[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 68 (Tuesday, May 5, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H5136-H5137]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            LONE WOLF HUNTER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn the statements 
written as part of an assessment by the Department of Homeland Security 
classifying disgruntled veterans as a threat to U.S. security and 
potential recruits for right-wing extremist groups. The report was 
distributed among law enforcement agencies throughout the country 
earlier this week. When I was back home in San Diego, our El Cajon 
police department had actually gotten this memorandum classifying me. 
Because I served three tours overseas with the United States Marine 
Corps, two in Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom and one in Afghanistan in 
Operation Enduring Freedom, I am a possible terrorist.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I would just like to go over some stuff with this 
DHS memorandum. It is the ``Right-wing Extremism: Current Economic and 
Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and 
Recruitment.'' And here is a picture of it here. This is an actual 
Department of Homeland Security memorandum that went out to every 
local, State and Federal law enforcement agency in the entire country.
  I would just like to go over a few points of it. It first starts off 
by saying that ``the Department of Homeland Security Office of 
Intelligence and Analysis has no specific information that domestic 
right-wing terrorists are currently planning acts of violence.'' So 
they don't have any evidence for anything, but they are still going to 
call people like me possible ``terrorists.''
  We read further down: ``The possible passage of new restrictions on 
firearms and the return of military veterans facing significant 
challenges reintegrating into their communities could lead to the 
potential emergence of terrorist groups or lone wolf extremists capable 
of carrying out violent attacks.''
  I wasn't paranoid before, Mr. Speaker, but if we are going to pass 
new regulations on firearms, we are going to change the Second 
Amendment. And the fact that I would like to keep my own guns and that 
I'm a veteran who has served, that makes me a possible terrorist, as 
stated by our own government, by our own administration.
  I read further down: right-wing extremism--and by the way, it is 
interesting that they don't talk about left-wing extremism or liberal 
extremism or progressivists. It is just right-wing extremism, and that 
is okay to talk about. It is okay to scorn those people that are right 
wing. They aren't as American as everybody else. ``Right-wing extremism 
in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, 
movements and adherents that are primarily hate oriented,'' I'm quoting 
here from this memo, ``those that are mainly anti-government, rejecting 
Federal authority in favor of State or local authority.'' That means 
every single one of our Founding Fathers was a possible terrorist 
because they believed in local authority. They believed in States' 
rights. They didn't want an all-encompassing, dominating Federal 
Government.
  It also includes groups of individuals that are dedicated to a single 
issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration. I'm quoting 
again.
  So I'm pro-border security. I think that illegal immigration is 
called ``illegal immigration'' because, well, it is illegal. That once 
more makes me a possible terrorist. I'm pro-life. That makes me a 
possible terrorist too.
  I keep reading down: ``Returning veterans possess combat skills.'' 
That is me. I possess combat skills. So do millions of other Americans 
that have served in our Armed Forces since 2001--``combat skills and 
experience that are attractive to right-wing extremists.''
  The DHS, our own government, is concerned that right-wing extremists, 
I guess that's me, will attempt to recruit and radicalize returning 
veterans in order to boost their violent capabilities.
  That sounds pretty scary. I must be pretty scary. I wonder if DHS is 
on their way here to get me right now. I will stay here and wait for 
them for a little bit longer.
  I read further down: ``Many right-wing extremists are agnostic toward 
the new Presidential administration and its perceived stance on a range 
of issues, including immigration and citizenship, the expansion of 
social programs''--that is a new one. If you don't like the expansion 
of social programs, you're a possible terrorist, too--``and 
restrictions on firearms ownership and use.'' If you weren't paranoid 
before, you ought to be getting paranoid now.

[[Page H5137]]

  I will keep reading: ``Right-wing extremists were concerned during 
the 1990s with the perception that illegal immigrants were taking away 
American jobs through their willingness to work at significantly lower 
wages. They also opposed free trade agreements, arguing that these 
arrangements resulted in Americans losing jobs to other countries.'' 
Are Americans not losing jobs to China, to Communist China, to India 
and to Mexico? If you believe that American jobs are worth fighting 
for, then you're a terrorist.

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