Rage on the Right

The American Militia Movement from Ruby Ridge to Homeland Security

The image of the militia as ordinary people coming together in times of crisis to help their fellow citizens is deeply embedded in American society and culture. Recent claimants to the militia title have adopted this image even as they have promoted a radically anti-government, populist conservative political agenda. Rage on the Right explores militia activity and ideology throughout the last decade from Ruby Ridge to Waco to the Oklahoma City bombing. Author Lane Crothers uses social movement theory to illuminate why militia members are enraged by U.S. governmental policies and why their rage is unlikely to coalesce into a large political movement. Looking ahead, the book concludes with an examination of prospects for militia renewal in the U.S. after 9/11.