Right-wing political extremism

The radical right in the USA encompasses a vast number and variety of groups, such as survivalists, militias, the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis, Christian Identity churches, the AN and skinheads. These groups are not mutually exclusive and within the subculture individuals easily migrate from one group to another. This intermixing of organizations makes it difficult to discern a singular religious ideology or belief system that encompasses the right-wing. A major concern is the increased level of cooperation between the different right wing extremist groups. This trend can be seen throughout the right-wing.

In 1995, right-wing militias had been identified in more than 40 of the 50 states, with big concentrations in the north- and mid-west. The members call themselves patriots. They range from ordinary people who feel their way of life is threatened, to Ku Klux Klan-style white supremacists fighting for the right to bear arms and be free of government interference. Before the demise of the Soviet threat, such forces were mainly in remote areas, small armed groups called 'Survivalists' motivated by a form of 'outward bound', right wing politics and preparing for the aftermath of nuclear war. They have largely forgotten communism and rail against the fascist enemy in the White House. They believe in a variety of conspiracy theories: that America is being overtaken by Jews; that USA administration is a puppet of a global dictatorship whose rise was heralded by the fall of the Berlin Wall, or of an occult elite sometimes called 'Luciferian Globalism'. Few militias have non-white members and they are all well-armed. Many are serving military officers or Vietnam veterans. It was predicted that during the year 2000 and beyond, the Turner Diaries (Andrew MacDonald, regarded as a nom de plume for William Pierce) would be an inspiration for right-wing terrorist groups to act because it outlined both a revolutionary takeover of the US government and a race war.

For right-wing groups who believe they are being persecuted by the satanic government of the United States, the Book of Revelation's message fits perfectly into their world view. This world view, in combination with a literal interpretation of the Book of Revelation, is reflected in extremist ideology, violent acts, and literature.

The phenomenon of the skin-heads, one more of the city gangs, has acquired a huge importance in most of the Eastern European countries, especially when, in many cases, they have joined together with fanatic groups of football supporters. It has been proven that there are permanent international connections between them, always with the support of extreme right-wing groups, even when they are not part of the same structure. A Czech non-governmental organisation has documented 1250 racially motivated attacks on Roma, especially attacks by racist skinheads, in the period 1991-1997. Of these, at least nine Roma died as a direct result of attack, and a group of skinheads killed a Turkish man they mistook for a Gypsy. The views of skinheads are supported by a palpable racism in the wider society.