Vote for a third party candidate this past election? Ever criticize the IRS? Have a problem with the way the government does things? You're not just exercising your Constitutional rights - you could be a domestic terrorist:

If 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.

According to the report, here are some of the scarier things they say to look for:

- strong Christian identity
- being opposed to illegal immigration
- displaying the "Don't Tread on Me" flag
- criticism of the IRS

Think I'm kidding? I wish.

More here.

If you haven't figured it out yet, we are headed into some very scary waters. Follow where this report eventually leads, and it ain't pretty. But then again, that's just the sort of thing you'd expect a potential right-wing wacko militia member to say, isn't it?

Labels: Constitutional issues, freedom of speech, politics

OK, let's start with the fact that I find this little bit of free expression to be completely tasteless. What concerns me is the reaction of law enforcement.

The Oklahoma City Police Department admits one of its officers made a mistake in pulling over a man last week for carrying an anti-President Obama sign in his car.

According to The Oklahoman newspaper, an officer pulled over Chip Harrison last week because he had in his car a sign that said, "Abort Obama, not the unborn."

Call me a cynic, but I'm fairly sure that it wouldn't have been handled the same way if it read "Abort Bush...."

Maybe the police officer reacted that way because the Left tried to drill it into our heads that if you dare to be underwhelmed by the Obamessiah, you're a racist. Maybe he was young. Maybe he was being overly careful in no-doubt-sensitive Oklahoma City, in a post-9/11 environment.

Whatever the reason, the fact that the current Administration seems to think it can dictate what you can and can't say about our new President makes this particular incident a little creepy. Even though the Secret Service investigated the incident, ruled him not a threat, and presumably he can go about his business, incidents like this have some potential to create a chilling effect on those who would criticize The One.

I've got no argument with taking the security of our President seriously. But when we start having people face law enforcement over distasteful speech, we should all keep a very close eye on the situation. It's a very steep, and very slippery slope from here, and the landing is extremely unpleasant.

(For the full article, go here)

Labels: freedom of speech, politics, President Barack H. Obama

If this is true, it's one of the only bright spots I've seen in the new Administration:

White House: Obama Opposes 'Fairness Doctrine' Revival
President Obama opposes any move to bring back the so-called Fairness Doctrine, a spokesman told FOXNews.com Wednesday.

The statement is the first definitive stance the administration has taken since an aide told an industry publication last summer that Obama opposes the doctrine -- a long-abolished policy that would require broadcasters to provide opposing viewpoints on controversial issues.

"As the president stated during the campaign, he does not believe the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated," White House spokesman Ben LaBolt told FOXNews.com.

More here

Let's just hope the reason for his opposition isn't a belief that it doesn't go far enough...

I don't think I trust any of the useless lumps in Washington.

UPDATE: Looks like my inclination not to trust this was well founded; the White House is now apparently indicating that a new Fairness Doctrine is up for discussion. Disappointing, but certainly not a surprise.

Labels: Fairness Doctrine, freedom of speech, politics, President Barack H. Obama