Texas secession, Tea Parties, Hatred of Conservatives, CNBC Sweats 'Obama-Bashing'

“Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings. “…Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”  -Patrick Henry 1) Democrats: Texas gov should disavow secession talk AUSTIN, Texas – In a state that once was its own nation, a Republican governor who talked about secession without completely dismissing the idea has Democratic lawmakers in an uproar. Gov. Rick Perry, in comments following an anti-tax "tea party" Wednesday, never did advocate Texas breaking away from the United States but suggested that Texans might at some point get so fed up they would want to leave the union. That was enough to feed opinions for and against secession on Web sites, cable TV and talk radio across the nation. At the Texas Capitol on Thursday, Rep. Jim Dunnam of Waco, joined by several fellow Texas House Democrats, said some people associate talk of secession with racial division and the Civil War and that Perry should disavow any notion of seceding. "Talk of secession is an attack on our country. It can be nothing else. It is the ultimate anti-American statement," Dunnam said at a news conference. Just how is TALK of secession an attack on our country???? Welcome to the upside down world of liberalism… See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090417/ap_on_re_us/perry_secession And: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D97J48IO2.html 2) DHS issued report on extremism despite concerns WASHINGTON – Civil liberties officials at the Homeland Security Department did not agree with some of the language in a controversial report on right-wing extremists, but the agency issued the report anyway. In the report, right-wing extremism was defined as hate-motivated groups and movements, such as hatred of certain religions, racial or ethnic groups. "It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration," the report said. Just how is opposition to abortion ‘hatred’ or ‘hate-motivated’? Killing unborn babies is a hateful act… See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090417/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/napolitano_right_wing_extremists 2a) Napolitano stands by controversial report Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Wednesday that she was briefed before the release of a controversial intelligence assessment and that she stands by the report, which lists returning veterans among terrorist risks to the U.S.  But the top House Democrat with oversight of the Department of Homeland Security said in a letter to Ms. Napolitano that he was "dumbfounded" that such a report would be issued.  "This report appears to raise significant issues involving the privacy and civil liberties of many Americans - including war veterans," said Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, in his letter sent Tuesday night. See: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/16/napolitano-stands-rightwing-extremism/ 2b) Why call Americans 'extremists?' DHS asked Freedom of Information Act request seeks 'basis' for report "This is not an intelligence report but a diatribe against those who oppose the policies of the Obama administration," said Richard Thompson, president and chief counsel for the organization.  "It is a declaration of war against the American people and our constitution. It is a prelude to extreme gun control legislation and hate speech laws targeting Christian churches and others who oppose abortion and same sex marriage," he continued. "The federal government should be focusing its attention on the 35 radical Muslim compounds in the U.S. training its followers on how to kidnap and kill Americans." See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95149 2c) CNN Smears 'Right Wing' As Nazis See: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mike-sargent/2009/04/15/cnn-smears-right-wing-nazis 2d) MSNBC Again Touts Right-Wing Threat of Violence; Features GOP Logo Speaking to Democratic strategist Bob Shrum, Brewer asked about a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report warning of "right-wing extremists." In a bewildered tone, she wondered, "...Is it just a leap to think that they're talking about Republicans? They didn't even mention conservatives in the report." See: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/scott-whitlock/2009/04/15/msnbc-again-touts-right-wing-threat-violence-features-gop-logo 3) Md. Guard Issues Warning to Staff about Local TEA Party Protestors The document appears to treat protestors as potential terrorists. The Point of Contact is identified as "Antiterrorism Program Coordinator" and provides a redacted army.mil email address.  The verbiage in the document advises Guard personnel to prepare for the worst. "Commanders are encouraged to update alert rosters and review emergency evacuation plans/rally points. Ensure all facilities have emergency phone lists posted (i.e. FBI, FIRE, POLICE, HOSPITALS, EMS, ETC…). Be aware of and avoid local protests." See: http://somd.com/news/headlines/2009/9833.shtml 4) CNBC Asks Santelli to React to Tea Parties: 'I'm Pretty Proud of This' “I don’t know about cultural phenomenon, but I’ll tell you what,” Santelli said. “I think that this tea party phenomenon is steeped in American culture and steeped in American notion to get involved with what’s going on with our government. I haven’t organized. I’m going to have to work to pay my taxes, so I’m not going to be able to get away today. But, I have to tell you – I’m pretty proud of this.” See: http://www.businessandmedia.org/articles/2009/20090415092104.aspx 5) Coast-to-coast tea parties put lawmakers on notice Taxpayers descend upon politicians in numbers far beyond expectations SACRAMENTO – Americans took to the streets to protest wasteful government spending today – with estimated crowd sizes of 5,000 to 15,000 in Atlanta, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Olympia, Wash., Lansing, Mich., Kansas City and St. Louis, Mo., and Sacramento. …and about 2,000 in Lisle, Il, where my husband held a hand-made sign that read, “Lady Liberty and John Galt have packed their bags” on one side, and “America has lost its collective mind…is it 2010 yet?” on the other. See: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/15/anti-tax-tea-party-protests-expected/ And: http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/04/16/beck_alamo/ And: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95111 6) CNBC SWEATS 'OBAMA-BASHING' THE top suits and some of the on-air talent at CNBC were recently ordered to a top-secret meeting with General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt and NBC Universal President Jeff Zucker to discuss whether they've turned into the President Obama-bashing network, Page Six has learned.  "It was an intensive, three-hour dinner at 30 Rock which Zucker himself was behind," a source familiar with the powwow told us. "There was a long discussion about whether CNBC has become too conservative and is beating up on Obama too much. There's great concern that CNBC is now the anti-Obama network. The whole meeting was really kind of creepy." See: http://www.nypost.com/seven/04162009/gossip/pagesix/cnbc_sweats_obama_bashing_164608.htm 7) Officials Say U.S. Wiretaps Exceeded Law WASHINGTON — The National Security Agency intercepted private e-mail messages and phone calls of Americans in recent months on a scale that went beyond the broad legal limits established by Congress last year, government officials said in recent interviews. …The agency believed that the congressman, whose identity could not be determined, was in contact — as part of a Congressional delegation to the Middle East in 2005 or 2006 — with an extremist who had possible terrorist ties and was already under surveillance, the official said. The agency then sought to eavesdrop on the congressman’s conversations, the official said. See: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/us/16nsa.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1239937524-HL91quRGadq%20NWP%20HdbC3A 8) Obama's plan for Mideast peace: Strip Israel bare TEL AVIV, Israel – The Obama administration has decided to base its approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on an Arab "peace" initiative, according to a source in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.  Defenders of Israel warn the so-called "Arab Peace Initiative" in its full form would leave the Jewish state with truncated, difficult-to-defend borders and could threaten Israel's Jewish character by compelling it to accept millions of foreign Arabs. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95171