In the early 90s, various fringe political groups existed in the American landscape. These Patriot movements were made up of antigovernment paramilitary people. They were tax defiers, anarchists, and sovereign citizens. What united them, however, was a shared hatred for the US federal government, and a desire to see it removed. These groups not only infiltrated mainstream America, but they committed some atrocities – Oklahoma City, WACO, and Ruby Ridge.

Since the Oklahoma City Bombing, however, the popularity of these Militias started to decline. Basically, people didn’t want to be associated with this sort of behavior. This happens in all sorts of fringe groups, from the KKK to the minute men. Plus, having a new president (and one who they thought was conservative enough), the groups had nothing to protest.

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However, that all started to change with the election of a new president…

When Obama was elected president, the militias were on the downswing. However, immediately after the election, they suddenly perked back up. Not only was the president now liberal, but he was giving out tax money, fighting for universal health care (gasp, socialism), but he was also taking away guns. Oh, and he was BLACK!!!

Now, there are hundreds of more militia groups then there were just a year ago, and they are becoming more and more violent. Not only have their been plans to kill our president, but they are spreading racism and hatred throughout our country. Some of their claims are as follow:

In Pensacola, Fla., retired FBI agent Ted Gunderson tells a gathering of antigovernment “Patriots” that the federal government has set up 1,000 internment camps across the country and is storing 30,000 guillotines and a half-million caskets in Atlanta. They’re there for the day the government finally declares martial law and moves in to round up or kill American dissenters, he says. “They’re going to keep track of all of us, folks,” Gunderson warns.

Outside Atlanta, a so-called “American Grand Jury” issues an “indictment” of Barack Obama for fraud and treason because, the panel concludes, he wasn’t born in the United States and is illegally occupying the office of president. Other sham “grand juries” around the country follow suit.

And on the site in Lexington, Mass., where the opening shots of the Revolutionary War were fired in 1775, members of Oath Keepers, a newly formed group of law enforcement officers, military men and veterans, “muster” on April 19 to reaffirm their pledge to defend the U.S. Constitution. “We’re in perilous times … perhaps far more perilous than in 1775,” says the man administering the oath. April 19 is the anniversary not only of the battle of Lexington Green, but also of the 1993 conflagration at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, and the lethal bombing two years later of the Oklahoma City federal building — seminal events in the lore of the extreme right, in particular the antigovernment Patriot movement.

From Southern Poverty Law Center

Now, people have the right to be crazy, but I am somewhat interested in that birther claim. After all, I am somewhat of an expert on these claims, and do my best to counter them. It surprises me to this claim in their arguments, but not as much as it should. After all, these groups exist to get rid of the government, and what better way is there to do that then attack our president?

But, the claim isn’t just in these fringe patriot movements, rather, it has entered mainstream. With Glenn Beck, Lou Dobbs, and other right-wing talk-show hosts talking about it, many Americans are starting to believe. 11% of Americans believe that Obama is not a US citizen (this nicely coincides with the percent that thought he was Muslim). Clearly, this racist antigovernmental thought has entered mainstream politics, and that is scary.

The reason that it is so scary, of course, is because these people are quoting racist, violent ideals and don’t know it. If most of the birthers knew where these claims came from, they probably wouldn’t hold them. After all, would you want to believe something told to you by a guy who supports destroying our government, any way possible? To me, Birthers need to realize that their thoughts are antigovernment, racist, and violent, and start to learn where they come from.

For more on the birthers and their claims, check out Anti-birther’s cove, a joint project between Sage and myself.

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Robert M. Barga is a recent graduate from The Ohio State University (Go Bucks) with a major in Political Science, with an American Policy focus, and minors in English and Philosophy. He is an avid blogger on Whalertly, technology guru, and gamer (computer, table-top, and console). He is also highly involved in the student government at OSU. He also writes general articles and reviews on Blogcritics. In the little free time he has he enjoys hanging out with his girlfriend, playing games with friends, and long walks on the beach. Robert M. Barga also thinks that you are the greatest person ever.
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