Aryans - Why Here?

About ten days ago I wrote a post on the resurgence of hate groups in our little corner of the world. They are not new to the area. A time came when the community said enough was enough. They lost their compound and it was thought they were pretty much gone when the founder of the Aryan Nations died just a few years ago.

As I had talked about, they have reappeared. At first they were distributing their hate literature in the dark of night locally. It has since begun happening across the state line in communities in Washington. Friday, the powers that be from the local communities, police, local officials, and human rights groups, called a press conference to denounce this activity and state that they were prepared to nip it in the bud by threatening prosecution if anything escalates into criminal activity.

It would seem they are a day late and a dollar short because earlier this week an armed man was arrested for harassing and slinging racial slurs an individual in front of his home.

They've gotten the press they want. Public officials have put them on notice to watch their step while they cry about their right of free speech being violated. I have no doubt this is but a drawing of a line in the sand by both sides. It's a drama I would rather not watch play out but have no doubt that it will.

We understand why these people feel emboldened; the economy has people frustrated and angry. The race issue of having a black President. Hate groups see opportunity.

It has been made perfectly clear on a number of levels they are not welcome here. They had been eradicated so it was thought. Wrongly. My question is, and perhaps it merits examination, what is it about this area and the people who reside here that they find so appealing?

Under The Radar

I was watching the President present the 2009 Medal of Freedom to an impressive array of recipients. How great, I thought. Here we had gays, lesbians, blacks, whites, Hispanics - even a gentleman from Bangladesh and a Crow Indian Chief. Stephen Hawking, Sandra Day O'Connor, Billy Jean King, Desmond Tutu and Chita Rivera among them.

As I read the news reports on the recipients I found there are already those who say some are not deserving. I don't know what criteria is used, but all are deserving of recognition for their achievements in life.

The idea that fault is being found bothered me. Along with calling people unpatriotic and evil regarding the health care debate, I wonder what is wrong with us! Far more troubling things are happening beneath the surface than healthy, if sometimes rowdy, debate on an important piece of pending legislation and celebrating great achievement by 16 of the world's best!

And what might that be? The re-emergence of militias! Living in Idaho, I'm well aware of the extent of their local history and the fact that since the death of white supremest leader Richard Butler, they had either moved on or quieted down. Until a couple of months ago when rock weighted bags containing their literature began appearing on people's lawns.

Just this past week end our local police were able to apprehend the offenders and cite them for littering. Hiding behind "freedom of speech" they were even tossing them at children playing. In an interview one of the offenders said he has moved the Aryan Nations headquarters to Athol, a tiny cross roads community about 10 miles north of us. They're baaaaack!

Apparently similar activities have been going on around the country though they seem to be concentrated in our area of the Pacific Northwest, the Midwest and the South. Researchers at the Southern Poverty Law Center have found "at least 50 new groups in the last few months". That's frightening.

What really caught my attention was when the reporter claimed the Idaho Citizen's Constitutional Militia, yet another organization of the same ilk, was recruiting for a sniper. I went to their website to see if true and found that they are also looking for a Chaplin and lawyer. Wow! That sounds like they mean business. All of it bad! And hiding behind God to boot!

A lot of this resurgence is because we elected our first black President but factoring in is the state of the economy and what they see as intense distrust of the government - the fuel on which they feed. It has spurred their recruiting efforts, that is an undeniable truth because it's happening in my community. That people can hate to the extent these people do is something I do not comprehend. I do comprehend that they exist.

It's things like this that remind me how important it is to get outside of my own self-interests and pay attention to what's happening around me though I'm not sure there is anything I can do. If their efforts at recruitment take hold, however, be assured, nothing good will come of it!

The Good Old Days; Well Maybe Not...

I still remember how often my Mom would extol the "good old days" in our conversations. I even find myself falling into the delusional trap as I age in this chaotic world of ours. Two articles in this morning's paper reminded me of how skewed memories can become.

I grimaced at bit at a photo of Obama with his hand on Venezuela's Hugo Chavez's shoulder at the Summit of the Americas. It made me think about how dangerous appeasement can be. This type of "touchy feely" diplomacy requires a delicate touch lest it be considered such. Right above the photo was headline Freed radical cleric seeks Islamic law for Pakistan.

Pakistani President Asif Aki Zardari, along with Parliament, released this man from prison. It's important to remember Pakistan is fast becoming a failed state under the leadership of a man who achieved the Presidency on the back of his assassinated wife, Benazir Bhutto. She was corrupt. He was known as Mr. 10%. The implications are obvious.

Just recently he allowed the reinstatement of Islamic law in the Swat Valley. Now, in one more concession, this man who is supposedly an ally, has released this cleric who had barely cleared the prison walls before beginning his drive to spread Islamic law nationwide. This is a chilling event for our efforts to curb the Taliban and eliminate safe havens for al Qada. How the Pakistanis can forget what Islamic law is all about is beyond me. I can think of nothing more oppressive. Especially for women.

It isn't just Pakistan either. The law recently passed in Afghanistan giving men renewed power over their wives has created a chaotic response. The most disturbing part of protests, however, is when some women actually sided with the men in pelting the opposition with stones. What sort of memories does this law evoke in those women? Was their life that good? Or have they effectively shut it out because it was anything but? I haven't a clue as to how they think. That's a large part of the problem.

The cheery morning paper brought it even closer to home and I have a hunch the good people of northern Idaho will not even consider appeasement. Another headline read Racist group leaves fliers on lawns. It would seem the Aryan Nations have once again raised their ugly heads. A local neighborhood has been targeted for recruitment.

Many of us who live in the area know the movement did not disappear with the death of one time leader Richard Butler. This was as recent as 2004! Heck, he even ran for mayor of Hayden shortly before he died and one of his henchmen ran for city council but couldn't vote. He was in jail. For assault on a Hispanic in a grocery store parking lot.

The organization split, part going to Pennsylvania and part to Alabama. Some remained. I know how the people here feel about them. They will never think of their heyday as the good old days. It will always be a source of embarrassment to the community.

What does one circumstance in Pakistan have to do with another in northern Idaho? Both are doing it under the guise of religion. How so? The fliers were signed "Aryan Nations Church of Jesus Christ Christian".

Ouch.