The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: Hazcat on August 12, 2009, 11:39:19 AM
-
ug 12 12:09 AM US/Eastern
By EILEEN SULLIVAN
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Militia groups with gripes against the government are regrouping across the country and could grow rapidly, according to an organization that tracks such trends.
The stress of a poor economy and a liberal administration led by a black president are among the causes for the recent rise, the report from the Southern Poverty Law Center says. Conspiracy theories about a secret Mexican plan to reclaim the Southwest are also growing amid the public debate about illegal immigration.
Bart McEntire, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, told SPLC researchers that this is the most growth he's seen in more than a decade.
"All it's lacking is a spark," McEntire said in the report.
It's reminiscent of what was seen in the 1990s—right-wing militias, people ideologically against paying taxes and so-called "sovereign citizens" are popping up in large numbers, according to the report to be released Wednesday. The SPLC is a nonprofit civil rights group that, among other activities, investigates hate groups.
Last October, someone from the Ohio Militia posted a recruiting video on YouTube, billed as a "wake-up call" for America. It's been viewed more than 60,000 times.
"Things are bad, things are real bad, and it's going to be a lot worse," said the man on the video, who did not give his name. "Our country is in peril."
The man is holding an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle, and he encourages viewers to buy one.
While anti-government sentiment has been on the rise over the last two years, there aren't as many threats and violent acts at this point as there were in the 1990s, according to the report. That movement bore the likes of Timothy McVeigh, who in 1995 blew up a federal building in Oklahoma City and killed 168 people.
But McEntire fears it's only a matter of time.
These militias are concentrated in the Midwest, Pacific Northwest and the Deep South, according to Mark Potok, an SPLC staff director who co-wrote the report. Recruiting videos and other outreach on the Internet are on the rise, he said, and researchers from his center found at least 50 new groups in the last few months.
The militia movement of the 1990s gained traction with growing concerns about gun control, environmental laws and anything perceived as liberal government meddling.
The spark for that movement came in 1992 with an FBI standoff with white separatist Randall Weaver at Ruby Ridge, Idaho. Weaver's wife and son were killed by an FBI sniper. And in 1993, a 52-day standoff between federal agents and the Branch Davidian cult in Waco, Texas, resulted in nearly 80 deaths. These events rallied more people who became convinced that the government would murder its own citizens to promote its liberal agenda.
Now officials are seeing a new generation of activists, according to the report. The law center spotlights Edward Koernke, a Michigan man who hosts an Internet radio show about militias. His father, Mark, was a major figure in the 1990s militia movement and served six years in prison for charges including assaulting police.
Last year, officials warned about an increase in activity from militias in a five-year threat projection by the Homeland Security Department.
"White supremacists and militias are more violent and thus more likely to conduct mass-casualty attacks on the scale of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing," the threat projection said.
A series of domestic terrorism incidents over the past year have not been directly tied to organized militias, but the rhetoric behind some of the crimes are similar with that of the militia movement. For instance, the man charged with the April killings of three Pittsburgh police officers posted some of his views online. Richard Andrew Poplawski wrote that U.S. troops could be used against American citizens, and he thinks a gun ban could be coming.
The FBI's assistant director for counterterrorism, Michael Heimbach, said that law enforcement officials need to identify people who go beyond hateful rhetoric and decide to commit violent acts and crimes. Heimbach said one of the bigger challenges is identifying the lone-wolf offenders.
One alleged example of a lone-wolf offender is the 88-year-old man charged in the June shooting death of a guard at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9A140QG0&show_article=1
Comments at link
-
This article bears the following question: Are there really more militia groups these days, or is this a preemptive "report" designed to plant the seeds that will allow the government to strike at those who don't toe the BHO line with impunity?
I've never thought of myself as a conspiracy theorist, but looking at some of the things that have happened in this country since January 20th of this year it's harder than hell to NOT think conspiracy.
-
I don't know, but I can't seem to find a link to one here locally.
-
I don't know, but I can't seem to find a link to one here locally.
Try this one!
http://tombogan03884.wordpress.com/
;D
-
Try this one!
http://tombogan03884.wordpress.com/
;D
Gee, that name sounds familiar.
-
Gee, that name sounds familiar.
I heard that boy's crazy. ;D
And on the topic, I've not seen any militia activity around, or heard of any. And I think if there was a significant increase, we would be recruiting each other on this forum.
-
Look these asshats think the Appleseed project is a 'militia organization'!
-
This would be a hit piece written by a FUD group called the SPLC. They spread FUD so they can pay the bills. No FUD, no money. If you spin enough, it must be true. :)
-Bidah
-
Another reason to say:
Don't listen to what they say, there a militia.
-
The only "militia" we need right now is the NRA, the ACLU and other groups. We have gone through some scary times vis a vis civil liberties in this country. The Adams adminstration and the Alien and Sedition Act, Jim Crow, the Sedition Act of 1918 under Wilson, the first and second red scares, the internment of Japanese Americans (including citizens) etc. We got through them all peacfully and via the rule of law. The fact is you will get a lot further writing checks, writing letters and working as a precicnt captain than talking tough on the internet and playing weekend warrior. If and I stress if that fails, you will find plenty of militia's and many will be manned by liberals (wearing tactical Birkenstocks) believe it or not, but if we didn't need them before, there is little reason to believe we need them now. Now is the time to give the GOP a kick in keister and demand a positive program. What are they for, not against? I never heard it from McCain and I still haven't. This isn't a partisan shot either. I just want a Newtesque plan for where the party will take us and why its better. Not just why BO sucks. I am still waiting.
FQ13
-
How long to wait FQ you still don't get it a differnt color BO won't make any diff at all Rpub or Demo it is still CRAP we need a fresh start something new something founded on basics founded on the Consituion 0n LAW not on I won I can do anything I want. TOM said it best these people don't give up power without BLOOD
-
The only "militia" we need right now is the NRA, the ACLU and other groups. We have gone through some scary times vis a vis civil liberties in this country. The Adams adminstration and the Alien and Sedition Act, Jim Crow, the Sedition Act of 1918 under Wilson, the first and second red scares, the internment of Japanese Americans (including citizens) etc. We got through them all peacfully and via the rule of law. The fact is you will get a lot further writing checks, writing letters and working as a precicnt captain than talking tough on the internet and playing weekend warrior. If and I stress if that fails, you will find plenty of militia's and many will be manned by liberals (wearing tactical Birkenstocks) believe it or not, but if we didn't need them before, there is little reason to believe we need them now. Now is the time to give the GOP a kick in keister and demand a positive program. What are they for, not against? I never heard it from McCain and I still haven't. This isn't a partisan shot either. I just want a Newtesque plan for where the party will take us and why its better. Not just why BO sucks. I am still waiting.
FQ13
YOU LIKE NEWT ? I'm pleasantly surprised.
2 comments on your post, first, the current regime proves that the anti communist activities of the "red scares" were not sufficient. As a note, declassified Soviet documents and Army radio intercepts from those eras prove that it was not a "scare". If any thing the threat was UNDERSTATED because the Govt was already infiltrated. The first foriegn official assasinated in Washington WAS not the Chilean Ambassador Letelier in the 1970's, it was in fact Soviet intelligence agent Walter Krivitsky in 1941. When Joe McCarthy claimed to have the names of 100 communists working in sensitive areas of the US government, the actual number of Code named KGB agents, (including Julius Rosenberg, darling of the left, code name "Liberal" ) was 301.
Second, During those earlier times people were far more self sufficient and there was no where near the current level of technology available. The "Entitlement mentality" may be docile as long as the checks show up but in a modern financial crash when the checks don't go out or won't cover the cost of anything the riots will make the 60's pale by comparison.
-
Tom
I don't really like Newt but I do respect him (his flaming hypocrisacy about his personal life aside). He is a smart guy who knows his history and understands that while you might win an election by tearing the other side down, you only win a governing majority by saying what you are for. Nobody has has done it since 1994. I will always respect him for telling the voters in simple and honest terms that if you vote R you get X. If you vote D you get Y.Make your choice. This is what the GOP needs to do again if they want my vote (and I am more than willing to give it to them as I have voted for more Republicans than Democrats in my life).
FQ13
-
Tom
I don't really like Newt but I do respect him (his flaming hypocrisacy about his personal life aside). He is a smart guy who knows his history and understands that while you might win an election by tearing the other side down, you only win a governing majority by saying what you are for. Nobody has has done it since 1994. I will always respect him for telling the voters in simple and honest terms that if you vote R you get X. If you vote D you get Y.Make your choice. This is what the GOP needs to do again if they want my vote (and I am more than willing to give it to them as I have voted for more Republicans than Democrats in my life).
FQ13
All that darn typing and you answer the first 6 words ! Communist ! ;D
-
I saw Glen Beck talking about this with an associate. They believe the "militia" problem is being orchestrated and put out in the news to set up the conservatives. First they call protesters terrorists, then they paint conservatives as violent with the militia talk, and it gives them the public opinion they need to pass their socialist crap.
-
And to drive that point home I present exhibit A:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2009/08/13/ac.militia.rise.cnn (http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2009/08/13/ac.militia.rise.cnn)
-
And to drive that point home I present exhibit A:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2009/08/13/ac.militia.rise.cnn (http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2009/08/13/ac.militia.rise.cnn)
Geez, apparently, according to this asshat from the Southern Poverty Law Center, all of us on here are a bunch of racist, neo-facist, militia members. I never realized I was ANY of those things until this douchebag with the Carrot Top haircut said so to Anderson Cooper. Oh yeah, and it sounds like he wants to limit our ability to speak out, saying that "words are often not benign". So much for the First Amendment.
What the hell is going on in this country, and why are we in this hand basket?
-
Geez, apparently, according to this asshat from the Southern Poverty Law Center, all of us on here are a bunch of racist, neo-facist, militia members. I never realized I was ANY of those things until this douchebag with the Carrot Top haircut said so to Anderson Cooper. Oh yeah, and it sounds like he wants to limit our ability to speak out, saying that "words are often not benign". So much for the First Amendment.
What the hell is going on in this country, and why are we in this hand basket?
Because a bunch of bums, the dead and illegals rounded up by ACORN, guilt ridden libs, and welfare recipients, voted NOT for the good of the country but to make it better for themselves. All of this aided and abetted by the MSM.
-
I guess I am a Militia of One! :P
-
The Southern Poverty Law Center thinks all conservative, and constitutionalist, are crazies waiting to start a mass genocide. F$%# 'em, and their bull sh#%.
Couldn't help it. Back when trash was thrash.
Metal Militia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcXN7DfGfew
-
Geez, apparently, according to this asshat from the Southern Poverty Law Center, all of us on here are a bunch of racist, neo-facist, militia members. I never realized I was ANY of those things until this douchebag with the Carrot Top haircut said so to Anderson Cooper. Oh yeah, and it sounds like he wants to limit our ability to speak out, saying that "words are often not benign". So much for the First Amendment.
What the hell is going on in this country, and why are we in this hand basket?
It's being seized by the communist infiltrators we SHOULD have been killing while we were distracted by protecting freedom in an ungrateful Europe.
-
I have seen a little recruiting in Ky.
-
This is wishful thinking on the part of "Officials". If you generate a crises you can emplement any a draconian "solution" to that crises. Haven't you noticed that ALL congressional action in recent years has always been in response to the latest crises?