Citizen Q:
It's domestic terrorist extremist right wing supremecist group etc. who will be experience "fear and anger" over the new laws. Not "normal" people. Does this mean anyone fearing and angered by the proposed new laws will be a terrorist?
Auto - I hope you get a message back to your ranks that we're not going to stand for it and we're not all extremist right wing supremecist terrorists.
I most strongly disagree. Solutions that provoke acts of domestic terrorism, rather than preventing them -- are not "solutions," no? While these groups may not hold legitimate opinions in the eyes of most Americans, they are legitimate threats. (I have used some responsive commentary in here to make this point elsewhere.) In my opinion, some of these proposals not only "trade security for privacy," (their words) they are going to "trade privacy for terrorism." I think that's a bad deal for everybody. Part of our problem in regard to U.S.-based domestic terrorism and militia groups has been our prosecutorial or military "snatch" mindset. We need to attack their strategy, rather than engage in actions that legitimize their world views, incite action, encourage radicalization and facilitate recruitment. This is a WAR On Terrorism -- not a Keystone Cop chase. I believe that any responsible analysis of proposed solutions should squarely address the issue of domestic incitement. Polls with CitizenQ-like opinions express American sentiment....but they can be damning for domestic terrorism policy if we do not pause to examine the implications. Would it be ironic if, in our efforts to "stop" the unthinkable, we give rise to it? Would that be good policy? In addition to "concerns" over the erosion of civil liberties, one message Congress desperately needs to get: "DON'T FEED THE BEARS." ~Aimee
These new measures may be necessary components to protect the United >States from further attacks by foreign terrorists. But they will also likely fuel the fears and anger of domestic groups such as the Michigan Militia or the North American Volunteer Militia. In time, as the U.S. security apparatus looks for threats coming from outside the country, the United States may again face attacks from within.