In addition to the nebulous definition of "enemy combatant," so too is the definition of "leftist group" entirely vague. Does a blog community qualify as a leftist group? Are only groups that have the means and intent to organize going to be targets of scrutiny? Does organizing a peace protest qualify? Is wielding a "leftist" idea going to be considered as hostile to the United States as wielding a weapon?
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Just read Leiter.
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Considering that the FBI has identified environmental groups as its primary focus for a domestic terrorism threat, I'd say we do need to worry.
Names like "left" to generalize a set of people, each of which can have variable interests and cares, isn't to describe the people themselves. I see it as more descriptive of the people who use these terms. It's to irresponsibly categorize a group of people under the unspoken banner of "Those people that I (or we) disagree with, are evil, and that we must crush". There are people that do this by using "right" or "rightist" also. Isn't it so convenient that those people who are enemies are usually the ones we disagree with?
I used to think that only paranoid fools worried. Now I'm not so sure. Is it my country thats changing -or am I becoming paranoid?
It used to be that you only had to worry about being unpopular. I'm pretty familair with that, as I tend to fall inbetween the "right" and "left" camps, so usually end up being considered as "enemy" by both.
"Are only groups that have the means and intent to organize going to be targets of scrutiny?" I guess the Democratic Party safe.