From Red Squad to End-the-Fed Squad

Thanks to the vigilance of the Institute of Terrorism Research and Response, a fusion center hired without competitive bidding by the Pennsylvania Office of Homeland Security, we now know that potential terrorists have hatched plots to hold a candlelight vigil, organize a gay and lesbian festival, and even screen the documentary Gasland. You can read the intrepid analysts' collected memos to the police at this site. Here's an item I especially enjoyed, dated November 13-15, 2009:

On 22 November 2008, groups questioning the fiscal policies of the US government launched a "movement". And the weekend of 21-22 November 2009 comes with the intent by those groups to celebrate the one year anniversary of the launching of the End the Fed! Movement.

Protests and rallies will be held around the country as groups will be marching on the Federal Reserve Banks throughout the country.

Certain anti-government groups, convinced that the US government is intent on incarcerating them in FEMA prison camps, injecting them with micro-electronics while giving them the flu vaccine, and planning to seize their firearms will be out in full force in support of the "Fed is Dead" protests being held the weekend of 21-22 November 2009.

TAM-C analysts hasten to add that not all of the protestors marching against the Federal Reserve System are conspiracy theorists. But enough of the protesters possess these types of theories that cause the TAM-C to alert law enforcement personnel that some of the marchers have a different view of reality than most people.

There was a time when people tasked with preventing terrorism might have concerned themselves with whether a political group includes anyone who is violent, not whether it includes anyone who believes some funny things. But it's pretty clear that the institute has a broader idea of its mission than its name might suggest. It's also clear that there are people in the state government who wanted exactly what they were getting.

The report also noted, incidentally, that Pittsburgh's End the Fed march would be preceded by a pub crawl and that Philadelphia's protest "will be heading straight down Market Street to Independence Mall -- the seat of a previous revolt against a government." Watch out!

Following these revelations, Gov. Ed Rendell has said he won't renew the institute's contract with the state. That's good. But the fact that a fusion center would still be churning out this sort of material, after years of similar scandals, suggests that we're a long way from driving this red-squad mentality out of law enforcement.

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  • | |

    What's Uncle Sam holding there, a putter?

  • | |

    That's his "Irish-Wuppin' Stick."

  • Barely Suppressed Rage| |

    A shillelagh.

  • | |

    Depends on how's doin' the wuppin', now don't it, son?

  • | |

    It could be some form of primitive pitching wedge.

    It can't be anything Irish. They were like black people or Chinamen back then.

  • TickleStick| |

    It's a tickle stick.

  • | |

    With which one can dispense a good Anointing.

  • Barely Suppressed Rage| |

    A cudgel?

  • | |

    "Tasked" Whoever coin that usage needs to be shot.

  • | |

    How can the prisoner reach outside except by thrusting through the wall? To me, the white whale is that wall, shoved near to me. Sometimes I think there's naught beyond. But 'tis enough. He tasks me; he heaps me; I see in him outrageous strength, with an inscrutable malice sinewing it. That inscrutable thing is chiefly what I hate; and be the white whale agent, or be the white whale principal, I will wreak that hate upon him. Talk not to me of blasphemy, man; I'd strike the sun if it insulted me.

  • Gregory Peck| |

    Damn you, Libertate!

  • Jesse Walker| |

    That Ahab was a real card.

  • | |

    So long as you would follow him to the gates of hell to kill the white beast, Ahab was a libertarian.

  • | |

    Ahab was the seventh king of Israel and knew nothing of libertarianism.

    Stop voting and procreating your bankrupting the planet and causing Global Stupidity.

  • Joe M| |

    More like Pro Literate.

  • Gregory Peck| |

    It tasks me!

  • Attorney| |

    Let's face it. How long do you think those poor government contractors will keep getting paid if every report consists of "No new threats detected"?

  • Joe M| |

    Just an fyi, you're being reported for that comment.

  • Mr. FIFY| |

  • Jesse Walker| |

    Yep. See the link from the word "similar" for more.

  • Mr. FIFY| |

    Amazing still how many liberals were all gung-ho for shit like MIAC, but are suddenly against it when it's THEIR groups getting the Big Brother hairy eyeball treatment...

  • | |

    To show how dangerous these people are, let us quote from a document one of them was found clutching:

    whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness... when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security.
  • | |

    From: Institute of Terrorism Research and Response
    All Points Bulletin:
    Thomas Jefferson, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, and sudry and assorted riff-raff
    Description: real loons, wearing powdered wigs (may be gay terrorists, not that there is anything wrong with that - being gay, not being a terrorist).
    Seem obsessed with "taxation without representation"

  • Daze| |

    A pub crawl before the protest march? I like the way these revolutionaries think.

  • | |

  • | |

    a different view of reality than most people

    I think it's a myth that "most people" share some special, and right, view of reality. I guess that's what makes their analysis especially frightening to me. Well, that and I'm sure my view would definitely qualify as "different".

  • | |

    most people can agree on one thing.
    But this does not mean that most people agree on most things.
    Even people who voted for Obama disagree on any number of policies.
    So this insinuation that people who differ on the scope of government are somehow mentally ill is a chilling reminder of the government sponsered loonybins of the USSR.

  • | |

    the seat of a previous revolt against a government

    Wtf? Do these guys support giving America back to the british monarchy or something? Govt's don't tend to get revolted against unless they suck, so what's the problem again? Well, I mean, what's the problem for everyone not invested in one of those hypothetical crappy govts.

  • Ellie| |

    "Tasked" Whoever coin that usage needs to be shot.

    Whenever I come across a word or usage I can't stand, I just pretend it's a euphemism for something filthy.

    "This ad campaign will be very impactful."

    "I bet it will hur hur hur."

  • | |

    I hate it when people say they're going to "grow the business" or "grow the economy." Which, I suppose, works with your system.

  • Ellie| |

    My system is like the morally degenerate version of Alots.

  • | |

    That's great. Next pet we get, we're calling it Alot.

  • Attorney| |

    Unless it's a female. Then you should name it Alotta.

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