The Terrorist Next Door: The Militia Movement and the Radical Right

The Terrorist Next Door is an outstanding book and I can personally vouch for some of the information presented by Mr. Levitas. His sources are all cited and the book presents a lot of information and events that many people have never heard of.I grew up in Nebraska during the 1980's in the middle of the farming crisis. My father was heavily involved in the Sheriff's Posse Comitatus movement and he was also a sovereign citizen. I remember the Rulo torture murders and the Arthur Kirk shootout. I remember when the Treasury Department moved in and seized a my father's friend's farm and tractor dealership in Columbus, Nebraska in 1985.This book is spot on regarding the patriot movement and how it is full of bigotry and antisemitism. I remember traveling to Missouri and Kansas to see James Wickstrom speak and so my father and his friends could attend the George Gordon school of common law in Isabella, Missouri. Now in 2013 I find that the patriot movement is back on the rise and people in the Midwest are falling prey to these snake oil salesmen who are peddling books and seminars that will supposedly teach a student how to circumvent the law and their obligation to pay taxes. These groups are anything but patriotic and are very dangerous. The recent mass shooting at the Sikh Temple in Wisconsin, the killing of an abortion doctor in Wichita, Kansas, and the murders of law enforcement officers in West Memphis Arkansas and St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana are just some recent examples of acts of terrorisim that were carried out by the radical right and sovereign citizen movement.

Levitas does a thorough job of looking at the historical developments of domestic terrorism in regards to anti-semitic and racial hatred. However, he does take a shot at conservative Christians that believe the U.S. was founded on Christian principles (and think it should stay that way) as he appears to categorize them with the "extreme right". Morever, as a law enforcement officer and former negotiator, he does take a pot-shot at police by characterizing them in one sentence as eager to kill "cop-killers" -- statements like these create concerns with the rest of the material when facts are juxtaposed with feelings.

I realize there are mixed reviews here, but my aim was to learn more about domestic terrorism. In that regard, I found the book very well written and helpful. Of course, I balance the perspective with many other books/blogs/sources, but I did find this book to be helpful to my research.

Excellent book that shines a bright light on America's right-wing extremists and their ties to religious fundamentalism and white supremacy.

Would order again. Book arrived on time and in great condition! No problems whatsoever.

This entire book (any most like it) is based on lies and stereotypes. I am a member of a citizens militia. I am not a right winger or a terrorist. The author of this book is spreading fear and hoping to profit from it.Sure, many in militias are right leaning Republicans but not all. I am a Socialist and a self confessed hippie. My idea of a great leader is Hugo Chavez. So you can see I am nothing like the crazies this author is trying to scare you with.Anyone who has seen the loss of freedoms and the rise of fear that has resulted from eight years of Bush knows that the government, no matter who is in office, is not on your side. In fact, with the Patriot Act Two it is in every citizens best interest to do two things. Question your government and learn how to defend yourself and family from enemies both foreign and domestic. That is what a militia is about. Militia members care about the constitution and they care about ensuring their freedom.It is not paranoia to be prepared for defense and survival. Look around the world and realize how fast a nation can go from normal to fascist, or at peace with it's citizens to genocide. If you aren't ready to defend your country and your family then go ahead, live in fear. But rest assured it isn't your local militia you have to fear. The Terrorist Next Door and other books like it are written by people with an agenda. If you don't fit into their idea of acceptable then they want you to be labeled, feared and punished without so much as a chance to defend your point of view. Now ask yourself, doesn't that sound like a terrorism?

The title is somewhat misleading. This is less a study not so much about the 90s militia movement as it is about Posse Comitatus, a far-right movement that was influential on the fringes of both tax and farm protest movements of the 70s and 80s. Levitas has done more research on this shadowy organization than pretty much any other observer of the far right - even exposing the truth about its actual founder. The author spends a lot of time examining the group's tortured political and racial ideology. He also adds an important chapter of the study of the history of the American Agricultural Movement, one of the least examined protest movements in recent years, showing how the far right and progressive left battled it out for control of the AAM. A worth while read for anyone interested in the American far right and rural politics.