ANTIGOVERNMENT VIOLENT EXTREMISTS: AN AMERICAN STORM 2
Abstract
The events at Ruby Ridge and the stand-off in Waco, Texas, are significant turning points
in American history. These incidents marked the birth of the modern militia movement in the
United States, drastically reshaping law enforcement tactics. Today, a particular variant of this
movement has spread across numerous states, permeating a significant portion of the country. The
Homegrown Violent Extremist (HVE) phenomenon is a subset of the militia movement that
distinguishes itself from the rest by its willingness to use violence to challenge governmental
authority. They aim to maintain law and order while overthrowing an authoritarian government's
overreach, if necessary, using citizens as the vessel in which to exploit. Amid the January 6, 2021,
incidents, several groups garnered significant attention from the American populace. These groups
included the Oath Keepers, Three Percenters, Boogaloo Boys, and supporters of the MAGA (Make
America Great Again) movement. Their actions were prominent during the insurrection and have
since been a topic of discussion. This research examines the correlation between violent militia
extremists (HVE) and their efforts to establish their vision of governance. A cross-sectional
analysis will scrutinize the incidents involving homegrown militia participation and the
development of their fundamental principles from 1992 to 2020. The results of this analysis were
then compared to those of similar studies. This study investigates the relationship between
Homegrown Violent Extremisms (HVE) and the current underpinning of homegrown violence
within the acceptable boundaries of public discourse.
Keywords: Homegrown Violent Extremisms, Insurrection, militia movement, domestic terrorist, Second
Amendment
Keywords:
ANTIGOVERNMENT VIOLENT EXTREMISTS: AN AMERICAN STORM 3
Introduction
The contemporary militia movement is seen by many as an outgrowth of the far-right
conservative movement that has increased across the country following significant incidents such
as the Ruby Ridge and Branch Davidian tragedies in Waco. The nation that these occurrences were
the result of an overbearing and oppressive government aligns with the preexisting paranoid beliefs
of many individuals. The concept of government overreach has led to the resurgence of the militia
movement, which draws inspiration from the legacy of the Boston Tea Party and the Battle of
Lexington in America. The movement and its adherents consider themselves to be the embodiment
of the nation’s founders, with a romanticized interpretation of American history interwoven with
conspiracy theories, white nationalism, and a strong sense of patriotism. At the heart of the politics
practiced by the militia movement is the attempt to define the nature of Americanism. They employ
myths, metaphors, and perceived historical lessons of the American experience (Mulloy, 2004).
Before the 1990s, the Homegrown Violent Extremist (HVE) movement and its adherents were
typically relegated to the periphery of society, operating in secrecy, and often viewed as steeped in
antisocial and conspiratorial beliefs. Therefore, Members of the movement declare that they intend
to defend the nation from foreign and domestic enemies (Jackson, 2017). Paramilitary thoughts
lend themselves to the preparation for future conflicts. Law enforcement agencies in the United
States must strive to comprehend the underlying motivations that drive these individuals and
organizations to escalate their propensity for extreme violence against government entities and
those who fail to align with their ideological stance. One of the most recent examples of violent
actions was the insurrection on January 6, 2021. Multiple factions of Homegrown Violent
Extremists (HVE), including the notorious Oath Keepers, Three Percenters, and Boogaloo Boys,
were involved. Each of these militia groups had previously been under the watchful eye of law
ANTIGOVERNMENT VIOLENT EXTREMISTS: AN AMERICAN STORM 4
enforcement. However, a systematic breakdown led the crowd to overwhelm the capital police,
resulting in the temporary breach of the capital and the interruption of the electoral college count
for the 2020 presidential election.
The militia groups' primary objective was to instigate an insurrection. However, thanks to
the District of Columbia National Guard and local police forces, this was ultimately prevented late
into the night. We extend our heartfelt appreciation for their tireless efforts, which successfully
reinstated order in the capital. Although the attempted insurrection has ceased, the inquiry into its
origins and motives persists.
Militias
The emergence of contemporary militia movements can be traced to two distinct events: the
Ruby Ridge incident and the Branch Davidian siege. Within these occurrences, local militia groups
held the belief that both agents and the federal government had overstepped their bounds and
infringed upon the rights of American citizens. According to the mindset of these militia members,
the raids served as the initial step toward a tyrannical government that aimed to confiscate their
firearms and impede upon their Constitutional rights granted by the Second Amendment, thus
sparking a civil war. Those who bore witness to these incidents left with a strengthened conviction
that they could be the following targets on the government's radar.
Militia ideologies tend to incorporate conspiracy theories that are often anti-government
and can range in their propensity towards violence. Specific agencies, including law enforcement
at federal, state, local, and tribal levels, as well as gun control agencies, the Alcohol, Tobacco, and
Firearms (ATF), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), are frequently viewed
with suspicion and resentment by militias across the country. These organizations are not the only
targets of the conspiracy theories held by militias, as they extend even to international
ANTIGOVERNMENT VIOLENT EXTREMISTS: AN AMERICAN STORM 5
organizations such as the United Nations (UN). The perceived threat posed by these entities and the
federal government is often seen as a threat to the fundamental rights and freedoms of American
citizens by many militia members.
In some of these organizations, the prevalent ideology intersects with white supremacy
dogma. Under these conditions, the primary focus of the group is the conspiracy involved in the
Zionist Occupied Government (ZOG). In the case of the Zionist-Occupied Government, the federal
government of the United States operated and controlled by a secret group of Jews. There are some
militias, and their members indicated their belief in bizarre conspiracies. One of the more peculiar
conspiracies is that sub-terrain lizard people control the world and sometimes take on human form.
In the contemporary militia movement, conspiracies, and beliefs hold significant
importance. It is worth noting that such convictions are not isolated to concerns about tyrannical
government overreach. They can extend to far-fetched notions, such as subterranean shape-shifting
lizard people. While some members of these groups perceive threats everywhere, it is essential not
to underestimate the potential danger many organizations pose to law enforcement, government
officials, and governments at all levels, given the distinctive approach they may adopt. Most
militias operate as independent entities, like chain restaurants, that provide specialties according to
the population they serve. While some groups take on a more cosplay persona, others are more
ominous in their demeanor and declared intent. A subset of the militia movement groups is
particularly concerned for law enforcement and has been for some time.
Border Militias
In an age of globalization, borders have become lightning rods for the politics of belonging.
On the one hand, borders are legal boundaries but are also physical and symbolic objects that
promote social practices, shared projects, and collective identities (Shapira, 2019). In the United
ANTIGOVERNMENT VIOLENT EXTREMISTS: AN AMERICAN STORM 6
States, a faction of the militia movement is found in the Southwest region, specifically in states like
Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico. Unlike other groups within the movement, these organizations
concentrate on safeguarding their perspective state borders against illegal immigration to secure
the country.
Anti-Government or Anti-Authority Violent Extremists (AGAAVEs)
During a hearing on October 30, 2019, before the House Homeland Security Committee,
Christopher Wray, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), drew attention to the
emerging threat of domestic terrorism from Anti-government violent extremists. The latest threat
assessment, as presented by this credible source, shows that domestic terrorism continues to be an
ongoing and evolving threat: this hearing and several after served as a warning of what would occur
on January 6, 2021.
Ruby Ridge
Branch Dividends (Waco)
Bundy stand-off
Turner Dairies
2nd Amendment
The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution is interpreted selectively by
various organizations within the movement. These groups often use the amendment to support
their right to own firearms, though this interpretation has been twisted to allow individuals and
groups to carry firearms without consequence. However, the framers of the Constitution did not
ANTIGOVERNMENT VIOLENT EXTREMISTS: AN AMERICAN STORM 7
anticipate that those with ominous intentions would shoulder automatic and semi-automatic
weapons intended for battlefields. While some militias are regional or enjoy the cosplay aspect of
these groups, others have landed themselves on the FBI watch list. As early as October 2019, the
Director of the FBI, Christopher Wray, voiced his concern about the clear and present threat posed
by many of these militias in a Department of Homeland Security hearing. Unfortunately, the
Director's warning proved accurate when a mob led by dangerous and prominent militias attempted
to stop the electoral count and certification for the President of the United States by attacking the
Capitol building on January 6, 2021.
The history of the Second Amendment is rooted in English conflicts between the king and
his people. It involves the relationship between the standing army and the militias during and after
the English Civil War (Finkelman, 2000). The most classic interpretation of the origins involves
the challenges between the English crown and the colonists in America before and during the
Revolution.
ANTIGOVERNMENT VIOLENT EXTREMISTS: AN AMERICAN STORM 8
References
Finkelman, P. (200). A Well-Regulated Militia: Second Amendment in Historical Perspective.
Chi-Kent L. Rev., 76, 195.
Jackson, S. (2017). Conspiracy theories in the Patriot/militia movement.
GW Program on Extremism.
Mulloy, D. (2004). Conversations with the dead: The militia movement and American history.
Journal of American Studies, 38(3), 439-456.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021875804008734
Shapira, H. (2019). The minute: Patrolling and performativity along the US/Mexico border.
In Vigilantism against Migrants and minorities (pp. 151-163).
Routledge.
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