My ‘extremist’ views

In this, my last column of the academic year, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for my readers. Thank you for indulging me every other week by reading what I had to write and spending some time thinking about issues I brought to your attention. I would also like to express that I hope to be able to continue writing next year. Sadly, the continuation of this column is now out of my hands, for, it appears I'm on a list.

As I'm sure you've read, the Department of Homeland Security, under the leadership of Janet Napolitano, released a document entitled, "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment," which was provided to update various law enforcement agencies on the most pressing threats of terrorism against this country. While reading the document, I couldn't help but worry, falling as I do into so many of the listed categories that Napolitano feels are red flags for a potential home-grown terrorist.

I believe that an armed society is a polite society, and that restrictions placed on gun ownership will only hinder law-abiding citizens who go about purchasing firearms legally. The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution gives citizens of this country the "right … to keep and bear Arms," and I don't think President Barack Obama's administration has any right to modify or limit that. Unfortunately for me, Napolitano believes that dangerous line of thinking makes me a potential right-wing extremist.

I oppose lax immigration. The influx of illegal aliens financially strains our health care system, our social welfare programs and takes jobs away from Americans who are suffering from a tragically increasing unemployment rate. I applaud those immigrants who apply for citizenship legally, and wish to become legitimate members of our great country. However, I am especially worried about our porous Southern border with the chance that the increasing drug-related violence might spill over into America. In case you're wondering, "Mexican Drug Gang Members," did not make Napolitano's list of potential terrorist threats. However, my views on the issue place me, once again, into the suspect category.

Miss California, Carrie Prejean and I don't believe that the government should recognize gay "marriage." When asked about the issue at the Miss America Pageant, Prejean stated, "… you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised." Good for you, Miss California, in standing up for your beliefs, as well as for the opinion of the majority of your state (as evidenced in the last election). Unfortunately, our conservative views on the subject put Miss California and me on Napolitano's list.

I wouldn't say I have a "paranoia" of foreign regimes, per se, but I like to think that I have a healthy fear of nations that wouldn't mind seeing us wiped off the map. Though, I suppose I could try and learn from our newly elected Democratic leadership's strategy of "ignorance is bliss." Whether it's President Barack Obama sharing a few laughs with Hugo Chavez, or Secretary of State Hillary Clinton smiling through 50 minutes of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega bemoaning a century of terroristic U.S. aggression, it appears as though our new foreign policy is to pretend problems simply don't exist. When asked about the Ortega speech, Clinton responded, (and please be assured that I am not making this up) "I thought the cultural performance was fascinating." When asked a second time, Clinton responded, "To have those first-class Caribbean entertainers all on one stage and to see how much was done in such a small amount of space, I was overwhelmed." (Again, those are actual quotes.) When asked what he thought about Ortega's speech, our dear leader President Obama responded, "It was 50 minutes long. That's what I thought." And so, unlike our country's leadership, believing that perhaps we should be wary of these and other countries, I again have found myself on Napolitano's list.

And so readers, I hope to write for you again next year. But, if Napolitano does a Google search for "Blase Hennessy," and reads about my "extremist" views, there's a good chance I'll be sent to Guantanamo Bay. Being ever an optimist, I take comfort in the fact that Carrie Prejean might be there with me.

— Blase Hennessy is an IC Columnist and a second-year medical student.