US facing surge in rightwing extremists and militias

[xav]

The US is facing a surge in anti-government extremist groups and armed militias, driven by deepening hostility on the right to Barack Obama, anger over the economy, and the increasing propagation of conspiracy theories by parts of the mass media such as Fox News.

The Southern Poverty Law Centre, the US's most prominent civil rights group focused on hate organisations, said in a report that extremist "patriot" groups "came roaring back to life" last year as their number jumped nearly 250% to more than 500 with deepening ties to conservative mainstream politics.

The SPLC report, called Rage on the Right, said the rise in extremist groups was "a cause for grave concern" given their propensity to use violence during their heyday in the 90s, most notably with the Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people. It added that the issues driving support for such groups were increasingly populist and that "signs of growing radicalisation are everywhere".

"Patriot groups have been fuelled by anger over the changing demographics of the country, the soaring public debt, the troubled economy and an array of initiatives by President Obama that have been branded "socialist" or even "fascist" by his political opponents," the report said.

"Already there are signs of … violence emanating from the radical right. Since the installation of Barack Obama, rightwing extremists have murdered six law enforcement officers. Racist skinheads and others have been arrested in alleged plots to assassinate the nation's first black president. One man from Brockton, Massachusetts – who told police he had learned on white supremacist websites that a genocide was under way against whites – is charged with murdering two black people and planning to kill as many Jews as possible on the day after Obama's inauguration. Most recently, a rash of individuals with anti-government, survivalist or racist views have been arrested in a series of bomb cases."

The report says the patriot movement has "made significant inroads into the conservative political scene" in part driven by a growing view of the US administration "as part of a plot to impose 'one-world government' on liberty-loving Americans".

"The Tea Parties and similar groups that have sprung up in recent months cannot fairly be considered extremist groups, but they are shot through with rich veins of radical ideas, conspiracy theories and racism," the report says.

The SPLC notes that the rise comes as part of a deepening disillusionment with government in which just one quarter of Americans think government can be trusted. It said that a recent poll found that the anti-tax Tea Party movement is viewed in more positive terms than the Democratic or Republican parties.

"The signs of growing radicalisation are everywhere. Armed men have come to Obama speeches bearing signs suggesting that the 'tree of liberty' needs to be 'watered' with 'the blood of tyrants'. The Conservative Political Action Conference held this February was co-sponsored by groups like the John Birch Society, which believes President Eisenhower was a communist agent, and Oath Keepers, a patriot outfit formed last year that suggests, in thinly veiled language, that the government has secret plans to declare martial law and intern patriotic Americans in concentration camps," the SPLC said.

The report says that, unlike during the 1990s, the patriot movement's core ideas are more widely propagated and accepted by prominent politicians and some in the mass media, such as the Fox News presenter Glenn Beck.

"As the movement has exploded, so has the reach of its ideas, aided and abetted by commentators and politicians in the ostensible mainstream," said the report. "Beck, for instance, reinvigorated a key patriot conspiracy theory – the charge that the federal emergency management agency is secretly running concentration camps – before finally 'debunking' it."

How far such language is now part of the mainstream political discourse was confirmed by Politico today, which reported that it had obtained a Republican national committee document detailing plans to raise election funds with "an aggressive campaign capitalising on 'fear' of President Barack Obama" and a promise to "save the country from trending toward socialism".

In the presentation, the administration is portrayed as "the Evil Empire", and Obama as the Joker in Batman.

Patriot groups and militias are planning a march on Washington next month ostensibly in defence of the right to carry guns.

Armed and angry

The SPLC has identified 512 groups, including "patriots" and militias, which it accuses of pushing extreme anti-government doctrines or promoting political conspiracy theories. It says that many are not directly involved in violence but help feed extremism.

States with several groups include: Texas (52 groups including American Patriots for Freedom Foundation, Central Texas Militia, Texas Well Regulated Militia); Michigan (47 including Northern Michigan Backyard Protection Militia); California (22 including State of California Unorganized Militia, Northern California State Militia, American Armenian Militia, Freedom Force International); Indiana (21 including Indiana Sedentary Militia, Indiana Citizens Volunteer Militia, 3rd Brigade); New York (17 including Empire State Militia); Oregon (14 including Oregon Militia Corps) and Kentucky (13 including Kentucky State Militia – Ohio Valley Command).
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/04/us-surge-rightwing-extremist-groups

[LineDoggie]

Ahh, yes SPLC and Marc Potok, Morriss Dees, the heads of Fearmongers Inc.


And if you sign your Life Savings and Assets over to Dees he will magnanamously give you a allowance to live the rest of your life on.

[dracon49]

I think it's mainly because the economy....

[California Joe]

I think there is a palpable rise in anti government sentiment on both ends, left and right. My issue is really not with the fact they exist. That's a given, there have always been wingnuts out there with a hardon for the government or a firm belief in conspiracies.

My problem is when their particular brand of crazy starts to spill into the mainstream and people start to agree in part with them. Or when politicians either court them or refuse to disavow their crazy ass notions.

Like it or not, "right wingers" have a stereotype that includes gun nuts."Left wingers" tend to have the "douchebag, scream a lot, college kid, protest random sh*t and occasionally bomb an animal research lab" kinda image. Yeah, they are stereotypes but since when is politics free from stereotypes. In fact it feeds off them, and everytime some dink shows up at a rally packing heat or some asshat wearing a Che shirt throws a brick through a bank window it only reinforces them.

[brainplay]

The Southern Poverty Law Centre

I really should have stopped reading right there instead of killing more brain cells and reading the entire thing.

Its entrance into politics and it's constant scraping of the barrel to lump conservative group as "extremist and racist" has pretty much tarnished it's reputation from the KKK fighting roots. God help you if you call an illegal alien just that.

[Harry Henkel]

The killing of six law enforcement officers? Visiting rallies with armed men have come to Obama speeches bearing signs suggesting that the 'tree of liberty' needs to be 'watered' with 'the blood of tyrants'?

Hardly seems like a 'surge', just unhappy individuals.

[Yeti2424]

This sounds like it could have been written about colonial America in the mid to late 1700's. Like it or not our founding fathers were anti-government wing-nuts as well.

This was one of my favorite lines:


"As the movement has exploded, so has the reach of its ideas, aided and abetted by commentators and politicians in the ostensible mainstream," said the report. "Beck, for instance, reinvigorated a key patriot conspiracy theory – the charge that the federal emergency management agency is secretly running concentration camps – before finally 'debunking' it."


How can the writer be angry about a mainstream conservitive tv personality sending out camera crews to take pictures of supposed FEMA camp sites to show that they were nothing more than abandoned military bases and other such dilapidated governemnt buildings?

[el borracho]

This happens with every presidency. Whichever way the administration leans there will be a bunch of "anti's" who pop up. The GW Bush era was obvious, and the Clinton years had right-wing extremists like David Koresh, the Unibomber and the Ruby Ridge family.

[LineDoggie]

Unibombers first attack was in 1978

[el borracho]

Exactly, during the Carter administration.

Just kidding, I was referring to the hype surrounding his capture in the mid 90's.

[Noons86]

David Koresh was not a right-wing extremist, he was a cult leader who believed he was the reincarnation of Jesus.

But also, the Oklahoma City bombing happened at a time when the economy was doing very well. So the economy may be part of what's fueling the "militia" movement, but it is not the main cause.

[khaz]

David Koresh was hardly a right winger.

We will hear an awful lot about the Pentagon shooter if he ends up being a rightwing nut, the media quickly moved past the holacaust museum shooter because he was a leftwing nut

[kamaz]

David Brooks has a good article on this topic in todays NY times

http://www.nytimes.com//2010/03/05/opinion/05brooks.html?hp

[Kaplanr]

Huh? With the possible exception of Mssrs. Adams (Samuel not John) and Patrick Henry, the founding fathers only went against the crown reluctantly. New England earlier than Virginia, but both only after concluding that George III wouldn't hear their grievances as Englishmen. They were anti monarchist and anti-central government until they realized that their initial idea (Confederation) meant squat and didn't work. Don't go quoting Jefferson to me either, much as I admire him, he was a social / economic hypocrite and less a man of the people than say . . . Alexander Hamilton. Jefferson, and I admire the guy, also almost single-handedly sold the naval defense of the new country down the scuppers.


This sounds like it could have been written about colonial America in the mid to late 1700's. Like it or not our founding fathers were anti-government wing-nuts as well.

This was one of my favorite lines:

How can the writer be angry about a mainstream conservitive tv personality sending out camera crews to take pictures of supposed FEMA camp sites to show that they were nothing more than abandoned military bases and other such dilapidated governemnt buildings?

[LineDoggie]

Yesterdays Pentagon Shooter wasn't a Right winger

He was a Truther who believed the US Government blew up the World Trade Center

Believed a Marine Col was Murdered to stop him whistleblowing about a CIA plot to run drugs to the USA from Central and South America

Was arrested for Growing Marijuana and railed against drug laws


Guy was a poster boy for his own Che shirt.

[Hollis]

I don't think the truthers are Che compatible. Ones that I met, tend to be very right wing. Not Republican right wing, but way out there. Kind of like anarchist are to the left wing.


They tend to prove the statement, the farther you go to the right, one will end up in the left, or vice-versa.

[California Joe]

This sounds like it could have been written about colonial America in the mid to late 1700's. Like it or not our founding fathers were anti-government wing-nuts as well.

You apparently know f*ckall about the founding fathers, or the American Revolution. That kind of silly bullsh*t may play well if you're speaking to ignorant tards that embrace the idea that they're just like them, cause they use the term "Tea Party", but it doesn't make it true.


David Koresh was hardly a right winger.

We will hear an awful lot about the Pentagon shooter if he ends up being a rightwing nut, the media quickly moved past the holacaust museum shooter because he was a leftwing nut

You're right, David Koresh was just an asshole.

I've been hearing about that shooter a lot today, on several networks, so far he's being portrayed as anti military with some rants on the interwebs and a crazy streak a mile wide. Hopefully they cover it enough for you to be satisfied. I don't get why we have to assign a political affiliation to kooks. They're obviously delusional, period. Why does it f*cking matter? It's what Muslims keep trying to get across. "Hey, just cause those guys are mental doesn't mean we all are..."

[Mr Gently Benevolent]

David Koresh was hardly a right winger.

We will hear an awful lot about the Pentagon shooter if he ends up being a rightwing nut, the media quickly moved past the holacaust museum shooter because he was a leftwing nutDo you mean Von Brunn he never really fitted the left wing activist mold.

[Panchito12]

The SPLC is almost a "wing" of the Democratic Party. Nothing to see in this article. Just move along folks.

[vryhpyammoadded]

The establishment certainly is pulling out all the stops with applying this wide “extremist” paint brush strokes. They must truly be worried about hoodwinking the public out of its wealth this month.

David Brooks has a good article on this topic in todays NY times. http://www.nytimes.com//2010/03/05/opinion/05brooks.html?hp
That’s not a half bad article. He misses a little here and there and I don’t quite fully agree with all his points but it sure was a much better thought out article than the ham handed propaganda spewing out of the MSM and mouths of various government officials. These incumbents really do get surly when their bacon is on the reelection chopping block.

[Wimbly]

I've been hearing about that shooter a lot today, on several networks, so far he's being portrayed as anti military with some rants on the interwebs and a crazy streak a mile wide. Hopefully they cover it enough for you to be satisfied. I don't get why we have to assign a political affiliation to kooks. They're obviously delusional, period. Why does it f*cking matter? It's what Muslims keep trying to get across. "Hey, just cause those guys are mental doesn't mean we all are..."

I just got done watching a bit on CNN that called the shooter a "9/11 truther, part of a right wing movement". So yeah, they're already out in the media lying their asses off and trying to paint this guy as a tea party protester.

The Democrats invited the original 9/11 truther Michel Moore to their 2004 convention as an honored guest for **** sake!

[Yeti2424]

You apparently know f*ckall about the founding fathers, or the American Revolution. That kind of silly bullsh*t may play well if you're speaking to ignorant tards that embrace the idea that they're just like them, cause they use the term "Tea Party", but it doesn't make it true.


Really? So a growing disdain for a government by a citizenry that feel more and more ignored didnt exist then or doesnt exist now? Fortunately we dont have to have a violent revolution and can simply vote those out we dont agree with. Clearly you never would have seen Ben Franklin looking like an asshat and holding a poster of King George comparing him to Hitler but in my opinion the underlying sentiment remains the same.

[Wimbly]

However in my opinion the underlying sentiment remains the same.

In a lot of ways it is. CJ just hates anything Olbermann and the gang tell him to hate, which is the tea party protesters and Sarah Palin. ;)

[Geezah]

Wasn't that professor that shot up her colleagues a Left-Wing nut?.......just sayin....

[Wimbly]

Wasn't that professor that shot up her colleagues a Left-Wing nut?.......just sayin....

Yeah and look how quickly that story was swept under the carpet. The media has been chomping at the bit to find a tea party protester who went nuts, so they can discredit them. Thus far its been left wingers who they try to spin as right winger.

Look, here is Chris Matthews talking about how "they're gonna pay" if something happens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpeD9Ef6uhE

Of course after this, they HAVE to spin left wing violence as right wing in nature.

[California Joe]

I don't make media policy Wimbly, I've only gotten my info from the MSM, including Fox, and when they all start talking about anti military, and really upset over weed, not part of an organized group etc. I'm pretty sure I can formulate the opinion that he was a crazy. Does the political affiliation really matter?

And you can suck me, I don't watch those ****s. You're doing that thing again that makes me want to strangle you. You're pretending to know me and my viewing habits again, you know, that thing you hate when people do to you. Your condescending opinion of my need to be spoon fed silliness is going to get me to answer all of those PMs I get wanting to know why I haven't banned you again.

Yeti, the Founding Fathers were all the equivalent of Bill Gates and Rupert Murdoch not Cletus the local bait shop retard. If the citizenry is feeling ignored and has a growing disdain for the government maybe they should educate themselves and run for office.

[Wimbly]

I don't make media policy Wimbly, I've only gotten my info from the MSM, including Fox, and when they all start talking about anti military, and really upset over weed, not part of an organized group etc. I'm pretty sure I can formulate the opinion that he was a crazy. Does the political affiliation really matter?

When the media is taking clearly left wing people and trying to spin them as followers of the tea parties, yes it does. Do you not see the MSM doing that?


You're pretending to know me and my viewing habits again, you know, that thing you hate when people do to you. Your condescending opinion of my need to be spoon fed silliness is going to get me to answer all of those PMs I get wanting to know why I haven't banned you again.Sorry, what I meant to say is that the things you say on here are straight form the Keith Olbermann show. If you don't watch, thats fine. I don't know if you noticed but you and other constantly accuse me of being a Fox News, Rush Limbaugh parrot. Is it ok for you, but not me? I just want to know what the rules are.

You should just tell Bundgie in your PMs that I'm not breaking any rules. I didn't break any rules when I got banned the first time.

[Geezah]

Chris Matthews confirming we have a Right to Bear Arms.......what ever next, Matthews getting a tingly feeling down his legs..........

[Arnie100]

If the citizenry is feeling ignored and has a growing disdain for the government maybe they should educate themselves and run for office.

Or they can VOTE the people they don't like OUT OF OFFICE!

[Podman]

Chris Matthews confirming we have a Right to Arm Bears.......what ever next, Matthews getting a tingly feeling down his legs..........

Fixed it for you.

[California Joe]

When the media is taking clearly left wing people and trying to spin them as followers of the tea parties, yes it does. Do you not see the MSM doing that?

Is this a warning to stop challenging your opinions? All I did was say that the things you say on here are straight form the Keith Olbermann show. If you don't watch, thats fine. I don't know if you noticed but you and other constantly accuse me of being a Fox News, Rush Limbaugh parrot. Is it ok for you, but not me? I just want to know what the rules are.

You should just tell Bundgie in your PMs that I'm not breaking any rules. I didn't break any rules when I got banned the first time.

So you can't be angry at the government and be a Tea Party member and be left leaning? Whatever the hell that is. You can't just be crazy?

Yeah, you can quit with the preemptive whining. Challenge away, just don't do it in a **** like fashion and assume I take marching orders from some amorphous media conspiracy. And you already broke the rules by sneaking back in here. You subversive element, you.

[Wimbly]

just don't do it in a **** like fashion and assume I take marching orders from some amorphous media conspiracy. And you already broke the rules by sneaking back in here. You subversive element, you.

Ok, as long as you also understand that I don't either.


So you can't be angry at the government and be a Tea Party member and be left leaning? Whatever the hell that is. You can't just be crazy?

Sure, you could just be crazy. Unless of course you're a guy who went to a tea party once. You think the MSM would let a guy who went to a tea party and then killed someone get off with "hes just crazy"? CJ, they are taking guys who were vocal about left wing causes, and claiming they are part of the tea parties. Your problem seems to be that people fight back against the claims that he is part of the tea party movement.

You seem to be asking, "why couldn't he be part of the tea parties"

[Dankster]

Why is it that every time "right wing" or "left wing" extremists are discussed, die hards from respective sides have to come in and deny it? Having people compare the President to a Nazi and bring guns to his events is every bit as concerning as a "Truther" rant or Eco terror group.

And this whole "Hey, some dude who shot someone was a Democrat/Republican, so therefore all Democrats/Republicans are killers" mentality is rediculous.

Just a newcomer's 2 cents.

[Flagg]

I think there is a palpable rise in anti government sentiment on both ends, left and right. My issue is really not with the fact they exist. That's a given, there have always been wingnuts out there with a hardon for the government or a firm belief in conspiracies.

My problem is when their particular brand of crazy starts to spill into the mainstream and people start to agree in part with them. Or when politicians either court them or refuse to disavow their crazy ass notions.

Like it or not, "right wingers" have a stereotype that includes gun nuts."Left wingers" tend to have the "douchebag, scream a lot, college kid, protest random sh*t and occasionally bomb an animal research lab" kinda image. Yeah, they are stereotypes but since when is politics free from stereotypes. In fact it feeds off them, and everytime some dink shows up at a rally packing heat or some asshat wearing a Che shirt throws a brick through a bank window it only reinforces them.

My biggest concern is that with 300 million people, that leaves us with, by my highly scientific calculations, approximately 3 million b@tsh!t crazy morons.......plus or minus 9.5% depending on how borderline functional retards with the right to purchase firearms are calculated.

Both major political parties, who are coincidentally controlled by the same special interst groups hedging their bets, roughly split this group of 3 million down the middle.

Unfortunately, anything new and shiny, like for example the hope for a legitimate 3rd party to at least shine the light on rampant special interest corruption in federal and state government, attracts fringe retards like Rick James to a crack pipe.

This is advantageous to the aforementioned special interest groups, which includes that ever shrinking group of entities that influence/control mass media.

Unless or until a 3rd party or 2nd voice(as the democrat/republican voice is pretty much uniform in action once you filter out the theatre) generates sufficient critical mass there will certainly be both real and imagined connections between retards and good, honest folks looking to find another way.

I admire the ideal of democracy, but abhore the reality of it in many places.

I just hope that if a 3rd party/2nd voice gains any traction it isn't marginalized or impaired by any internal clocktower shooters in "guilt by association" character assassination........

[UltimateHero]

Dear England,
STFU.

The first time these people called us extremists we were fighting for what was RIGHT and JUST. Looks to me Americans are still fighting.

[martinexsquaddie]

the secret service treated the gun bearer as harmless cranks everyobdy else thought they were asshats.
The Us goverment isn't planning on building concentration camps anytime soon.
The Redcoats arn't coming back not until the Dems take all your guns away:) anyway

though micheal moore lost it over 9/11 but what followed was even madder.
politics is politics leave guns out of it

[muttbutt]

Dear England,
STFU.



LoL..........