American Militias: Rebellion, Racism & Religion

by Richard Abanes

Abanes explains where the paramilitary groups come from, who are their members, what are their beliefs and how they are organized and motivated. Offering a thorough and balanced perspective, he... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0830813683
• ISBN13: 9780830813681
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: InterVarsity Press
• Length: 296 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Fantastic and Helpful

I recently read Abanes' American Militias: Rebellion, Racism, and Religion book and enjoyed it very much. In fact, it helped me to escape the trap of conspiracy theories that I was just entering into. I also liked how Abanes dismantled the Protocols plagiarism. Get your supremacist friends to read it. One critique though, Abanes fails to address Jesus' whipping of the money changers in his critique of the violent actions of conservative Christian extremists and White supremacists. That's my only criticism though.

Superb overview of a dangerous ideology(ies)

As one has come to expect from Richard Abanes, this work is nothing short of superb. It is an easy read and at the same time could (should) be used in seminars on both the undergraduate and graduate level. It has been said that the greatness of a man can be measured by his enemies: well, Mr. Abanes has made enemies of the conspiracy buffs, militia members, New World Order paranoids,and just about every other right-wing fringe group out there. I suspect his critics scarcely have an high school diploma among them and are, sadly, suckered into this philosophy of hate. Way to go, Richard, keep up the Good Work!

An excellent research source for militia/religion scholars.

Richard Abane's contribution, "patriot" reviewers notwithstanding, is an excellent addition to the current spate of books on right-wing extremism, especially as it relates to religious groups and militias. To not understand the religious underpinnings of many of today's "patriot" extremists, is to miss the boat on where such ideology comes from and where it is going. Abanes's book relates how, in many cases, sincere Americans have become duped by religious bigots, posing as Christians, only to find themselves involved in quasi-paramilitary or anti-government activities that may lead down a path to violence and jail. I highly recommend this book to clergy, journalists, law enforcement and educators.