The Observation Post
By Vicki Crawford
Posted March 22, 2009 at 9:27 p.m.

You're probably a terrorist if you supported former presidential candidates like Ron Paul, Bob Barr, or Chuck Baldwin. The guy with the flip-charts doesn't count. Yet.

You're probably a terrorist if you're against the New World Order, the North American Union, and those united numbskulls, the UN. Reading Tom Clancy novels doesn't help your case.

You're probably a terrorist if you're against abortion, against illegal immigration, and against gun control. If you're just against paying taxes you could be a terrorist unless you're a member of the presidential cabinet or a congressional representative, then you're excused.

You're probably a terrorist if you're against RFIDs (Radio Frequency Identification) and universal service programs. You're probably a terrorist if you're for the US Constitution, for property rights, for national sovereignty, and for Christian ideologies.

You're probably a terrorist if you've seen Aaron Russo's "America: Freedom to Fascism". Same goes if you've watched "Zeitgeist". Got to wonder if "V for Vengeance" is on the list.

You're probably a terrorist if you stock up on things like water, baby formula, ammo, cigarettes, alcohol, denim jeans, and medicines. And for all you folks rushing out to buy guns and ammo out of fear that the current administration will enact severe gun restrictions, hey, you may have made the list as well.

You're probably a terrorist if you go around carrying things like cameras, binoculars, hand held tape recorders, maps or charts, sketch pads, notebooks, SCUBA equipment, or disguises. Or a tourist.

So far Mom and apple pie aren't on the list, and if you think that all the above is utter nonsense, think again. And while you're at it, scrape off those bumper stickers, hide your flag collection, and get rid of your gold lest those things also give you away as being a terrorist.

You're probably a terrorist if you're a disgruntled Vet.

This "nonsense" comes from sources such as the Missouri Information Analysis Center Strategic Report: The Modern Militia Movement (dated 20 Feb 2009), the "If you encounter" pamphlet from the Phoenix branch of the FBI, the Texas Department of Public Safety and Criminal Law Enforcement pamphlet titled "Terrorism: What the Public Needs to Know", and Virginia's "Terrorism & Security Awareness Orientation for State Employees". Additionally there are several news stories and commentaries on the Internet concerning these definitions of terrorists.

This is insane, and it's no wonder there's more than a million names on the watch list and no-fly list. Who's next? The Boy Scouts? Seriously, we've gotten to the point in this country where we need to not only watch what we say, but also what we do and how we do it lest we find ourselves in a hurt locker with the law.

There are many Americans who have become dissatisfied with the direction that the Republican and Democratic political parties have taken, and more and more are looking towards third party candidates for public offices. There are people who are concerned about the negative impacts that some trade agreements and foreign policies have had and will have on the security and welfare of this nation. There are many folks who believe still in the founding principles of this nation, but none of this should classify any of them as threats, potential or otherwise, to the government.

The idea that if you do nothing wrong you have nothing to worry about no longer flies. Such broad and inane definitions throws many harmless citizens into the same categories as real criminals, and creates numerous distractions, as well as wastes in dollars and manpower, from the real terrorists.

Instead of putting its citizens under scrutiny, the government should be investing its security in the people themselves. The real security of any nation are its citizens and their willingness to fight and defend not only their homes, but also by extension, their homeland. Lose the citizens, you lose the nation.

No doubt some will find my perspective as being paranoid, but I see more of a problem of paranoia within our government. Many of our hired help in Washington D.C. have been working for their own self interests and for the interests of special groups and agendas other than our national security and welfare, and it's not something that has happened recently. It's been going on for several decades.

Many have turned a deaf ear to their constituents which is a dangerous attitude to maintain. People will only put up with so much. In recent years there have been numerous grass root movements over several different constitutional issues ranging from education, property rights, taxation, etc., manifesting numerous rallies, demonstrations, petitions, and letter campaigns. Some people have already recognized how little their voices at the polling booths really matter.

Additionally there have been several states that have either already done so or are in the process of declaring their sovereignty to the federal government under the provision of the U.S. Constitution's Tenth Amendment. In the midst of the stimulus and bailout funfests of the federal government, several local and state governments are starting to put their foot down, wanting no part in the money giveaways and the liabilities of the same.

Colorado and Montana are contemplating the use of alternative currencies backed by precious metals in face of the current crisis that our fiat currency has created. And there's a push towards a Constitutional Convention among many states to address several problems in the federal government.

The specter of civil unrest and the fracturing of this nation waits on the horizon. Equally frightening are the preparations our government has made such as the prison program with the U.S. Army and it's recent $6 million dollar purchase of riot gear. This doesn't touch the stories, real or otherwise, about the FEMA detention centers, and shows how the government intends on dealing with the increasing dissatisfaction of its citizens rather than by means of peaceful reformation.

But as with anything, there's always hope. Hope that those folks in Washington D.C. start listening to the people, and start doing the jobs they were elected to do. Hope that all those petitions and letters start having a positive impact. And hope that our government starts to see its citizens as citizens instead of potential enemies of the state.

I'm probably a terrorist then..sure hope I don't end up on that list and get locked up with no rights...

i supported Rupaul...

No worries.
They'd have to lock up better than 65% of the country. And, with every job los, home lost, son or daughter killed at war, bailed out CEO getting fatter bonuses, the terrorist list gets longer.

Will someone else please, check out the new School czar an see if this is all true. I get a bashing when I do it.

President Obama's "safe schools czar" is a former schoolteacher who has advocated promoting homosexuality in schools, written about his past drug abuse, expressed his contempt for religion and detailed an incident in which he did not report an underage student who told him he was having sex with older men.

I guess I'm a terrorist too

You afraid to post something, true or not? Nah.... Here's one version on the safe schools czar . Oh wait, that link might not be the RIGHT version, it's talking about a fox witch hunt, that can't be true. Fox would never do that!

Try the family research councel, ya, that's it, I'm sure their view will be more suitable. Or heck just type in Safe school czar, the first 20 should be more suitable for posting anywhere.

Warning, don't go here to this site to hear the man out, because of course the man is evil and wants the whole world to be homosexual. Oh ya and he's one of those scarey CZARS of the russian kind..

After all we want to be sure we continue to demean little gay boys and girls and make sure they grow up in fear..oops I mean knowing how offensive they are to the average member of society. We must do the 'RIGHT' thing. After all it's a tradition. Reality is much too frightening.

that article is like 8 months old

I was already on one of these lists way back when Bush was swapping the Pat. Act at the last minute.

I've been on the list since the 80's

it was that incident in the bar in El Paso. Guns and mushrooms are a bad combination

He's referring to the scarey gay czar the Right is focusing on this week, http://mingle2.com/topic/show/247906

..you're probably a terrorist....if you wear a dynamite vest

..you're probably a terrorist..if instead of a back pack you wear a SAM missile strapped to you're back

..youre probably a terrorist..if there's a fuse protruding from your shoe

..youre probably a terrorist..if you told your flight instructor not to worry about the landing portion of the test...


..jk

Obama has appointed a Czar of homosexuality?

you're probably a terrorist if you support or engage in random untargeted rocket attacks, bus or cafe bombings!!

In the last five years I've heard claims like this many times - every single time, it has proven to be a lie.

I don't know anything about this guy, so as far as I know, you might be right this time. I'm just getting tired of how religious fundamentalists keep crying wolf and creating hysteria based on lies; unfortunately.

Of course, to me advocating tolerance is not one and same as 'promoting homosexuality'.

i'm proud that the GOP calls me a terrorist. if i die, i'll die for my God and not to make some politician wealthy or some company..won't name names, cough haliburton cough

I don't personally know anyone that likes or trusts Haliburton. As for dying for your God. I can't relate to that. One can just barely trust what we can see, let alone things we can't see. Some folks seem to be able to recognize the atrocities of haliburton, but can't recognize the atrocities in the name of of their God.

You are probably a terrorist if you are always calling others terrorists or if you believe anyone who isnt with you is against you and anyone against you should be taken down.