|
Militia organizations in the United States are private organizations that include paramilitary or similar groups. These groups may refer to themselves as ''militia'', ''unorganized militia'',〔Mulloy, Darren (2004) ''(American Extremism: History, Politics and the Militia Movement )'', Routledge.〕 and ''constitutional militia''.〔Williams, David C. (2003) (''The mythic meanings of the Second Amendment: taming political violence in a constitutional republic'' ). Yale University Press. p. 363. ISBN 0-300-09562-7〕 While groups such as the Posse Comitatus existed as early as the 1980s,〔 the movement gained momentum after controversial standoffs with government agents in the early 1990s. By the mid-1990s, groups were active in all 50 US states, with membership estimated at between 20,000 and 60,000.〔Berlet, Chip & Lyons, Matthew (2000). (''Right-Wing Populism in America: Too Close for Comfort'' ), Guilford. ISBN 1-57230-562-2〕 ==History== Militia organizations in the United States are paramilitary out-growth of the independent survivalist, anti-tax and other causes in the patriot movement subculture in the United States. The formation of the militias was influenced by the historical precedent of existing paramilitary movements such as the Posse Comitatus and groups associated with protecting liberties of governed people. Although the far-right Patriot movement had long been marginalized, cultural factors paved the way for the wide-scale growth of the libertarian or ideological militia movement. The catalysts came in the form of the FBI's 1992 shootout with Randy Weaver at Ruby Ridge, and the government's 1993 siege and eventual destruction of David Koresh and the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas.〔(Rise Of Citizen Militias: Angry White Guys With Guns ) Daniel Junas ''CovertAction Quarterly'' April 24, 1995〕〔Morris Dees, ''Gathering Storm: America's Militia Threat''. Harper Perennial (April 23, 1997) ISBN 0-06-092789-5〕〔Robert H. Churchill, "Arming for the Last Battle: Secular and Religious Millennial Impulses within the Militia Movement", 1999 Annual Conference of the Center for Millennial Studies, Boston University, Boston, MA, November 9, 1999. (Online copy )〕 Historian Mark Pitcavage described the militia movement of the 1990s:〔Pitcavage, Mark; Institute for Intergovernmental Research: ''Camouflage and Conspiracy. The Militia Movement From Ruby Ridge to Y2K''. American Behavioral Scientist, Vol. 44, No. 6, Pages 957–981, SAGE Publications, 2001.〕 During the 1990s public attention to the militia movement began to grow. The Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995, the second anniversary of the Waco fire, drew nationwide attention to the militia movement as Timothy McVeigh was erroneously associated with the Michigan Militia. This increased public scrutiny and law enforcement pressure, and brought in more recruits due to the heightened awareness of the movement.〔(Militia Nation ) Chip Berlet and Matthew N. Lyons ''Progressive Magazine''〕 In March 1996, agents of the FBI and other law enforcement organizations surrounded the eastern Montana "Justus Township" compound of the Montana Freemen. The Freemen were a Sovereign Citizen group that included elements of the Christian Identity ideology, espoused common law legal theories, and rejected the legitimacy of the Federal Reserve.〔 Montana legislator Carl Ohs mediated through the standoff. Both Randy Weaver (one of the besieged at Ruby Ridge) and Bo Gritz (a civilian negotiator at Ruby Ridge) had attempted to talk to the group but had given up in frustration, as did Colorado Senator Charlie Duke when he had attempted negotiations.〔(Freemen surrender peacefully to FBI ) ''Cable News Network'' June 14, 1996〕 A break finally came when far right leaders abandoned the group to their fate.〔(Freemen Were Alone ) ''New York Times'' June 15, 1996〕 The group surrendered peacefully after an 81-day standoff and 14 of the Freemen faced criminal charges relating to circulating millions of dollars in bogus checks and threatening the life of a federal judge.〔 The peaceful resolution of this and other standoffs after Ruby Ridge and Waco have been credited by some to the creation of the Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG) in the U.S. Department of Justice in 1994.〔Christopher Whitcomb, ''Cold Zero: Inside the FBI Hostage Rescue Team''. ISBN 0-552-14788-5. (Covers Ruby Ridge, Waco Siege and creation of CIRG.)〕 Another incident occurred in Fort Davis, Texas a year later in March 1997 when a faction of the self-styled "Republic of Texas" militia group seized hostages. The Republic of Texas group believed that the annexation of Texas as a state in 1845 was illegal, that Texas should remain an independent nation, and that the legitimate government of Texas was the group's leadership.〔(One injured in separatist standoff ) ''CNN News'' April 27, 1997〕 Joe and Margaret Ann Rowe were taken at gunpoint in retaliation for the arrest of member Robert J. Scheidt, who had been arrested on weapons charges. Leader Richard McLaren then declared that the group was in a state of war with the federal government.〔Verhovek, Sam Howe. (Separatists End Texas Standoff As 5 Surrender ), ''The New York Times'', May 4, 1997. Accessed June 29, 2014.〕 The property was then surrounded by the entire Jeff Davis County sheriff's department, state troopers, Texas Rangers, and agents of the FBI.〔 McLaren's wife, Evelyn, convinced him to surrender peacefully after a week-long standoff. The McLarens and four other Republic of Texas members were sent to prison.〔 A 1999 US Department of Justice analysis of the potential militia threat at the Millennium conceded that the vast majority of militias were reactive (not proactive) and posed no threat.〔United States Department of Justice, "Operation Megiddo", November 2, 1999, page 22; cited in Robert H. Churchill, "Arming for the Last Battle: Secular and Religious Millennial Impulses within the Militia Movement", 1999 Annual Conference of the Center for Millennial Studies, Boston University, Boston, MA, November 9, 1999.〕 The Hutaree militia of Michigan was in fact prevented from killing a police officer and bombing his funeral by the FBI in cooperation with another local militia. In January 2000, the FBI ''Project Megiddo'' report stated: :Most militias engage in a variety of anti-government rhetoric. This discourse can range from the protesting of government policies to the advocating of violence and/or the overthrow of the federal government. The majority of militia groups are non-violent and only a small segment of the militias actually commit acts of violence to advance their political goals and beliefs. A number of militia leaders, such as Lynn Van Huizen of the Michigan Militia Corps Wolverines, have gone to some effort to actively rid their ranks of radical members who are inclined to carry out acts of violence and/or terrorism. Officials at the FBI Academy classify militia groups within four categories, ranging from moderate groups who do not engage in criminal activity to radical cells which commit violent acts of terrorism. It should be clearly stated that the FBI only focuses on radical elements of the militia movement capable and willing to commit violence against government, law enforcement, civilian, military and international targets.〔(FBI Project Megiddo Report )〕 By 2001, the militia movement seemed to be in decline, having peaked in 1996 with 858 groups. With the post-2007 global financial crisis and the election of Barack Obama to the United States presidency in 2008, militia activity has experienced a resurgence.〔〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=America's militiamen resurgent since Obama election )〕 Militias' primary forms of outreach are gun shows, shortwave radio, newsletters, and the Internet.〔(The Militia Movement ) Anti-Defamation League〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Militia organizations in the United States」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|