Freemen

A detailed Summary of Freemen

American's view of the world and our place in it has changed many times over. Our history is filled with significant dates that shaped our history, July 4, 1776, December 7, 1941, June 6, 1944, and most recently September 11, 2001. April 19, 1995 was such a date. That day, at approximately 9 a.m. a massive explosion destroyed most of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal building in Oklahoma City. 167 people were killed in the explosion, which was caused by a bomb made of fertilizer that was placed in a rental truck. The arrest and later conviction of Timothy McVeigh helped to shed light on a new threat to Americans, homegrown militias. Modern Militias have become synonymous with fringe elements of society, and they are more often feared and dismissed as lunatics. The militia movement has affected practically every part of the country, some more than others. The west, it seems, has been particularly affected. In 1995 the relatively peaceful routine of the residents of Jordan, Montana was shattered by a standoff between a group known as the Montana Freemen and Federal authorities. Many thought that Jordan would become synonymous with places like Ruby Ridge, Idaho, and Waco, Texas. The standoff, however, remained peaceful, and the

The Montana Freemen borrow many of their views from other right-wing movements. Identity Christianity is one of the views that the Freemen share along with many other groups. Identity Christianity emerged shortly after World War II. The main idea of Identity Christians is that the Jews are the "Devil's children" and are plotting to overthrow the world. Other groups such as, the Aryan Nations, the Posse Comitatus, and the Ku Klux Klan support identity Christianity. The view holds that there are two lines of descendants from Genesis, one from Adam and Eve, and the other from Satan and Eve. Aryans are the only line descended from Adam and Eve; all others are from Satan, including all non-whites and Jews. This view also contends that the U.S. government is controlled by a worldwide Jewish conspiracy, which is referred to as the Zionist Occupational Government. It is the goal of the movement to return control of the government to "true Americans". The Freemen incorporate this view into their political views as well. They view the Federal Reserve System as illegal under God's Law, and advocated that the following steps be taken against the government:

- File liens against public officials who interfere with the common law courts, and if necessary try and hang them.

- All white, male property owners should declare themselves "sovereign citizens" outside the reach of the Federal government.

Two men, Rodney Skurdal and LeRoy Schweitzer, formed the Montana Freemen in the early 1990s. The two men were both born and bred in Eastern Montana, and basically lead normal lives. Schweitzer moved to western Washington and started his own business. He had his first run-in with the government in 1977, when he argued with the IRS over supposedly unpaid taxes. Schweitzer began attending Posse Comitatus meetings, and meeting others in the far-right movement. In the mid 80s he moved back to Montana and stopped paying income taxes altogether. Rodney Skurdal began exchanging views with Schweitzer. Skurdal was a Montana native, and after graduating high school he joined the Marine Corps. He left the service in 1981 and moved back west. In 1983 he suffered a severe head injury while working. It was during this time that he started espousing far-right beliefs. In 1985 he sued the state, who paid his workman's compensation by check, he wanted it in gold and silver, claiming the government did not have the authority to print paper money. He moved back to Montana and fell in with Schweitzer. In September of 1992, Skurdal issued a document to the clerk of

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1736
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History