Portents of things to come.
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The New York Times
April 26, 2009
Neo-Nazi Group Resurfaces, Citing Obama
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho (AP) — When the Aryan Nations compound was publicly bulldozed eight years ago, many people here thought they had seen the end of a neo-Nazi group that brought notoriety and violence to this part of the Northwest.
But the group has surfaced again, distributing fliers that say it is recruiting members to create a “world headquarters” here.
That has drawn the attention of the human rights advocates who helped destroy the old Aryan Nations.
“As best I can find out, it’s two men and they operate out of a P.O. box,” said Tony Stewart, a longtime advocate and board member of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations. “There is no way that this compares to when the Aryan Nations had a compound here and drew hundreds for conferences.”
A new Web site lists two Coeur d’Alene residents, Jerald O’Brien and Michael Lombard, as leaders of Aryan Nations. Both use the title of pastor, which was also used by Richard Butler, who brought the organization to Idaho from California in the 1970s.
Mr. O’Brien said a handful of Mr. Butler’s supporters remained in the area after he died in 2004, but kept a low profile. It was the election of Barack Obama as the nation’s first black president that prompted them to begin seeking new members.
More at: nytimes.com |
