This country wants mythology, not historically accuracy…

As William Faulkner said: "The past isn't dead, hell, it isn't even past."

as a Vietnam vet, I found this interview absolutely fascinating. especially the take away that it is not Veterans in general, but the catalyst for a small group, as is often the case, to radicalize others.

Michelle Martin has really conducted some excellent interviews in this series. Brava! and thank you.

When I managed a small retail store, I was in charge of hiring. I hired a white evangelist, a Jamaican homophobe, a lesbian, a female Haitian, a well off young man self described libertarian, and an undocumented female. None of these people would have ever chosen to know each other, but they all ended up liking each other. Genuinely ended up caring for each other.

12:43 "We still think about 'lone wolves' when we should be thinking about a ground swell." 🔥 This whole interview is on point.

One of the most informative and essential interiews I have run across. Like curtains being drawn back.

Professor Belew's insights into domestic terrorism and extremism provide a chilling view forward, of the path that America is taking toward becoming a police state, unless more people are woken up to what is going on right under their noses. An excellent interview, Michel.

The problem is that it's usually whole families that go down the 'rabbit hole' together.

A REALLY smart lady who seems to have devoted a significant chunk of her life to the study of American history. I'm Impressed, and even humbled by her passion & expertise. 🇺🇸😎

The professor has an interesting take on the Oklahoma City bombing. Many of us who remember the bombing tend to recall the perpetrators as being Timothy McVeigh (who was executed just weeks before 9/11) and Terry Nichols (who is serving his sentence in the Supermax prison in Colorado). Yet they were part of a larger movement, and we just forgot all about it in the aftermath of 9/11.

This is a great interview - I learned a lot from it. The government should be more forthcoming about the problems that exist instead of hiding them.

The origins of the modern movement coincides with Reagan ("government is the problem") and the GOP 'southern strategy'.

"We have met the enemy, and he is us!" ~ Walt Kelly "The secret of freedom is educating the people, whereas the secret of tyranny is keeping them ignorant." ~ Robespierre “Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities” ~ Voltaire "There can be no successful appeal from the ballot to the bullet." ~Abraham Lincoln “The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence." ~ Charles Bukowski "Everybody has a right to their opinion, but nobody has a right to be wrong in their facts." ~ Bernard Baruch, quoted in 1946 AP article. “It's easier to fool people than it is to convince them that they have been fooled.” ~ Mark Twain “It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.” ~ James A. Baldwin "When stupidity is considered patriotism, it is unsafe to be intelligent." ~ Isaac Asimov “If we are to have another contest in the near future of our national existence, I predict that the dividing line will not be Mason and Dixon's but between patriotism and intelligence on the one side, and superstition, ambition and ignorance on the other.” ~ Ulysses S. Grant, 1875 "When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.” ~ Typically misattributed to Sinclair Lewis, the original source of this quote is unknown, but likely derived from labor activist Eugene V. Debs 1917 quote, "Every robber or oppressor in history has wrapped himself in a cloak of patriotism or religion, or both." Before World War II, Charles Lindbergh typified American heroism with his daring flights, including the first solo transatlantic flight, and his celebration of new technology. He parlayed his fame and heroic stature into a leading role in the America First movement, which opposed America’s entrance into the war against Nazi Germany. In 1939, in an essay entitled “Aviation, Geography, and Race,” published in that most American of journals, Reader’s Digest, Lindbergh embraced something close to Nazism for America: "It is time to turn from our quarrels and to build our White ramparts again. This alliance with foreign races means nothing but death to us. It is our turn to guard our heritage from Mongol and Persian and Moor, before we become engulfed in a limitless foreign sea." The America First movement was the public face of pro-fascist sentiment in the United States at that time. In the twenties and thirties, many Americans shared Lindbergh’s views against immigration, especially by non-Europeans. The Immigration Act of 1924 strictly limited immigration into the country, and it was specifically intended to restrict the immigration of both nonwhites and Jews. Once again, nationalism, aka fascism, has risen its ugly head in America, in European nations, and in some other countries around the world. The fight of good people against ignorance, the fears that sprout from it, the hate which then blossoms, culminating in the bitter toxic fruit of evil, senseless brutalities and deaths, is a constant, never-ending battle we fear, but it is a battle from which we must never shrink. In this era, the likes of Toxic Trump and Marginalized Greene have become the face of the new "America First" fascist movement built up over the last four decades by the GOP, Reich-wing plutocrats, demagogues, and media. But, as with Lindbergh, the American people gradually come to recognize their dysfunctional poison and reject it. Most Americans understand, accept, and appreciate that the enduring strength of America is that we are a nation of immigrants and multiculturalism, a "melting pot" where the best ideas rise to the top, and superficial differences are meaningless in the face of our common humanity and purpose. Most Americans want competent leaders who speak truth, who strive to unite, who are not corrupt, who care about them. So, it should come as no surprise that President Biden is already receiving high marks from the public, while Toxic Trump never managed to rise above even a 50% approval rating. To conclude where begun, the following quotes are submitted for further reflection: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." ~ George Santayana "History doesn't repeat itself. But it does rhyme. ~ Mark Twain "That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons of history." ~ Aldous Huxley "If men could learn from history, what lessons it might teach us! But passion and party blind our eyes, and the light which experience gives us is a lantern on the stern which shines only on the waves behind." ~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Interesting, I drew the same conclusion several years ago about the link between the Vietnam War and the rise of militant groups in the U.S. One day I went to a program honoring veterans at a local mall. As a veteran myself I just wanted to see what was being put on. All of the groups were there AMVETS. American Legion, DAV, VFW, etc. but there was one group that stood out. This was a group of Purple Heart recipients from the Vietnam War. They weren't particularly friendly. While most of the other groups either recruited or promoted veterans causes this group pushed 2nd Amendment rights and Open Carry. They had no use for the U.S. Govt. They were bitter and it was obvious. I have talked to many veterans from all wars and periods and in each group there are those that hold anti government or authoritarian views. Most of the later blame the liberals for all of the country's problems. Violence was appropriate to accomplish a purge of these "snowflakes" and "liberal weaklings." There is also a significant percentage on active duty with these same views. The more authoritarian the branch or unit the more this thought prevails. What happened at the Capitol was shocking, but when it did happen I unlike many in the media was not surprised to see many veterans and even some active duty personnel among them. The current administration had better stop playing nice and magnanimous good guy with those who participated and enabled this attack. As Kathleen Belew stated, this was just a rehearsal. Enabled by a feckless republican party and a propaganda network posing as a legitimate news outlet, Trump is still out there spreading lies and fomenting violence. I fear the next big thing will produce many body bags.

Outstanding journalism by Amanpour and Company. Great interview!!!

I went to college with Professor Belew! She is about as smart as they come. So hyped to see her build a national profile!

Professor Belew says that the problem is an "insufficient understanding of our shared history". I think she's right, in part, but the problem is also about some people being just damned hateful, violent and mean. Unfortunately those kinds of people are often found in some kind of leadership role.

Brilliant prof. Good speaker. Please have her on the show again. Thank you!

I am so glad she brought up the "rehearsal." She is SO Right about how little we as a Society understand what has been happening all along in the shadows which the policies and rhetoric of the Trump campaign, his administration, and some of the Republicans have brought out into the light for all to see.

Don't forget to talk about how social media is utilized to grow the extremism.

Time for that Faulkner quote again: "The past is never dead; it isn't even past."

THANK YOU for these longer segments that allow for some deeper conversations!

Chris Hedges has been warning about this for decades. Interview him as someone who has covered the falls of many countries.

Another well done interview with an intelligent, well spoken professor. How refreshing to get the perspective based on real scholarship! Keep it up and keep educating. Many thx!

Thanks to everyone who worked on this piece; a proper analysis is essential to success in combating organized bigotry in the United States, and this is an important contribution to understanding what's going on with the deep streak of bigotry through our society, the threat that it represents, the damage it's already done, and what can be done about it.

Missing in this discussion are the effects of the Waco massacre, and the attack at Ruby ridge, and how they connect with Oklahoma City.

The answer is NOT Patriot act 2.0!! We need more parties in this country, more unions, more DEMOCRATIC institutions that represent the interests of working class people. People are being radicalized when they don’t have healthcare, a living wage and good schools for their children. Neither party in government represents these core issues! That’s the REAL problem. 🇺🇸🤔

I problem warned about for years and ignored even after Timothy McVeigh. And now we have tens of thousands Timothy McVeighs. Good luck with democracy now America.

Thank you to this professor, I'm really glad that my feelings of distress regarding right wingers is basically on point. We all should be very concerned about their motives and behavior.

Greatly instructive interview. Thank you! Prof K. Belew wonderfully masters and speaks about the subject matter. She inspires seeking and reading more of her work.

Wow. The professor was very sharp. Great questions, great interview, great responses.

This was an excellent interview. Hard questions w/ nuanced answers by a scholar who is clearly passionate & well-equipped to offer immediate & long-term solutions. Kudos to Michel for asking the right questions.

Why haven’t we recognized the right wing violent extremism? Because historically the FBI, elements of the military and local law enforcement have viewed right wing extremism favorably. Law enforcement and the military are known to have had strong right wing and extreme right wing views as institutions. That’s the truth. Historically, left wing and civil rights movements that overwhelmingly peaceful if not pacifist, have been viewed as dangerous and a threat to the status quo.

Kathleen Belew is such a refreshing golden example of human beings at their finest, the antithesis of the forces she strives to understand, illuminate and educate others about so that we can protect all those higher ideals and more people can break free and shine as she does from her dazzling mind and soul. And I can't help but mention that also animates her considerable beauty. Thank you for your appearances and I will, having listened intently to you four or five times now over the past difficult troubling year, buy and closely read your very important book. Bright good actualized people such as yourself help me stay somewhat on the cautiously optimistic side in my view of humanity and this country more so than pessimistic, helps keep me involved though as you make clear we still have an astounding amount of vigilant work to do. Thanks again.

A refreshing young professor who's a good presenter. She's concise, clear, insightful and doesn't begin every other sentence with the word "so." Would love to hear more from Dr. Belew.

In my opinion, the reason for the success of groups like these in our country and others is Fear! The play upon people’s fears of marginalization, capitalizing on an individual’s economic outlook. Fear turned outward is hate. Fear of the “other” produces this hate. That only scratches the surface, clearly, yet it cannot be misunderstood. Isolation and home schooling should be accounted as well as many other factors.

Michel Martin may be one of the best interviewers I have ever seen.

You wanna see laws change? Let one of these minority groups retaliate in any credible way. Loved the interview and what was said in regards to teaching history. I agree 100%. Teaching more accurate history is more for the people coming next, not those that are already indoctrinated. For the life of me I can't reason out how people deny the racism that exists in this country while at the same time the government itself rails against teaching accurate history, and phantom minority groups.

Wow! I wonder why we grew up not getting the full story of our shared history and how it is impacting what’s happening today. I like her ideas moving forward.

Something that wasn't mentioned; there needs to be sufficient consequences in order to deter events such as the insurrection at the Capitol -- from happening in the first place. Having no fear of consequence can be directly attributed to why these groups continue to act & have become emboldened in their hate & harmful actions. We can begin teaching factual, accurate history, policy can be introduced & changed. However, without substantial consequence for committing hate crimes, insurrection, domestic terrorism, etc. There is nothing to deter those actions from continuing & possibly getting worse.

When she mentioned the end of the war, the first thought that popped into my head was Freikorps, and Germans feeling that they had been "stabbed in the back" by their leaders and Jewish elites. While comparing people and movements to Nazis and Naziism is overdone--and especially by those on the Right who love deflecting and projecting--in this case, it is fully warranted. To also had more of a connection the deflectors on the Right call just about everyone who disagrees with them Communists, even though, of course, almost none of them are even close to being Communist.

Thank you so much for your excellent research. You really help to put the timeline in perspective. A true service to humanity - Nice Work Ms. Belew!

This is significant information and analysis many people need to hear. One downer is that I see comments and gripes about the expert's presentation. It's very high quality and definitely worthy of a national news network. I fear some people have trouble hearing from an expert who happens to be female.

This was great. What I didn't hear her talk about is tie-in with religion. There's power in saying "we're a white nation." You turbo-charge it when you say "we're a white, christian nation." "When Fascism comes to America it'll be wrapped in the flag and carrying a Bible."

My elderly mother is very involved in her county GOP. She believes Jan. 6 was an aberration, and doesn’t see it as having a relationship to her political party. After she ranted for an hour about how the government makes everything worse, I told her two things: Her affluent situation in a state where four of the country’s poorest counties are located contradicts her sentiments - she’s had three COVID-19 vaccines funded and administered by the government; she enjoys a clean water and food supply and subsidized healthcare the rest of us can’t get. The second thing: I asked her why she is so involved with her political party if there are no policy solutions for any of the political problems that keep her up at night. She had no answer for me. All she could say is that the only solution to human problems is for families “to sit down at the dinner table.” My elderly mother is being manipulated in a Republican project to dismantle government and give the keys to the country to the 21st Century robber barons who are ruining the world and plundering every possible resource to feed the bottomless pit of their unmet needs. They will die with all the toys while the rest of us strangle on plastic and wildfires burn the world. The only thing we can do, according to mom, is to have family dinners where we all pretend that father knows best and the food is blessed by a far off God.

We all can't attend your lectures at University of Chicago Professor Belew (it would be so edifying) ... but your proposed solutions after an impassioned question from your interviewer, Michel Martin, about what to do with armed insurrectionists who want to overthrow our democracy is equally heartfelt and I do believe, with proper education, we can make headway in this existential battle of or our time. To think we have an ailing Earth and pandemic and hunger ... and yet, this behavior takes precedence. So sad and threatening.

If a few years of bad rhetoric can lead to an insurrection, surely a few years of deliberate and honest dialogue could lead to something positive....or maybe I'm being naive....

The Oklohoma bombing was directly coupled to David Koresh and the branch devidion incident.

What work have we done to realize that the African American people have never stormed on or disrespected the Capitol buildings!!🤔

So, we’re developing our own ISIS. How ironic. Great presentation.

While I am glad the professor pointed out that it is only a small minority of veterans that engage in anti-government violence, one thing that I had to listen twice for was the disclaimer that the Viet Nam war was ALSO a catalyst for peaceful activism. Example: Viet Nam Veterans Against the War (VVAW). They are still active. Among their many contributions are getting recognition for Agent Orange related illnesses, reaching out to other vets, trying to make some amends by sponsoring projects in Viet Nam, like schools and libraries.

Excellent interview to get at the myriad of levels of the problem of domestic terrorism!!

America is not alone, in not having those conversations. It is almost every country in the world.

“When you have a hammer, everything is a nail” GQP in a nutshell.

Terrific insight into a frightening situation.

I'll have to listen to this a few times. My mind reels and takes off on one point while the next is being discussed. What a great interview!

Every time US soldiers come home from a war, I hear new racial/ethnic slurs, I never heard before.

So I guess I’m some ways they capitalize off of PTSD ….. that’s nasty.

Still crickets on holding ‘45, Giuliani, Rep. Mo Brooks, Rep. MTG, Rep. Boebert, et al accountable…. In the United States, Political Class will and does protect you.

This really blew my mind & I'm still reeling... Thank you Dr. Bellew.

The problems that plague societies are so complex, embedded, perpetuated, intrinsic that I often wonder how they could ever be untangled. Prof. Belew has done one of the best summations/explanations I've ever seen. You have to understand it, and at least be aware of it, before you can attempt to fix it.

This is FANTASTIC!🙀🔥 thank you

What’s so crazy is that the klans and others followed Christianity when Jesus was and is a brother and not white smh 🤷🏽‍♂️ the irony

Excellent interview. Please bring this professor back again and again. We all need this information! Thank you. Thank you.

Wow. I hope Dr. Belew is a consultant for the government. Clearly her analysis is essential in confronting and controlling domestic terrorism. Thanks to Amanpour and Co for offering this important information. Congratulations to Ms Martin on an excellent interview.

I'm reading Lawrence O'Donnell's book "Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election". He shows a lot of the beginnings of the movement from Barry Goldwater to Ronald Reagan and Nixon.

- Good to know there is intelligent life in the universe. Thank You! PS: Michelle Martin is the new Gwen Ifill.

Kathleen -- Thank you for your time and willingness to share, I hope this administration and future administrations listen the the wisdom you posses. I appreciate you. #grateful

Illuminating. Thank you Prof Belew. I’m glad your message is getting out there.

I remember Reagan's words, chilling in the implications, backing these ideas talking about "Big Government" is Enemy

This is the information that we need on all the public channels local news reports so people can actually be informed about how complex abd close to home this issue is

Thank you. Probably the most intelligent and comprehensive talks about where we are and how we got here. So much work to do, please continue speak the truth. Peace

Thank you Kathleen, very informative, articulate and with clear language.

This is an important reporting and research. Thank you.

Grandma went on fox praising trump the day after she got paroled.

I know this is your life's work, but.... Excellent rebuttal from the author. You really drove that point home without leaving anything out. You kept your composure so we'll. Awesome job.

Wow! What a Senator! There aren't many with this degree of erudition. This appears to be delivered on the Senate floor.

Parents who are proactive about their children's education becomes dangerous when the parent is teaching these beliefs.

Excellent research and point of view. Well done Kathleen. You're life's work is evident in your speech and unwavering response. Thank you for your commitment to understanding this extremely important topic and your ability to articulated this sensitive subject. All accolades to you at this moment... Good luck in future. We need your continued endeavor.

Loved how Michel Martin forces the conversation to go deeper. Great interview. I learned a lot - in less than 20 minutes.

I viewed this ep in June and KZfaq in its wisdom has brought it around again. August 2021. Never more so should this conversation be a wake up call for all societies.

Excellent segment and analysis

The level of self delusion evidenced in this comments section is impressive.

When people that commit violent acts of hate are held accountable and their punishment match their violent acts, than will we began to See change. As long as they can get away with it, I sure they don't see a need to stop.

If you read "The Grand Chessboard" by Zbignew Bryzenski (circa 1978), he states that in order for America to have guaranteed access to oil and other resources owned by Black and brown countries, America must invade 7 countries or find a pretext for war against these 7 countries. These countries were Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Iran, and 3 others that I forget.

I'd say that the young men we sent off to war, many of them were already racist coming from the South, and War then brutalized them. And at the same time that they were off to war, there were peace protests and civil rights progress which seemed intertwined to these hateful people.

This happens when only one group tide itself to power for too long leaving the rest missrepresented This is why race Theory is vital to fight the negative force of systematic racism.

It’s time to start teaching civics and critical thinking and debate in public schools, like we used to.

If I could offer some technical criticism: my volume is all the way up, and I can barely hear your video. It seems really interesting and informative, and I'd love to hear it. You should probably do something about your sound mixing.

It would seem that the GOP has become more deeply a big part of this white power movement. Interesting times.

Politicians are not allowed to discuss White Power violence. How can you deal with a problem if there is no way to discuss it?

The comment section on this video is what should scare the hell out of you all. I do not care what side your on. It clearly shows just how two sides can put themselves into a corner by choice. Now its to the point where there is only going to be the one option left. So now that you are so damn sure of yourself's what are you waiting for? Get on with it.When it comes remember you got what you asked for!

This professor should educate the GOP Senators and Representatives to enlighten them the origins of the insurrection on 6th January

The assistant professor forgot to mention dominion evangelicals and that part of the vile danger in line with q and white power movement.

Good interview and discussion, but unfortunately I feel like we are already too late. When they have reached a saturation point within one of our two political parties, how can we possibly institute any serious policy changes? In my state, Republican majorities are passing laws to prevent voting, expanding gun rights, and pushing CRT paranoia. I also don’t think you can separate the white power movement, Qanon, Maga, and the Republican Party, they have clearly formed an alliance.

Really very informative and well put. Thank you.

The White Power Movement: A direct line between slavery, Jim Crow, and the fallacy of white supremacy. Fixed it!

I was reminded of the Mothers and Daughters of the Ku Klux Klan by that photo. I think a lot of Trump supporters saw him as a wrecking ball to the Washington machine. I'm also reminded of the Handmaid's Tale.

Excellent interview. Wish it could have been longer.