I’m sure you have all by now heard about this report from the Department of Homeland Security:

Republicans on Wednesday said a Homeland Security Department intelligence assessment unfairly characterizes military veterans as right-wing extremists. House Republican leader John Boehner described the report as offensive and called on the agency to apologize to veterans.

The agency’s intelligence assessment, sent to law enforcement officials last week, warns that right-wing extremists could use the bad state of the U.S. economy and the election of the country’s first black president to recruit members.

The assessment also said that returning military veterans who have difficulties assimilating back into their home communities could be susceptible to extremist recruiters or might engage in lone acts of violence.  (………..)

Rehbein called the assessment incomplete and said it lacked statistical evidence. He said the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing by military veteran Timothy McVeigh was one instance of a veteran becoming a domestic terrorist.

“To continue to use McVeigh as an example of the stereotypical ‘disgruntled military veteran’ is as unfair as using Osama bin Laden as the sole example of Islam,” Rehbein said in the April 13 letter.  [MSNBC]

You can read the full report here.

Plus here is the exact text that is causing the controversy:

“the possible passage of new restrictions on firearms and the return of military veterans facing significant challenges reintegrating into their communities could lead to the potential emergence of terrorist groups or lone wolf extremists capable of carrying out violent attacks.”

What I have problem with is the stereotype and implication that just because you are a “disgruntled veteran” that means you automatically will join a right wing extremist group and commit “violent attacks”.  If you are “disgruntled veteran” from the war in Iraq wouldn’t you just a likely join a left wing extremist group or run to Canada like a few veterans have already done?

Plus since veterans started returning home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan not one has committed mass murder.  For example why doesn’t the Department of Homeland Security issue a report warning authorities of “disgruntled Koreans” going on a rampage since there has been more instances of them committing mass killings then veterans. Better yet why doesn’t DHS issue a report warning Americans to be wary of Muslim immigrants committing spontaneous acts of mass murder?

You can read more here from Stripes Central.