Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Whither the constitution?

I generally don't talk politics, but I am astonished at what came out today.

The department of homeland security released a report this week labeling all sort of people as right wing extremists that should be on the watchlist of the federal government. Besides the amazing amount of chutzpah of declaring veterans a threat to homeland security, it also declares that "Rightwing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented...and those that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or rejecting government authority entirely."

Compare this to the ninth and tenth amendments to our constitution:

Ninth Amendment – Protection of rights not specifically enumerated in the Bill of Rights.
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Tenth Amendment – Powers of States and people.
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Apparently the founding fathers should now be classified as right wing extremists. Personally, I am appalled at this. Janet Napolitano should be fired.

Joel

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