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I've been profoundly annoyed by the Civil Beat article all day. It's all bluster with absolutely zero information of substance. Saying this didn't happen overnight but dates back to Trump's election virtually is saying this happened overnight.
Before I jump into the history... https://twitter.com/KharaJabola/status/1349103424910970880
Before I jump into the history... https://twitter.com/KharaJabola/status/1349103424910970880
...I want to add that this article doesn't have the guts to address the connections between Ochs, militarism, and colonialism. If the authors payed as close attention as they insinuate they were to what happened on campus a few years ago (which they weren't since there was...
...more than one instance of the PB targeting instructors at UH), then they'd know that a major current to what Och's group was saying was a rejection of the Hawaiian sovereignty movement and a sense of entitlement to Hawai'i on the basis of it being a part of America.
Colonialism in Hawai'i is intimately tied to the military and militarism. Ochs is a vet.
Would you be surprised to learn that colonial feelings of entitlement to Hawai'i's land and sovereignty has a very well known history that dates back far earlier than "at least 2016?"
Would you be surprised to learn that colonial feelings of entitlement to Hawai'i's land and sovereignty has a very well known history that dates back far earlier than "at least 2016?"
I'm being sarcastic, of course... OBVIOUSLY that discourse began before 2016.
That said, this entitlement isn't unique to the right. So, let's dive in to how there is a history of far-right wing violence of this particular strand dating back way before Trump ran for office.
That said, this entitlement isn't unique to the right. So, let's dive in to how there is a history of far-right wing violence of this particular strand dating back way before Trump ran for office.
As a legal sociologist, I've been researching far-right, Christian Identity, and white supremacist insurgency and violence in the United States for about two years -- especially in the Western U.S (which, in this sense, includes Hawai'i, even though Hawai'i is occupied).
It's on this point that it makes me feel frustrated that the authors would write this article when they clearly have no idea what they're talking about.
There has long been the presence of far-right, anti-government groups and ideas in Hawai'i. These created the conditions of..
There has long been the presence of far-right, anti-government groups and ideas in Hawai'i. These created the conditions of..
...possibility for groups like the PB to catch on here.
A google search would have revealed an article by the Southern Poverty Law Center showing that in 2009, the Oath Keepers and two other armed groups had a presence in Hawai'i.
Another Google search would have revealed...
A google search would have revealed an article by the Southern Poverty Law Center showing that in 2009, the Oath Keepers and two other armed groups had a presence in Hawai'i.
Another Google search would have revealed...
...that people have attempted to push sovereign citizen ideology through Hawai'i's courts dating back at least to 1991.
Though not exclusive to the movement, constitutional militias and sovereign citizen ideology overlap in the Patriot movement (which the Oath Keepers are...
Though not exclusive to the movement, constitutional militias and sovereign citizen ideology overlap in the Patriot movement (which the Oath Keepers are...
...a part of). The Patriot Movement has been tied to a substantial portion of right-wing violence in the US in the past 5 years, as well as the 2016 occupation of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge in Oregon (think back to jokes about Vanilla ISIS and Y'all Qaeda). It was also closely..
...tied to the bombing of the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City by Timothy McVeigh.
The Malheur occupation was organized by former WA State rep Matt Shea (who is a prominent leader within the Pat mov) and Ammon Bundy. In 2014, there was an armed standoff at the ranch of Ammon's
The Malheur occupation was organized by former WA State rep Matt Shea (who is a prominent leader within the Pat mov) and Ammon Bundy. In 2014, there was an armed standoff at the ranch of Ammon's
father, Cliven, where the family and right-wing militia groups confronted the Bureau of Land Management (over Cliven's refusal to pay federal grazing fees for his cattle).
Obviously, Malheur was a big deal. And it was a big deal when Matt Shea was investigated for domestic...
Obviously, Malheur was a big deal. And it was a big deal when Matt Shea was investigated for domestic...
...terrorism a year ago. Both events were widely published (even though I'm annoyed people weren't outraged by Shea).
Along with the violence and insurgency, the Patriot movement has been a major source from which the racist doctrine and conspiracy theories have sprung out of.
Along with the violence and insurgency, the Patriot movement has been a major source from which the racist doctrine and conspiracy theories have sprung out of.
QAnon has fed the P Mov, but the latter also cased QAnon.
If you are in any position to be writing an article like the Civil Beat one, AT ALL, the first thing that would come to your mind would be the P Mov. I already mentioned that, through the Oath Keepers, the mov has had...
If you are in any position to be writing an article like the Civil Beat one, AT ALL, the first thing that would come to your mind would be the P Mov. I already mentioned that, through the Oath Keepers, the mov has had...
...a presence in Hawai'i for at least ten years. And when I say "at least," I mean going off the things that come up on Google without doing any digging or meticulous research.
And if there was still any doubt that this history I've pointed to isn't connected to Ochs, if you...
And if there was still any doubt that this history I've pointed to isn't connected to Ochs, if you...
...google Patriot Movement Hawaii, you can find Nick Ochs' attorney, Miles Breiner, giving an interview about the government's prosecution of the Bundy family -- the poster boys of the Patriot movement.
I don't fault Civil Beat for publishing this. I fault the authors for
I don't fault Civil Beat for publishing this. I fault the authors for
deciding to write this and not even attempt to do any research about the history of this form of right-wing doctrine in Hawai'i, or address what it actually is that Ochs believes. It's irresponsible.
Also, I kind of hinted at this when I said this is just based off the stuff that comes up on the first page of Google, but it really is just the tip of the iceberg. If you actually did thorough research, you'd uncover a lot more. This all started in the 80's.
