A Series Of Unfortunate Events

Mr. (or Mrs.) Right-wing Extremist...Welcome To Your New Home

I'm not sure whether or not to start packing now so that I am prepared when they come for me. I somehow doubt they'll wait around while I select my most comfy shoes from the closet.

For those who may have forgotten, it was only four short months ago that our own Department Of Homeland Security labelled we on the right side of the political spectrum as "potential terrorists". As could be expected, the only play that story received in the mainstream media was a concerted effort to convince those in the "target zone" that they were overreacting. Then the story dried up, lasting about one sixteenth the amount of time the media covered the disappearance of Natalie Halloway.

Once again the media, in its seemingly sedentary stupor, appears to be content to lay on the sofa eating bon-bons in their fuzzy pink slippers while visions of Obama dance in their heads. What else could explain their absence on a story of such magnitude? What is that story that is so monumental, you may ask?

It is the story that the media has not made a story. It is the story - only four months after Auntie Janet labelled us as potential threats - of the Army National Guard advertising for Internment/Resettlement Specialists. Yes, you read that right. From the GoArmy website, the first paragraph of the job description:

Internment/Resettlement (I/R) Specialists in the Army are primarily responsible for day-to-day operations in a military confinement/correctional facility or detention/internment facility. I/R Specialists provide rehabilitative, health, welfare, and security to U.S. military prisoners within a confinement or correctional facility; conduct inspections; prepare written reports; and coordinate activities of prisoners/internees and staff personnel.

If you follow the link, you'll also see some bullet-point duties described, such as "Provide counseling and guidance to individual prisoners within a rehabilitative program". If that does not conjure images of re-education camps for anyone, please raise your hand.

Who shall be housed in these new "facilities"? Call me crazy - yes, I'm sure there is a barracks with my name on it already - but when someone pays for advertising, they usually do so expecting heavy demand. The Army is also using Monster.com to recruit.

Now, close your eyes, lean back and try to imagine if this were under the Bush/Cheney administration. And while you're in such deep concentration, try to figure out if our new "dorms" will be called barracks or Baracks.

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