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[[Daniel Brandt]], founder of the Wikipedia-Watch website describes watchdog organizations that use political profiling as "private intelligence agencies", and remarks as a private agency, they enjoy

[[Daniel Brandt]], founder of the Wikipedia-Watch website describes watchdog organizations that use political profiling as "private intelligence agencies", and remarks as a private agency, they enjoy

{{Cquote|no oversight, no requirements for probable cause prior to political spying, and no Privacy Act or Freedom of Information Act responsibilities to the public. By contrast, the FBI, CIA, and some major police departments in the U.S. are held accountable by various hard-won legal restrictions. <ref>Daniel Brandt, [http://www.namebase.org/news02.html ''Cyberspace Wars: Microprocessing vs. Big Brother''], NameBase NewsLine', No. 2, July-August 1993.</ref>}}

{{Cquote|no oversight, no requirements for probable cause prior to political spying, and no Privacy Act or Freedom of Information Act responsibilities to the public. By contrast, the FBI, CIA, and some major police departments in the U.S. are held accountable by various hard-won legal restrictions.<ref>Daniel Brandt, [http://www.namebase.org/news02.html ''Cyberspace Wars: Microprocessing vs. Big Brother''], NameBase NewsLine', No. 2, July–August 1993.</ref>}}

Walter James O'Brien refers to them as "civilian agencies." <ref>[http://www.rjayco.com/obrien/ Walter James O'Brien], [http://www.rjayco.com/obrien/nazism.pdf ''Nazism, the Internet and Culture of Violence,] A preliminary survey toward preventing a third world war'', 1999, pgs. 3, 6-9, 12, 14, 61, 63, 68.  Written to compete for the Trench Gascoigne Prize offered by the Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies (http://www.rusi.org); retrieved from http://rjayco.com/ 06/10/07.</ref>  And Laird Wilcox uses similar language in discussing their activities,

Walter James O'Brien refers to them as "civilian agencies." <ref>[http://www.rjayco.com/obrien/ Walter James O'Brien], [http://www.rjayco.com/obrien/nazism.pdf ''Nazism, the Internet and Culture of Violence,] A preliminary survey toward preventing a third world war'', 1999, pgs. 3, 6-9, 12, 14, 61, 63, 68.  Written to compete for the Trench Gascoigne Prize offered by the Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies (http://www.rusi.org); retrieved from http://rjayco.com/ 06/10/07.</ref>  And Laird Wilcox uses similar language in discussing their activities,

{{Cquote|Any citizen can obtain their FBI files through the Freedom of Information Act....There is no such mechanism by which a private American citizen can obtain their files compiled by private Watchdog organizations.... You cannot correct errors...  they may have obtained information that government agencies cannot legally collect on its own. This... is something that goes on all the time and represents a serious civil liberties issue. <ref>[http://spencer.lib.ku.edu/exhibits/wilcox/5.html Laird Wilcox], ''The Watchdogs: A Close Look at Anti-Racist "Watchdog" Groups'', Editorial Research Service, 1999, pg. 15. ISBN 0-993592-96-5. </ref>}}

{{Cquote|Any citizen can obtain their FBI files through the Freedom of Information Act....There is no such mechanism by which a private American citizen can obtain their files compiled by private Watchdog organizations.... You cannot correct errors...  they may have obtained information that government agencies cannot legally collect on its own. This... is something that goes on all the time and represents a serious civil liberties issue.<ref>[http://spencer.lib.ku.edu/exhibits/wilcox/5.html Laird Wilcox], ''The Watchdogs: A Close Look at Anti-Racist "Watchdog" Groups'', Editorial Research Service, 1999, pg. 15. ISBN 0-993592-96-5.</ref>}}

Some watchdog organizations have been criticized for the misuse of journalist shield laws to mask their domestic spying operations.  Robert J. Friedman of the ''[[Village Voice]]'' commented:

Some watchdog organizations have been criticized for the misuse of journalist shield laws to mask their domestic spying operations.  Robert J. Friedman of the ''[[Village Voice]]'' commented:

{{Cquote|Journalists place information in the public domain where they are held accountable for falsehoods, distortions, and libel. And for the most part, journalists don’t share their files with domestic police agencies... many of [the "watchdog" agency] files are not open to public scrutiny, false information collected by ideologically biased researchers cannot be corrected. <ref>Robert J. Friedman, ''The Anti-Defamation League is Spying On You'', The Village Voice, 11 May 1993. </ref>}}

{{Cquote|Journalists place information in the public domain where they are held accountable for falsehoods, distortions, and libel. And for the most part, journalists don’t share their files with domestic police agencies... many of [the "watchdog" agency] files are not open to public scrutiny, false information collected by ideologically biased researchers cannot be corrected.<ref>Robert J. Friedman, ''The Anti-Defamation League is Spying On You'', The Village Voice, 11 May 1993.</ref>}}

Wilcox observes the watchdog's publications are designed to support the ideological agenda of a like minded group, and not provide “news.”  Their publishing activities are only a small part of its program, most of which is fundraising, lobbying, and maintaining enemies lists. <ref>Laird Wilcox, ''The Watchdogs'', 1999, pgs 54-56.</ref> Wilcox, who is cited by the ''Military Law Review'' as one the "foremost expert analysts of right and left-wing extremism" <ref>MAJ Walter M. Hudson, [http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/Military_Law_Review/pdf-files/277C75~1.pdf ''Racial Extremism in the Army''], The Military Law Review, Vol 159 (Mar 99), pg. 7, Department of the Army, Washington, DC. Army Pamphlet No 27-100-159.</ref>, and has published numerous books and articles on various extreme groups in America since the early 1960s, including ''American Extremists: Militias, Supremacists, Klansmen, Communists and Others'' by Prometheus Books, chronicles the excesses of the watchdog industry, and asks, "Who is watching the Watchdogs?"

Wilcox observes the watchdog's publications are designed to support the ideological agenda of a like minded group, and not provide “news.”  Their publishing activities are only a small part of its program, most of which is fundraising, lobbying, and maintaining enemies lists.<ref>Laird Wilcox, ''The Watchdogs'', 1999, pgs 54-56.</ref> Wilcox, who is cited by the ''Military Law Review'' as one the "foremost expert analysts of right and left-wing extremism",<ref>MAJ Walter M. Hudson, [http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/Military_Law_Review/pdf-files/277C75~1.pdf ''Racial Extremism in the Army''], The Military Law Review, Vol 159 (Mar 99), pg. 7, Department of the Army, Washington, DC. Army Pamphlet No 27-100-159.</ref> and has published numerous books and articles on various extreme groups in America since the early 1960s, including ''American Extremists: Militias, Supremacists, Klansmen, Communists and Others'' by Prometheus Books, chronicles the excesses of the watchdog industry, and asks, "Who is watching the Watchdogs?"

{{Cquote|The simple fact is there are money and careers to be made....an entrenched industry exists... that has attracted bullying, moralizing fanatics, whose identity and livelihood depend upon growth and expansion...There is a [[humanist]] anti-racism that focuses on reconciliation and healing, that works to bring people together, that functions openly and honestly without the use of dossiers, spies, specious lawsuits, [[disinformation]], and that recognizes the rights of individuals whether they agree with one another or not. This is the anti-racism of good neighbors, of people helping people, of community goodwill, and of the realization that we are all human beings....

{{Cquote|The simple fact is there are money and careers to be made....an entrenched industry exists... that has attracted bullying, moralizing fanatics, whose identity and livelihood depend upon growth and expansion...There is a [[humanist]] anti-racism that focuses on reconciliation and healing, that works to bring people together, that functions openly and honestly without the use of dossiers, spies, specious lawsuits, [[disinformation]], and that recognizes the rights of individuals whether they agree with one another or not. This is the anti-racism of good neighbors, of people helping people, of community goodwill, and of the realization that we are all human beings....

{{Cquote|Watchdog organizations tend to define themselves in terms of their opposition, i.e., the various individuals and organizations they call “extremist,” and depend upon this opposition to justify their existence, their intense hatred of their enemies, and their often questionable fund-raising activities.  Moreover, Watchdog groups tend to exaggerate the divisions that exist in American society. In fact, the supposed polar opposites on the [[political spectrum|ideological spectrum]] have far more in common than they do in opposition. ...studies suggest that extremism is overestimated in American politics and that the differences between left and right are partly imagined.}}

{{Cquote|Watchdog organizations tend to define themselves in terms of their opposition, i.e., the various individuals and organizations they call “extremist,” and depend upon this opposition to justify their existence, their intense hatred of their enemies, and their often questionable fund-raising activities.  Moreover, Watchdog groups tend to exaggerate the divisions that exist in American society. In fact, the supposed polar opposites on the [[political spectrum|ideological spectrum]] have far more in common than they do in opposition. ...studies suggest that extremism is overestimated in American politics and that the differences between left and right are partly imagined.}}

The [[Wikipedia]] project has worked in close collaboration with several alleged humanitarian "watchdog" groups.  The "Notable Wikipedia Experts" entrusted with this venture [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2005-December/033813.html] are immune to all Wikipedia's published policies, ''WP:Attribution'', ''WP:No self promotion'', ''WP:Experts do not hold a place of privilege'', ''WP:Citing self'', ''WP:No personal attacks'', ''WP:Civility'', and ''WP:Wikipedia is not a battleground'' are the most often cited policy violations that go unenforced against these private organizations which are granted license to publicly slander at will. <ref>Chirsi Arabia, [http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=10352 Leftist Lie Factory], ''FrontPageMagazine.com'', October 16, 2003.</ref> [http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=6799&st=0&p=22830&mode=linear#entry22830]

The [[Wikipedia]] project has worked in close collaboration with several alleged humanitarian "watchdog" groups.  The "Notable Wikipedia Experts" entrusted with this venture [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2005-December/033813.html] are immune to all Wikipedia's published policies, ''WP:Attribution'', ''WP:No self promotion'', ''WP:Experts do not hold a place of privilege'', ''WP:Citing self'', ''WP:No personal attacks'', ''WP:Civility'', and ''WP:Wikipedia is not a battleground'' are the most often cited policy violations that go unenforced against these private organizations which are granted license to publicly slander at will.<ref>Chirsi Arabia, [http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=10352 Leftist Lie Factory], ''FrontPageMagazine.com'', October 16, 2003.</ref> [http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=6799&st=0&p=22830&mode=linear#entry22830]

==Links and Ties==

==Links and Ties==

The converse ''fallacy of difference'', on the other hand, renders a special judgment upon a group for a quality which is not special to it.<br/><br/>

The converse ''fallacy of difference'', on the other hand, renders a special judgment upon a group for a quality which is not special to it.<br/><br/>

The ''fallacy of the perfect analogy'' consists in reasoning from a partial resemblance between two entities to an entire and exact correspondence. <ref>David Hacket Fisher, ''Historians’ Fallacies: Toward a Logic of Historical Thought'',  New York: Harper Torchbooks, 1970, 219-223.</ref></blockquote>

The ''fallacy of the perfect analogy'' consists in reasoning from a partial resemblance between two entities to an entire and exact correspondence.<ref>David Hacket Fisher, ''Historians’ Fallacies: Toward a Logic of Historical Thought'',  New York: Harper Torchbooks, 1970, 219-223.</ref></blockquote>

Consider the following account of the “links and ties” of [[U. S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas]] offered by Chip Berlet of Political Research Associates. Berlet notes correctly that Thomas is on the editorial board of the ''Lincoln Review'', a quarterly black conservative publication of the Lincoln Institute. Berlet claims “it is a far right group that has worked in coalition with… fascist and anti-Semitic groups.”

Consider the following account of the “links and ties” of [[U. S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas]] offered by Chip Berlet of Political Research Associates. Berlet notes correctly that Thomas is on the editorial board of the ''Lincoln Review'', a quarterly black conservative publication of the Lincoln Institute. Berlet claims “it is a far right group that has worked in coalition with… fascist and anti-Semitic groups.”

All these groups and the person associated with them have been the target of "political profiling", as discussed by Laird Wilcox.  Dr. Dobson and Paul Weyrich, among several others, have been viciously smeared in Wikipedia, in violation of Wikipedia's own policies on Neutral Point of View {NPOV}, WP:What Wikipedia is not (WP:NOT), WP:Attribution, and a host of other policies.  Wikipedia claims immunity under Sec. 230 of the Internet Decency Act of 1998 which exempts a hosting facility from liability for content.

All these groups and the person associated with them have been the target of "political profiling", as discussed by Laird Wilcox.  Dr. Dobson and Paul Weyrich, among several others, have been viciously smeared in Wikipedia, in violation of Wikipedia's own policies on Neutral Point of View {NPOV}, WP:What Wikipedia is not (WP:NOT), WP:Attribution, and a host of other policies.  Wikipedia claims immunity under Sec. 230 of the Internet Decency Act of 1998 which exempts a hosting facility from liability for content.

==="'''Theocratic'''"===

==="Theocratic"===

*[[Concerned Women for America]] (CWA)  

*[[Concerned Women for America]] (CWA)  

*[[Free Congress Foundation]] ([[Paul Weyrich]]) [http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=7075&view=findpost&p=23788]

*[[Free Congress Foundation]] ([[Paul Weyrich]]) [http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=7075&view=findpost&p=23788]

==='''Wise use'''===

===Wise use===

*Alliance for America

*Alliance for America

*[[National Wetlands Coalition]]

*[[National Wetlands Coalition]]

==="'''Hate groups'''"===

==="Hate groups"===

The organizations listed below were taken from the Southern Poverty Law Center's ''Intelligence Report'' <ref>Chip Berlet, [http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=50 ''Into the Mainstream], SPLC ''Intelligence Report'', Summer 2003</ref> written by Berlet.  Berlet classifies these groups as "[[hate groups]]", and some of the defamatory smears have made their way into Wikipedia, despite numerous violations of Wikipedia's stated policies.

The organizations listed below were taken from the Southern Poverty Law Center's ''Intelligence Report'' <ref>Chip Berlet, [http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=50 ''Into the Mainstream], SPLC ''Intelligence Report'', Summer 2003</ref> written by Berlet.  Berlet classifies these groups as "[[hate groups]]", and some of the defamatory smears have made their way into Wikipedia, despite numerous violations of Wikipedia's stated policies.

*Daniel Brandt was the victim of a much publicized ongoing defamation based upon his split with an anti-Trotskyite cabal on the extreme left more than 15 years ago;

*Daniel Brandt was the victim of a much publicized ongoing defamation based upon his split with an anti-Trotskyite cabal on the extreme left more than 15 years ago;

*Dr. James Dobson is linked to racism and the Ku Klux Klan [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Research_Council#Racism_allegations] through a convoluted series of accusations [[Dominionism#The_.22Christer.22_controversy|intended to undermine the so-called "Christian Right]]" (which is interchangeable with "Christian Fascism" [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_fascism#Christianity_in_the_United_States] in Wikipedia);  

*Dr. James Dobson is linked to racism and the Ku Klux Klan [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Research_Council#Racism_allegations] through a convoluted series of accusations [[Dominionism#The .22Christer.22 controversy|intended to undermine the so-called "Christian Right]]" (which is interchangeable with "Christian Fascism" [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_fascism#Christianity_in_the_United_States] in Wikipedia);  

*Senator Thad Cochrane is slandered with invective aimed at another person;

*Senator Thad Cochrane is slandered with invective aimed at another person;

*Paul Weyrich is linked to "Christian Fascism" which is defined as a Protestant movement, despite his being a devout Catholic, because of Weyrich's organizational work for the Republican party beginning in the late 1970s; [http://www.talk2action.org/story/2006/6/5/134631/4277]

*Paul Weyrich is linked to "Christian Fascism" which is defined as a Protestant movement, despite his being a devout Catholic, because of Weyrich's organizational work for the Republican party beginning in the late 1970s; [http://www.talk2action.org/story/2006/6/5/134631/4277]

State police Lt. Bill Bowers called the station and spoke with talk show host Mike Shinaberry, who was asked about the couple and Maude Rathgeber, the Otereo [[Republican party]] chairwomen, who had also been on the show in the past. According to Shinaberry:

State police Lt. Bill Bowers called the station and spoke with talk show host Mike Shinaberry, who was asked about the couple and Maude Rathgeber, the Otereo [[Republican party]] chairwomen, who had also been on the show in the past. According to Shinaberry:

{{Cquote|It bothered me that anyone would be the subject of an investigation simply because they got on the radio and said what they believed... None of them ever came close to espousing violence. <ref>Scott Parks, ''NM Women Worry They’re On Secret List ‘Radicals’'', Dallas Morning News, 13 September 1998.</ref>}}

{{Cquote|It bothered me that anyone would be the subject of an investigation simply because they got on the radio and said what they believed... None of them ever came close to espousing violence.<ref>Scott Parks, ''NM Women Worry They’re On Secret List ‘Radicals’'', Dallas Morning News, 13 September 1998.</ref>}}

According to ''The Dallas Morning News'', which covered the story from the beginning:

According to ''The Dallas Morning News'', which covered the story from the beginning:

Mrs. Vallance, a retired nurse who is married to a civilian employee at Holloman, said Agent Finerty asked about her religious affiliation and whether anyone was “planning something” against German pilots [stationed at the base].}}

Mrs. Vallance, a retired nurse who is married to a civilian employee at Holloman, said Agent Finerty asked about her religious affiliation and whether anyone was “planning something” against German pilots [stationed at the base].}}

All of this came about by the issuance of a manual entitled ''The Extreme Right: An Overview'' containing in large part material from a [[leftist]] "Watchdog" organization to law enforcement agencies. <ref>Laird Wilcox, ''The Watchdogs'', 1999, pg. 69.</ref>  According to news sources:

All of this came about by the issuance of a manual entitled ''The Extreme Right: An Overview'' containing in large part material from a [[leftist]] "Watchdog" organization to law enforcement agencies.<ref>Laird Wilcox, ''The Watchdogs'', 1999, pg. 69.</ref>  According to news sources:

{{Cquote|The 73-page document included profiles of fringe groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, as well as skinheads and extremists who believe each race should have its own land in the United States. Lumped into the manual’s description of terrorists, racists and other pariahs is an excerpt on the so-called “[[wise use]]” movement, which advocates more local control over federally owned lands. }}

{{Cquote|The 73-page document included profiles of fringe groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, as well as skinheads and extremists who believe each race should have its own land in the United States. Lumped into the manual’s description of terrorists, racists and other pariahs is an excerpt on the so-called “[[wise use]]” movement, which advocates more local control over federally owned lands. }}

Shinaberry was spurred to investigate this manual. Speaking again with Lt. Bill Bowers he was told “that the federal government had asked state police to create a -- he used the term intelligence database’ -- to make lists of people who might be radicals.” He also noted that the manual suggests an anti-government continuum of groups that apparently run from the most peaceful to those with a reputation for violence, with no distinction made between them. As it happened the contents of the manual were leaked to the public after the police inquiries into the two women.

Shinaberry was spurred to investigate this manual. Speaking again with Lt. Bill Bowers he was told “that the federal government had asked state police to create a -- he used the term intelligence database’—to make lists of people who might be radicals.” He also noted that the manual suggests an anti-government continuum of groups that apparently run from the most peaceful to those with a reputation for violence, with no distinction made between them. As it happened the contents of the manual were leaked to the public after the police inquiries into the two women.

Ranchers and loggers erupted in anger at the manual’s juxtaposition of the [[wise use]] movement with Nazi and Klan groups....Local government officials, concerned about the impact of federal policies on rural economies, also objected to the manual.

Ranchers and loggers erupted in anger at the manual’s juxtaposition of the [[wise use]] movement with Nazi and Klan groups....Local government officials, concerned about the impact of federal policies on rural economies, also objected to the manual.

{{Cquote|I recognize that across New Mexico thousands of farmers, ranchers, miners, loggers and others are committed to preserving a way of life free from unnecessary regulation,” he wrote. “I believe free speech and the spoken word sustain our freedom. }}

{{Cquote|I recognize that across New Mexico thousands of farmers, ranchers, miners, loggers and others are committed to preserving a way of life free from unnecessary regulation,” he wrote. “I believe free speech and the spoken word sustain our freedom. }}

The "Watchdog" organization manual and others like it continue to be circulated among law enforcement officials nationwide, even though its effect is to target ordinary American citizens on the basis of the values, opinions and beliefs. <ref>Laird Wilcox, ''The Watchdogs'', pg. 70. </ref>  The Wise use movement was the target of political profiling and placed on the this leftist Watchdog list because if frequently takes positions contrary to the [[Sierra Club]] and the [[Wilderness Society]]. <ref>[http://www.attacreport.com/ar_terror/tframe.php?region=namerica&group=ef ATTAC Report].</ref>

The "Watchdog" organization manual and others like it continue to be circulated among law enforcement officials nationwide, even though its effect is to target ordinary American citizens on the basis of the values, opinions and beliefs.<ref>Laird Wilcox, ''The Watchdogs'', pg. 70.</ref>  The Wise use movement was the target of political profiling and placed on the this leftist Watchdog list because if frequently takes positions contrary to the [[Sierra Club]] and the [[Wilderness Society]].<ref>[http://www.attacreport.com/ar_terror/tframe.php?region=namerica&group=ef ATTAC Report].</ref>

==See also==

==See also==

<references/>

<references/>

[[Category:political Terms]]

[[Category:Political Terms]]