Conservatives outraged at DHS assessment warning of violent 'rightwing extremism'
An April 7 report by the Department of Homeland Security is causing waves of indignation among conservatives for labeling "rightwing extremism" the "most dangerous domestic terrorism threat in the United States."
In its key findings, the 10 page document (PDF link) put forward by the Office of Intelligence and Analysis states that there is "no specific information that domestic rightwing terrorists are currently planning acts of violence," but warns law enforcement agencies that the economic recession, coupled with the recent election of the first African-American President of the United States, is driving radical groups' recruitment.
"The DHS under President Bush was apparently more reluctant to make such assessments about the right. According to CQ, a 2005 report outlining terrorist threats 'does not mention anti-government groups, white supremacists and other radical right-wing movements,'" noted Think Progress. "Bush's report did, however, list the threat of left-wing groups such as the Animal Liberation Front and the Earth Liberation Front. And a 2001 report from the Energy Department examined "Left-Wing Extremism: The Current Threat."
Rightwing blogger and occasional Fox News editorialist Michelle Malkin referred to the analysis as "a sweeping indictment of conservatives."
Her blog on the topic came on the same day as a Washington Times report on the analysis and a high-profile link from rightwing news blogger Matt Drudge.
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich said in a 'tweet' late Tuesday afternoon, "The person who drafted the outrageous homeland security memo smearing veterans and conservatives should be fired."
The first outlet to carry details of the DHS paper was Alex Jones' InfoWars.
"A recent example of the potential violence associated with a rise in rightwing extremism may be found in the shooting deaths of three police officers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on 4 April 2009," the report states. "The alleged gunman’s reaction reportedly was influenced by his racist ideology and belief in antigovernment conspiracy theories related to gun confiscations, citizen detention camps, and a Jewish-controlled 'one world government.'"
