Do you support a 3rd party in the US-You're a Terrorist!!!!

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**Frazzled**

Too many terrorists around here...

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/03/23/fusion-centers-expand-criteria-identify-militia-members/

'Fusion Centers' Expand Criteria to Identify Militia Members
Do you like Ron Paul or oppose abortion? You may be a member of a militia, according to a new report by a government information collection agency.
By Joshua Rhett Miller

FOXNews.com

Monday, March 23, 2009

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FILE: Beware if you like third party candidates. You could be a member of a militia. (AP Photo)

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powered by BaynoteIf you're an anti-abortion activist, or if you display political paraphernalia supporting a third-party candidate or a certain Republican member of Congress, if you possess subversive literature, you very well might be a member of a domestic paramilitary group.

That's according to "The Modern Militia Movement," a report by the Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC), a government collective that identifies the warning signs of potential domestic terrorists for law enforcement communities.

"Due to the current economical and political situation, a lush environment for militia activity has been created," the Feb. 20 report reads. "Unemployment rates are high, as well as costs of living expenses. Additionally, President Elect Barrack [sic] Obama is seen as tight on gun control and many extremists fear that he will enact firearms confiscations."

MIAC is one of 58 so-called "fusion centers" nationwide that were created by the Department of Homeland Security, in part, to collect local intelligence that authorities can use to combat terrorism and related criminal activities. More than $254 million from fiscal years 2004-2007 went to state and local governments to support the fusion centers, according to the DHS Web site.

During a press conference last week in Kansas City, Mo., DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano called fusion centers the "centerpiece of state, local, federal intelligence-sharing" in the future.

"Let us not forget the reason we are here, the reason we have the Department of Homeland Security and the reason we now have fusion centers, which is a relatively new concept, is because we did not have the capacity as a country to connect the dots on isolated bits of intelligence prior to 9/11," Napolitano said, according to a DHS transcript.

"ThatÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s why we started this.... Now we know that it's not just the 9/11-type incidents but many, many other types of incidents that we can benefit from having fusion centers that share information and product and analysis upwards and horizontally."

But some say the fusion centers are going too far in whom they identify as potential threats to American security.

People who supported former third-party presidential candidates like Texas Rep. Ron Paul, Chuck Baldwin and former Georgia Rep. Bob Barr are cited in the report, in addition to anti-abortion activists and conspiracy theorists who believe the United States, Mexico and Canada will someday form a North American Union.

"Militia members most commonly associate with 3rd party political groups," the report reads. "It is not uncommon for militia members to display Constitutional Party, Campaign for Liberty or Libertarian material."

Other potential signals of militia involvement, according to the report, are possession of the Gagsden "Don't Tread on Me" flag or the widely available anti-income tax film "America: Freedom to Fascism."

Barr, the 2008 Libertarian Party presidential nominee, told FOXNews.com that he's taking steps to get his name removed from the report, which he said could actually "dilute the effectiveness" of law enforcement agencies.

"It can subject people to unwarranted and inappropriate monitoring by the government," he said. "If I were the governor of Missouri, I'd be concerned that law enforcement agencies are wasting their time and effort on such nonsense."

Barr said his office has received "several dozen" complaints related to the report.

Mary Starrett, communications director for the Constitution Party, said Baldwin, the party's 2008 presidential candidate, was "outraged" that his name was included in the report.

"We were so astounded by it we couldn't believe it was real," Starrett told FOXNews.com. "It's painting such a large number of people with a broad brush in a dangerous light."

Michael German, national security policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union, said the report "crosses the line" and shows a disregard for civil liberties.

"It seems to implicate people who are engaging in First Amendment protected activities and suggest that something as innocuous as supporting a political candidate for office would mean that you're harboring some ill-intent," German told FOXNews.com. "It's completely inappropriate."

German ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬ï¿½ who claims the number of fusion centers nationwide is closer to 70 ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬ï¿½ said the centers present several troubling concerns, including their excessive secrecy, ambiguous lines of authority, the use of data mining and military participation.

"No two are alike," German said. "And these things are expanding rapidly."

But MIAC officials defended their report, saying it's not a basis for officers to take enforcement action.

"These reports sometimes mention groups or individuals who are not the subject of the document, but may be relevant to describing tendencies or trends concerning the subject of the document," MIAC said in a statement.

"For example, a criminal group may use a particular wire service to transfer funds, but the mention of that wire service does not imply that it is part of that group, or a criminal enterprise. Nor does it imply that all individuals who use that service are engaged in criminal activity."

The statement continues, "We are concerned about the mischaracterizations of a document following its recent unauthorized release and we regret that any citizens were unintentionally offended by the content of the document."

Donny Ferguson, a spokesman for the Libertarian Party, said he was concerned by the report's "poor choice of words," among other things.

"Unfortunately it is so broadly worded it could be interpreted as saying millions of peaceful, law-abiding Americans are involved in dangerous activities. These mistakes happen and we hope Missouri officials will correct the report," Ferguson wrote in an e-mail. "The Libertarian Party promotes the common-sense policies of fiscal responsibility and social tolerance. We are the only party in America who makes opposition to initiating violence a condition of membership."

Bob McCarty, a St. Louis resident who blogged about the MIAC report, said he's afraid he may be targeted, since he's previously sold Ron Paul-related merchandise.

"[The report] described me, so maybe I need to get a gun and build a shack out in the woods," McCarty said facetiously. "It's certainly an attempt to stifle political thought, especially in Missouri. It definitely makes me pause, if nothing else ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦ Maybe Missouri is just a test bed for squelching political thought."

ACLU officials blasted a Texas fusion center last month for distributing a "Prevention Awareness Bulletin" that called on law enforcement officers to report activities of local lobbying groups, Muslim civil rights organizations and anti-war protest groups.

**Ahtman**

Wow, it's been, what, 10~12 years at least since we've been given a militia scare. Just like old times. Now all we need is a sex scandal involving an intern and the journey will be complete.

**Frazzled**

OMG I'm on the same side as the ACLU. This is the Seventh Sign! Next Me, Shuma, and Ahtman will have a singalong. Mauleed will come out of retirement to declare fluffy gaming as the only true form of gaming. Malf will decide he doesn't like socks. Chaos! Chaos I tell you!

**Polonius**

I dont' think it's totally ridiculous to being a search for extremists with groups that are farther from the political mainstream. it's not exactly useful information (people that are member of the constitutional party might be more likely to find Gun Rights worth fighting over? Really? I'm shocked...), but this whole report has a sort of, "well, it's true, but it really looks bad" sort of veneer.

I think the only real mistake the group made was in failing to differentiate between grassroots third parties (libertarianism, ron paul's people, green party) that consistently poll at a few percent and are more or less highly structured organizations, and those parties that have a narrower focus and do, like it or not, tend to attract the disaffected.

I've voted third party (Harry Brown in 2000), and I'm about as extreme as a stroll down main street to get chocolate malts.

**ShumaGorath**

At first they came for the arabs, but I am not an arab so I said nothing.

Then they came for the Communists, but I am a communist so I said nothing.

Then they came for the ron paul worship "for he is our god and will lead us to bodom" group, and there was no one left to speak for me.

ACLU officials blasted a Texas fusion center last month for distributing a "Prevention Awareness Bulletin" that called on law enforcement officers to report activities of local lobbying groups, Muslim civil rights organizations and anti-war protest groups.

Texas fusion center, a leader in texas fusion technology and anti muslim rights.

**Polonius**

Frazzled wrote:OMG I'm on the same side as the ACLU. This is the Seventh Sign! Next Me, Shuma, and Ahtman will have a singalong. Mauleed will come out of retirement to declare fluffy gaming as the only true form of gaming. Malf will decide he doesn't like socks. Chaos! Chaos I tell you!

Aside from their regrettable refusal to at least philosophically support gun rights, the ACLU is a lot more wide spectrum than people realize. They're biggest drop in membership wasn't when they went on a rampage against school prayer, but when they defended the rights of the Klan to Assemble Peacefully, even in Jewish neighborhoods.

The Moral of the story, Frazz, is that people that like any of their rights need to band together.

**Frazzled**

Thats why I support the NRA, FIRE, and most importantly of all St. Judes Children Hospital.

**utan**

1984 is becoming reallity. Just not on the expected date...

**Polonius**

utan wrote:1984 is becoming reallity. Just not on the expected date...

Not quibble needlessly, but this is actually older than dirt. Government have always had interior or secret police (which is one of the jobs of the FBI) keep tabs on groups that could harbor dangerous folk. there are two reasons for this: first it's helpful to know where criminals and the like are more likely to be, and therefore keep society safe, but mostly because governments don't like groups that are in opposition to it.

**sebster**

utan wrote:1984 is becoming reallity. Just not on the expected date...

Except 1984 isn't just about political oppression. It was about the oppression that came from non-democratic socialist parties. And no, being over-zealous in identifying warning signs isn't the same thing as political oppression. I dare say people who've up until very recently been tortured by your country or proxies acting on behalf of your country would be pretty annoyed with the comparison.

As for the warning signs themselves, I think it's pretty bad policy. On the one hand, there's been a lot of anti-government rhetoric since Obama's win, but on the other hand a flag that identifies a guy just for being part of the libertarian party? How many 21 year olds who just like dope would that pick up? It seems like, as Bob Barr says it'll probably decrease efficiency as police spend resources chasing up dubious flags.

Meanwhile, Fraz agrees with the ACLU and I'm saying Bob Barr had a good point. This is a strange day.

**Platuan4th**

Frazzled wrote:OMG I'm on the same side as the ACLU. This is the Seventh Sign! Next Me, Shuma, and Ahtman will have a singalong. Mauleed will come out of retirement to declare fluffy gaming as the only true form of gaming. Malf will decide he doesn't like socks. Chaos! Chaos I tell you!

Don't forget, dogs and cats living together... Mass hysteria!

**warpcrafter**

I will acknowledge it's the end when Baga97 issues me a public apology for his offensive and unfunny statements, and trying to hijack every thread I posted on for a week. Even though baiting him was a heluva lotta fun. And when Stelek posts on Dakka once again, I will run out into the street and wait for the end to come. (I miss Stelek...)

**Miguelsan**

sebster wrote:
As for the warning signs themselves, I think it's pretty bad policy. On the one hand, there's been a lot of anti-government rhetoric since Obama's win, but on the other hand a flag that identifies a guy just for being part of the libertarian party? How many 21 year olds who just like dope would that pick up? It seems like, as Bob Barr says it'll probably decrease efficiency as police spend resources chasing up dubious flags.

Don´t worry there will be always an elected politician that will make excuses for the lack of efficiency, like in this news article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090324/ap_on_re_au_an/as_australia_biker_brawl;_ylt=AkFojl7pBG1RUqoJVv_GbI1vaA8F

"The police can't be everywhere all the time," Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty told a news conference Monday.

So what´s the point of having the police and the Army patrol the airports again? (Paris CDG is full of soldiers with guns in addition to a very heavy police deployment with AR too!)
Ohhh! I get it, terrorists chasing only

so you have to carry a RPG7 like in the old airport movie.

M.

**utan**

All I can say is: good thing this all ends in another three years. Apocalypse 2012 baby!!!

**Wolfstan**

That's what I love about you guys. All these years you've been fearing the Red Revolution, but I think you find that most of us over this side of the pond are pretty certain you will suffer a right wing / religious / keep your nose out feberal government, type uprising.