IMHO not enough mainstream attention has been given to the Missouri Information Analysis Center's (MIAC) Strategic Report of The Modern Militia Movement, 02/20/09.
The Modern Militia Movement report infers that opposition to, or concern with, the Federal Reserve System, Martial Law and restrictions of the 1st and 2nd Amendment are dangerous "conspiracy theory's". Furthermore, it warns those who hold these views are likely sympathetic to / involved with unauthorized paramilitary organizations, i.e. domestic terrorists.
(*Rereading this: I don't want to imply that Militia Groups are domestic terrorists. All I know about them is from reading through their web sites - But, I don't think they should be lumped in with domestic terrorists when there are people on a mission of their god to kill all of us, when you look at the track record of these groups being a threat. I'm obviously not an expert though and hope to learn from those who are more knowledgeable.)
This is a clear signal to LEO's that people with these views are a threat to them and should be treated as hostile. It punishes potentially valid, and constitutionally protected, critical thought by labeling it “subcultures of conspiracy and misinformation” which "the distortions keep alive grievances and filter out facts that would challenge popular prejudices and self-serving propaganda”.
The closest I found to a comparable historical reference was The Sedition Act in 1798. This act was used to imprison Republican party members and shut down their newspapers because they opposed the Federalist party. The act was repelled, and all rulings reversed, when the Republican party won the next election (in part due to outrage over this violation of the 1st Amendment). Section 2 reads:
"...writings against the government of the United States, or either house of the Congress of the United States, or the President of the United States, with intent to defame the said government, or either house of the said Congress, or the said President, or to bring them, or either of them, into contempt or disrepute; or to excite against them, or either or any of them, the hatred of the good people of the United States" ... "such person, being thereof convicted before any court of the United States having jurisdiction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding two thousand dollars, and by imprisonment not exceeding two years."
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/sedact.asp
It reeks of treason to me that the MIAC report of The Modern Militia Movement would not have been publicly know unless an unnamed American hero LEO risked a great deal to "leak" this training pamphlet that reads:
MIAC Disclaimer: All information contained in this newsletter should be considered
LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSETIVE. Further distribution or information in this newsletter is restricted to law enforcement officers and agencies, intelligence agencies, and Department of Defense organizations only, unless prior approval is obtained from the published source.
NO REPORT OR SEGMENT THEREOF MAY BE RELEASED TO ANY MEDIA SOURCES. Civil and criminal penalties may exist for misuse, and persons or organizations violating this policy will be removed from all distribution lists.
The information herein may not be MIAC originated intelligence unless noted. Therefore the annotated originated agencies in the newsletter should be contacted for the sources and reliability of information.
http://media.mcclatchydc.com/smedia/...filiate.91.pdf
Ahead of the curve, Team Sergeant wrote about Homeland Security 'Fusion Centers', and MIAC is one of them.
http://www.professionalsoldiers.com/...ad.php?t=22423
Here is the contact information for a Sunshine requests to the Missouri Department of Public Safety
http://www.dps.mo.gov/home/MOSunshineLaw.htm