Militia Activity of Great Concern to Northwest
From the Northwest Beacon, February 1995, Number 23
Northwest Beacon is a publication of the
Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment
PO Box 16776
Seattle, WA 98116
Telephone: (206) 233-9136
The NWCAMH formed in response to the last wave of anti-democratic terrorism
in the 1980's. If you are concerned about bias crimes, intimidation,
harassment or other attacks on civil and human rights, they should be your
first point of contact.
The Northwest Imperative: Documenting a Decade of Hate is
available from NWCAMH for $17.50 + $3.00 s/h. This extensive
and comprehensive report details many of the organizations and individuals
who have been central to the creation of militias in the Northwest United
States.
In January 1995, the NWCAMH hosted a two day meeting of 25
researchers, community organizers and representatives from organizations in
the Northwest and around the country. The agenda included sharing
information about militia makeup and activity, assessing the implications of the
rapid increase in militia formation, and developing strategies for addressing
the threat and potential for violence from militia groups.
The rapid increase in militia activity in the Northwest and the country has
raised concern among a number of organizations recently. In May, 1994, the
Montana Human Rights Network published a booklet titled
A Season of Discontent: Militias, Constitutionalists and the Far Right in
Montana.
Late in 1994, the Southern Poverty Law Center wrote a letter
to United States Attorney General Janet Reno that called for the Justice
Department to be alert to the danger posed by the growing white supremacist
involvement in these rapidly growing militias. The SPLC also
announced the formation of a Militia Task Force, which will use its expertise
and experience to monitor citizen militias and highlighted the issue in the lead
article of the December 1994 issue of the Klanwatch Intelligence
Report.
In October, 1994, the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith
issued a fact finding report titled Armed and Dangerous: Militias Take
Aim at the Federal Government.
Northwest Beacon readers are encouraged to report militia
activity from their area to the NWCAMH office.
The following article is a summary of the January meeting hosted by the
NWCAMH.
Responding to an invitation from the NWCAMH, 25
researchers, community organizers and representatives from organizations in
the Northwest and around the country came together in Issaquah, WA for two
days of dialogue about militias. All present were concern about the rapid
increase in militia activity, the potential for violence and the ideology
underlying the militia movement.
While militias are showing up in a variety of forms, they can generally be
described as organized groups of people, often at the county level, that study
and train with weapons to "defend" themselves against what they perceive as
the enemy.
OBSERVATIONS ABOUT MILITIAS:
- Militias are forming and conducting weapons training in the Northwest and
many areas of the country.
- People are being drawn to militias around a number of issues including
gun control, anti-government sentiment, property rights and various
conspiracy theories.
- In many locales there is a growing "pre-militia" atmosphere of discontent
and unrest.
- Some militias have ties with organized white supremacist organizations.
- Some militias have ties with the religious right.
- Some of the violence around abortion clinics has been tied to people with
militia connections.
- Wise Use, property rights groups, and militias are forming around the same
issues and in some cases involve the same people.
- Anti-government sentiment is a major driving force of the militia
movement.
IMPLICATIONS OF MILITIA ACTIVITY:
- Violence has already taken place in connection with militias; there is every
reason to expect the violence to increase.
- The militia movement is predominantly an expression of the Christian
Patriot segment of white supremacy. While some individual members of militias
are not racists, and most leaders claim that they are not racists, the militia
movement is built on and promotes ideas that deny basic rights and create
second class citizenship for people with whom they disagree.
- Many of the militia movement's themes are rooted in white supremacist
states rights arguments and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.
- People are turning to militias because they have real and deep fears for
themselves and the country.
- Militia organizers are manipulating these fears and grievances by pointing
to scapegoats:
- The militia movement claims to be a "people" movement, but thwarts
democratic process by intimidation and the threat of violence, such as the
disruption of public meetings and the intimidation of public officials with
guns.
- As the militia movement organizes around mainstream issues such as gun
control, it is no longer productive to simply tag members as racist. The
discussion must go to the issues and the ideology behind the rhetoric and
activity which deny basic human rights.
SUGGESTED RESPONSES TO MILITIA ACTIVITY:
- Law enforcement officers are often the first targets of militias; information
and trainings are needed to prepare law enforcement to address recruitment
efforts from militias as well as potentially violent incidents with militias.
- A short publication for mass distribution is needed. This pamphlet would
challenge people to look critically at the ideology behind the militia
movement.
- We must be willing to acknowledge mistakes made by government and
address real fears and questions of people.
- Those who are targeted and harmed by militia activity must be provided
support. We should launch a media campaign around what it means to be
targeted.
- Grassroots groups need information and support from research groups.
- Where constitutional provisions, anti-paramilitary training laws or other
legal provisions are applicable, encourage their enforcement.
- Find ways to focus media attention on issues, not personalities.
- Find effective ways to engage students of all ages in the ideas of fairness,
quality and the democratic process.
- Engage mainstream denominations and religious leaders in serious dialogue
on the issues.
The meeting participants concluded by agreeing to share information about
militia activity, and to cooperate with each other as programs are developed to
address the threat posed by militias.
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