Since Ramadan began for Muslims about two weeks ago, there have been 102 terror attacks around the world in the name of Islam, costing 439 lives, according to The Religion of Peace website.
Its "Bombathon 2011 Scorecard" indicates that during the same period, there have been zero attacks in the name of all other religions costing zero lives and zero attacks by "anti-Muslim" right-wingers, again costing zero lives.
So what does U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, a Barack Obama appointee, make terrorists look like in a new public service announcement that encourages Americans to report "suspicious" behavior to authorities?
See what Janet Napolitano believes terrorists look like
New 'See something, Say something' video portrays bombers as these
Since Ramadan began for Muslims about two weeks ago, there have been 102 terror attacks around the world in the name of Islam, costing 439 lives, according to The Religion of Peace website.
Its "Bombathon 2011 Scorecard" indicates that during the same period, there have been zero attacks in the name of all other religions costing zero lives and zero attacks by "anti-Muslim" right-wingers, again costing zero lives.
So what does U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, a Barack Obama appointee, make terrorists look like in a new public service announcement that encourages Americans to report "suspicious" behavior to authorities?
The DHS suggests a typical woman terrorist would be in her late 20s or early 30s, with brunette hair, stylish clothing, high heels and a shoulder bag, and Caucasian. A man? About the same age, short hair, wearing a shirt and slacks and familiar with technology, as he's wearing an earpiece cellphone. And Caucasian.
See the video that was released just days ago:
The video follows by only weeks an earlier DHS video that featured nearly two dozen people as terrorists, of which 17 are white males, two are white females, one is a black female, one a black male and one of Middle Eastern descent.
It's here:
So people are starting to question exactly why, if the goal is to alert citizens to the behavior of terrorists, aren't the Muslims who actually commit nearly all of the world's terror attacks not properly represented.
"If you see something silly, say something: Homeland Security video portrays all 'terrorists' as white, middle class males," said a headline on the counter-terrorist website Jihad Watch recently.
It, like several reports of the video, dripped with sarcasm.
"Don't they know," wrote Jihad Watch director Robert Spencer, "stereotyping causes alienation, and alienation and poor self-esteem lead to radicalization? How these poor men are going to have to deal with those additional radicalized Misunderstanders of Middle America and worry about backlash because of their portrayal in this video! And this is going to damage our standing with middle-class white guys abroad in nations that are our Friends and Allies, and create even more terrorists."
The Daily Mail in the United Kingdom reported the video has caused "outrage by characterizing white middle class Americans as the most likely terrorists."
The July video, the newspaper noted, portrays terrorists as white and "the people who report them are either black, Asian or Arab."
"What would happen – it is asked – if it was the other way about?"
On the Jihad Watch forum, a contributor warned of negative consequences.
"We are sick and tired of being portrayed as helpless chumps just taking it once again on the chin. The minorities who [despise] us take full advantage and demean us at every turn. It will become ugly one of these days," said "DogWithoutSlippers."
The new dispute follows by just days a report that the FBI has begun handing out brochures to surplus supply stores, motels, hotels, gun shops and others asking proprietors to watch for "indicators" of terror activity that could include paying cash for items, buying supplies such as "night flashlights," and matches in a waterproof container.
Napolitano announced on a government website that DHS has been working to reduce risks by focusing on "hometown security."
"In other words, we are all stakeholders in the effort to keep our families and communities, our businesses, our social networks, and our places of meeting and worship, secure and resilient. Together, we're building a strong foundation to protect communities from terrorism and other threats, while safeguarding the fundamental rights of all Americans," she wrote.
And while noting, "There is no single profile of a would-be terrorist, we therefore don't have the luxury of focusing our efforts on any particular group," the videos focus on white males, along with a few females, in the role of terrorist.
But even on her website, the politically correct calculations were noted:
"Every American with any understanding of Islam is tired of the nonsense and propaganda coming out of the administration," wrote one forum page participant. "We are tired of the fact that violent terrorism is mandated in the Quran and Hadith, Muslims commit acts of terrorism EVERYDAY the world over, and the know-nothings in government sit around pretending like Islam and Muslims have nothing to do with terrorism. We are tired of 'violent extremism' being put in place of the words Islamofascists, Muslims, and Islamic terrorism."
Another added, "I agree wholeheartedly. As a friend to many soldiers who are and have been deployed in Muslim countries, I have heard again and again how unreal the image this administration is trying to project about both who Muslims are and what they truly believe. It is not the people who are necessarily violent but the teachings inherent in the religion itself. It is more a political ideology concerned with conquest and takeover than it is a religion or body of true moral and or theologically oriented guidelines.
All one has to do is to look at the European countries to see the impact that Islam is having on our world. The rioting, the constant menacing threats, the rate of Muslim crime including gay beatings and murder and the rape and gang rape of girls and women. They are going after these people with intent to harm."
Added a third, "It seems to me that the administration and the DHS's main concern for terrorism (worst enemy) these days is the patriotic Christian American citizen. I got news for you, you better pack a lunch..."
On a YouTube page featuring one of the videos from the government was a snide comment:
"Yes, I would like to report something suspicious."
"Certainly sir, what is that?"
"Well, some planes are flying overhead today spraying the air with poison, someone's putting a toxic industrial byproduct called fluoride in my water, some guys at the airport tried to irradiate me, that swine flu vaccine my Dr wants to give me has toxic poisons in it and my Govt wants me to start spying on my neighbors."
"Oh sir, that's not suspicious, that's for your protection."
The DHS previously has released video public service announcements about terrorism in conjunction with the NCAA, the Mall of America, Walmart and others.
But an online commentary noted the 2009 report from the DHS on "Rightwing Extremism," and said, "The underlying messages of this video are incredible. Blacks are encouraged to report to the Department of Homeland Security any suspicious activities of whites. Whites are predominantly purveyors of terrorism in America. Terrorism is not connected to any religion or race, except whites."
"Truth is, this is a $180 million taxpayer funded class warfare propaganda film pitting Americans against Americans on the basis of race, while at the same time ignoring the very fact that the overwhelming majority of terrorist acts are perpetrated by followers of Islam."
The DHS on its own "Newswire" earlier this year posted a report on an analyst that looked at the "place of birth, age, religion, and affiliations" of terrorists.
The report, however, had not a single mention of the perpetrators' "religion."
Instead, the report focused on the fact that "almost half of those arrested for plotting or carrying out attacks against the United States had prior criminal records, mostly for small-time offenses."
The comments seemed to grow more acidic as the online discussions continued. Said one on the Patriot Update site, "Well, I for one am truly OFFENDED that a white woman and a white tax driver would be portrayed as terrorists. We already have enough to do as racists."
Said another, "I agree. Being an intolerant, virulent racist takes an incredible amount of time and energy … There's only so much time in the day for evil white conservatives to wreak havoc and spread mayhem. Liberals insist we want to destroy America, oppress minority communities and hate Muslim people everywhere … I don't know how we manage when most of us are working two jobs, raising our children and just trying to keep our heads above water."
WND reported only a week earlier on the FBI requests of business managers and owners to spy on their customers in order to determine whether there were any indicators of terrorist activities.
The move followed by just days the White House announcement of a community-based approach to combating terrorism in the United States.
"Indicators" to watch for included customers who pay in cash, make "extreme" religious statements or purchase products such as waterproof matches, or even "night flashlights."
The request from the government also went to gun shops, fertilizer suppliers, motels and hotels, authorities say.
The following was handed out to surplus stores by agents of the FBI in Denver.
The flyer was reminiscent of the Department of Homeland Security's 2009 report "Right-wing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment" that suggested "the return of military veterans facing significant challenges reintegrating into their communities could lead to the potential emergence of terrorist groups."
The report from the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis defined right-wing extremism in the U.S. as "divided into those groups, movements and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups) and those that are mainly anti-government, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or rejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration."
The DHS report had followed only by weeks a report from the Missouri Information Analysis Center that linked conservative groups to domestic terrorism.
The Missouri report warned law enforcement agencies to watch for suspicious individuals who may have bumper stickers for presidential candidates such as Ron Paul, Bob Barr and Chuck Baldwin. It further warned law enforcement to watch out for individuals with "radical" ideologies based on Christian views, such as opposing illegal immigration, abortion and federal taxes.
Officials with Oath Keepers.org noted the document was similar to one earlier given to gun store managers in Utah. Authorities in Denver confirmed to WND that related brochures are going to surplus stores, hotels and motels, farm supply companies that handle fertilizer and gun shops.
"This new handout expands the absurdity by now also targeting customers of military surplus stores, and by specifically targeting the purchasing of very common, and very popular, preparedness items such as Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) as 'potential indicators of terrorist activities,'" said a statement from Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes.
"Islamic terrorists are not known to hang out in local Army-Navy surplus stores, stocking up on MREs, high capacity magazines and bi-pods for their long range rifles," the statement said. "As Brandon Smith, over at Alt-market.com notes, 'These are very common purchases, not for terrorists, but for Preppers and Survivalists, who are obviously the targets of the FBI profile, not secret al-Qaida agents.'
"Spot on," Rhodes wrote. "Obviously, the current crop of FBI 'leadership' considers anyone who wants to be self-sufficient and prepared to be a 'threat' that should be relentlessly tracked and reported."
An FBI spokesman in Denver confirmed to WND that the flyer is genuine.
"It has been disseminated throughout the United States by the FBI. The flyer and the information on it, stands on its own merit. It was created by FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., the Denver Division has placed our contact information on the flyer and distributed it to local businesses within the states of Colorado and Wyoming.
"I assure you the process and the information has been well vetted by the Department of Justice before being released."
In addition to contact information for the FBI, the flyer also had a telephone number for the Colorado Information Analysis Center, a law enforcement "fusion" center where director Dana Reynolds told WND it's just part of the information-collecting done by the government.
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