Odds ‘n Sods:

Chester sent us the link to his “must watch” video Real Gunfighter Lance Thomas on Justice Files. The lessons to be learned: If you live in a bad neighborhood, then relocate, as soon as possible. But regardless, get the best self defense tools and training that you can afford.

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Bill Six spotted this: ‘Open season’ declared on Mason Co. criminals

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F.R. forwarded a link to a masterful piece of gray propaganda: Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment. Its liberal bias is subtle but is a consistent drumbeat throughout the document. The authors appear to be in the Extremism and Radicalization Branch, Homeland Environment Threat Analysis Division (a cell within the Intelligence & Analysis (I&A) Branch of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)), but I suspect that much of the content was outsourced. The authors made only a few factual errors (such as referring to same-sex marriage as a “radicalizing” issue in the 1990s–it wasn’t actually an issue until it was first legislated in Massachusetts in 2001.) But they have obviously fully embraced the innuendos, half truths, and urban mythos promulgated by leftist “watchdog” groups such as the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the Center for New Community, and the Center for Democratic Renewal. It is sad to see public officials either duped by leftist pressure groups, or willingly co-opted because of their own political bias. If the report were actually fair and balanced, then it would have analyzed both the “rightwing” threat and leftists. (Other DHS I&A Branch publications such as the Domestic Extremism Digest have shown far less bias in the past.) But to the authors of this new report, and to those of their ilk, hard core conservatives are “radicals”, while assorted hard core left wingers are merely “activists.”) The only thing worse than a smear campaign is a subtle smear campaign.