This is a strange yet unsurprising story. A truck filled with 31 individuals was stopped in Idaho. The 31 were on their way to disrupt a gay pride parade in Idaho. The men arrested came from different states. I saw the article in the Houston Chronicle but it was widely reported. When I read it before, I decided not to post it. But then I realized it has a larger significance, as it signifies the normalization of extremism, that is, extremists who wear uniforms and show their faces instead of lurking in the shadows and muttering to themselves.
Why was this group converging on gays in Idaho, not in a city in their own states? I’m guessing that they expected little resistance in a deeply conservative state. If they had rioted in a big city like Houston, Chicago, Miami, or Los Angeles, the crowd would have far outnumbered them and resisted. That’s my guess. What is truly alarming, aside from the fact that this riot was planned and might have turned violent, is that extremist groups like this are showing their faces. The emergence of QAnon, Proud Boys, Oath Keepers and other extremists as allies of one of the nation’s two dominant political parties has encouraged open violence against marginalized groups. Will we soon see open KKK marches—oh, wait, we saw that in Charlottesville in 2017, with the torches but not the hoods. Trumpism—aka, white supremacy—used to be hidden under a rock. No more. Thank God they were arrested. In Idaho.
Texas residents were among 31 individuals affiliated with a white nationalist group arrested Saturday in Idaho on suspicion of conspiracy to riot after police there found them packed in a U-Haul truck apparently heading to a Pride celebration with riot gear and at least one smoke grenade, authorities said.
It was not clear by Saturday night how many of the individuals detained in Coeur d’Alene, a city in north Idaho about 33 miles east of Spokane, were from Texas or what part of the state they reside in. The others arrested, who were still being booked Saturday, were residents of Utah, Idaho, Colorado, South Dakota, Illinois, Arkansas, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon and Virginia, the city’s police Chief Lee White said.
A person called authorities around 1:38 p.m. after seeing some 20 people jump into a truck wearing masks and carrying shields, looking “like a little Army.” Police stopped the truck about 10 minutes later and arrested the 31 individuals, who appear to be affiliated with the group Patriot Front, White said, citing logos on their hats, similar outfits, insignia and at least one patch that said Patriot Front.
The Southern Poverty Law Center describes the group as a white nationalist hate group.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Depending on how dumber than dumb these extreme right fascist militants are, the next time they might rent an empty warehouse to load up their hit squad so there are no witnesses.
For me, next time, because there will be a next time, I want these fascists to pile into a U-Haul cargo truck without a cooler in the middle of a summer heat wave for at least 24 hours or longer and they have to cross at least one desert, baking under the sun during the day.
Tip of the iceberg, of course, but (perhaps) a start.
We are so concerned with ‘Muslim Terrorists’ that we have been overlooking the far more lethal domestic terrorism that has been active in our country for decades. Again, it’s always ‘Look over there’. Yet, what’s happening ‘there’ has far less impact upon our lives.
If we don’t do something soon, the US will be every bit as bad as Hitler’s Germany and Stalin’s Russia.
I agree, Daedalus. Domestic terrorism is a greater threat to our society and our democracy than foreign terrorism. No one defends the latter. The domestic terrorists were actually encouraged by Trump, who said in a debate with Biden, when asked to condemn the Proud Boys, that they should “Stand back and stand by.” As the 1/6 committee showed, that remark increased their membership and signaled to them that the President of the U.S. was with them. They even sold T-shirts with those words.
Excellent depiction of where we are.
Hitler’s strategy could play out: Control over those sworn to uphold the Constitution and basic rights so all heck breaks lose with no consequences.
Gain control over (not control “of” with party majority) the legislature; control over the judicial system at state, district, and US levels; and the cabinet – and that’s about 500 people in charge of our democracy who can look the other way, follow orders, and remain silent.
The key to this story is what happens tomorrow? Charged? Jailed? Let out on own recognizance? A court date? Or delay after delay?
January 6 was only a symptom of them not achieving this on November 3, 2020
White supremacists have infiltrated the police and military. There were a number of retired military and police among those arrested on January 6th. The spread of hate groups in law enforcement remains a continuous threat to democracy. We need a system to weed them out. https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/prevalence-white-supremacists-law-enforcement-demands-drastic-change-2022-05-12/
Superb point. Yes, we do. SECDEF Austin is working on it.
It is Idaho. And they were actually arrested BEFORE the criminal or lethal act they were about to perform. Maybe that is some sort of progress.
That is progress. They probably assumed the Idaho State Troopers would join them
Yes…they probably did
Good piece Diane. I’m sharing
Sent from my iPhone
>
Thanks, Peggy. You should share the piece “I’m Woke.” Did you see it?
In terms of what they expected when they planned the disruption, they may have anticipated a welcome mat based on the state’s demographics – conservative religious make-up between 50 and 65% of the population in Idaho. But, if we are divorcing opposition to gay rights from religious belief, never mind.
I’m not divorcing gay rights from religious belief. I don’t know the religious makeup of Idaho. I’m guessing it’s not dominantly Catholic. Probably more like the Southern Bible Belt.
Evangelicals-20%, Catholic 10-18% depending on source, Mormon,19-26% depending on source. Idaho has been described as 2nd to Utah in LDS membership. Some sources describe 70% of Mormons as identifying, Republican.
Oh boy, here we go again. Yes, many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (as Mormons prefer to be called) are Republicans. Yes, some support Trump. However, the percentage of members of the Church that support Trump is lower than you may expect because of his utter lack of morality. And many members are Democrats, including some major Church leaders. Many others are unaffiliated.
Further, the leaders of the Church that are considered “prophets, seers, and revelators” by members have been speaking up for the Constitution and democracy even more lately than usual. See these talks from President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, who will become the next prophet of the Church when current President Russell M. Nelson passes (not too quickly, I hope, but he is 97). These two talks were given in General Conference and are therefore considered modern scripture by members.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/04/51oaks?lang=eng
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/10/17oaks?lang=eng
In other words, it’s complicated. Far more complicated than you make it Linda, as it with Catholics and others of faith. There’s a spectrum of belief in all faiths and it’s unfair to tarnish them with a single brush.
TOW, I see nothing in Linda’s comment above that is offensive. She is just stating known facts. Mormons do vote overwhelmingly republican. I would say Mike Lee is more representative of Mormon Republicans than Romney, whose name recognition is likely a big reason for his occasional dalliances with reality. If his name were Smith, he wouldn’t stand a chance. There have been glimmers of light as when gov vetoed anti-trans bill, but I honestly don’t read the things you do in her comment.
Greg-
Wouldn’t a person have reason to hope that more women who are religious would understand a switch to the Dems aligns better with their stated beliefs and interests? In contrast, GOP men who are religious are probably very attached to the party of the patriarchy.
TOW-
Diane’s post posed a question, why was Idaho selected as a place to protest against gay people. I posited a theory- the high percentage of conservative religious in the state, made it seem likely to the protest’s planners that they would be welcome. (I didn’t address the accuracy of the planners’ judgement.) I supported my argument with data about Idaho demographics related to religion. I assumed that blog readers knew that the official stance of Catholic and evangelical leadership is opposition to rights for gay people. The national press writes about it. I provided site info. that succinctly identifies the official LDS position on homosexuality. My assumption was that readers may not know as much about a sect that has about 3% representation in the nation.
Thank you for sharing this episode. We need to know. This is events in America.
If one smoke grenade was all they had for a weapon, there must have been a plan for someone or some group in Idaho to provide them with weapons because these sorts of people feel naked without their guns.
SDP, I agree. Hate groups love guns.
Very slight semantic disagreement. Hate groups love whatever will further their agenda. Guns help in that tremdously. But if they didn’t, hate groups would look elsewhere. For precedents, see difference in tactics between European and American neo-Nazits.
Everyone knows they were Antifa. Trying to discredit good patriotic folks. Those two Antifa guys are everywhere
Strange about Antifa. Why did Trump say to the mob that he loves them if they were Antifa? Why does the GOP refer to them as “political prisoners” if they were Antifa? Why does GOP defend 1/6 while saying that they were Antifa?
Logic and Republicans don’t have a tethered relationship.
We know it wasn’t Antifa because those arrested are not bleeding profusely from their heads after arrest . In addition Antifa would never have been organized enough to rent a U-haul.
If the insurrection was led by Antifa, why did Trump say he loved them? Does Trump love Antifa?
You gotta wonder about the collective intelligence of a group that stuffs 31 members into a small UHaul box truck with no ventilation to speak of.
It’s a wonder they were not all DOA from carbon dioxide asphyxiation.
Does UHaul ban this sort of idiocy in their rental agreement?
dianeravitch
As Linda said you can not put logic and Republican fascists together.
My point was on the remarkably civil way these White Nationalist terrorists in Utah were arrested. Had this been antifa in that U-hall the gate and door would have been padlocked and they would have been taken for an off road ride before they were removed violently from that U-hall.
correction Idaho
Of course you are right.
No need to take them for an off-road ride.
Just padlock the door and leave them in there for several hours with no fresh air.
Exhaled Co2 would teach them a lesson they would never forget.
Wikipedia has entries for both “Homosexuality and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints” and about the feminist, Kate Kelly, who had prior links to the Church.
Yes, and…?
Why am I not surprised?
Reported research showed about equal percentages of Latter Day Saint women (65%) and men (66%) voted for Trump. Younger LDS were less likely to vote for him. Some insight can be gained from the posts at the site, Latter Day Saints for Biden-Harris. The site appears to be genuine. Some other conservative religions had campaign centers that claimed they were advocates for Biden-Harris but, IMO, seemed dubious.
“RECLAIM AMERICA”
They better hope the Native Americans don’t develop the same slogan and start renting trucks.
While Goebbels’, “repeat a lie often enough and people will believe it” is alive and well in the “Stop the Steal” movement; people like these just want an excuse to kick a**. Doesn’t take a lot of imagination to figure out what they have in mind once their reclamation project is completed.
Ordinary folk noticed their antics getting into the lorry and notified the police.
Keep vigilant folk and report any suspicious activity by these traitors to your land.,.
This is just sad. I pray for the solidarity of the people and all the churches in Houston. I would like to offer a prayer for all of us during one of our services in Lighthouse Church, https://g.page/r/CYyKpmC27DayEBA and that our Faith keep us closer and loving towards each other regardless of race, color, or orientation.
It is right that they were arrested, because there must be freedom of expression and promotion of their interests! And no one canceled it! It must be a social part of our society as social security https://ssa-office.com/org/social-security-office-in-odessa/