News From the Obamaphate: DHS Rebranding itself as "ВЧК"

In coordination with the White House Office of Re-Branding - because, after all, a good marketing campaign is all it takes to win the public's support - DHS has undertaken an image overhaul and has renamed itself "ВЧК" (which, transliterated to the Latin alphabet, reads Cheka). As part of the re-branding campaign, the Corner of 12th and C Street, S.W. in Washington, D.C. has been renamed to "Felix Dzerzhinsky Place" and ВЧК has adopted a new emblem (below) to be rolled out over the next several weeks on all departmental vehicles, stationery, business cards, lapel pins, coffee mugs, baseball caps, tee-shirts and other collectibles. The Department of Justice will enforce all ВЧК trademarks and copyright interests in the emblem.

As part of the new branding effort, the Secretary's title has been re-branded to Commissar, and Commissar Napolitano has just announced a new partnership with Walmart to encourage shoppers to spy on each other:

Press Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Dec. 6, 2010

IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING'

WASHINGTON -- Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced the expansion of the Department’s national “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign to hundreds of Walmart stores across the country—launching a new partnership between DHS and Walmart to help the American public play an active role in ensuring the safety and security of our nation.

“Homeland security starts with hometown security, and each of us plays a critical role in keeping our country and communities safe,” said Secretary Napolitano. “I applaud Walmart for joining the ‘If You See Something, Say Something’ campaign. This partnership will help millions of shoppers across the nation identify and report indicators of terrorism, crime and other threats to law enforcement authorities.”

The “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign—originally implemented by New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority and funded, in part, by $13 million from DHS’ Transit Security Grant Program—is a simple and effective program to engage the public and key frontline employees to identify and report indicators of terrorism, crime and other threats to the proper transportation and law enforcement authorities.

More than 230 Walmart stores nationwide launched the “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign today, with a total of 588 Walmart stores in 27 states joining in the coming weeks. A short video message, available here, will play at select checkout locations to remind shoppers to contact local law enforcement to report suspicious activity.

Over the past five months, DHS has worked with its federal, state, local and private sector partners, as well as the Department of Justice, to expand the “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign and Nationwide SAR Initiative to communities throughout the country—including the recent state-wide expansions of the “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign across Minnesota and New Jersey. Partners include the Mall of America, the American Hotel & Lodging Association, Amtrak, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, sports and general aviation industries, and state and local fusion centers across the country.

In the coming months, the Department will continue to expand the “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign nationally with public education materials and outreach tools designed to help America’s businesses, communities and citizens remain vigilant and play an active role in keeping the county safe.