Some thought we were kidding. "Get serious, that will never happen," they said. Well, I hope today's Washington Times article, Federal Agency Warns of Radicals on Right, serves as a warning to all freedom-loving people in this country - and especially Christians.
As the article describes, a nine-page report issued by the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis warns law enforcement officials around the country about what they called "right wing extremist activity." No, not Al-Qaeda, drug and sex traffickers, or gangs, but conservatives. I know, I know, in their little word games, they jumble together several groups so that they can appear somewhat "reasonable." They make reference to racist and hate groups, groups that all Christian pro-lifers must denounce as believers in the teachings of Christ, yet in the same breath they say these very dangerous groups "may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single-issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration."
Of course, that's the real problem in this country: those pro-life, pro-legal immigration people. Aren't they the ones hijacking ships off the coast of Somalia?
The report warns that the federal government "will be working with its state and local partners over the next several months" to collect information on these "right wing extremist" groups.
Please tell me this sounds familiar. It certainly is for Concerned Women for America (CWA), the Christian Coalition, the National Right to Life Committee, and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, among others. Catholic Bishops would be wise to remember the late Roman Catholic Cardinal of New York John O'Connor.
As I pointed out in a March 23, 2009 Townhall column (What Are the Priorities for the U.S. Justice Department?), these very organizations and people were among those investigated by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) under President Bill Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno. The politically-driven investigation was called the "Violence Against Abortion Providers Conspiracy" (VAAPCON), and it was "charged with determining whether there was a nationwide conspiracy to commit acts of violence against reproductive health care providers."
Naturally, VAAPCON found nothing. In fact, several reports actually show that FBI agents wanted to end the investigation, yet the DOJ pressured them to continue.
But this is just a coincidence, right? "There is no political witch hunt this time." The fact that the report makes clear that Homeland Security does not have any "specific information that domestic rightwing terrorists are currently planning acts of violence" is just a formality.
Who needs evidence really? Let's get rid of all these pro-lifers and get on with progress.
On March 24, 2009, CWA sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee expressing our concerns about the number of Obama nominees with apparent ties to the Clinton-Reno DOJ. We certainly hope this latest development leaves no doubt in the minds of every senator that those concerns appear to be well-founded and that they must provide strict oversight to make sure the abuses of the past are not repeated, as they appear to be developing already.
Although the Washington Times article says that the White House has distanced itself from the analysis, the actual quote provided by White House spokesman Nick Shapiro leaves no doubt they are on board with the approach. According to Shapiro, "The President is focused not on politics but rather taking the steps necessary to protect all Americans from the threat of violence and terrorism regardless of its origins" (emphasis ours).
Translation: If pro-lifers are the problem (and they clearly are, I mean, everybody knows that), then we must go after them, because we don't look at "politics."
But give him credit; President Obama has been clear since the beginning: The problem is that you people keep "clinging to your guns and religion." Why won't you embrace change?
