Montana - Extremists

Quote :

KALISPELL, Mont. – With its jagged peaks, glistening lakes and lush valleys, the Inland Northwest — stretching from eastern Washington to Montana's Glacier National Park — is a stunningly beautiful and remote part of the country.

It also is a cradle for sometimes-violent anti-government activity — a reputation most recently rekindled by the search for David Burgert. The former Kalispell militia leader is accused of opening fire on sheriff's deputies on a remote logging road in Lolo National Forest.

After a lull following the demise of the Idaho-based neo-Nazi Aryan Nations in 2000, anti-government and white supremacist groups and individuals may be reviving in the Inland Northwest. It's a mostly white, mostly rural area with few job opportunities and a history of extreme activists.

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motokid wrote:

Quote :

KALISPELL, Mont. – With its jagged peaks, glistening lakes and lush valleys, the Inland Northwest — stretching from eastern Washington to Montana's Glacier National Park — is a stunningly beautiful and remote part of the country.

It also is a cradle for sometimes-violent anti-government activity — a reputation most recently rekindled by the search for David Burgert. The former Kalispell militia leader is accused of opening fire on sheriff's deputies on a remote logging road in Lolo National Forest.

After a lull following the demise of the Idaho-based neo-Nazi Aryan Nations in 2000, anti-government and white supremacist groups and individuals may be reviving in the Inland Northwest. It's a mostly white, mostly rural area with few job opportunities and a history of extreme activists.

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Sounds like your state in the 1770's.

Montana, eh? That's Jäger country, that there is....

SheWolf wrote:

Montana, eh? That's Jäger country, that there is....

Yeah, and the "Montana extremists" stuff is just the usual horseshit out of people with nothing else to write about, much less write intelligently in the first place. Of course, I only live ten minutes north of Kalispell, so what the hell would I know about it?

However, Vancouver had it's riot, so we have other writers claiming British Columbians are rioters with an "It's all about me" mentality. I suppose we could tag BC with the "hotbed of extremists" tag as well, given the right wing neo Nazi groups that were out Chilliwack way, the Squamish Five terrorist group, and some of the militia types hanging out around Gold Bridge and Lytton. But only one label per province/state please, so BC shall remain the home of rioting, self centered spoiled brats for now.

Arizonans are all racists because they have this outrageous idea that immigration laws should actually be enforced.

Californians are a hotbed of domestic terrorists, ranging from the Weathermen (yes, Obama's buddy) and the SLA to the Black Panthers (none of whom, apparently, ever moved back to their extremist roots in Montana).

Then we have Utah, well known for trafficking in young girls.

Let's not give Alberta a miss, whose population is dedicated to the destruction of the planet as we know it with their "dirty oil".

You have to wonder about the morons who lap this stuff up (although clearly many do, as it sells newspapers and ads). As though you can define a population based on the actions of a very small handful of people.

These "extremists finding fertile ground" in Montana can't even get a couple of dozen people to sit and watch their extremist videos - in the last three or four showing that have been attempted in the last year, anyways. And half the audience are people who oppose their ideas but figure attending is the best way to learn who the crazies are and what they are up to. When you can't get a dozen asses in the seats to support your cause - with free admission and snackies - how the hell does that define "fertile ground" for these whackos?

Travis McAdam is the writer's "expert" on Montanans? The guy is an unapologetic far left wing socialist who sees conservative views as something akin to Nazism (apparently missing the irony that the Nazis were a socialist party) and looks upon the Second Amendment as nothing less than the greatest error made in human history. Travis isn't having a good time of it lately, since the midterm elections, and he and his tiny little band of followers easily dub anyone who disagrees with their views as "extremists". Little wonder Travis isn't a very good fit in Montana, where a lot of people are crazy enough to think the Constitution and the Bill of Rights means what it says, not what some socialist says they should say. You have to admire Travis, however, for his unceasing efforts to try and force all the round holes that make up Montana to change their shape so that a square peg like him can finally fit in. And he happily provides inflammatory comments when called upon to do so.

Montana anti-government? People in Montana are solidly behind their police and support them - a level of support you won't find in either the media or among the population in Canada just to the north. How you can be anti-government and yet so pro-police seems to require a bit of explanation.

The writer managed to get a few things right. First, Montana is very much a live-and-let-live state, as long as you stay within the law. It is also a state with a Democrat governor which doesn't believe the government's job is to control every aspect of your life from cradle to grave. That doesn't make Montanans libertarians - that makes them constitutionalists who believe as the Framers did in a limited federal government.

All in all, must have been a pretty slow news day for AP and this hack...

motokid wrote:

Quote :

KALISPELL, Mont. – With its jagged peaks, glistening lakes and lush valleys, the Inland Northwest — stretching from eastern Washington to Montana's Glacier National Park — is a stunningly beautiful and remote part of the country.

It also is a cradle for sometimes-violent anti-government activity — a reputation most recently rekindled by the search for David Burgert. The former Kalispell militia leader is accused of opening fire on sheriff's deputies on a remote logging road in Lolo National Forest.

After a lull following the demise of the Idaho-based neo-Nazi Aryan Nations in 2000, anti-government and white supremacist groups and individuals may be reviving in the Inland Northwest. It's a mostly white, mostly rural area with few job opportunities and a history of extreme activists.

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I almost feel sorry for ya kid, seems that you don't get a lot of responses to your politcal posts.

Anyhoo, I stumbled upon this and thought of you. How's Montana rank with this bastion of pro-government American-ness:

http://www.phillypolice.com/assets/Uploads/CITYWIDEWK-25.pdf

I suspect Wilmington's stats mirrors Philly.

U guys should read Lee Child's Jack Reacher novel "Die Trying".

And by the way I booked a Spa weekend in Kalispell (Island Lake Lodge) a few weeks ago.

Rule292 wrote:

I almost feel sorry for ya kid, seems that you don't get a lot of responses to your politcal posts.

Anyhoo, I stumbled upon this and thought of you. How's Montana rank with this bastion of pro-government American-ness:

http://www.phillypolice.com/assets/Uploads/CITYWIDEWK-25.pdf

I suspect Wilmington's stats mirrors Philly.

Oh, you can probably do better than that. After all, isn't the FBI the uniform crime reporting agency for the US? And wasn't the topic chosen for this thread extremism and anti-government activity?

Let's look at Maryland and its little next door neighbour Delaware, and see how this all fits into the "hotbed of extremism" label.

According to the FBI, in 2007 Maryland (population: 5,618,344) had 150 hate crimes and Delaware (population: 853,712) had 49. Montana (population: 944,103), just slightly more populated than Delaware, had 21. So Maryland has about six times the population - but over seven times the number of hate crimes. Delaware has a slightly smaller population - but twice the number of hate crimes. Shouldn't a "hotbed of extremism" and intolerance (like Montana supposedly is} be able to do better than the apparently enlightened populations of Maryland and Delaware in the "extremist state" biz?

How about some other nearby neighbors to these open minded states back east?

Illinois, political home of the Anointed One? Illinois; population: 4,945,770 and 167 hate crimes. Five times the population of Montana and eight times the number of hate crimes.
Massachusetts; population: 6,272,474 and 353 hate crimes. Seven times the population of Montana and 17 times as many hate crimes.
New Jersey; population: 8,684,873 and 748 hate crimes. Nine times the population of Montana and 36 times as many hate crimes.

Well, the quoted story was inspired by an attempt to kill a police officer, right? I suppose that's an "anti-government" extremist act. Fair enough. Between 1998 and 2007, Montana had one police officer murdered. Maryland had... 13.

Sounds to me like Maryland has a hell of a lot more extremists and violent anti-government residents, both in total and per capita, than Montana. When you look at the rest of the violent crime statistics, it's apparent why so many people make Montana their tourism destination while Maryland and Delaware don't even make the short list. Perhaps it is simply a case of their being located in kissing-close proximity to the National Anus: Washington DC.

Which raises the question: is this story we've been presented just a case of envy from those stuck in Maryland/Delaware because they don't live in a state like Montana? Or an expression from socialists in the media and their fans that anybody and any state which doesn't share their leftist views must be "extremist"?

I say that because looking at the FBI's hate crime statistics, if there is a "hotbed of extremism" and intolerance, it's in those states back east.

"Extreme" is a relative thing....

I have to say THAT was the "Best of Jäger" posts. I'm married to a Montana girl. Thank-you.

Take me to AZ... Way way WAY out there. We'll have a varmint deterrent, a barky dog with bad breath, a sidearm (loaded) and land to ride.

There'll be plenty of room. Come help me.

X-Racer wrote:

"Extreme" is a relative thing....

I have to say THAT was the "Best of Jäger" posts. I'm married to a Montana girl. Thank-you.

Take me to AZ... Way way WAY out there. We'll have a varmint deterrent, a barky dog with bad breath, a sidearm (loaded) and land to ride.

There'll be plenty of room. Come help me.

Leave Montana for Arizona?

Thanks, but not likely. I would consider Idaho instead, but that's about it.

"I would consider Idaho instead, but that's about it."

How about Canada?

The Koots! That's where the Pot Growers Coalition lives. BC Bud, the shit that 'causes all the problems in life.' Yeah, we can't carry guns like the US. Only if you're actually hunting or have a restricted license, or for a job that requires it.

TBird1 wrote:

How about Canada?

Already well in the process of fleeing there.

Canada is almost indistinguishable from California in many respects. Montana is like growing up in BC back in the 60's.

As SheWolf mentioned, a few miles from our Canadian house and where I grew up, there's the Pot Growers Coalition. You know, the guys who rage about illegal government actions, and how the cold hearted BC Liberal government is in the pockets of big business while not spending enough on the poor downtrodden - while they don't pay a penny in taxes on their illegal earnings to fund the social spending they feel isn't sufficiently high enough to satisfy them.

The place where they actually tried to build a war memorial to honor the local population of scum sucking, oxygen thieving draft dodgers.

The place where we don't register violent criminals and those prohibited from possessing firearms - but we do register law abiding firearms owners and allow officers to "inspect" their homes without warrant. And copy everything they have stored digitally on any device while doing so. Even though Canada doesn't issue firearms licenses or firearms registrations in electronic format, and you can't hide a firearm on a hard drive. In the police biz, it's called a "fishing license"...

A country where, at one time, Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in Parliament was a party of Separatists who wouldn't swear loyalty to the Crown (i.e. the country) and whose declared purpose was to break the country up.

There's a lot more, but I think I'll stick with Montana and Idaho.