Administration threatens to criminalize dissent with focus on ‘domestic terrorism’

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The United States has a political violence problem to which the Trump administration is responding with a focus on domestic terrorism. Unfortunately, and not for the first time, federal officials define “terrorism” broadly enough to include protected activities, and they’re once again going after adherents of specific ideologies that are out of favour with the powers that be. This isn’t a new problem; presidents from both major parties have engaged in the persecution of political opponents in the name of fighting extremism and violence. The result is always the same: the violation of constitutionally protected rights.

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Journalist Ken Klippenstein revealed early in December that the office of Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a memo directing federal prosecutors and law enforcement to focus on “Antifa-aligned extremists” committed to “opposition to law and immigration enforcement; extreme views in favor of mass migration and open borders; adherence to radical gender ideology, anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, or anti-Christianity; support for the overthrow of the United States Government; hostility towards traditional views on family, religion, and morality; and an elevation of violence to achieve policy outcomes, such as political assassinations.”

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As the mention of political assassination suggests, some of the concerns motivating the memo are very serious. It follows a September presidential directive regarding domestic........

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