US Government & The politics of fear

February 10, 2012 by ppjg
New World Reporter

R.F. Goggin/PPJ Contributor

(NWR) - It’s one thing when a governmental law enforcement official in America attempts to convince a U.S. citizen of the host of supposed threats to their safety from alleged terrorist plotters abroad, but when they raise the specter of American citizens becoming a threat to State or local police (and thereby, to everybody else in the country) – as has been reported by the Associated Press via The Washington Post recently, then it’s high time for Americans to wise up to the state of paranoid power-grabbing which has taken root in the highest federal offices of the land. And also to a United States Government of which has forsaken the path of serving the public for something self-motivated or totalitarian in nature.

When a law enforcement officer puts on a badge in any state or city in our country, they run the risk of being physically harmed during any interaction or altercation at all having to do with a United States citizen, period. This, fact of American life – is something that has always been part and parcel of a police job description, or an officer’s duty. Why now, with the American economy in shambles and with growing anti-government sentiment on the rise (by virtue of things such as the ‘Occupy’ movement, and/or the like), should it suddenly become important for the U.S. Government to emphasize an interest in protecting state or local police agencies?

I think I can postulate such a brazenly self-centered and craven reasoning process, easily enough. And only the shortsighted, I would sadly reckon, might somehow underestimate to where such dangerously unprecedented notions are destined to lead.

According to the F.B.I. deputy assistant director of counterterrorism, Stuart McArthur, Americans need be made wary of growing movement of violent ‘sovereign citizen extremists’, who, although supposedly represent a widespread menace across the country – in the same breath, somehow, share no particular age, gender, race, constitution or recognizable coordination to speak of?

And because this new threat to America – reportedly is so broad-based and disconcerting, indeed, as to require the government’s attention; some invisibly 100,000 strong (according to Associated Press report), then what is to stop those of whom may simply be a dissatisfied or disaffected American citizen, from in effect, being similarly characterized as a potential terrorist threat by some over-zealous Washington bureaucrat?

A lack of violent tendency or history, perhaps, on their part? Would that be nearly enough to satisfy those proactively pre-emptive governmental law enforcement minds at work within the current state of our union?

What I am speaking of here, comes, of course, even as The Department Of Homeland Security, the F.B.I., and police departments all over America, busily exercise both their respective and joint counterterrorism operations into all conceivable areas of public activity in America, and at U.S. taxpayer’s expense – one must certainly conclude.

As an American, I find this nonsensical, absurdly fear-mongering ‘sovereign citizen’ threat to our country of which this agent McArthur seeks to perpetuate among the U.S. public, a local governmental concern (if at all); and unworthy of mention – at best, and an authoritative and manipulative attempt to mold public sentiment or behavior – at worst.

Has the F.B.I. decided that they have become a completely self-contained entity or body of government; equipped with some righteous reasoning for activities which go far beyond any responsibility with regard to the free expression or civil liberties of the American public? Or that because of September 11th 2001, the authority of our federal government has somehow evolved to surpass the scrutiny or control of the very people who pay their salaries? That their job description(s) now include the power to prosecute and extinguish all forms of government dissent – even before it might take place? Is there anyone reading my words who is inclined to believe a local peace officer is likely to wait for a violent interaction from some ill-perceived American ‘sovereign extremist’, with the guidance and auspices of the federal government at his or her back?

Seems to me that if agent McArthur were in the business of trying to bring into being or to coalesce exactly such an anti-government ‘movement’ as he warns of, then he is off upon on some damn foolhardy track to do exactly that.

Stuart McArthur

Unsubstantiated or unwarranted statements or assertions delivered as such through the media to Americans by those like the F.B.I.’s deputy assistant counterterrorism director McArthur, need to be challenged and debunked in earnest, and moreover, not taken at face value by anyone who might not understand the desire of human nature to exaggerate events or invent situations which lend themselves to the longevity of one’s own position, power or occupation.

Even rudimentary statistics to slightly confirm the assertions of McArthur on this matter, were not offered to the general public during this instance of bureaucratic fear-mongering, due to the perfectly sensible thought on my part at least, that proof of this issue is non-existent.

Although, there may indeed be folks or scattered groups here and there, preparing for any American eventuality, there is simply no concertedly violent, subversive effort that is worthy of federal consideration taking place by ‘sovereign extremists’ in America to thwart the U.S. Government or State or local governments and/or any agencies thereof. And if ever a U.S. citizen were to begin to believe such things to be commonplace, then in doing so, you will only be opening the door as wide as may be for the destruction of your most basic of liberties, and the institution of all that is as un-American – as might be imagined.

With every new so-called ‘terrorist’ threat that America supposedly faces, our government becomes more empowered to act as our Orwellian ‘Big Brother’; perfect the mechanics of a new and burgeoning ‘police state’, and to eventually erode all of which it is incumbent upon the U.S. Government not to merely abide with humility, but also to protect or to oft-times serve.

by R.F. Goggin
(Contributing Author)

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