Who's the enemy?

Alan posts about Homeland Security Kabuki Secretary Napolitano's focus on the Tea Parties, to the exclusion of Times Square bombers, and explains her focus:

No foreign terrorist will EVER be a threat to the progressives. All they can do is blow things up and kill some people. No threat to progressivism there.

But the disgruntled American with the Gadsden Flag sticker? He believes in The Constitution, limited government, low taxes and HE VOTES!

He’s a HUGE threat to the progressive agenda and must be stopped at all costs.

She's not alone. Alan's post reminded me of one I did back in the Pleistocene Age of Borepatch, about Massachusetts' idiot Attorney General:

Tekmage has great post about Massachusett's idiot Attorney General, Martha Coakley. For those who haven't heard, here's the Cliff Notes version:

1. Pervert molests 4 year old in public bathroom.
2. Kid's (ex-Marine) dad catches him, and goes all Semper Fi on perv's ass.
3. Police show up, take one look at situation, and arrest the dad.
   

When Atty Gen Coakley was asked WTF was up with this, her reply was "We don't encourage self help." Well now.

...

At first blush, it seems that the $64,000 question is "Why would the authorities not want the public's help?" Suppose that the Mass.Gov really wanted to reduce child abuse. They'd give the dad a medal, and haul Mr. Feely off to durance vile. Then everyone would retire to the local saloon: Whiskey for my men and beer for my horses.

That's sure not happening. So the real $64,000 question is "Why not?" The answer is ugly.

It's not ugly because the idiot police let the molester go free, although that's pretty ugly. While the molester is a threat to the community, he is not a threat to the authorities.

What is a threat to the authorities? Mr. Marine Dad, who wasn't a good victim, who didn't go running to the Nanny State for help, who handled things.

How's the Mass.Gov supposed to justify more spending on public safety when the public is, well, keeping itself safe. Can't have that. Listen to Ms. Coakley again:

We don't encourage self help.

You'll know that you understand her completely when a shiver runs down your spine.

So sadly, Alan's perfectly right. Sadly, Secretary Napolitano is not by any means alone in her view. Sadly, both Secretary Napolitano and Attorney General Coakley are in control of the Organs of the State. Sadly, those Organs are aimed not at dangers to the Body Public, but to the Body Politick.