Organized Hate - Part 2

Tom Metzger/War

White Aryan Resistance (WAR)

„ Founded: 1983 „ Leader: Tom Metzger „ Headquarters: Fallbrook, CA „ Ideo logy: Blend of Whi te supremacy and “Thir d Position” „ Outreach: convicts, skinheads „ Connections: Aryan Nations, The Order, World Church of the Creator, various skinhead groups „ Strategy: Leaderless resistance model of activism

Tom Metzger

„ Born in 1938 „ Former Army Corporal; currently a TV repairman „ 1961: Joined John Birch Society „ Left because he found out that “you can’t criticize Jews” „ 1975: Joined David Duke’s Knights of the KKK; becomes a Grand Dragon for CA; also becomes a Christian Identity Minister through James K. Warner „ 1979: Organized patrols of armed Klansman and detained illegal immigrants along the US/Mexican border; developed armed, uniformed Klan security force

1 Tom Metzger

„ 1980:

„ Duke and Metzger became rivals „ Metzger’s CA branch of Duke’s Knights of the KKK broke away from Duke’ s organization and he formed the CA Knights of the KKK „ Metzger won Democratic Congressional primary, but lost the election in a landslide „ Following Congressional defeat, Metzger broke away from the Klan; formed the White American Political Association (WAPA) to promote “pro-white” candidates for office

Tom Metzger/WAR

„ 1983: Transformed WAPA into WAR „ Began promoting “Third Position” „ Blend of totalitarian and left/right wing ideas „ Pro-environment „ Anti-capitalism „ Anti-socialism/Marxism „ Adheres totally to the issue of race; all others issues come after

„ Room for disagreement, but not about race

Tom Metzger/WAR

„ Metzger effectively exploits media to spread his message „ Publishes WAR monthly newspaper „ Radio shows „ TV shows and appearances „ Website

„ Weekly e-mail newsletter, Aryan Update „ Merchandise sales „ Telephone hotline

2 Tom Metzger/WAR

„ Metzger began to reach out to skinhead groups in the mid-1980’s via WAR Youth (aka Aryan Youth Movement) „ Run by Metzger’s son , John „ John attempted to set up White Student Unions on high school and college campuses as forums for WAR’s views and to recruit members „ Distributed several hundreds flyers in student mailboxes and lockers declaring the Holocaust to be a Jewish hoax

Mulugeta Seraw Portland OR, 12 November 1988

„ Skinheads from the Portland, OR group, East Side White Pride, attacked three Ethiopian immigrants with baseball bats and steel-toed boots „ Mulugeta Seraw is killed „ Kenneth Mieske, Steven Strasser, Kyle Brewster are arrested and charged with murder

Mulugeta Seraw Portland OR, 12 November 1988

„ May, 1989: Mieske pleaded guilty to murdering Seraw; admitted that racism was the motivation „ Strasser and Brewster convicted of Mieske 1st Degree Manslaughter and are sentenced up to 20 years

„ Brewster received 15 years; released in 2002 „ Charged with violating parole in 2006 for alleged contact with members of White supremacist group, Volksfront Brewster

3 Mulugeta Seraw Portland OR, 12 November 1988

„ During the course of the investigation it is discovered that Mieske had prior contact with Metzger and WAR „ Violent activities of Portland Skinheads caught the attention of Metzger, who began writing about them, and urging them to align with WAR „ Metzger sends WAR rep, Dave Mazella up to Portland to recruit and train skinheads

Mulugeta Seraw Portland OR, 12 November 1988

„ 1990: Morris Dees of the SPLC filed a civil lawsuit against the Portland skinheads and the Metzgers

„ Argued that the Metzgers had aided and encouraged the violent behavior that led to Seraw’s death „ Jury awarded record $12.5 million to Seraw’s family

„ Tom Metzger ordered to pay $5 million „ John Metzger ordered to pay $1 million „ WAR ordered to pay $3 million „ Mieske and Brewster ordered to pay $500K each „ Another $2.5 million in damages also awarded

Tom Metzger/WAR

„ Metzger has been very influential in advocating the “Lone Wolf” or “leaderless resistance” model of hate group organization „ Act alone „ Leave no evidence „ Do not commit robbery to obtain operating funds „ Act silently and anonymously „ Do not deface your body with identifiable tattoos „ Understand that you are dispensable „ Whatever happens, do not grovel „ “5 Words”

4 Tom Metzger/WAR: Current Status

„ Despite several lawsuits, losing his house and business, and huge debt, Metzger remains as vocal as ever „ WAR still in business „ Currently in Warsaw, IN „ On 25 June 2009, BATFE agents raided his raids „ Computer materials were seized, but no arrests were made „ Still mandated to make payments to the Seraw family

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