New terrorists

It has been noted that Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano doesn't use the words "terrorist" or "terrorism" anymore to refer to the likes of the Taliban or Osama bin Laden. What is less noted is that she is very happy to use the words in connection with people who "are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposing abortion or immigration," or who have "paranoia of foreign regimes," or "fear of Communist regimes."

This may mean nothing, of course. It is a truism of human behavior to be polite to one's acquaintances and then come home and kick the dog. Nevertheless, imagine my surprise---after learning that in the foreign affairs arena, "terrorism" had been rehabilitated to "man-caused disasters" addressed by "overseas contingency operations"---at finding Ms. Napolitano not at all squeamish to refer to certain domestic thorns in her side as "terrorists."

In a nine-page memo titled "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment" issued by Napolitano's office and disseminated nationally to law enforcement agencies, I counted the word "terrorist(s)" 10 times, all referring to U.S. citizens who espouse what Homeland Security considers dangerous political leanings. (In addition, I circled 53 occurrences of the phrase "rightwing extremists" or "extremists" or "domestic rightwing extremists," alternate designations of the same groups.)

My daughter and I are reading Orwell's 1984 together at bedtime and it is barely keeping up with the news developments.