Millitias

[Proud Liberal Dem]

I grew up and was heavily aware of politics in the 1990's and I remember the huge publicity around and influence of the "Militias" around that time and was wondering what happened to them post-1990's. I don't hear about them at all like I used to. I sort of figured they became less relevant once a staunchly anti-gun control Republican (GWB) was back in the WH in the early 2000's. Are they still a thing or have they basically faded and/or folded into other political factions (i.e. Tea Party, Trumpers)?

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Revealed: Republican lawmaker aided group training young men for 'biblical warfare'

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142354883

[rampartc]

2. they are still a thing

but since Oklahoma city have gone more underground. these days you might hear about them as vigilantes near the border "assisting" the border patrol.

[TxVietVet]

3. I started monitoring their ativities when Clinton was in office.

They are still around. They pop up every now and then to express their ideas about "real" America.
They are basically KKKluckers with their own versions of goofball history and some version of a Constitution a Confederate idiot dreamed up.
I'm sure it wouldn't take much for the conservanazis to get them stirred up again.

SPLC and ADL keeps monitoring their activities. I'm waiting for the DoJ declare them DOMESTIC TERRORISTS one day. Then, the FBI can get all the free information that SPLC and ADL has offered for free for years.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

4. I remember how big they were in the western states in particular

and how we got a few members of Congress whom openly sympathized with them at the time. Weird times (but then so is now)

[Instant Liberal]

5. They would have to do something violent or destructive

....to be listed as domestic terrorists. However, when I left active duty into the USMCR (reserve) they warned us to stay away from and definitely don't join any local militias. Specifically named was the Michigan Militia, since I was based in Michigan. I don't remember the exact words as it was over 20 years ago but it was something to the effect of remember you oath, to defend the Constitution, this country, against ALL enemies, foreign and domestic. Meaning they are viewed by the military as a domestic enemy. We were warned that we could be charged if we participated while actively serving in the military.

[TxVietVet]

17. In my opinion through my own investigation

I believe US militias are basically Kkkluckers that wrap themselves in the flag and get some magic glasses to interpret the their version of some goofy constitution. Their military tactics are basic: when SHTF, run for your life.

[Runningdawg]

11. The very same group that assisted McVeigh are alive and thriving in the same place in OK

[rampartc]

15. the "michigan militia" was also involved in that

i'm certain they are still around as well.

[Instant Liberal]

6. They're still around. More now than ever.

There are more of them than before and they have more extreme views. They used to be loosely affiliated but now they're more like terror cells operating without central leadership.

[Aristus]

7. They just stopped running around in the woods.

Now they call themselves open-carry advocates. But they're still the same pathetic, fat, out-of-shape losers they always were.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

8. Still very much active. Likely expanded since the 90s.

As many have been actively recruiting from soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as cops, firefighters, and emts.

I do know Michigan police and I have heard police in western and mountain states have contacted local groups to assist in search and rescue operations in remote areas. They sometimes have a better lay of the land then the normal SAR people.

Also, in Michigan, back when the Hutaree where rounded up and arrested, other militias helped out by giving information to the police about them.

[link:https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125856761|]

[JHB]

9. One of the go-to people about this is David Neiwert

He's a journalist who's been covering right-wing extremists since the 80s. He has a number of books, hundreds of articles and still more hundreds of blog posts.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Neiwert

https://www.splcenter.org/search?keyword=david+neiwert

https://crooksandliars.com/solr/david%20neiwert?solrsort=created%20desc

https://www.dailykos.com/user/David%20Neiwert

http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/

[Proud Liberal Dem]

10. Oh wow

I just listened to a podcast interview with him about right wing extremism- but he didn't mention them specifically

[JHB]

12. Well, he's got a lot of material, and most focus these days is on the...

...alt-right groups, but check out older articles, posts, and interviews for more directly on militias.

His books can provide overviews of the subject, particularly how its evolved over the course of time he's been writing about it.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

13. Thanks!

[Runningdawg]

14. Perception of what a militia is - needs to change

Many church basements (particularly rural churches in OK) aren't for potluck dinners any more. They now have an armory, including those who manufacture guns and ammo, communications networks, years of stored food and medical supplies provided by their members and most frightening of all a belief they have orders from God to start the next crusade with his man Donnie at the helm.
They aren't wearing body armour, tacticool clothing, open carrying or even MAGA hats. Their members have infiltrated school boards, all government from city to fed, the military, water treatment facilities, power stations, police departments and your local hospital.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

16. SPLC Hate Map and two other resources....

SPLC Hate Map
See: https://www.splcenter.org/hate-map

ProPublica has an excellent investigative section on hate groups and crime in America:

Documenting Hate
Hate crimes and bias incidents are a national problem, but there’s no reliable data on their nature or prevalence. We’re collecting and verifying reports, building a database of tips for use by journalists, researchers and civil-rights organizations.

Link: https://projects.propublica.org/graphics/hatecrimes

Right Wing Watch is good too, as they track most all right-wing vermin:

Link: https://www.rightwingwatch.org/

(SPLC screenshot)


KY.......