What's an 'Extremist'?

We've covered here several times how the DHS likes to define 'Right Wing Extremist' w/ a brush broad enough to make even Sherwin-Williams happy but what about 'Left Wing' Extremists?  Those tend to be defined much more narrowly and w/ changing definitions.

In the latest 'Hot Spot' report, 'Left Wing Extremists' are defined thusly:

groups that want to bring about change through violent revolution rather than through established political processes. This category also includes secular left-wing groups that rely heavily on terrorism to overthrow the capitalist system and either establish “a dictatorship of the proletariat” (Marxist-Leninists) or, much more rarely, a decentralized, non-hierarchical political system (anarchists).

 So, iow, Commies w/ a side order of anarchists and that it hasn't really been an issue since the 1970's(Pg21) when Communism was the 'in' thing for bored suburban college kids to do to piss off their parents. The heyday of all the categories was also during the '70's as well.

Even 'Right Wing Extremist' related 'terrorist attacks' have been a non issue from 2000 through 2008 according to the report(pg21), this contradicts previous DHS, FBI, SPLC and ADL claims that 'right wing extremism' has been on the rise (while ignoring all the 'Left Wing' stuff).

What has been going on?  'Single Issue' attacks w. 47 during the same time period.

Here's where it gets fun though.  The definition of 'Left Wing' has changed from previous DHS reports.  In the '09 report on 'LeftWing Extremism' and cyber attacks (once again a very limited scope compared to the companion 'Right Wing Extremism' report), the Earth Liberation Front (ELF), 'animal rights extremists' and 'environmental extremists' are included (pg 3) in the Left Wing category w/ the definition (appendix):

DHS/Office of Intelligence and Analysis defines leftwing extremists as
groups or individuals who embrace radical elements of the anarchist, animal rights, or
environmental movements and are often willing to violate the law to achieve their
objectives.

In the new report, the animal and environmental activists have been shifted over to 'single issue' and even then the numbers are suspect.  According to the ELF Wiki page, they alone have taken credit for over 4 dozen incidents from 2000-2008 resulting in tens of millions of dollars in damage, primarily by arson. The 'Hot Spot' report, however, classifies arson as an 'ordinary crime'(pg 10) leading one to conclude they have again artificially reduced the numbers of previously DHS defined 'Left Wing' extremists/terrorists. This becomes even more likely since the FBI (who categorized them as 'single issue') stated during 2002 congressional hearings that:

The FBI estimates that the ALF/ELF have committed more than 600 criminal acts in the United States since 1996, resulting in damages in excess of 43 million dollars.

So again we have a broadening definition of 'Right Wing Extremism' and a narrowing/arbitrary definition of 'Left Wing extremism' along w/ completely subjective incident numbers.

Color me shocked.

The Drowning Man

will grasp at anything, no matter how flimsy. Just like a gun control advocate and the latest 'Fortune' article.

Prof Spitzer has a long history of gun control and NRA hate. He still believes in the 'collective' model of the 2A just to show how delusional he is so it comes as no surprise that he gloms onto the article like a suckling pig, ignoring all the shit factual errors and throwing out more shit ad hominems, strawmen and red herrings than you can count. 

This is the intellectual elite of the gun control movement.  

Happy 4th of July

Let's use this year to remember what this country SHOULD be.

I'm a DHS Terrorist 'Hot Spot'

ANOTHER frickin' report by the gov't labeling me as a potential 'terrorist', specifically , 'extreme right wing'.

 Extreme Right-Wing: groups that believe that one’s personal and/or national “way of life” is under attack and is either already lost or that the threat is imminent (for some the threat is from a specific ethnic, racial, or religious group), and believe in the need to be prepared for an attack either by participating in paramilitary preparations and training or survivalism. Groups may also be fiercely nationalistic (as opposed to universal and international in orientation), anti-global, suspicious of centralized federal authority, reverent of individual liberty, and believe in conspiracy theories that involve grave threat to national sovereignty and/or personal liberty.

 Single Issue: groups or individuals that obsessively focus on very specific or narrowly-defined causes (e.g., anti-abortion, anti-Catholic, anti-nuclear, anti-Castro). This category includes groups from all sides of the political spectrum.

Suspicious of centralized federal authority? 'Reverent of individual liberty'?  being anti-communist?  Those are the things that label me as a 'terrorist hot spot'? 

Count me in then.

Media Helping Terrorists

So what does the media do when the UK gov't implement plans to thwart terrorist attacks during the Olympics?

Why announce details and locations of all the equipment along w/ some handy photographs for cross referencing. 

Reminds me of when the media were given info on the Somalia landings and set up cameras and spotlights and when Geraldo was 'embedded' w/ a combat unit and announced his location on live TV. 

Idiots.

Rep. McCarthy Joins NRA?

Got a fund raising email from Rep. Carolyn "Shoulder thing that goes up" McCarthy. It included this line:

We're ready for whatever may come, and our great response on Saturday says to me: You're all-in. I am touched by your commitment to our cause.

 Apparently Rep McCarthy is an NRA member now.

 

Good for her. 

DEAD CHILDREN!!!!

It's all YOUR fault you stupid, knuckle-dragging neanderthals. If it wasn't for you, we could pass all the gun control laws we want and then unicorns would walk the streets filling the skies w/ rainbow farts and covering the sidewalks w/ gum drop droppings.

But instead you come into our city and 'mock' us as we continue to blame you for all the crime in our city so we're going to beat you over the head w/ all the DEAD CHILDREN due in NO part to the gangs that wouldn't be causing any crime if it wasn't for YOUR guns.

This editorial brought to you by the Chicago Sun Times. Donations of knee pads and lip balm are welcome.

The next mole...

Name: Mr. kaveman
Address: American
Phone: 1-800-gun-bans

Education

 I finally got smart enough and quit any sort of former schooling after that wench Suzie Campbell wouldn’t share the lego pile. My parents taught me how to read via Seseme Street and memorizing the recipes on cans of Cheese Whiz. My education today consists primarily of following Twitter feeds of Hollywood action stars.

Job History:

1989 June 27th-July 3rd. I worked the fry station at McDonalds and got fired for throwing boiling oil in some Indian chicks face for marrying outside of her caste.

Qualifications for working at the Brady Campaign to Ban Guns:

1. I want to ban small guns because they are small.
2. I want to ban large guns because they are large.
3. I want to ban medium sized guns which fire what are defined as intermediate ammunition because I believe people who own these weapons are taking advantage of the small and large gun ban loop hole.
4. I want to ban any gun which can be fitted with optics because they then become sniper weapons which can kill from over a mile away.
5. I want to ban all toy guns because they teach kids to murder and can be converted into real guns by filing down the firing pin.
6. I want to see the 2nd Amendment repealed, all guns seized by force so we can move on to banning bladed weaponry and blunt objects.

In closing, I have spent countless hours being mentored by Paul Helmke, Dennis Henigan, Peter Hamm, Doug Pennington and Zach Ragbourne. I feel that I understand the culture of the Brady Campaign and wish to join your team.

P.S. I realize that this, like all your job openings, is un unpaid position…but, do you have any photos of Sarah Brady’s feet???

Courtroom Crusaders

Two cases:

BOSTON — Gail Jones says she has forgiven the man who shot and killed her 23-year-old son during a botched robbery at a New Hampshire Army surplus store five years ago.
But she is hoping her son’s death, in which a stolen gun was used, will prompt gun owners to be more careful about locking up their firearms.
Jones is suing the grandfather of the man who killed her son and two other men, alleging that his failure to secure his gun properly enabled his grandson to steal it and use it in the shootings on July 2, 2007.

 So she's 'forgiven' the actual murderer but is blaming the guy who's property was broken into and stolen from. 

Jitka Vesel was shot 12 times at close range with a gun her killer never should have owned.

On Friday, an online seller learned he will go to prison for illegally arming the man who pulled the trigger...

Vesel’s longtime friend, Theresa O’Rourke of Downers Grove, seized Friday’s sentencing as an opportunity to push for stricter gun laws.

She cited statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Mayors Against Illegal Guns organization that indicate 40 percent of firearms are sold by “private sellers” not required to do background checks.

O’Rourke said she believes this is a result of unchecked online sales, which have grown in popularity.

And the belief that a guy who knowingly sold a gun to a prohibited person would be stopped by a law making it illegaler. 

Who wants to bet both of these people were coached by gun control groups?

Book Review: Bolivian Diaries

What happens when you penetrate a Cult of Personality and actually read the intimate thoughts of the one in encompasses?

You discover just another person.

This is the final diary of the infamous Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, hero of many an American college student for his escapades of riding around South America wronging rights and depressing the oppressed. There are several movies made about him, countless books (along w/ his own writings) and even a college in Cuba dedicated to his 'teachings'.

Now to be honest, Che was a very intelligent individual.  He was a trained medical doctor. His political writings and speeches were excellent (as far as 1960's Communist propaganda can be) and he excelled at small unit tactics.

Outside of that, he was just an average person, and kind of a jerk at that. Reading the Congo Diaries and this one, it becomes clear why he was always a #2 man in the Cuban Revolution and why the Congo and Bolivian revolutions failed. He had little skill at dealing w/ people and was one of those leaders who micro managed everything. By the time he finally started getting the feel of the Congolese and Bolivian people, his 'wars' were effectively over. He couldn't grasp that even most self-proclaimed Communists were out for their own personal gain and couldn't care less about doctrine or equality.

It also included several 'Communique's to the Bolivian People' ironically titled Revolutionary Truth against Reactionary Lies. I say ironic because in them, he is just as dishonest as he proclaims the Bolivian Gov't and 'Yankees' are, using hair splitting to deny that there were guerrillas from multiple countries present and claiming that the 'vast majority' of his 'army' was made up of Bolivians when in fact it was mostly made up of Cubans.

From a historical, social and political view this is a must read.I will ruin the ending for everyone though:

Movie Review: Brave

Another Pixar winner.

The animation was on par w/ their previous ones. The characters were definitely animated but the scenery was almost indistinguishable from real life.  The 3D effects gave me a few instances of vertigo.

Story:  Started out fairly cookie cutter. Princess who doesn't fit the mold and takes steps.  Finds a witch to cast a spell.  You know the drill.

Then it takes a turn for the surreal w/ the usual Pixar bizarre humor thrown in to the mix. Some definite darker characters than in previous films.

I took all three of the powers and they sat enraptured during the entire film, including 5thpower who is 4 1/2.

Definitely worth a theater visit and will be rented to catch whatever I missed the first time through. 

Evening Snack

I've been trying to eat healthier.  Trying. So instead of my evening TV snack of a stack of cookies or a bowl of chips, this is what I'm doing:

 Some sliced, garden fresh carrots and cucumbers, bread & butter stacker pickle slices, a slice or two of pepperjack cheese and a little bacon ranch dressing w/ a glass of ice tea.