The following link, provided by CBS Political News Hotsheet, leads from this posting to the full report by Homeland Security on “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment, issued April 7, 2009.
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/04/16/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4949431.shtml
The report, prepared by the “Extremism and Radicalization Branch, Homeland Environment Threat Analysis Division” was coordinated with the FBI. It includes under the definition of “Rightwing extremism,” “groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration.”
Among other things, the report states: “Many rightwing extremists are antagonistic toward the new presidential administration and its perceived stance on a range of issues . . . From the 2008 election timeframe to the present, rightwing extremists have capitalized on related racial and political prejudices in expanded propaganda campaigns, thereby reaching out to a wider audience of potential sympathizers.”
While the report is labeled unofficial and for official use only, it has been circulating widely and when questioned, about it Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said intelligence reports highlighting the potential terrorist threats posed by right wing extremists groups are "not accusations, they're assessments." See her response at the link provided above.
Under “Revisiting the 1990s,” the report parallels today’s situation with that of the 1990s, and speaks of the exploitation of “a variety of social issues and political themes [used] to increase group visibility and recruit new members. Prominent among these themes,” it states, were “perceived government infringement on civil liberties as well as white supremacists’ longstanding exploitation of social issues such as abortion, inter-racial crimes, and same-sex marriage. During the 1990s,” it continues, “these issues contributed to the growth in the number of domestic rightwing terrorist and extremist groups and an increase in violent acts targeting government facilities, law enforcement officers, banks, and infrastructure sectors.”
Jane Gilroy, PhD, President
Long Island Chapter University Faculty for Life
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