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Is There A Difference Between Militias And Domestic Terrorists?

Oathkeeper militia members are confronted by demonstrators protesting the lack of criminal charges in the police killing of Breonna Taylor, in downtown Louisville, Kentucky.
Oathkeeper militia members are confronted by demonstrators protesting the lack of criminal charges in the police killing of Breonna Taylor, in downtown Louisville, Kentucky.

We’re finding out more about the plot by a Michigan militia to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

The group charged in the plot also considered targeting Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, according to the F.B.I. Governors Northam and Whitmer, both Democrats, were targeted allegedly because of their aggressive lockdown measures regarding the spread of COVID-19, the F.B.I said.

But the threat posed by these groups isn’t just limited to these plots.

From The Guardian:

A number of groups monitoring far rightwing paramilitary activity have warned in recent weeks that militia groups and individuals online are increasingly focusing their attentions on the presidential election. The chatter has been fueled by Trump’s provocative remarks casting doubt on the integrity of the voting process and calling on his supporters to turn up at polling places on election day.

Anxiety is also growing around the activities of white supremacist domestic terrorist groups, which federal agencies now recognize as an especially dangerous threat.

Where do we draw the line between calling these groups militias and domestic terrorists? And who are the people that join them?

 

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Kathryn Fink