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Who's an Extremist?

By MIKE ANTONUCCI

When one thinks of hotbeds of radical political activity, the Albany-Schenectady area of New York does not immediately spring to mind. Yet political extremism is on the rise there, according to the Upstate New York Coalition for Democracy. Twenty-one local labor, civil rights and public interest organizations formed an alliance to put an end to this blight on the community. The group is "dedicated to upholding democracy and the constitutional rights of all people" and is also "committed to supporting and promoting diversity and mutual respect."

The first task to fulfill this mission was to survey the members to determine where and how the extremists operate. The survey asked coalition officials to report on the local activities of the Aryan Nation, Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and militia groups.

But there's something funny about the seven-page survey. There are no questions about swastikas, cross burnings, racial incidents, hate crimes or weapons stashes. Instead there are a slew of questions that could be associated with the activities of the other "Radical Right" organizations listed--Citizens for Excellence in Education, Focus on the Family, Concerned Women for America, National Association of Christian Educators and a host of other mainstream conservative organizations. The survey even mentions that dreaded category of extremist groups "Taxpayers' Association: (list specific name)."

The Coalition for Democracy's member organizations cover a wide variety of issues. There's the Albany County Rape Crisis Center, the YWCA of Schenectady, New York State Alliance for Arts Education, and local affiliates of Planned Parenthood, the Anti-Defamation League, the Humanist Society and People for the American Way. But the coalition's concerns seem to exclusively reflect those of one type of organization--teachers' unions.

New York State United Teachers, the state affiliate of the United Federation of Teachers, provides a headquarters for the coalition. The New York state affiliate of the National Education Association is also a coalition member.

Most conservative organizations--and teachers--are unaware that that AFT and NEA give hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to monitor "extremist activities." The NEA Human and Civil Rights Division produces "Extremism Watch," a periodic report for the board of directors. Under "Regional Extremist Activities," NEA lists every voucher bill proposed in every state, plus tuition tax credit legislation. Under the heading "Strategic Association Responses to Extremism," NEA noted the work of one local affiliate that protested an unfavorable story in U.S. News & World Report.

The Coalition for Democracy's "Survey to Document Radical Right Activity in Upstate New York" is typical of this genre. Here are a few of the thought crimes the coalition is looking for:

• Have you asked the school library to move "Heather Has Two Mommies" out of the kindergarten section? You could be reported.
• Do you want to "reduce or curtail public funding of the arts"? You're on the list.
• Have you "questioned the Constitutional separation of church and state"? The coalition is watching.

Other signs of "Radical Right activity" include the defeat of school budgets and opposition to sex education and "non-academic personality tests."

It suddenly becomes clear why the Coalition for Democracy sent the survey only to "organizational leadership" and "key membership." Too many members of its own rank and file might have to fink on themselves.

The survey questions mostly have to do with local school board members and candidates. The great untold story of the poor performance of the public school system is the choke-hold teachers' unions have on school board races. One wonders whether school board candidates will stoically accept being lumped together with racists and Nazis.

Do members of your school board espouse "back to basics," phonics only, allowing religious observance in the schools, private school vouchers or parental rights? They will appear on the Coalition for Democracy's blacklist and come under pressure from 21 liberal interest groups. Under such a barrage, would those trustees continue to oppose self-esteem materials or "the occult or Satanism in the curriculum"?

Civil liberties organizations sound the alarm when the activities of government get too intrusive. But how can private citizens and groups protect themselves when these very groups are getting too intrusive?