Watch out! You may be a right wing extremist!

Sorry for the delay in posting this week's Wednesday Outrageous Watch.

It is being reported that the Department of Homeland Security has issued a new document warning law enforcement about a possible new upsurge in "Right Wing Extremism". Their definition of "right wing extremism" however, is troubling.

Among the groups the Federal Government is keeping an eye on:

• (Those who go about) rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority. (Report, page 2)
  

• (Those who) are antagonistic toward the new presidential administration and its perceived stance on a range of issues, including immigration and citizenship... and restrictions on firearms ownership and use. (Report, page 3)
  

• It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration. (Report, page 2)

The DHS report lumps the above groups with actual extremist groups that *should* be watched, such as those based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups such as Anti-Semitic extremists.

To lump those dedicated to the pro-life cause, those who are in favor of more local government and less federal government, and those who disagree with the administration's policies on issues such as immigration and gun control in with those groups who use violence and spread hatred is restrictive, propagandistic and extremist in and of itself.

We have freedom of opinion in this country. We are free to vote for, or against, anyone or any party that we choose. We are free to speak our minds on all kinds of issues. Disagreeing with the current administration is not extremist, and it is not even necessarily right wing.

A current democratically elected government having to stoop to such tactics boggles the mind.

And we thought Nixon was paranoid.