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The Quiet Retooling of the Militia Movement
Ideology
Posted: September 7, 2004
Much of what agitates the "new" militia movement is a post-September 11, 2001 fear of conspiracies and government power. Like many on the far-right and far-left fringes of American politics, these militia members tend to view the "war on terrorism" as a war directed at themselves, not foreign terrorists like Osama Bin Laden, and consider anti-terrorism measures such as the "Patriot Act" merely a prelude to mass gun confiscation and martial law.
When one West Virginia militia member learned of a scheduled Marine Corps urban training in Morgantown, West Virginia, in the spring of 2004, he posted to a militia message board that, "This is training for door to door searches of civilian homes. I can't help but think this is training for gun confiscation. I am not too happy about it happening in my home town, but I have no control. If this is training for Iraq, then what is the war in Iraq training for? Large scale gun confiscation."
Such attitudes, especially a sense that time is running out, are common. Jack Keck of the South Carolina Minutemen wrote in February 2004 that "the time is at hand for what can and must be done. Big brother is stripping us of our rights daily and we all know what is coming and what we must do."
Similarly, James Michael of New Hampshire announced in January 2004 that "my friends and I have formed a cell. After many months of working together on other causes, we have desided [sic] to begin our own group here in Wakefield, New Hampshire republic. We have searched our hearts and prayed, and have decided we can wait no more…We are small in number now, but I think others will join with a [sic] organized unit to join ranks with."
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