By: Daniel Nardini
Despite the reelection of U.S. President Barack Obama to a second term, there continues to be a growth in the number of what the Southern Poverty Law Center calls the “patriot groups” on the far extreme right. Patriot groups are those who believe in government conspiracies (however wild and outlandish they may be), and have radical ideas of how America should be governed. Many patriot groups cross over with far extreme radical right groups such as the neo-nazis and the Ku Klux Klan. One might even say that the reelection of Obama is one of the reasons why the patriot groups have grown. At the end of 2012, according to a report issued by the Southern Povery Law Center, the number of patriot groups has reached an all-time high of 1,360 throughout the country. This is an increase of 813 percent compared to the year before Obama took office in 2008.
Why has this increase taken place? There are a number of factors. Besides the reelection of Obama, the economy is still registering almost zero growth. This alone has driven many people to do desperate things including joining extremist groups. Another is the growth of what is called “non-white” immigration. Because many immigrants are now coming from Asia and parts of Latin America (as opposed to Europe where many immigrants had traditionally come from in large numbers), a growing number of native-born Americans feel that the United States is no longer “their country” and are now turning to patriot groups to try and “reclaim America.” The growth in numbers of such groups is disturbing because these people are voters, and some of them might elect more conservative, extremist politicians to office.
Some of these people may feel that the political system is no longer viable and may instead turn towards violence. Looked at either way, the continued growth in patriot groups is a disturbing trend. Because these groups also have influence within the political rightwing of the Republican Party, they will try to keep pushing for their political agenda by any means necessary. Despite the political rightwing of the Republican Party having suffered a major defeat in the presidential election of 2012, this is not going to alter what these patriot groups intend to do. You can be sure that they will try to influence the congressional election in 2014, and from there try to attack Obama. Just as equally dangerous is that some of these groups will work in tandem with extremist rightwing hate groups such as the neo-nazis and the klan groups in causing violence against racial and ethnic minorities and also domestic terrorism. We have much to be concerned about.
The Patriot Movement Undaunted
By: Daniel Nardini
Why has this increase taken place? There are a number of factors. Besides the reelection of Obama, the economy is still registering almost zero growth. This alone has driven many people to do desperate things including joining extremist groups. Another is the growth of what is called “non-white” immigration. Because many immigrants are now coming from Asia and parts of Latin America (as opposed to Europe where many immigrants had traditionally come from in large numbers), a growing number of native-born Americans feel that the United States is no longer “their country” and are now turning to patriot groups to try and “reclaim America.” The growth in numbers of such groups is disturbing because these people are voters, and some of them might elect more conservative, extremist politicians to office.
Some of these people may feel that the political system is no longer viable and may instead turn towards violence. Looked at either way, the continued growth in patriot groups is a disturbing trend. Because these groups also have influence within the political rightwing of the Republican Party, they will try to keep pushing for their political agenda by any means necessary. Despite the political rightwing of the Republican Party having suffered a major defeat in the presidential election of 2012, this is not going to alter what these patriot groups intend to do. You can be sure that they will try to influence the congressional election in 2014, and from there try to attack Obama. Just as equally dangerous is that some of these groups will work in tandem with extremist rightwing hate groups such as the neo-nazis and the klan groups in causing violence against racial and ethnic minorities and also domestic terrorism. We have much to be concerned about.