It Is Time To Stop the Deep State From Targeting Conservative Christians

Recently, news broke confirming that the FBI’s Richmond Division sought to protect Virginia residents from the threat of “white supremacy.”  On January 23, 2023, an intelligence analyst within the FBI’s field office published a document titled “Interest of Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists in Radical-Traditionalist Catholic Ideology” (RMVE). The memo notes that FBI investigations have determined that there is a mounting overlap between the far-right white nationalist movement and Traditionalist Catholics who prefer the “traditional Latin mass.”

According to the FBI’s twisted view of conservative Christians, Traditionalist Catholics adhere to the “anti-Semitic, anti-immigrant, anti-LGBT, and white supremacy” ideology. By what authority has the FBI weaponized itself to target such Christians? The answer is quite simple: The FBI relies on a sketchy Left-wing group, the Southern Poverty Law Center.

To be clear, the FBI has now retracted its RMVE document. It asserts that the issuance of its memo targeting Christians fails to meet its exacting standards. In reality, the original FBI memo is entirely consistent with the Department of Justice’s move to target parents who objected to controversial school board policies in 2021. Who could forget Attorney General Merrick Garland’s October 4, 2021, memo directing the FBI to partner with local law enforcement and U.S. attorneys to identify parental threats at school board meetings against faculty and to “prosecute them when appropriate.” Based on this Deep State view, parental opposition and exercising constitutionally protected speech rights was a form of domestic terrorism. Who could forget that AG Garland launched this assault on parents’ fundamental rights without informing the public that such resistance threatened the wealth of his son-in-law? Apparently, Garland’s son-in-law profits from selling CRT teaching materials to schools.

Beyond these questions, three additional issues take center stage. First, the issue becomes whether the FBI will next target practicing Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, and Jews, in addition to Catholics. Also, do the FBI and the Department of Justice understand that the Constitution’s First Amendment’s free exercise and freedom of speech clauses provide overlapping protection that safeguards the American people’s fundamental right to the free expression of their faith? Indeed, the Supreme Court in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District held that the First Amendment protects an individual engaging in a personal religious observance from government reprisal and interference.

The second issue that demands Americans’ consideration is whether the FBI’s original RMVE memo constitutes a deliberate plan to restrict conservatives’ right to engage in constitutionally protected speech and the free exercise of their faith. The targeting of Catholics appears to be fashioned out of anti-Christian bigotry that characterizes the smug moral superiority of secularists. Adducible evidence shows that Traditionalist Catholics have endured a long line of attacks from our cultural elites. Our privileged elites have allowed their leftist views to blind them to the value of the Constitution. Equally valid, their blinders have encouraged authorities to monitor social media for online beliefs. When the FBI promotes leftist, anti-religious political opinions in the public square, this signifies that it takes one political and religious side over another. If true, this indicates that the FBI has become a threat to our democracy. Unquestionably, the actions of the Richmond office confirm that forces deeply embedded in the FBI are willing to target Christians. The next step in this process could be prosecuting Christians for practicing their faith.

The third issue becomes how the American people should respond to the FBI’s one-sided effort to interfere with our freedom of religion and place the Deep State’s thumb on the political scale. The answer is clear. Now more than ever, the American people need to respond to the FBI’s attempt to weaponize its evident disdain for conservative Christians and conservative people who believe in the rule of law. We may not have chosen this fight, but the battle to defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic, has chosen us.

This targeting of traditionalist Catholic worshippers is another example of blatant religious discrimination on the part of the Deep State, and the ACLJ just took legal action to find out who is behind it and hold them accountable. We just submitted an urgent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request demanding all records related to the creation of this outrageous memo, who was involved, and the true motivations behind it. Freedom of religion is the bedrock of this country. We must send a clear message to the Deep State that we will not let them shred the constitution and impede on our God-given right to worship as we choose without repercussions.

We need you now more than ever. The United States Constitution guarantees our religious liberty, and Biden has weaponized his FBI to target your rights. Sign our petition to end Biden’s weaponization of the FBI.