Monday, March 16, 2009

Our Terrified and Paranoid Government

*
Have you bought a gun in the last few years?


* Did you purchase a video about the history of the Federal Reserve?

* Do you have a bumper sticker that says, "I'll Keep My Money, You Keep the Change"?

* Have you attended a "conservative" political meeting - a recent "tea party" perhaps?

* Are you reading a book about the Founding Fathers you bought at the local book store?

... then you may be on the government's Terrorist Watch List!

Tim Neal of Miller County was shocked recently when he heard a radio program about a strategic report compiled by state and federal law enforcement agencies to combat terrorism.

Titled “The Modern Militia Movement,” the report is dated Feb. 20 and designed to help police identify militia members or domestic terrorists. Red flags outlined in the document include political bumper stickers such as those for U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, talk of conspiracy theories such as the plan for a mega-highway from Canada to Mexico and possession of subversive literature.

But when Neal read the report, he couldn’t help but think it described him. A military veteran and a delegate to the 2008 Missouri Republican state convention, he didn’t appreciate being lumped in with groups like the Neo-Nazis.

“I was going down the list and thinking, ‘Check, that’s me,’ ” he said. “I’m a Ron Paul supporter, check. I talk about the North American union, check. I’ve got the ‘America: Freedom to Fascism’ video loaned out to somebody right now. So that means I’m a domestic terrorist? Because I’ve got a video about the Federal Reserve?”

Blogs and Web sites frequented by people interested in civil liberties issues have been overloaded in recent days with comments from angry readers who view the document as a precursor to an American KGB spying on U.S. citizens.

“The government is out of control, we are just trying to survive,” wrote one poster who identified himself as John Adams.




The Historic "Dont Tread On Me" Flag has become a Militant Militia symbol




... “If a police officer is pulling me over with my family in the car and he sees a bumper sticker on my vehicle that has been specifically identified as one that an extremist would have in their vehicle, the guy is probably going to be pretty apprehensive and not thinking in a rational manner,” Neal said. “And this guy’s walking up to my vehicle with a gun.”

The Observer

No comments: