A college program funded by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under the Biden administration has come under scrutiny for equating conservatives and Christians to militant neo-Nazis. The revelations, brought to light by MRC Free Speech America, a conservative media watchdog, have sparked concerns about the potential bias and targeting of certain political and religious groups.
Documents obtained by MRC revealed that the DHS’s Office of Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention awarded $352,109 in the fiscal year 2022 to the University of Dayton program called PREVENTS-OH. The program aimed to educate students about the risks of radicalization to violence, focusing on media literacy and online critical thinking.
According to MRC, the program’s materials and training equated mainstream conservative groups and Christian organizations with militant neo-Nazis. A chart, titled “The Pyramid of Far-Right Radicalization,” placed respected institutions such as The Heritage Foundation, Fox News, the National Rifle Association (NRA), Breitbart News, PragerU, Turning Point USA, the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), the American Conservative Union Foundation (ACUF), and the Republican National Committee, among others, on a pyramid sorted by perceived extremism.
During the seminar, presenters categorized groups at the bottom of the pyramid as “mainstream conservatism,” including the Republican Party, Fox News, the Heritage Foundation, and the Christian Broadcasting Network. The chart then moved up to the “alt-lite” level, which included Breitbart News Network, PragerU, Turning Point USA, Infowars, and “Make America Great Again.” The top tiers labeled “alt-right” and “accelerationist terrorism” listed known radical hate groups.
🚨BREAKING: @TheMRC uncovers DHS ‘Anti-Terrorism’ Propaganda Program Used to Demonize Conservatives
The federal government, using taxpayer funds, collaborated with universities and NGOs to DIRECTLY LINK Turning Point USA & other conservative organizations with Nazism & terrorist… pic.twitter.com/Vl8POay5M2
— Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) May 25, 2023
MRC also alleged that the seminar made comparisons between former President Donald Trump and Pol Pot while suggesting that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis might wish to initiate a second Holocaust.
The DHS denied direct involvement with the seminar and disavowed the chart, stating that it was not developed, presented, or endorsed by the department. However, a DHS employee did participate in the seminar, and Dayton researchers acknowledged that it was part of the DHS grant program.
Critics, including MRC’s vice president Dan Schneider, accused the agency of dishonesty and called for DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to step down immediately. Schneider also urged Congress to launch a criminal investigation into the DHS.
The University of Dayton claimed that the seminar had no affiliation with and predates PREVENTS-OH, distancing themselves from the controversial materials.
THIS IS INSANITY: The Biden administration DHS awarding $40 million in grants to companies to label MAGA Republicans, Christians, and Fox News as militant terror groups. On top of that, the American taxpayer is paying for it pic.twitter.com/zVra3oek85
— • ᗰISᑕᕼIᗴᖴ ™ • (@4Mischief) May 26, 2023
