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Election, Economy Spark Explosive Growth of Militias in US


mojack
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Election, Economy Spark Explosive Growth of Militias in US

Read more, long article http://vicksburgdail...militias-in-us/

The election of President Barack Obama in 2008 triggered an explosion in the number of militias and so-called patriot groups in the United States, the Southern Poverty Law Center reported in its annual tally of such anti-government organizations.

There were 149 militias and patriot groups when Obama took office, compared to more than 1,200 today — an increase of 755 percent, the nonprofit civil rights organization reported.

“The increase has just been astounding,” said Mark Potok, editor-in-chief of the SPLC report. “The reality is that many of these groups are becoming more and more fearful that Barack Obama will win the re-election. You can see the anger rising along with that fear.”

The SPLC defines the “patriot” movement as made up of conspiracy-minded individuals who see the federal government as their primary enemy. The movement includes paramilitary militias as well as groups of “sovereign citizens,” who believe they are not subject to federal or state laws, nor obligated to pay federal taxes, according to SPLC.

The center also reports a steady rise in the number of hate groups in Americafrom 604 in 2000, to more than 1,000 last year. Those include anti-*** groups, anti-Muslim groups, black separatists and “Christian Identity” groups, which hold racist and anti-Semitic views that overlap with neo-Nazi beliefs.

The spike in these groups can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the sluggish economy, radical propaganda and anxiety over the election of a black president, Potok said.

Potok said although many individuals involved in patriot militias are not criminals, a handful of these groups have been responsible for a significant amount of violence in recent years.

Government employees targeted

SPLC provides one of the few annual reports on militia or anti-government groups. The Federal Bureau of Investigation does not track militia groups unless they are alerted to violent or extremist activity, according to an agency spokesman.

“Some of these groups veer into violent extremism,” said Frank Harrill, special agent in charge of the FBI’s office in Spokane, Wash., and spokesman for the Inland Northwest Joint Terrorism Task Force. “Where hate and ignorance and violence collide, that is where our interests lie.”

Two militia groups have made headlines in recent years for allegedly hatching violent plots to target government employees.

Seven people from the Michigan-based Hutaree Christian militia are on trial for allegedly conspiring to ambush and kill a police officer. They allegedly plotted to follow up the ambush with an attack on the officer’s funeral procession in the hope of killing more officers, and thus sparking a revolt against the U.S. government. Recent evidence presented in trial included a recording made by an undercover FBI agent in which the militia’s leader, David Stone, 47, says he is going to “start huntin’” police soon. The seven have pleaded innocent, and argue that the “plot” was nothing but talk, protected by the First Amendment.

And in November four members of a Georgia-based militia, all in their 60s and 70s, were charged with plotting to buy explosives and the ingredients to make a deadly toxin to attack government officials. They are in custody awaiting trial.

But members of other militias say that exercising their constitutional right to bear arms does not mean they are committed to revolution.

Spokane-based militia member Ed LeStage, 59, denied that his group, the 63rd Battalion of Lightfoot Militia, which was listed on as an active militia group in the SPLC’s report, was a danger — unless, he said, “you’re a communist or socialist who attacks us.”

LeStage, a veteran to the patriot movement, said he believes the increased number of militias comes from U.S. citizens’ desire to restore the country to its constitutional roots. He also said that what he called President Obama’s intrusion on personal liberties also has driven growth in the movement.

“He’s been after our guns,” LeStage said. “Obama’s been the best gun salesman there ever was.”

From his home in eastern Washington, LeStage broadcasts weekly training videos to militia members across the country. Those videos — which include instruction on such things as drinking one’s own urine and scavenging for food — are meant to help members survive anarchy or economic collapse.

LeStage said he has been involved in militias and related groups for more than 20 years, including the Idaho Mountain Boys, a member of which was arrested in September 2002 for plotting to kill a federal judge and a police officer.

That member, Larry Raugust, served 77 months for possession and production of pipe bombs. Today, Raugust has a member profile on LeStage’s militia website, which has added more than 1,000 members since its launch last fall.

Striking numbers of hate groups!!! Makes sense?

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Unfortunately, it does make sense.... People don't trust their government any more. Our government has gotten tyranical in their approach to it's own citizens.... Thomas Jefferson said that when the people fear the government, that's tyranny.... when government fears the people.... that's liberty!!!!!

Do I belong to one of these organizations.... No.... I still think we have not gone too far at this point and I hope America comes to it's senses soon......

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I think I've read about this somewhere before....

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

Thomas Jefferson

"It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world."

Thomas Jefferson

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them."

Thomas Jefferson

"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government."

Thomas Jefferson

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms."

Thomas Jefferson

"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."

Thomas Jefferson

"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."

Thomas Jefferson

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***///

HEAR, HEAR, STONEWALL !! :tiphat:

Any true American can readily understand the mindset of these groups at this time in our history.

They don't want the likes of Bill Ayres & his murder-minded cronies takin' over the place.

It would be downright un-American to not resist what is being shoved down our throats without our consent!

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***///

HEAR, HEAR, STONEWALL !! :tiphat:

Any true American can readily understand the mindset of these groups at this time in our history.

They don't want the likes of Bill Ayres & his murder-minded cronies takin' over the place.

It would be downright un-American to not resist what is being shoved down our throats without our consent!

Aww... hate groups. Be minded of the words "hate groups" and what they hate.

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Unfortunately, it does make sense.... People don't trust their government any more. Our government has gotten tyranical in their approach to it's own citizens.... Thomas Jefferson said that when the people fear the government, that's tyranny.... when government fears the people.... that's liberty!!!!!

Do I belong to one of these organizations.... No.... I still think we have not gone too far at this point and I hope America comes to it's senses soon......

Well said and +1.

It still burns me that in 2 separate statewide elections over the last several years the citizens of California have voted that marriage should be defined as between a man and a woman. On both occasions the will of the people was overturned in the courts.....

I can speak with experience that it gives voters a feeling of hopelessness. To think that a majority can vote twice and then be overturned by a few judges is ludicrous.... tyrrananical.

Here's another recent story that chaps me.... The Founders must be turning in their graves.

Mayor, officials arrested in California pay scandal

LOS ANGELES | Wed Sep 22, 2010 2:12pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The mayor, former city manager and most of the city council in a Los Angeles suburb were arrested on Tuesday and charged with misappropriating $5.5 million in public funds in what a prosecutor said amounted to treating the city's coffers like "their own piggy bank."

Eight current and former Bell officials were arrested, including former City Manager Robert Rizzo, 56, whose nearly $800,000 salary ignited a furor over public pay and pensions across California.

Rizzo who was cast by law enforcement as the "unofficial czar" of a city government gone bad.

The salary revelations by a newspaper in July sparked investigations up and down the state, and have made government accountability into an issue in the governor's race for financially foundering California.

Bell Mayor Oscar Hernandez, City Council members George Mirabal, Teresa Jacobo and Luis Artiga, former City Council members George Cole and Victor Bello and former Assistant City Manager Angela Spaccia all were arrested.

The charged City Council members were being paid nearly $100,000 a year for their part-time jobs overseeing the affairs of the blue-collar city with a population of roughly 40,000.

Hernandez, 63, was taken into custody after police used a battering ram to knock down the front door of his home.

"We're alleging they used the tax dollars collected from the hard-working citizens of Bell as their own piggy bank, which they then looted at will," Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley told reporters.

Following the announcement, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors asked state Attorney General Jerry Brown to appoint a receiver to take over the day-to-day management of Bell.

"CALCULATED GREED"

Rizzo was charged with 53 counts of misappropriation of public funds and conflict of interest, allegedly bilking the city out of about $4.3 million.

"Rizzo, acting as the un-elected and unaccountable czar of the city of Bell, secretly set his own salary and misappropriated substantial pay and benefits by increasing each of them through a series of actions that no one approved of and few, if anyone, knew about," Cooley said.

"This was calculated greed and theft accomplished by deceit and secrecy."

In addition to his inflated salary and pension, which would have paid him millions of dollars over the course of his lifetime, prosecutors accuse Rizzo of giving nearly $1.9 million in unauthorized loans to himself, Spaccia, Artiga, Hernandez and dozens of others.

Fitch Ratings on Monday downgraded and then withdrew its ratings on $57.5 million in outstanding bonds issued to Bell.

The current and former city council members were charged with nearly two dozen counts of misappropriating about $1.2 million. Cooley said they collected salaries for meetings that never occurred.

Rizzo's defense attorney, James Spertus, could not immediately be reached for comment on the charges against his client. A spokeswoman for the city of Bell was also not available to comment.

Of the current five-member City Council, only Councilman Lorenzo Velez was not arrested or charged in the case.

Brown, a Democrat who is running against Republican Meg Whitman for governor, last week sued the eight officials for fraud, waste of public funds, negligence, conflict of interest, breach of fiduciary duty and violation of public trust.

Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/09/22/us-california-payscandal-arrests-idUSTRE68K40N20100922

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Hate groups huh? Yea, I'm sure many of them that are in fact real "hate groups"..but they will always be around, as long as we have a right to bear arms, and a 1st Amendment..You gotta take the good along with the bad...The problem with this, is that they are trying to label anyone who is against government control or big government a "hate group" or "terrorist"...when that is not the case in most of these instances...it's just the government trying to brainwash the public to make out anyone who still gives a **** about liberty and freedoms, a "whack job" and lump them in with real haters..if you believe that crap, then you probably also believe that flouride is good for you....

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***///

GOOD FOR YOU THE GENTE! You hit the nail in the head there.

THAT'S exactly what they do.

It's all spelled out in the RADICAL'S handbook obummer is using to break this Republic.

...and they practice it at EVERY turn.

Anybody speaks out, they are immediately labeled as dangerous hate-mongers, racists, whackos, etc...

That's why he's had eric holder tweak the (lack of) Justice Dept to be able to arrest innocent Americans

who disagree with their agenda to disarm & disable The United States of America!

We're sick of it.

But NOT giving in apparently....

Edited by SgtFuryUSCZ
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***///

That's why he's had eric holder tweak the (lack of) Justice Dept to be able to arrest innocent Americans

who disagree with their agenda to disarm & disable The United States of America!

clip_image00241.jpg

Your comment reminded me of this......

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***///

Maybe The Mods'll close this post --- it's just LESSJACK tryin' to bait the boards again. <_<

I, for one tire of his agenda-driven baiting.

He probably works for a newly-created arm of the 'gov' and gets paid by the number

of names he turns in of folks who 'disagree' with some of the policies that've been forced on the people... <_<

For the 1st time since being here, I'm seriously considering blocking someone.

***///

I like it, WALLY!

Unless, of course, I could be rounded up for sayin' so.... <_<

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***///

Maybe The Mods'll close this post --- it's just LESSJACK tryin' to bait the boards again. <_<

I, for one tire of his agenda-driven baiting.

That's funny because I had this fleeting thought of Tiffany23 when this post popped up. ;)

Edited by WorkerBee
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IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America

...

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness...

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Unfortunately, it does make sense.... People don't trust their government any more. Our government has gotten tyranical in their approach to it's own citizens.... Thomas Jefferson said that when the people fear the government, that's tyranny.... when government fears the people.... that's liberty!!!!!

Do I belong to one of these organizations.... No.... I still think we have not gone too far at this point and I hope America comes to it's senses soon......

Question Stonewall, how has our government become tyrannical?

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Sgt,

I'm new here & trying to learn the players & your post on baiting confirms why I was asking. The failure to respond might confirm yours.

***///

Sorry, BOBCOSS - was over reading another post....

I DO feel like this cat posts things to intentionally raise the ire n' dander of the folks here.

Most unpleasant and rarely, if ever, Dinar-related.

And though I never tire of sticking up for my Republic, I'm pretty much done w/ reacting to this

cat's 'rhetoric'. His agenda is counter-productive and a waste.

Welcome, though, to DV... lots of swell stuff here and some really fine folk! :tiphat:

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***///

What's a TIFFANY23... DubyaB...? :unsure:

A banned member that enjoyed "toying" with the emotions and feelings of our members by posting controversial subjects just to stir and agitate. :o

She is still showing in the members section although I believe she removed most of her information.

:hug:

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***///

Maybe The Mods'll close this post --- it's just LESSJACK tryin' to bait the boards again. <_<

I, for one tire of his agenda-driven baiting.

He probably works for a newly-created arm of the 'gov' and gets paid by the number

of names he turns in of folks who 'disagree' with some of the policies that've been forced on the people... <_<

For the 1st time since being here, I'm seriously considering blocking someone.

***///

I like it, WALLY!

Unless, of course, I could be rounded up for sayin' so.... <_<

Dude, what are you talking about? "bait the boards" ? He presented an article in the off topic section, how is this post any different than any of the other posts on similar subjects?

Question Stonewall, how has our government become tyrannical?

Wow, a neg for asking a question? Love the tolerance here.

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Who is this organization ? Are they checking up on the black panthers and if they are growing in size or all the mexican gangs in the USA ? It would be a better artical if it was more in detail.

The Southern Poverty Law Center is always quoted by the media about "militias" and "hate groups. They are a self serving bunch of clowns that will not get funding unless there is a "militia" problem in the USA. Sorta like Jesse Jackson doesn't have a job if there isn't racism all over the country.

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A banned member that enjoyed "toying" with the emotions and feelings of our members by posting controversial subjects just to stir and agitate. :o

She is still showing in the members section although I believe she removed most of her information.

:hug:

***///

Thank you kindly, Ma'am. :tiphat:

I now understand the analogy n' reference made by the distinguished Gentleman, Mr.W.BEE.

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Mojack, I'm curious as to two things. What did you mean by your comment at the end of the post and your reasons for posting the article at all?

I've been on this site all day.... I took a break to cook dinner for my wife and come back to see paranoid comments. WOW - I didn't expect that.

I saw this on the news earlier, then searched the internet for articles on militia groups. I thought it was a striking numbers of the change since President Obama took office, or 2008!

I was asking does it make sense why the groups would increase so dramatically. Frankly - it might fit in with some of the comments you see on DV, but I wasn't calling names.

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Dude, what are you talking about? "bait the boards" ? He presented an article in the off topic section, how is this post any different than any of the other posts on similar subjects?

***///

Wasn't so much the article as his comment at the end...

You must've unintentionally over-looked that... <_<

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