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Press Release

Rep. Leon Drolet Says Radical Group BAMN Needs to Go Home Now:

“Groups suspected of terrorist activities are not welcome here!”

(Lansing, Mich) A state elected official is demanding the immediate cessation of political activities in Michigan by a national organization recently cited on an FBI watch list of groups suspected of terrorist activities.

State Representative Leon Drolet ( R-Clinton Township) is demanding the group “By any Means Necessary” (BAMN) immediately move its political operation out of Michigan.

“I would never seek to undermine a legitimate organization that is ethical in exercising its constitutional right to free speech through political advocacy,” said Drolet. “Unfortunately, this group’s activities have, on more than one occasion, crossed the line between legitimate political activism to using tactics that are meant to intimidate and, frankly, are illegal.”

According to BAMN’s website (www.bamn.com) the group is willing to resort to “any means necessary” to undermine ongoing efforts around the nation to eliminate preferential admissions and public hiring policies. BAMN recently set up shop in Michigan to try to prevent the inclusion of a proposed constitutional amendment to eliminate these practices from the 2006 statewide election ballot.

Drolet added he hoped any organization that has previously allied itself with BAMN would immediately and publicly dissociate itself from the group and its questionable activities.

“I have been involved in politics and advocacy for a long time, so I understand there is strength in numbers in activism,” said Drolet. “But there comes a time for organizations such as One United Michigan and others, who have traditionally aligned themselves with BAMN’s Michigan activities, to unequivocally do the right thing by not continuing to support an organization that resorts to tactics that have landed them on a national terrorism watch list.”

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