Recently, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano published an assessment of right-wing extremism in radicalization and recruitment. Am I truly the person Secretary Napolitano finds me to be?
I’m a conservative Christian and I’m not fond of President Obama, his administration or the majority party in the Senate or House of Representatives. Because of this, Secretary Napolitano has determined me to be:
1) a target of white supremacist and violent anti-government groups because I believe all people are created equal not only under our Constitution but also equally and completely loved by Christ. I’ll defend myself and my family if necessary, but violent? Apparently, I’m also a target for militia movements because I am pro-life and I do believe in defining marriage as man/woman.
2) married to a retired military member. I was also in the Navy Reserve and Air Guard. The implication is we, especially my husband, are a people of interest to DHSO.
3) a gun clinger hanging on to Second Amendment rights. Because I sent my hubby out for a shotgun and ammo, I also get to "continue to be a primary concern to law enforcement."
4) a conspiracy theorist. I’ve watched the video on YouTube chronicling the "New World Order" run by the Bilderberg Group (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3149990642797444340&ei=3uXnSfm3KaryqAOey9H1DQ&q=wake+up+call&hl=en).
Absolutely, this documentary has an agenda from an extreme point of view. This video was made several years ago at the height of President Bush’s tenure. I’ve thought for years there was little substantive difference between the Democrats and Republicans. If Bush were removed and replaced with Obama, the documentary does not become less relevant. Even though President Obama has a limited time in office (and excluding the World Trade center attack), I find that the financial and one-world government aspects of this "conspiracy theory" are now more plausible.
The documentary talks of the government taking over the financial sector. Whether it was necessary for the government to "fix" the banking crisis or not, their actions have certainly and recently stuck more than just a federal foot in the financial sector’s door. The bail-out bonanza was started by the Bush administration, so there’re enough blue and red blame-ribbons to wrap around both parties.
Another interesting point was the concept of a one-world currency, not the American dollar, which was a topic of discussion at the G20 conference in England. During the G20, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said he wasn’t opposed to that idea.
More troubling, the assessment equates biblical end-time prophecies with conspiracy theories. I believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, wholly true, and end-times prophecies are real – and headed soon for an Earth near you. For Secretary Napolitano to say believing biblical prophecies makes me a potential terrorist is simply an outrage.
5) an illegal immigrant hater. Legal immigrants are welcome and wanted, but come here through the front door. I want the drug-dealers, human traffickers and terrorists to be kept out! I don’t think that illegal immigrants are entitled to any of our social programs. No free medicine, no free education, no free housing – illegal immigrants are not entitled to any American taxpayer-funded government programs.
6) someone who should be observed, if not outright locked up immediately. I cannot help but think about the Star of David, but I am in no way equating the current American government with the Nazi regime. When the Nazi party started making accusations about the Jewish people, the Jews thought it outrageous but they had taken their lumps throughout history. When the accusations escalated to Jews identifying themselves with a Star of David, what did they think then … or when they were moved into ghettos and then concentration camps?
What strikes me is that our government is identifying, accusing and suggesting surveillance on very specific groups of Americans. Many Americans, demonstrated by the tea parties of April 15, 2009, disagree with a whole lot of what is happening. These concerns weren’t any better under the Bush administration; they were occurring at a slower pace. That Secretary Napolitano would pen this memo suggesting potential terrorist threats proves to further divide a nation already separated into red/blue camps.
This assessment instructs law enforcement to be observant of people … like me … as a "potential terrorist" threat to my beloved home, my country and my fellow Americans.
Paradoxically, I want to be wrong. I hope the people who have all this "hope" in Obama’s "change" are the ones who end up being right. I’d gladly hear left-wing people say "Told you so!"
Instead of "change," today what I’m seeing is a memo pitting American against American. I sincerely pray it is not just the first step toward a very dark time.
Who do they think I am?
Who do they want you to think I am?
Who do they think you are?
Christine Springer lives in
Sequim.
