Another document has emerged that shows exactly what the U.S. government thinks about the patriot movement. A recently discovered Department of Justice guide on terrorism and extremism actually lists "constitutionalists" and "survivalists" alongside Al-Qaeda and the Aryan Brotherhood. Apparently believing in the U.S. Constitution or preparing for the difficult economic times that are coming is enough to be labeled as an extremist these days. The guide, the cover of which you can see at the top of the article, is 120 pages long and it is entitled "Investigating Terrorism and Criminal Extremism – Terms and Concepts". You can read a full copy of this report right here. The guide describes itself as "a glossary designed primarily as a tool for criminal justice professionals to enhance their understanding of words relating to extremist terminology, phrases, activities, symbols, organizations, and selected names that they may encounter while conducting criminal investigations or prosecutions of members of extremist organizations."
It is a sad day for America when the U.S. government starts labeling American citizens as potential criminals and terrorists just because they have a different political view than the majority. This is the kind of thing that happened under Hitler, Stalin and Mao. But it is happening in the United States in 2010. People are being branded as terrorists and extremists simply based on their political speech.
The following definitions come straight out of the report....
Patriot Movement: The “patriot” movement is a general term used by its members to describe the collective movements and individuals on the extreme right wing. In one form or another, this practice dates back many decades; in the 1930s, many on the far right referred to themselves as “superpatriots.” In the 1960s and 1970s, it was common to refer to the “Christian Patriot” movement, but this term is less common now than then. Among the types of individuals that can be found within the “patriot” movement are white supremacists, sovereign citizens, tax protesters, militia members, and sometimes antiabortion or anti-environmental groups.
Constitutionalists: A generic term for members of the “patriot” movement. It is now often used to refer to members of the sovereign citizen or common law court movement. Sometimes the word “constitutionist” is also used.
