Dallas to require background checks for homeland security volunteers

by Jessica Huseman of Politically Inclined

Funny how this is just now an issue.

In response to the case of Aaron McCarthy, the controversial founder of the New Black Panther movement who was squeezed out of his spot on Dallas’ Homeland Security Committee over his involvement in the party – which many considered to be racist and anti-Semitic – the county will now run background checks on its homeland security volunteers.

While that’s nice, it screams the question: Why were we not doing this before?

Was the county honestly allowing people to volunteer with homeland security without a background check? It seems so. McCarthy, who volunteered extensively with the county’s homeland security and emergency management departments, never had to undergo any sort of background check at all.

McCarthy shows no criminal convictions on his record, but instead just interrupted a lot of school board meetings with his party. He’s being kicked off because of what people think he is, which may or may not be fair. But who else slipped through the cracks here? And who else could have?

I underwent a background check to volunteer with my church. Do you honestly not have to have one for emergency management? It also bothers me that none of the news outlets currently reporting on this development are asking that question. But hey, we’ll just let a gaping hole in county security slide … right?