"Tuesday, we commented on the Department of Homeland Security report indicting half of the country as potential “rightwing extremists” and domestic terrorists. Outrage has been building ever since, and DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano has apologized for at least one aspect of the report.
As we noted, the report was sweeping and vague in its use of language and seemed more interested in discrediting conservative philosophy rather than countering potential security threats. And it’s not just conservatives who were offended by the report – even the Democrat chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), said he was “dumbfounded.”
Rep. Thompson sent a letter to the Department demanding an explanation, saying that the report “blurred the line” between extremism and the freedoms of speech and association. He added that he was “disappointed and surprised that the department would allow this report to be disseminated.” He’s not the only one.
David Rehbein, National Commander of the American Legion, sent a letter to Secretary Napolitano blasting the report as “incomplete” and “politically-biased” for suggesting that veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan may be suspect. He closed his letter by reminding the secretary, “I think it is important for all of us to remember that Americans are not the enemy. The terrorists are.”
This morning on Fox News, Secretary Napolitano acknowledged the report’s overreaching language, saying, “To the extent veterans read it as an accusation, an apology is owed. The last thing I want to do is offend or castigate all veterans. …If there’s one part of this report that I could rewrite … it would be that footnote.” That’s a good start, but apologies are owed to many more Americans. I won’t hold my breath, however, waiting for the administration to apologize to Americans who believe in the sanctity of life or who want to see our immigration laws enforced."
Gary Bauer
Campaign for Working Families
As we noted, the report was sweeping and vague in its use of language and seemed more interested in discrediting conservative philosophy rather than countering potential security threats. And it’s not just conservatives who were offended by the report – even the Democrat chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), said he was “dumbfounded.”
Rep. Thompson sent a letter to the Department demanding an explanation, saying that the report “blurred the line” between extremism and the freedoms of speech and association. He added that he was “disappointed and surprised that the department would allow this report to be disseminated.” He’s not the only one.
David Rehbein, National Commander of the American Legion, sent a letter to Secretary Napolitano blasting the report as “incomplete” and “politically-biased” for suggesting that veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan may be suspect. He closed his letter by reminding the secretary, “I think it is important for all of us to remember that Americans are not the enemy. The terrorists are.”
This morning on Fox News, Secretary Napolitano acknowledged the report’s overreaching language, saying, “To the extent veterans read it as an accusation, an apology is owed. The last thing I want to do is offend or castigate all veterans. …If there’s one part of this report that I could rewrite … it would be that footnote.” That’s a good start, but apologies are owed to many more Americans. I won’t hold my breath, however, waiting for the administration to apologize to Americans who believe in the sanctity of life or who want to see our immigration laws enforced."
Gary Bauer
Campaign for Working Families
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