Pentagon Labels Founding Fathers, Conservatives as Extremists
George Washington would not be welcome in the modern U.S. military. Neither would Thomas Jefferson or Benjamin Franklin, according to Department of Defense training documents that depict the Founding Fathers as extremists and conservative organizations as "hate groups."
The Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute training guide was obtained by Judicial Watch under a Freedom of Information Act Request. It was acquired from the Air Force but originated from the Pentagon.
"This document deserves a careful examination by military leadership," Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton told Fox News. "Congress needs to conduct better oversight and figure out what the heck is going on in our military."
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Included in the 133-pages of lesson plans is a student guide entitled "Extremism."
The DOD warns students to be aware "that many extremists will talk of individual liberties, states' rights and how to make the world a better place."
Under a section titled "Extremist Ideologies," the document states, "In U.S. history, there are many examples of extremist ideologies and movements. The colonists who sought to free themselves from British rule and the Confederate states who sought to secede from the Northern states are just two examples."
"It's disturbing insight into what's happening inside Obama's Pentagon," Fitton told Fox News. "The Obama administration has a nasty habit of equating basic conservative values with terrorism."
The Pentagon did not return telephone calls seeking comment on the training materials.
The training guide warned that participation in groups that are regarded as extremist organizations is "incompatible with military service and is, therefore prohibited."
"It's craziness," Fitton said. "It's political correctness run amok."
The training documents also focus on those who cherish individual liberty.
"Nowadays, instead of dressing in sheets or publically espousing hate messages, many extremists will talk of individual liberties, states' rights and how to make the world a better place."
The document relied heavily on information obtained from the Southern Poverty Law Center, a leftwing organization that has a history of labeling conservative Christian organizations like the Family Research Council as "hate groups."
Fitton said the reliance on SPLC material is troubling.
In 2012, an FRC guard was shot during an attack on their headquarters building. The gunman admitted he was influenced by the SPLC's branding of the Christian group has a hate group.
It's not the first time the military has been caught using training materials that depict conservatives and Christians as extremists.
In April Fox News obtained an email sent by a lieutenant colonel at Fort Campbell to three dozen subordinates warning them to be on the lookout for any soldiers who might be members of "domestic hate groups" like the FRC and the American Family Association.
"When we see behaviors that are inconsistent with Army Values – don't just walk by – do the right thing and address the concern before it becomes a problem," the email advised.
At the time the Army denied there was any attack on Christians or those who hold religious beliefs.
"The notion that the Army is taking an anti-religion or anti-Christian stance is contrary to any of our policies, doctrines and regulations," an Army spokesman told Fox News at the time.
However, in a separate incident, an Army training instructor listed Evangelical Christianity and Catholicism as examples of religious extremism – along with Al Qaeda and Hamas.
The same Army spokesman said the training session was an "isolated incident not condoned by the Department of the Army."
Fitton told Fox News the military seems to be having a lot of isolated incidents and it appears the Pentagon is sending a message to Christians.
"They are putting out the not-welcome sign to conservative Christians," Fitton said. "They are trying to make the military an unwelcome place for conservative Christians."
