It’s official now: The Ohio Republic is a “right wing extremist” blog

According to the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis assessment released to the law enforcement community on April 7,

“Rightwing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups), and those that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or rejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration.” (footnote to page 2 of 9).

While this blog has never preached hatred of anyone, we certainly are (by their definition) “antigovernment.” Why is it a concern to Homeland Security?

“The DHS/Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) has no specific information that domestic rightwing terrorists are currently planning acts of violence, but rightwing extremists may be gaining new recruits by playing on their fears about several emergent issues. The economic downturn and the election of the first African American president present unique drivers for rightwing radicalization and recruitment.” (page 2 of 9)

Further down, they add:

“Rightwing extremists have capitalized on the election of the first African American president, and are focusing their efforts to recruit new members, mobilize existing supporters, and broaden their scope and appeal through propaganda, but they have not yet turned to attack planning.” (page 2 of 9)

In other words, those who favor the preservation of Constitutional liberties (not mentioned anywhere in the document) should be regarded as anti-Semitic, anti-immigration* white supremacists who are stockpiling military ordnance for a coming civil war.

In addition:

“Rightwing extremist paranoia of foreign regimes could escalate or be magnified in the event of an economic crisis or military confrontation, harkening back to the 'New World Order' conspiracy theories of the 1990s. The dissolution of Communist countries in Eastern Europe and the end of the Soviet Union in the 1990s led some rightwing extremists to believe that a 'New World Order' would bring about a world government that would usurp the sovereignty of the United States and its Constitution, thus infringing upon their liberty. The dynamics in 2009 are somewhat similar, as other countries, including China, India, and Russia, as well as some smaller, oil-producing states, are experiencing a rise in economic power and influence.” (page 6 of 9)

Never mind that the New World Order “conspiracy theory” is based on documented facts (such as the blog and works of Michael Ruppert, G. Edward Griffin’s The Creature from Jekyll Island, and several earlier posts in The Ohio Republic).

Oh, by the way, the document is “unclassified: for official use only.” We taxpayers weren’t supposed to know about this. Fortunately, it was leaked.

* For the record, while I am not Jewish, I was in a Jewish fraternity in college, and had a good experience -- so no, I am not anti-Semitic. I favor a sensible immigration policy, and at the present time the most lethal weapon in my possession is a Swiss Army pen knife. I therefore do not appreciate this crude attempt at smearing Americans exercising their First Amendment rights.

Virtual buckeye to Benja Sariwatta at the Ohio Freedom Alliance.