Oracle Online

Meanwhile, in the United States, a group of Hmong veterans were denied green cards just over a week ago because the government considers them terrorists.

The problem is that it is not a particular group of Hmong that are labeled as terrorists by the United States government, but all Hmong who are not currently US citizens (and even some who are).

How a group of people or a particular ethnic group is considered terrorist is outlined in USA PATRIOT Act Title 22 of the US Code, Section 2656f(d):

The term “terrorism” means premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience.

Because many Hmong aided the United States as a subnational guerrilla force during the Vietnam War, the Hmong are considered a terrorist group.

Hmong refugees began arriving in the United States shortly after the end of America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. Today, around 170,000 Hmong live in the United States-nearly 15 percent live in St. Paul (Associated Press/US Census).

Still, many Hmong immigrants do receive green cards, but even after passing this hurdle, the problems don’t end. The USA PATRIOT Act also allows the government to surveil any citizen or US resident is suspected of terrorist activity. This “activity,” understandably, includes the act of aiding or abetting terrorists, but broad language leaves the door open to possible civil rights violations.

Because Hmong are considered terrorists under the USA PATRIOT Act, those who wish to send money to family members who remain in Laos can be considered aiding and abetting. Even sending gifts like clothing and modern amenities available for a cheaper America can be enough to be added to a list of suspected terrorists.

The Hmong aren’t alone in their plight, though. The Department of Homeland Security recently admitted that Iraqi nationals who helped USA forces recover Jessica Lynch, a captured American soldier, could be denied green cards or citizenship based on the fact that they are a subnational group.

The government has failed, on more than one count. In no way does Uncle Sam distinguish between actual terrorist threats and those who weren’t “fortunate” enough to be born in the right country. This is the worst form of racial profiling and is a stark affront to civil rights. Simply put the USA Patriot Act is proving more and more un-Amerian.

Beyond the government’s clear failures, we, being in our small way part of the media, recognize that one of the gravest sins in this whole affair is the mainstream media’s lack of coverage. The plight of these brave men and women and their families, with the many sacrifices they have made as patriots and allies of the United States, don’t even rank above the death of Anna Nicole Smith, Britney Spears’ latest misadventures and an astronaut in a diaper. Its hard not to feel like some sort of fall is near.