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The identity christian movement ideology of domestic terrorism

March 2000
Journal of Black Studies 30(4):604

Authors:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Many acts of domestic terrorism in the United States are connected to a religious ideology that has created the climate for and given legitimacy to violence aimed at all non-whites, Jews, gays, Catholics, abortion doctors and so on. The Identity Christian movement provides motivation for many acts of terrorism in our country today. This aberrant form of Christianity is an outgrowth of White separatist underground movements. The concept of Identity Christianity is the resulting amalgamation of the following five components: (a) the theories of British Israelism; (b) a perversion of fundamentalist Christianity; (c) an antigovernment, paramilitary survivalist/conspiracy mentality based on a fear of the elimination of the White race; (d) a polygenist view of origins of humanity; and (e) the notion of White supremacy. Threads of this perspective are found on internet sites worldwide.

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JOURNALOFBLACK STUDIES / MARCH 2000Sharpe/THE IDENTITY CHRISTIANMOVEMENT THE IDENTITY CHRISTIAN

MOVEMENT

Ideology of Domestic Terrorism

TANYA TELFAIR SHARPE

Georgia State University

We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white

children.

—Lane, 2000, p. 1

In past years, terrorism has been most often associated with

countries other than the United States. Concomitantly, acts of ter-

rorism on American shores were formerly linked to foreign resi-

dent extremists. However, an increasing body of evidence suggests

that domestic terrorism in the United States perpetuated by Ameri-

cans is increasing, especially in the past 20 years. The causes of

violent acts directed at the government and its officials, ethnic and

other minorities, synagogues, and Black churches have con-

founded law enforcement agencies. These acts of violence include

from the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City in

1995; mail bombs directed at federal judges and NAACP leaders;

random acts of violence targeting homosexuals, Blacks, Jews, His-

panics, and Asians; the burning of Black and mixed congregation

churches in the South; the July 24, 1998 shootings at the nation’s

capitol;andmostrecently,thebeatingdeathofagayWyominguni-

versity student and the June 1998 dragging death of a Black man in

Texas. On the surface, these appear to be separate and unrelated

incidents. None of these events can be linked to a grand conspiracy

604

AUTHOR’S NOTE: A version of this article was presented at the Southern

Anthropological Society Annual Meeting, April 1994.

JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES, Vol. 30 No. 4, March 2000 604-623

or plot perpetuated by a single organization. However, acts of

domestic terrorism in the United States may be connected to a

religiousideologythathascreatedtheclimateforand givenlegiti-

macy to violence aimed at these specific targets (White, 1989).

The Identity Christian movement provides motivation for many

actsof terrorism inourcountrytoday.This aberrant formofChris-

tianityis an outgrowthof the White supremacistphilosophy;how-

ever, the definition of White is narrowed to include only White,

Anglo-Saxon Protestants (Aho, 1990). The theology is fully ex-

pressed in socalled Christian Identity churches and Christian

patriot organizations. However, tenets of the belief system are

found among the long lists of White supremacist groups, neo-

Nazis, skinheads, some militia and survivalist organizations, and

other White racial separatists. This belief system is a common link

amongthese fragmented groups (FalsePatriots,1996; Intelligence

Report, 1997a).

White’s (1989) journal article “The Road to Armageddon:

Religion and Domestic Terrorism,” suggested that identity theol-

ogy was capable of inspiring violence; however, his prophetic

warning went unheeded. The purpose of this research is threefold.

First, the etiology of the Identity Christian movement is analyzed

by examining its foundations and tenets. Second, the communica-

tion strategies and organized activities that link the belief system’s

worldwide proponents are examined. Third, evidence of Identity

Christian underpinnings in domestic terrorist acts was sought.

METHOD

Literature and Internet searches were conducted on the areas of

White supremacy in general and on specific organizations that

adhere to the philosophy (e.g., neo-Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan, mili-

tias, and the Aryan Nation) to find threads of Identity Christianity.

Publications dating from June 1995 to January 1999 were obtained

fromthe Southern PovertyLawCenter, the nation’sleaderin track-

ing White supremacist activity. Underground literature was

ordered from bookstores. Field observation was conducted at two

Sharpe / THE IDENTITY CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT 605

local gun and knife shows. Gun and knife shows are known to

attract right-wing extremists. These shows also display and mer-

chandise their literature and paraphernalia.

Qualitative content analysis was conducted on the aforemen-

tioned print and cyberspace sources to identify the following

issues:(a) the beliefs, doctrines, and practicesofIdentityChristian-

ity; (b) organizations that subscribe to these beliefs; and (c) violent

and criminal acts associated with Identity Christianity.

THE DOCTRINE OF IDENTITY CHRISTIANITY

A small group of right-wing extremists (Bertrand Comparet, a

Californialawyer; WilliamPorter Gale, aWorldWarIIaidetoGen-

eral Douglas MacAuthur; and Wesley Swift, who founded an early

Identity Christian Church) developed the Identity Christian move-

ment and doctrine in America in the mid-1940s (False Patriots,

1996; Intelligence Report, 1998a). The concept of Identity Christi-

anity is the resulting amalgamation of the following five compo-

nents: (a) the theories of British Israelism; (b) a perversion of fun-

damentalist Christianity; (c) an antigovernment, paramilitary

survivalist/conspiracy mentality based on a fear of the elimination

ofthe White race; (d) a polygenist view of origins of humanity;and

(e) the notion of White supremacy.

First, British Israelism grew out of the 19th-century search for

thelosttribes of Israel spoken of in theBible.In1840,John Wilson,

a Scotsman, wrote Our Israelish Origin, which claimed that Eng-

lishmen were the true chosen people of God and are the original

Israelites of the past and not the present-day Jews (Aho, 1990;

White, 1989; Young, 1990). The theological basis for Identity

believers rests on this idea. The Bible is therefore not a recorded

history of the Jews but rather a recorded history of Aryans or

Whites (Aho, 1990). Others who have written books in support of

thisdoctrine are Mackendrick(1928),Carpenter (1874), and Jar-

rold (1927). These authors identify Aryans as the true characters

represented in the King James Version of the Bible. The following

quote from the doctrinal statement of Identity Christianity gener-

606 JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES / MARCH 2000

ated by the Kingdom Identity Ministries in Harrison, Arkansas

demonstrates the concept of identity.

We believe the White, Anglo-Saxon, Germanic and kindred people

to be God’s true, literal Children of Israel. Only this race fulfills

every detail of Biblical Prophecy and World History concerning

Israeland continues in these latterdaysto be heirs and possessorsof

the Covenants, Prophecies, Promises and Blessings of YHVH God

made to Israel. This chosen seedline making up the “Christian

Nations” (Gen. 35:11; Isa. 62:2; Acts 11:26) of the earth stands far

superior to all other peoples in their call as God’s servant race (Isa.

41:8, 44:21; Luke 1:54). (Kingdom Identity Ministries Doctrinal

Statement of Beliefs, 1999)

Second, the Fundamentalist Christian doctrine added the literal

interpretation of the Bible to the belief system as well as the view

that Armageddon or the second coming of Christ and the destruc-

tion of the world are near (Aho, 1990; White, 1989). Again, the

doctrinal statement of the Kingdom Identity Ministries concisely

states the beliefs concerning the Bible for many Identity

subscribers.

Webelievethe entire Bible, both Old and NewTestaments,as origi-

nally inspired, to be the inerrant, supreme, revealed Word of God.

The history, covenants, and prophecy of this Holy Book were writ-

ten for and about a specific elect family of people who are the chil-

drenof YHVH God(Luke 3:38; Psalm82:6) through theseedline of

Adam....Webelieve the ultimate destiny of all history will be the

establishment of the Kingdom of God upon this earth (Psalm 37:9,

11, 22: Isa. 11:9; Matt. 5:5, 6:10; Rev. 21:2-3) with Yahshua our

Messiah (Jesus Christ) reigning as King of kings over the house of

Jacob forever, of this kingdom and dominion there shall be no end

(Luke 1:32-33; Dan. 2:44, 7:14; Zech. 14:9). When our Savior

returns to restore righteous government on earth, there will be a day

of reckoning when the kingdoms of this world become His (Rev.

11:15;Isa.9:6-7) and all evil shall be destroyed (Isa.13:9;Mal. 4:3;

Matt. 13:30, 41-42). (Kingdom Identity Ministries Doctrinal State-

ment of Beliefs, 1999)

However,theanticipatedcalamityis altered and restatedintermsof

race wars that are predicted to destroy the world as we know it

Sharpe / THE IDENTITY CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT 607

today. Identity followers believe that wars between and among the

races will lead to an Aryan victory and restructuring of society that

will reinstate the White man to his dominant place on earth and

therebyrestore“order.”Defying history and logic, they believethat

their savior Jesus Christ is White, Anglo-Saxon, and Protestant.

Some believed that Armageddon would be triggered by the turn of

the century computer problems associated with the year 2000 date

change (Intelligence Report, 1998b).

The third component of Identity Christianity, the antigovern-

ment, paramilitary survivalist/conspiracy mentality (henceforth,

APSCM) is complex. It contains two interconnected subcompo-

nents. The first subcomponent is the belief that reestablishment of

White sovereignty depends on the use of organized aggression

against the enemies of the true Christians, all non-Whites and all

non-Protestants. The first two letters of race holy war make up the

battlecry “RAHOWA”often usedinIdentityspeeches and publica-

tions (Intelligence Report, 1998a). Moreover, preparation must be

made for the coming race wars. Survivalist groups prepare arse-

nals; learn to make bombs and other antipersonnel devices; stock

up on nonperishable, bomb-shelter type foods and other survival

goods;and some groupspracticewargames inclandestine,wooded

areas (Aho, 1990; False Patriots, 1996; Klan Watch Intelligence

Report, 1995; Intelligence Report, 1998b). They have become pro-

ficient at using a variety of guns and other weapons to ensure their

survivalwhenthewarsbegin. Their effortsto prepare were doubled

in preparation for the Y2K computer difficulties that were

predicted. Many computers all over the world were predicted to

read the date change to the year 2000 as 1900, thereby setting off

difficulties in conducting local and global business. Because few

significant problems were realized on January 1, 2000, perhaps the

Identity Christians have turned their attention to the year 2001, the

actual first year of the new millennium, as the bench mark for the

beginning of Armageddon. Nevertheless, the Identity Christians

and other White separatist factions believe that this is a critical

junctureintheirhistory.Theybelievethatracewarswill be sparked

in the new century (Intelligence Report, 1998b).

608 JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES / MARCH 2000

Thesecond subcomponent of theAPSCMis the fear ofanorgan-

ized world conspiracy against Whites and a paranoid fear of the

extermination of the White race. The leaders of this alleged anti-

Whitemovementarethought to be thefederalgovernmentandJew-

ish people. These two leader factions are thought to be aided by

Blacks, liberals, gays, Catholics, Hispanics, and so on, and are

believed to have the goal of controlling, eliminating, or restricting

therightsof White people (Aho, 1990; Young,1990; White, 1989).

The conspiracy is termed the “New World Order.” The federal gov-

ernment, which supports the New World Order, is termed the

“Zionist Occupation Government” (ZOG) by the Identity follow-

ers. Identity followers consider the government an illegal, foreign

occupying force (False Patriots, 1996). The government is consid-

ered pro-Israel and therefore anti-White Christian and ultimately

not worthy of trust. They frequently do not pay taxes to support the

government that they disdain, and it follows that many have prob-

lems with the Internal Revenue Service (Aho, 1990). These com-

plications serve to reinforce their distrust of the government. In

addition, the aforementioned campaign of organized aggression

necessary to reestablish White sovereignty must include over-

throwing the federal government. Therefore, acts of violence

against government representatives and agencies are considered a

strategic plan toward that end (Aho, 1990; False Patriots, 1996). A

quote from the goal statement of the National Alliance, an amalga-

mation of White racial separatists and Identity believers, sums up

commonly held ideas concerning the government.

With the growth of mass democracy (the abolition of poll taxes and

other qualifications for voters, the enfranchisement of women and

ofnon-whites),therise in the influence of the mass media on public

opinion, and the insinuation of the Jews into a position of control

over the media, the U.S. Government was gradually transformed

into the malignant monster it is today: the single most dangerous

and destructive enemy our race has ever known. (National Alliance

Goal Statement, 1996)

The goals of the alleged New World Order are given in another

National Alliance publication titled Free Speech.

Sharpe / THE IDENTITY CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT 609

The truth of the matter is that the New World Order people ulti-

mately aim to create a New World Population of serfs for their

global plantation, a homogeneous population of coffee-colored

serfs—a population of docile, predictable, and interchangeable

serfs—and they definitely don’t want any large reservoir of White

people any where who might rebel. (Pierce, 1997a)

BeliefinthisNew WorldOrder places Whites againsttherestofthe

world and creates an atmosphere of alienation, fear, and paranoia.

Coupled with their anticipation of race wars to reinstate Whites as

the dominant force in the world, a volatile situation is prevalent

among Identity believers.

The fourth component of the Identity Christian doctrine is an

unusualinterpretation of the creationofhumankind. Identity Chris-

tian believers have adopted a unique version of the polygenist view

ofman’sorigin.Polygenistsholdthathumanityhadseveral distinct

origins and is opposed to the belief that all mankind comes from

onegenetic source, for example, the biblical figure Adam (Fortney,

1977; Haller, 1971; Johnston & Selby, 1978). Although Identity

Christians generally cling to literal interpretation of the Bible, they

believe that Whites were created by God in his likeness and are the

descendants of Adam and Eve. In contrast, they believe that all

non-Whites evolved from pre-Adamic, lower species (Aho, 1990;

Young, 1990; White, 1989). Thus, they combine a creation origin

for Whites with an evolutionist origin for non-Whites. In other

words, Whites are the result of a Divine creation and others are the

result of evolution and are considered less-than-human, “mud peo-

ple.”The doctrinal statement from the Kingdom Identity Ministries

makes this clear as well.

We believe that the Man Adam (a Hebrew word meaning: ruddy, to

showBlood, flush, turn rosy) is thefatherof the White race only.As

a son of God (Luke 3:38), made in His likeness (Gen. 5:1), Adam

and his descendants, who are also the children of God (Psalm 82:6;

Hos.1:10; Rom. 8:16;Gal.4:6; I John3: 1-2),canknow YHVHGod

as their creator. Adamic man is made trichotomous, that is, not only

of body and soul, but having an implanted spirit (Gen. 2:7; I Thes.

5:23;Heb. 4:12) givinghim a higher form ofconsciousnessand dis-

tinguishing him from all the other races of the earth (Deut. 7:6,

610 JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES / MARCH 2000

10:15; Amos 3:2). (Kingdom Identity Ministries Doctrinal State-

ment of Beliefs, 1999)

Blacks,specifically,are frequently referredtoas“talking apes or

talking beasts” (Aho, 1990). Jews are a special hybrid product of a

union between Eve and the Devil (Aho, 1990; White, 1989). Iden-

tity Christians believe that Cain was, in actuality, the son of Satan.

Another quote from the doctrinal statement identifies Cain’s

descendants as the present-day Jews.

We believe in an existing being known as the Devil or Satan and

called the Serpent (Gen. 3:1; Rev. 12:9), who has the literal seed or

posterityin the earth(Gen: 3:15) commonlycalledJews today(Rev.

2:9, 3:9; Isa. 65:15). These children of Satan (John 8:44-47; Matt.

13:38; John 8:23) through Cain (I John 2:22, 4:3) who have

throughouthistory alwaysbeen acurse to trueIsrael, the Childrenof

God,because of anatural enmity betweenthe tworaces(Gen. 3:15),

because they do the works of their father the Devil (John 8:38-44),

and because they do not please God, and are contrary to all men (I

Thes.2:14-15), thoughthey oftenpose as ministersof righteousness

(II Cor. 11:13-15). The ultimate end of this evil race whose hands

bearthe blood of our Savior(Matt.27:25) and all the righteous slain

upon the earth (Matt. 23:35), is Devin judgment (Matt. 13:38-42,

15:13; Zech. 14:21). (Kingdom Identity Ministries Doctrinal State-

ment of Beliefs, 1999)

The connection between Eve and the Devil in Identity Christian

theology yields a dualistic view of women. The White woman is

considered the most beautiful creature in the universe, desired and

soughtafter by males of all races.However,femininity carries with

it the legacy of Eve and her indiscretion with Lucifer. Women are

portrayed as weak and virtueless and above all corruptible, desper-

ately needing White masculine leadership and strength. Women

reach their highest fulfillment in the supporting roles of wife and

motherhood (Aho, 1990; Shanks-Meille & Dobratz, 1991). Her

sole purpose in this culture is to maintain a comfortable home for

her man and to bear “beautiful, healthy white babies” (Shanks-

Meille& Dobratz, 1991, p.79;Aho, 1990). Todeviatefrom the per-

formance of these roles is to become relegated to the ranks of a

Sharpe / THE IDENTITY CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT 611

“sickfeminist” traitor to the White race (Shanks-Meille&Dobratz,

1991). The role of women is problematic for this organization in

that it limits recruitment of women participants. This factor adds

fuel to the fire concerning their views on miscegenation (Aho,

1990; Shanks-Meille & Dobratz, 1991). A major concern for this

philosophy is pollution of the White race though miscegenation.

Interracial marriage, dating, and sex are strictly prohibited and

are attached to every form of social ill conceivable. Diseases,

germs, viruses, bacteria, and general uncleanliness are associated

with race mixing (Aho, 1990; Dobratz & Shanks-Meille, 1988;

Shanks-Meille& Dobratz., 1991). There is fear thatthepure White

racewillbecorruptedanddefiledby mixing with the “mud people”

(non-Whites) and the penalty for miscegenation is death (Aho,

1990). Jews, then, are the result of the first incident of race mixing.

Becausetheyare thoughtof as spawnof the Devil, anti-Semitism is

oneofthemostpowerfulthemes in the doctrine. As indicated inthe

quoteabove,Jews are thought to be at the root of many,if not all the

problems on earth (Aho, 1990). Most of the Identity Christian

groups propagate fear of the repercussions of interracial sexual

contact.Onone hand, they fear extinction of the White race. On the

other hand, they appear to loathe the idea of Black men having

access to White women. The Identity literature is filled with nega-

tiveimages of White women caring for mixed-racebabies (Carroll,

1995). Race mixing in and of itself is a cause for an organized and

radical plan to separate the races. The National Vanguard Maga-

zine, a leading neo-Nazi publication, suggests that “the cult of mis-

cegenation,” which, according to them, has proliferated over the

past 30 years, has placed the White race on the “precipice of bio-

logicalextinction.”Furthermore, theyarguethat only radical action

will end the “morality of death” (“Miscegenation,” 1997).

To combat the fear of the extermination of the White race

through race mixing, recent initiatives have emerged in some Iden-

tity Christian groups that promote polygamy among their believers

to enhance the White population (Intelligence Report, 1998b). In

another effort to promote the proliferation of White progeny, these

extremists have declared war on doctors, practitioners, and clinics

thatperform abortions for White women. The most violent extrem-

612 JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES / MARCH 2000

ists in the pro-life movement are closely connected to the Identity

Christian movement (Intelligence Report, 1998c). Moreover,

White homosexuals are considered traitors to the White race. They

take the fundamentalist Christian stance on homosexuality to the

extreme. Homosexuals, according to Identity Christians, deserve

the death penalty (Intelligence Report, 1997b; Kingdom Identity

Ministries Doctrinal Statement of Beliefs, 1999).

The fifth component of Identity Christianity is the notion of

White supremacy. This doctrine undergirds the entire ideology.

White supremacy stems from misconceptions in European 16th-

centurylinear models used to explain human diversity. These mod-

els ranked humankind by physical and cultural characteristics on a

highest-to-lowest continuum (Feagin & Feagin, 1993; Fortney,

1977;Haller,1971). Darker-skinned people were ranked at the bot-

tomofthesehierarchies.Thesemodelslinkedphysicalcharacteris-

tics to cultural characteristics and to the potential for the develop-

ment of complex civilizations. Using this analysis, Whites are

considered the creators and owners of modern civilization (Pierce,

1997b).

The most well-known and vocal proponent of Identity Christian

theology is Rev. Richard Butler, who leads the Aryan Nations

Church. This organization moved from California to Idaho in 1973

and has associations with numerous White supremacist groups.

Idaho is now considered a hub for Identity Christianity and White

supremacy (Aho, 1990; Young, 1990). The Aryan Nations Church

holds a yearly conference during the summer and is considered an

umbrella organization for the splintered factions that make up the

White supremacist underground community (Klan Watch Intelli-

gence Report, 1992). Organizations that defend and support White

supremacy and advocate hate of non-Whites have been loosely

connected and scattered in the past. Often, they harbored conflict-

ingbeliefsand theories. However, the IdentityChristian movement

is frequently the common denominator in present-day White

supremacist organizations and serves as a cause under which they

all can rally. Many of the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis, skinheads, and

other similar groups adhere to Identity beliefs (Klan Watch Intelli-

gence Report, 1992).

Sharpe / THE IDENTITY CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT 613

The tenets of Identity Christianity provide justification for ter-

rorism against and extermination of Jews and non-Whites because

only Whites are human. And, because God is White, he only hears

the prayers of Whites. Prayers offered by non-Whites are termed

voodoo prayers and are not answered by the Divine Creator (Aho,

1990). Considering their insistence on literal interpretation of the

Bible, it is plausible to ponder how these interpretations are

extractedfrom thesame King James versionof the Bible that main-

stream Christians use.

IdentityChristianbelieversuse the Bible in conjunction with the

apocrypha or the books not included when the Bible was officially

canonized(Aho, 1990). Identity Christians believethat these books

were not included due to the Jewish world conspiracy discussed

earlier and that this was a part of the plot against the true people of

God (Aho, 1990). It is noteworthy to mention that the books were

actually omitted because of their dubious nature or authorship.

Interpretationof these worksoftenemploys creativeword etymolo-

gies, tracing modern English words back to the Hebraic language

(Aho, 1990). This in and of itself is questionable because ancient

Hebrew is considered a derivative of the Afro-Asiatic Semitic lan-

guage subfamily and English is a Germanic language (Aho, 1990).

The apocrypha incorporate myths of dragons and Black devil

mutants that feed directly into the Identity Christian theology. The

Bibleand the apocrypha are thustransformed andrestatedusing an

erroneous linkage of English to ancient Hebrew to represent the

history of Whites rather than Semitic people, and are enshrouded

withmythology concerning the Whiterace.Thesemyths are spread

in pulpits by preachers and tracts written by pseudo-historians and

areembraced by the White supremacist communities as revelations

of hidden truths.

COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES,

ORGANIZATIONS, AND VIOLENT ACTIVITIES

Identity Christian organizations promote their causes with a

variety of literature and other media strategies. The Jubilee, pub-

614 JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES / MARCH 2000

lishedbyPaul Hall, is the country’sleading Identity periodical. The

American’s Bulletin is another popular source for Identity rhetoric

and is produced by Robert Kelly of Medford, Oregon. There are

many other books, tracts, and audio- and videotapes that provide

followers with reinforcement for their beliefs (False Patriots,

1996). Their media vehicles make use of the sensational and emo-

tion provoking, colorful use of language, and creative composite

name calling—for example, “Negro flesh eating beasts,” “sodo-

mite homosexual rapist,” or “pornographic pushcart peddlers.”

These descriptive devices invoke powerful imagery and stir the

emotions of the disenfranchised Whites who are often recruited

into Identity churches (Aho, 1990).

The Internet has become a primary means for disseminating

information for these groups. Currently, there are 25 Web sites and

13 newsgroups specifically devoted to Identity Christianity on the

World Wide Web, as well as 130 other Web sites that are devoted to

similar and related topics (Intelligence Report, 1998a). Individuals

cantapintothese Websites and findproceduresformaking bombs,

obtain hate propaganda tracts, and request catalogs that market

White supremacist books and paraphernalia. They may also share

Jew, Black, gay, Asian, and Hispanic bashing sessions with like-

minded individuals in chat rooms.

TheInternetsites maintained by Identity followers havebecome

outlets for scholars who promote eugenics and theories of Black

genetic and cultural inferiority. Links to the theories of J. Phillipe

Rushton of the University of Western Ontario and Glayde Whitney

of Florida State University can be found among the literature on

their web sites.

Rushton’s controversial 1996 journal article “Race, Genetics

and Human Reproductive Strategies” outlines a linear classifica-

tion scale that rates human reproductive patterns based on parental

investment by race. Rather than using a vertical scale, his contin-

uum is horizontal and places Asians at one end of the scale and

African people at the other. Whites fit squarely in the middle. He

suggests that Black people have more offspring and care for them

less. In contrast, Asians have fewer offspring and invest more time

and energy in their progeny, and Whites are moderate parental

Sharpe / THE IDENTITY CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT 615

investors. Furthermore, he argues that the propensity for nurturing

children is genetically inherited (Rushton, 1996). Whitney, past

president of the Behavior Genetics Association of Florida State

University, argues, among other things, that negative human char-

acteristics, for example, potential for murder, are linked to racial

distinctions(Whitney,1995). Blacks, according to Whitney, have a

higher propensity for murder. Ironically, the Identity Christians

accept the dubious notion that Blacks are biologically predisposed

for violence, but somehow view differently the violence and mur-

der that runs rampant in their own circles.

Violence plays a critical role in Identity publications and cyber-

space communications. Furthermore, violence and terrorism is

legitimized as a means to correct real or imagined injustices to the

White race. A prime example of such publications is The Turner

Diaries. A career White supremacist and hate monger, William

Pierce, a self-described neo-Nazi, penned The Turner Diaries

under the pseudonym Andrew MacDonald in 1978. This novel

chronicles a coup d’etat of the federal government by White

supremacist revolutionaries from the point of view of a fictional

character named Earl Turner (Pierce, 1978).

In The Turner Diaries, the war with the government begins with

the passing of the Cohen Act, federal legislation that outlaws the

private ownership of firearms. One of the terrorist acts featured in

the narrative is the bombing of a federal building by a small group

of“patriots.”Militia and similar groups use the novelas a model for

their organizations and proposed terrorist activities. Timothy

McVeigh, convicted perpetrator in the April 1995 bombing of the

Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City, allegedly frequently

carried a copy of the book with him. There are striking parallels

between the fictional bombing described in the book and the actual

incident (False Patriots, 1996).

It is clear from the preceding example that the militia or patriot

movement frequently overlaps with the Identity Christians.

Although some of the militia organizations have Blacks and other

non-White members, the majority subscribe to Identity beliefs.

Many of the early Patriot leaders were White supremacists, whose

616 JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES / MARCH 2000

principal wrath shifted from minority groups to the federal govern-

ment. Pierce is generally designated as a founder of the Patriot ini-

tiative in America and is the director of the National Alliance, a

group of White racist extremist organizations. Pierce also sponsors

a weekly radio show, American Dissident Voices, from Hillsboro,

West Virginia. Through these vehicles, he details complex theories

ofthe Jewish-controlled,worldconspiracy againstWhitesand calls

for a revolution to restore power to Anglo Saxons, globally.

Another prominent player promoting violence in the Identity

phenomenon is Louis Beam. Beam, a former Texas Klansman,

called for a leaderless resistance strategy among Whites and

became a powerful advocate for the overthrow of the federal gov-

ernment in the 1980s (False Patriots, 1996). He encouraged White

freedomfightersto formphantom cells,small underground organi-

zations designed to take action against the government, all over the

country, thus eliminating the need for national leadership (False

Patriot, 1996). This strategy was outlined in his newsletter The

Seditionist in 1992. Beam also opened the door for White racists

and Identity Christians to use the Internet for communication by

developing the first White supremacist computer network site

(False Patriot, 1996). He has been linked to numerous terrorist

plots, including federal building bombings and railroad sabotages.

In 1987, he made the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Ten Most

Wanted List (False Patriot, 1996). Beam is an ally of Richard

Butler of the Aryan Nations Church and a frequent contributor to

the Jubilee, the leading Identity Christian periodical (Intelligence

Report, 1998a). The infamous Beam has the dubious honor of

developingthe point system for White revolutionarieswho assassi-

nate federal officials, civil rights leaders, Blacks, gays, and others.

In other words, White radicals can obtain points to become Aryan

warriors by assassinating enemies, and thus murder is not only

legitimized but serves as a symbol of honor (Intelligence Report,

1998a).

Likewise, murder of doctors who perform abortions on White

women is legitimized. Identity Christians have correctly perceived

that White women seek abortions for unplanned pregnancies in

greater numbers than Blacks. Bombing abortion clinics and killing

Sharpe / THE IDENTITY CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT 617

the doctors who perform them are viewed as justified acts to stop

the killing of White unborn babies. Eric Robert Rudolph, the sus-

pect at large in the bombing of a Birmingham, Alabama abortion

clinic, has ties to the Identity Christian movement (Intelligence

Report, 1998c). The other acts of violence that Rudolph is alleged

to have committed confirm this as they fit in nicely with Identity

rhetoric. The Atlanta Olympic Park bombing in 1996, a symbol of

multiculturalism,and a gay nightclub bombing, alsoin Atlanta,are

both unofficially linked to Rudolph. These targets are classic Iden-

tityenemies.ItisnosurprisethatRudolphhasremainedatlargefor

more than a year and has successfully eluded government appre-

hension. He is a hero among his peers and has probably received

assistance from the Identity Church near his home in North Caro-

lina (Intelligence Report, 1998c).

One of the most violent Identity Christian groups is the Phineas

Priesthood. They take their name and philosophy from the Book of

Numbers(chapter28, verses1through18) in the Old Testament.In

this chapter, God (Yahweh) praises Eleazar, the son of Aaron, for

murdering an Israelite man and his Midianite wife. This act of

homicide is interpreted as an atonement for the transgression of

race mixing. Furthermore, they believe that the passage provides

justification for violence against any violator of their White God’s

law. The Phineas Priesthood has been linked to bank robberies

employing pipe bombs as weapons, as well as the bombing of a

newspaper office in Spokane, Washington in 1995 (Intelligence

Report, 1998c). Richard Kelly Hoskins, an Identity Christian

leader, outlined the history of this subgroup in The Vigilantes of

Christendom (1990). To become a member of the Phineas Priest-

hood, one must take action, primarily violent action, toward the

goal of restoring the White man to world domination (Klan Watch

Intelligence Report, 1996a, 1996b).

The most horrific act to date associated with the philosophy is

the dragging death of James Byrd Jr. in Jasper, Texas. John King,

whowasconvictedof themurder,and his coconspirators havebod-

ies covered with White supremacist tattoos. When apprehended,

Kingallegedly statedthat“we’restartingThe TurnerDiaries early”

(Intelligence Report, 1999, p. 9).

618 JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES / MARCH 2000

DISCUSSION

The principles of Identity Christianity provide the divine justifi-

cation for acts of violence against the government, non-Whites,

homosexuals, and Jews. To the Identity Christians, the government

isbogus and must be dismantled.Likewise,because peopleofcolor

and Jews are not human, and White homosexuals are traitors to the

White race and God, violence and murder against them all is sanc-

tioned as long as it is inthe interest of restoring their White God’s

law. The Bible is filled with acts of murder. Therefore, their literal

but revisionist interpretation of the Bible gives legitimacy to mur-

der targeting specifically identified victims. The under-siege men-

tality harbored by Identity Christians creates paranoia that encour-

ages violence and in some cases, special status is conferred upon

those who execute some heinous act against the targets listed

above. Although a grand conspiracy is unlikely, individuals or

small groups of individuals exposed to the doctrine through relig-

iousmeetings, literature, or Internet connectionsmaybeinspired to

send a mail bomb, torch a church, or attack a gay, Black, Hispanic,

or Asian person and achieve status in his or her own mind or within

their circle of associates. There are many dangers associated with

Identity Christianity, but a number of primary concerns tower

above the others.

First, the link between Christian fundamentalism and Identity

Christianity was consistent throughout the review of the literature.

This element bears further study because fundamentalism is

becoming a strong force in society and in politics. Young people

seekingmeaningful livesareattracted to these nondenominational,

fundamentalistgroups with charismatic leaders. Many mainstream

Christian fundamentalist views come close to, but fall just short of,

full-blown Identity ideology. Fundamentalists are generally

against the practice of abortion and frown upon the ideas of multi-

culturalism and diversity. Furthermore, many fundamentalist

groups are suspicious of the federal government. Although most of

theorganizationsdo not openly advocate race hatred, inlight ofthe

polarization among Blacks and the emergence of an inner-city

underclass frequently given media coverage, it would not be diffi-

Sharpe / THE IDENTITY CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT 619

cult for a paradigm shift to occur. The fundamentalists believe that

Armageddon is very near as evidenced by the crime rates and the

overall devaluation of human life. Some future charismatic leader

could indeed cite Blacks and other non-Whites as the cause of

social problems and the uninformed masses could believe it. The

White supremacists have already adopted this position.

Second, the Identity Christian movement is considered by some

to be a religion of the extreme Right. Identity organizations are

radical, subversive, and dangerous and should be relegated to cult

status and not considered a mainstream Christian religion. Identity

rhetoricshouldnot be considered right-wing either.The right-wing

perspectivein America is associated with political and social con-

servatism. The label conservatism suggests that there is some-

thing correct, stable, and normal about it. The right wing label

gives these dangerous groups a semblance of legitimacy. The

Identity Christian association with the right wing, in and of itself,

shouldcall into question the popularuseofthe left wing/right wing,

liberal/conservative continuum in political discourse. The concept

of conservatism should not reflect racist attitudes toward non-

Whites. Racism in any form should be considered radical and not

desirable.The use of the liberal versus conservativecontinuum as a

descriptive device should be changed to remove the color/ethnicity

variablefrom thedebate.It should be conservativetoreflectthe val-

ues of family, religion, goodness, respect for the law, cleanliness,

and so forth without attaching any particular race/ethnic group to

those values. Values transcend race. As mentioned earlier, the con-

nection between virtue and color was the result of inaccurate 16th-

century European assessments of human diversity and should not

continue in today’s rhetoric. By the same token, liberalism should

notsuggestpermissivenessand should not beattached to skincolor

as well. The rise of the Identity movement demonstrates that the

linear continuum of liberalism versus conservatism is not valid for

explaining political and social views.

Third,spreading literature overtheInternet opens their views up

tomanydisenfranchisedyoungpeople who may not have the bene-

fitof stable andnurturinghomelives.Givinglegitimacytoviolence

620 JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES / MARCH 2000

and murder may influence immature adolescents to plot violent

acts, falsely believing that they are a part of some holy war sanc-

tioned by God.

Fourth, the merger of the work of neoeugenics scholars with

these and similar perspectives is particularly disturbing. Eugenics

proponents’ theories of biological determinism give legitimacy to

the belief in White supremacy. Dubious findings of pseudo-

scientific researchers at a few mainstream universities are consid-

ered proof that non-Whites are genetically inferior and therefore

less human. Studies of this nature combined with the ideological

underpinnings of Identity Christianity provide believers with

irrefutable evidence that killing non-Whites is justified and no

more ominous than killing an animal. Thus, this connection pro-

vides another avenue by which the Identity ideology may filter

itself into the mainstream of society.

CONCLUSION

Identity Christian ideology is a desperate attempt to cling to the

past. It is ironic that the past as viewed by followers of the doctrine

never really existed. A mythical and perfect place inhabited by

Whites only, full of harmony, without crime, and festooned with

blue-eyed blondes has never existed. The utopian mentality har-

bored by Identity followers should be exposed for the wishful

thinkingthat it is. Diversityamong humans has always existed, and

alwayswill exist. Diversityis an asset, not a liability in ensuring the

survivalof the species. Identityideology does not acknowledge the

reality of the human condition and denies the obvious connections

between all humanity.

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