Talk about something that should have happened years ago. Finally the Department of Homeland Security has issued a nationwide bulletin warning of right-wing extremist violence here on our own soil. The warning itself did not mention the left or right, of course, or the Democratic or Republican parties. We know, of course, from which party the violence grows, and is nurtured. Its members sit in Congress as we speak, wishing for the execution of lawmakers and following traumatized school children around to harass them after they've survived school shootings.
On CNN, Brianna Keilar read part of the DHS bulletin, which addresses what they fear is a "heightened threat environment" since President Biden was inaugurated. "DHS does not have any information to indicate a specific, credible plot; however, violent riots have continued in recent days and we remain concerned individuals frustrated with the exercise of governmental authority and the presidential transition, as well as other perceived grievances and ideological cause fueled by false narratives, could continue to mobilize a broad range of ideologically-motivated actors to incite or commit violence," Keilar quoted.
She asked security correspondent Josh Campbell to explain it, and he said that DHS had been issuing such warnings to law enforcement for some time. Now, though, the department felt concerned enough to issue the warning to the general public, as well. If Trump and his fellow Republicans would come out with public acknowledgement and acceptance of the validity of the 2020 election, it would help, but according to Campbell, (and your own eyes and ears, if you don't live under a rock,) what motivates these violent mobs is "this big lie that president Trump has peddled obviously before the election, and now he's continued with, he has not actually called that out, and that is this idea the election was stolen. Intelligence officials are now warning the public that those kind of ideas could inspire additional attacks."
Very nice. Why might it inspire more attacks? Apparently because these violent domestic terrorists are viewing the January 6th insurrection as a SUCCESS. Campbell says that is "emboldening and motivating them." So law enforcement wants you to harken back to the 9/11 motto of "See something, say something." This helps them to disrupt new plots. The reason is chilling and unsettling, and above all, heartbreaking. He said, "it's worth noting that so many of the arrests we've seen since that attack on the Capitol have involved people turning in their own family members. Their own friends. People they knew were at that location." So they are hoping to encourage more people to inform law enforcement if you know people who attended.
Nice world you've set up for us, Republicans. Good job. At least, at LEAST law enforcement is finally saying the words it should have been saying for the last 30 years...that homegrown extremism is a domestic terrorist threat on a par, if not worse than threats from foreign nations, or marginalized unarmed citizens begging not to be murdered by the police.
