A new round of assaults on our constitutional rights were announced by the Obama administration over the weekend.
The first deals with a grant given through the DOJ’s Institute of Justice to Michigan State University to conduct a study originally introduced and praised by Eric Holder earlier this year when he was still the attorney general. The study will concentrate on “far-right” groups and their usage of social media. The intent, according to the DOJ, is to combat violent extremism.
According to language in the grant: “there is currently limited knowledge of the role of technology and computer mediated communications (CMCs), such as Facebook and Twitter, in the dissemination of messages that promote extremist agendas and radicalize individuals to violence. The proposed study will address this gap though a series of qualitative and quantitative analyses of posts from various forms of CMC used by member of both the far-right and Islamic extremist movements.”
Yep, the administration continues to lump “far-right” with “Islamic extremists.”
By the way, do you remember how those on the left accused anyone who opposed Net Neutrality due to concerns over government spying? Not looking so crazy now, is it?
The project will also aim to “identify the hidden networks of individuals who engage in extremist movements based on geographic location and ideological similarities.” (emphasis mine)
The other area of the Constitution targeted by Obama over the weekend is with the 2nd Amendment, where the DOJ announced a new round of Executive Actions intended to restrict or remove the gun rights of many Americans before Obama leaves office in 2016… if he leaves office.
The long list of new rules will include many of the ideas Obama has tried–and failed–to enact in the past. Are you a military veteran? Someone who has been to a counselor to deal with a stressful situation? Barry’s new rules will strip you of your 2nd Amendment rights if he’s successful.
By the way, since writing this piece, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a man who posted threats on Facebook, saying it was protected free speech.
Do you think that might make Obama reconsider his plans? Me neither.
