Topic: Violent Extremism

The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) releases new classifications for Domestic Violent Extremists (DVEs), including categories for racially motivated (RMVE), militia-based (MVE), and anti-government extremists. The report suggests these groups pose the most lethal threat to the U.S. interior. Critics argue these broad definitions are designed to increase surveillance budgets and target political dissidents.

The Department of Homeland Security issued a National Terrorism Advisory System bulletin regarding "domestic violent extremists" motivated by COVID-19 restrictions and election results. In a related legal action, an individual was arrested for posting a 2016 meme that falsely instructed Hillary Clinton supporters to vote via text message. The arrest is being treated as a case of criminal voter suppression.

A "tier one agent" working at a YouTube content moderation farm in Austin provides an anonymous look into the industry. The agent describes moving from the "adult content queue" to the "violent extremism queue," which is largely staffed by Arabic speakers. The note reveals that high-profile bans, such as that of Alex Jones, are handled by full-time employees rather than contractors.

The Strong Cities Network (SCN), funded by the U.S. State Department, aims to connect local authorities in cities like Denver, Atlanta, and London to share practices for preventing violent extremism. The network facilitates workshops and training seminars to strengthen community cohesion and security. The hosts characterize the initiative as a "money grab" and a potential tool for managing political dissent at the municipal level.

The White House faces criticism for using the term "violent extremism" instead of "Islamic extremism" during a recent summit. David Brooks of PBS NewsHour argues that while the religion is subject to interpretation, the Islamic State possesses a substantive theology that cannot be ignored. A clip features the President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, claiming the CIA and Mossad are behind groups like ISIS and Boko Haram.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest is questioned about why FBI Director James Comey was not invited to the summit on countering violent extremism. Earnest explains that Comey's "boss," Eric Holder, was in attendance and that the summit focused on "social media tools" rather than traditional law enforcement tactics. The hosts interpret this as a move to shift the focus toward censoring social media.

President Barack Obama hosted a summit on countering violent extremism, focusing on the sophisticated use of social media by groups like ISIS. During his remarks, the President told community leaders that their traditional outreach methods are "boring" and "not connected" compared to the high-quality digital propaganda produced by terrorists. The summit aimed to encourage local communities to take the lead in protecting individuals from radicalization in cyberspace.

Secretary of State John Kerry is highlighted for his repeated use of the word "tolerance" in speeches regarding violent extremism. The hosts note his "Kennedy-esque" cadence and argue that the push for tolerance is a global legislative agenda. Kerry contrasts the "emptiness" of terrorist attacks with the positive offerings of schools and health clinics.

The military's Asymmetric Warfare Group (AWG) released a tactical reference guide to help leaders identify signs of radicalization into violent extremism. Adam Curry reviews the guide's flowchart, which flags behaviors such as complaining about bias, visiting "extremist" blogs, or establishing websites to display unconventional views. The hosts jokingly apply these criteria to themselves, noting that the broad definitions could classify almost anyone as a potential threat.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano released a memo aiming to prevent "violent extremism" by monitoring local communities and schools, even citing truancy as a potential indicator of radicalization. Simultaneously, new rules are being proposed to regulate the sale of ammonium nitrate fertilizer to prevent "lone wolf" attacks.

Janet Napolitano addresses law enforcement officials regarding "hometown security" and countering violent extremism (CVE). She defines violent extremism as a radicalized form of violent crime and emphasizes community-oriented policing. The discussion highlights her use of the "See Something, Say Something" campaign to empower individuals as part of the security effort.