Interesting Article On Far Right Thinking

Orcinus has a hugely interesting article up regarding the thought-and-act process that radicalized groups go through to eventually arrive at their apocolyptic vision... and how there is plainly visible evidence of the beginnings of that thought-and-act process going on all around America today.

The outline of the process that all fringe groups (cults, racist organizations, extremist militias) take to go from "back burner" to "full boil" is this:

1. "Ready" (The foundation. Always there.)
1. There is a belief of upcoming calamity... The end of their world as they know it.
2. Their world is divided into "us versus them."
3. Their reality and information have been manipulated in order to confirm their worldview.
4. They posess a feeling of being persecuted.
5. They posess strong desires to implement their worldview.
2. "Set" (The indicators. What is being seen now.)
1. Shifts in rhetoric that indicate tentative attempts at rationalizing violence.
2. Disinformation begins to spread that requires further warping of worldview.
3. A sense of humiliation begins to bubble up.
4. A new sense of urgency is expressed.
5. Demagogues and polemicists seize control of the dialogue.
6. Members place themselves in direct opposition to state power, and declare government the enemy.
7. Begin purchasing weapons.
8. Begin flexing muscles with threats and petty violence.
3. "Go" (The result. What happens next.)
1. Further (physical) separation... The "compound".
2. Overt lawlessness... answering to a "higher law".
3. And ultimately: Picking fights with authorities.

Note: The links above that demonstrate evidence of "indicators" are not all links to extremists themselves, but links to events and examples that extremists watch as fuel for and evidence of their "time is now" decision-making progress to move to the "go" stage.