Related Posts:

Where Was Kos A Few Weeks Ago?
Oakland To Hold Vigil For Shooting “Victim”

Update: For those on the left who are trying to say this report is the same as the one released in January about left-wing extremists, think again. As I said earlier in this post, the one on left-wing extremists had examples and evidence. This one has zilch, just “gut feelings” or whatever you wanna call it. Want proof? Here’s what the earlier report has to say (you can read the whole thing here).

From page 5:

The most common leftwing extremist cyber attacks (particularly within the animal
rights movement) in the past several years have included deletion of user accounts,
flooding a company’s server with e-mails, and other types of e-mail assaults intended to
force businesses to exhaust resources.

— (U//FOUO) On 13 July 2007, an animal rights extremist hacked into a
U.S. company’s computer system and deleted more than 300 associates’ user
accounts. To restore the accounts, the perpetrator demanded that the company
sell its shares in a corporation that conducts tests using animal subjects.

— (U//FOUO) In October 2005, animal rights extremists launched an e-mail attack
against a Milwaukee, Wisconsin firm that held stock in an animal testing
laboratory. The firm subsequently sold its shares in the laboratory, with losses it
estimated at approximately $1.4 million.

— (U//FOUO) In late April 2005, animal rights extremists overwhelmed a
U.S. company’s computer server with e-mail, which the company claims resulted
in a loss of approximately $1.25 million.

From page 6:

The logging industry, a principal target for environmental extremists and an
industry not traditionally associated with cyber technologies, now relies on
integrated systems to support forestry operations.

— (U) The farming industry also is experiencing a growth in the use of advanced
technologies, such as Global Positioning Systems and remote sensing, to cut costs
and manage crop production. The agricultural industry often is a target of
environmental extremists who oppose genetically-modified crop production.

Pages 6-7:

— (U) The Anarchist Cookbook, continually updated and revised in online versions
and accessible on numerous anarchist, animal rights, and environmental websites,
contains several chapters focusing on hacking techniques and tutorials.

— (U) Popular anarchist Internet groups such as The Hacktivist and Internet Liberation Front promote hacking as a means of direct action and publish links to hacking resources on their websites.

There’s plenty of other examples, but you get the gist of it. That earlier report named names and the groups involved. It didn’t generalize by labeling all left-wing groups as “extremists”. It didn’t even imply it, as a matter of fact. That’s what this new report does. It just says that there are indications of right-wing extremists groups planning and plotting…something. They don’t know what it is or who, exactly, is involved, but we’re talking about the right-wing, here, so it’s gotta be something really, really sinister. Like bitching about their taxes!