Paranioa Strikes Deep...

I have always been slightly amused by paranoid people. Being a rational individual, I KNOW that most perceived threats and fears are illogical and therefore not worthy to be considered for further serious thought; unfortunately it has recently come to my attention that the paranoid fear of being watched MAY ACTUALLY BE JUSTIFIED (at least in Missouri)! Apparently the Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC) recently released a confidential strategic report that was distributed to State Troopers that dealt with the threat posed by the modern militia movement. The document reads like a standard threat assessment dealing with the history, training, organization, and general capabilities of modern militias. It becomes very interesting when it starts discussing identification of militia members. For instance the document singles out supporters of Bob Barr, Chuck Baldwin, and Ron Paul as potentially dangerous militia members. Additionally, if you display bumper stickers or cartoons that depict the “IRS, FBI, CIA, UN, Law Enforcement, and ‘The New World Order’” in a derogatory manner you just might be a dangerous militia member. If you happen to be a Christian and/or Pro-life and vocal about either of those things you risk being identified as a militia member as well.
There is some good news though; one of the State Trooper recipients of this report found it disturbing and turned it over to the media. In the last month the public backlash has been so great that the report has since been pulled, so I guess that’s a victory for free speech and privacy.
The bad news is that MIAC is still up and running and the people responsible for the report are most likely still analyzing data and profiling their fellow citizens. In other bad news MIAC is only one of many (estimates vary from 58 to the high 70’s) “Fusion Centers” around the United States. Fusion Centers? What are those?
AND NOW WE COME TO THE MEAT AND POTATOES OF THIS POST!! Fusion Centers are information nexus that allow information sharing between various levels and branches of government. They analyze information and intelligence from law enforcement agencies, “public safety agencies, such as fire, health, and transportation; and the private sector. Fusion centers bring all the relevant partners together to maximize the ability to prevent and respond to terrorism and criminal acts. By embracing this
concept, these entities will be able to effectively and efficiently safeguard our homeland and maximize anticrime efforts (emphasis added).” – Fusion Center Guidelines, U.S. Dept of Justice. I am completely in favor of defending our nation from enemies who would do us serious harm. However this concept of a centralized information clearing house that can conduct extraordinarily wide ranging intelligence gathering with limited oversight and apparently few restrictions on what they can and cannot do gives me great cause for concern. The case of MIAC, the Missouri fusion center, is an excellent example of the dangers posed by intelligence gathering on our own soil. They painted potential militia members with such broad strokes that Missouri State Troopers were effectively told to view anyone with political leanings to the right of a moderate democrat as an armed and dangerous commando. My writings on this site would most certainly put me on their radar if the policy had been allowed to stand.
Another item that really bothers me in the quote above is the phrase “anticrime efforts”. Serving in the military gave me some limited insight into what is required for pre-emptive measures such as anticrime efforts or antiterrorism efforts. Pre-emptive measures require intelligence gathering, more commonly called “spying”. These fusion centers are apparently required as part of their operations to conduct or at least analyze domestic surveillance. This is most certainly a breach of our right to the security of our persons and property as well as a gross invasion of privacy. It also flies in the face of the concept of innocent until proven guilty. The term “Police State” is tugging at the corner of my mind, however that just smacks of paranoia so I’ll hold off on that for a while....maybe.
I really wish I were making all of this up. Sadly, though, that does not appear to be the case. I have done a little research into this and the more I learn, the more disturbed I become. I will attempt to put some of the supporting documentation up on the website so you will be able to draw your own conclusions. I fear that The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave is becoming The Land of the Bound and the Home of the Fearful. Unjust entities and governments cannot exist where good men stay educated and involved. Educate yourself and get involved.