American Redoubt

Last updated

A map that shows the boundaries of the American Redoubt A Map of The American Redoubt - Share-Alike 3.0 Licensed.jpg
A map that shows the boundaries of the American Redoubt

The American Redoubt [1] is a political migration movement first proposed in 2011 by survivalist novelist and blogger James Wesley Rawles [2] [3] which designates Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming along with eastern parts of Oregon and Washington, as a safe haven for conservative Christians. [1] [2] Rawles chose this area due to its low population density and lack of natural hazards. [4]

Contents

It is difficult to measure how many people have been influenced by the proposal to move to these states; The Week estimated that anywhere from "hundreds" to "a few thousand" people may have come, [5] although some may have moved for reasons of general cultural affinity rather than being directly influenced by Rawles's proposal.

In December 2019, Rawles published a list of "key leaders and promoters of the American Redoubt movement", including Montana pastor Chuck Baldwin, former Washington State Representative Matt Shea, and North Idaho Representative Heather Scott. [6]

Concept

Kim Murphy, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times , summed up one motivation for the movement: "For a growing number of people, it's the designated point of retreat when the American economy hits the fan. When banks fail, the government declares martial law, the power grid goes down." [2] The same article identified Rawles as "the guru of the movement". [2] Rawles claims that he is anti-racist [7] [8] and pro-Israel. [9] According to an article in The Christian Century in 2012, Rawles compares the movement to the Puritan migration, saying that secession would be crushed, but people would “vote with their feet.” [10]

Reception

In 2011, the American Redoubt concept was endorsed by 2008 Constitution Party presidential candidate Chuck Baldwin, who had relocated his entire extended family to western Montana. [11] It also soon inspired the launch of a weekly podcast by Christian Libertarian journalist John Jacob Schmidt, called Radio Free Redoubt, [12] and a volunteer network of amateur radio operators called AmRRON (the American Redoubt Radio Operators Network) established in 2012. [13] It also inspired the launch of the blog and weekly podcast by Alex Barron, called the Charles Carroll Society, [14] Barron, a black Catholic Libertarian journalist, is the self-proclaimed "Bard of the American Redoubt" who speaks from a Traditional Catholic, Constitutional Conservative, American Patriot viewpoint.[ citation needed ] In 2013, he opined:

[Rawles] coined the term American Redoubt to explain this concept. The American Redoubt a simple concept, it is called political migration. ... There are many groups who have done this over the years including the Puritans; Native Americans moving West to escape the European colonization (I guess forced ethnic cleansing, but again I hope you get the point), Americans of African descent escaping the Southern forced racial apartheid system (racial migration?). Many, many groups move because of various reasons including political reasons. The American Redoubt is libertarian leaning Christian and Jewish traditionalist politically migrating from militant progressive secular states that are becoming increasingly hostile to their Christian based western culture. [14]

In February 2012, The Seattle Times characterized the American Redoubt movement as appealing to "a growing number of people" but concluded that as of that time "not all that many so far" had actually moved to the area. [2] [15] In April 2012, the business/arts columnist for The Ferry County View, a weekly newspaper in Republic, Washington (located inside the Redoubt region) was critical of the Redoubt movement, characterizing it as driven by fear. [16] By contrast, in October 2013, The 700 Club aired a news segment that favored the American Redoubt relocation concept. In an aside, the news story mentioned how the growth of the movement has even inspired the minting of silver coins. [17]

On October 14, 2013, Christian Broadcasting Network completed a featured television news segment and accompanying article on the American Redoubt titled Redoubt: Northwest a Haven for Dismayed Americans. [17] In the article they noted "... Some conservative American Christians are so dismayed with direction of the country that they're looking for a safe place for their families. They call it the 'American Redoubt.'" Westbrook continued, "I think that people recognize that tough times are coming. And it's time to think about their situation, it's time to think about how they live now, and the security of their family, the stability of society and how they are going to relate to that ... But I'm finding something else, too." he continued. "That is that more and more people are resonating with this idea of getting back to the land, of living a simple, more natural way."

It is unclear how many people have moved because of the American Redoubt concept. In an interview on the Charles Carroll Society podcast in 2014, James Rawles estimated the number

...well into the thousands, but it is difficult to quantify, because the vast majority of the people who are moving are preppers, who are by their nature very circumspect. However look at admittedly anecdotal evidence such as the growth of Pastor Chuck Baldwin's Liberty Fellowship church in Kalispell, Montana where the growth has been phenomenal, and many of the families are moving from far outside of the Redoubt states. [18]

Rawles does not provide figures for what he terms "phenomenal" growth of the church, which meets at a local Hilton Garden Inn, according to the Church's website, [19] but at his website, Baldwin mentions that some recent meetings were attended by more than 1,000 people.

The Southern Poverty Law Center says that "The American Redoubt is not a movement of overt white supremacists, and individuals who identify as Redoubters should not be seen as synonymous with racists," but that "it’s a concept clearly born out of antigovernment extremism — which itself is rooted in the Christian Identity-inspired Posse Comitatus of the 1970s…" [20]

Evolution of the movement

By 2016, Chris Carlson, a retired Democratic Party organizer, was comparing advocates of the American Redoubt to survivalists, with the difference being that the Redoubters have "become the shock troops for the Tea Party and openly support certain candidates." [21] Carlson also claimed that the political migration to western states like Idaho, Montana and Wyoming has been driven by Redoubters seeking to be free from the federal government and that while they disavow racism, they have chosen a location where there are few racial minorities. [21]

An August 2016 article about the movement in The Economist magazine mentioned that "thousands of families" have now migrated to the American Redoubt and that the movement is "quietly gaining steam." [22] Indeed, the election of Donald Trump has spurred on the movement. In 2017 the Inlander said "But increasingly, they [Preppers] see more political violence in big cities, and more of a divide between rural and urban environments. The left's reaction to Donald Trump's presidency, they feel, has deepened the divide, making the day they've been preparing for seem ever more imminent." [23]

In a Chicago Tribune article by Kevin Sullivan on August 27, 2016, noted

It is impossible to know exactly how many people have come over the past few years, but newcomers, real estate agents, local officials and others said it was in the hundreds, or perhaps even a few thousand, across all five states. Here, they live in a pristine place of abundant water and fertile soil, far from urban crime, free from most natural disasters and populated predominantly by conservative, mostly Christian people with a live-and-let-live ethos and local governments with a light regulatory touch and friendly gun laws. [24]

Political influence

It has been asserted that Republican Party politics in Idaho's northernmost legislative district have been pulled farther to the right with the arrival of conservative Christian "preppers" fleeing more populated states. In 2014, two ultraconservative state legislators were elected from the district: Reps. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, and Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay. In 2016, state senator Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint – an 8-time incumbent and a moderate Republican from one of the most conservative areas of Idaho – faced a hard primary challenge, but went on to win the general election. [25] [26]

Voices of the movement

There are three primary outlets for the American Redoubt movement.[ original research? ] James Rawles's blog SurvivalBlog.com regularly covers Redoubt news and focuses on preparedness "how to" guides. John Jacob Schmidt's blog Radio Free Redoubt and his radio show The John Jacob Schmidt Show, transmitted on the American Christian Network (ACN) and KTW 630 AM out of Spokane, Washington, carries news and commentary often focused on the American Redoubt. [27] The Charles Carroll Society and podcast by Alex Barron focuses on politics and commentary related to the American Redoubt Iand the many traditional Catholics located there.[ citation needed ] Similarly, the online outlet, Redoubt News publishes news and opinion relevant to Christian conservative culture in the American Redoubt. [27]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coeur d'Alene, Idaho</span> City in Idaho, United States

Coeur d'Alene is a city and the county seat of Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. It is the most populous city in North Idaho and the principal city of the Coeur d'Alene Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 54,628 at the 2020 census. Coeur d'Alene is a satellite city of Spokane, which is located about thirty miles (50 km) to the west in the state of Washington. The two cities are the key components of the Spokane–Coeur d'Alene Combined Statistical Area, of which Coeur d'Alene is the third-largest city. The city is situated on the north shore of the 25-mile (40 km) long Lake Coeur d'Alene and to the west of the Coeur d'Alene Mountains. Locally, Coeur d'Alene is known as the "Lake City," or simply called by its initials, "CDA."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spokane, Washington</span> City in Washington, United States

Spokane is the most populous city in and seat of government of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It is in eastern Washington, along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, 92 miles (148 km) south of the Canadian border, 18 miles (30 km) west of the Washington–Idaho border, and 279 miles (449 km) east of Seattle, along Interstate 90.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inland Northwest</span> Region

The Inland Northwest, historically and alternatively known as the Inland Empire, is a region of the American Northwest centered on the Greater Spokane, Washington Area, encompassing all of Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Under broader definitions, Northeastern Oregon and Western Montana may be included in the Inland Northwest. Alternatively, stricter definitions may exclude Central Washington and Idaho County, Idaho.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chuck Baldwin</span> American politician (born 1952)

Charles Obadiah Baldwin is an American right-wing politician, radio host, and founder-former Independent Baptist pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. As of January 2011 he is leading pastor of Liberty Fellowship in Kalispell, Montana. He was the presidential nominee of the Constitution Party for the 2008 U.S. presidential election and had previously been its nominee for vice president in 2004. He hosts a daily one-hour radio program, Chuck Baldwin Live, and writes a daily editorial column carried on its website, as well as on VDare. He is a former editor of NewsWithViews.com.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coeur d'Alene people</span> Native American tribe in Idaho, United States

The Coeur d'Alene Tribe are a Native American tribe and one of five federally recognized tribes in the state of Idaho.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Patriot movement</span> American Christian political movement

The Christian Patriot movement is a subset within the broader American Patriot movement that promotes and emphasizes Christian nationalism as their core goal and philosophy. Like the larger movement, it promotes an interpretation of American history in which the federal government has turned against the ideas of liberty and natural rights expressed in the American Revolution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idaho panhandle</span> Region of the U.S. state of Idaho

The Idaho panhandle—locally known as North Idahoor Northern Idaho—is a salient region of the U.S. state of Idaho encompassing the state's 10 northernmost counties: Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce, and Shoshone. The panhandle is bordered by the state of Washington to the west, Montana to the east, and the Canadian province of British Columbia to the north. The Idaho panhandle, along with Eastern Washington, makes up the region known as the Inland Northwest, headed by its largest city, Spokane, Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Idaho College</span> Community college in Idaho, United States

North Idaho College (NIC) is a public community college in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. It has an enrollment exceeding 6,000 and is situated at the north end of Lake Coeur d'Alene near downtown Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and Tubbs Hill, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, at the east bank of the outflowing Spokane River. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities but was placed on "show cause" status in early 2023 due to concerns about its board of trustees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northwestern United States</span> Geographical region of the United States

The Northwestern United States, also known as the American Northwest or simply the Northwest, is an informal geographic region of the United States. The region consistently includes the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Some sources include Southeast Alaska in the Northwest. The related but distinct term "Pacific Northwest" generally excludes areas from the Rockies eastward, whereas the term "Inland Northwest" excludes areas west of the Cascades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Coeur d'Alene</span> Glacial lake in Idaho, US

Lake Coeur d'Alene, officially Coeur d'Alene Lake, is a natural dam-controlled lake in North Idaho, located in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. At its northern end is the city of Coeur d'Alene. It spans 25 miles (40 km) in length and ranges from 1 to 3 miles (5 km) wide with over 109 miles (175 km) of shoreline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Spokane, Washington</span>

The history of Spokane, Washington in the northwestern United States developed because Spokane Falls and its surroundings were a gathering place for numerous cultures for thousands of years. The area's indigenous people settled there due to the fertile hunting grounds and abundance of salmon in the Spokane River. The first European to explore the Inland Northwest was Canadian explorer-geographer David Thompson, working as head of the North West Company's Columbia Department. At the nexus of the Little Spokane and the Spokane, Thompson's men built a new fur trading post, which is the first long-term European settlement in Washington state.

James Wesley Rawles is an American author, former U.S. Army Intelligence officer, and survival retreat consultant. Rawles describes himself as a Constitutionalist Christian libertarian. He presents his name as "James Wesley, Rawles", using a comma to differentiate between the names that belong to him, and that which belongs to his family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sports in Spokane, Washington</span>

Spokane, Washington has a rich sporting culture and the area residents are active in many spectator and participant sports. Although Spokane lacks any major, nationally recognized professional sports team, Spokane has a sports friendly atmosphere, and was recognized and rated #99 in the Sporting News 2006 "99 Best Sporting Cities" list. In 2009, Sports Business Journal rated Spokane as the fifth best minor league sports market in America out of 239 markets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Spokane, Washington</span>

The economy of the Spokane Metropolitan Area plays a vital role as the hub for the commercial, manufacturing, and transportation center as well as the medical, shopping, and entertainment hub of the 80,000 square miles (210,000 km2) Inland Northwest region. Although the two have opted not to merge into a single Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) yet, the Coeur d'Alene MSA has been combined by the Census Bureau into the Spokane–Coeur d'Alene combined statistical area (CSA). The CSA comprises the Spokane metropolitan area and the Coeur d'Alene metropolitan area anchored by Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Spokane metropolitan area has a workforce of about 287,000 people and an unemployment rate of 5.3 percent as of February 2020; the largest sectors for non–farm employment are education and health services, trade, transportation, and utilities, and government. The Coeur d'Alene metropolitan area has a workforce of 80,000 people and an unemployment rate of 6.8% as of June 2020; the largest sectors for non-farm employment are trade, transportation, and utilities, government, and education and health services as well as leisure and hospitality. In 2017, the Spokane–Spokane Valley metropolitan area had a gross metropolitan product of $25.5 billion while the Coeur d'Alene metropolitan area was $5.93 billion.

<i>Patriots</i> (novel series)

The Patriots novel series is a five-novel series by survivalist novelist and former U.S. Army officer and blogger, James Wesley Rawles. It is followed by his Counter-Caliphate Chronicles novel series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duane Hagadone</span> American newspaper publisher (1932–2021)

Duane Burl Hagadone was an American newspaper publisher, urban planner, real estate and land developer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spokane and Inland Empire Railroad</span> Interuban railway in Washington State, U.S.

The Spokane and Inland Empire Railroad Company (S.&I.E.R.R.Co.) was an electrified interurban railway operating in Spokane, Washington and vicinity, extending into northern and central Idaho. The system originated in several predecessor roads beginning c. 1890, incorporated in 1904, and ran under its own name to 1929. It merged into the Great Northern Railway and later, the Burlington Northern Railroad, which operated some roads into the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spokane–Coeur d'Alene combined statistical area</span> Combined statistical area in Washington & Idaho, United States

Spokane–Coeur d'Alene combined statistical area, officially the Spokane–Spokane Valley–Coeur d'Alene, WA–ID CSA as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is a combined statistical area that comprises the Spokane metropolitan area and the Coeur d'Alene metropolitan area. The population was 734,218 as of 2019. It is the 71st largest Combined Statistical Area in the United States, and is the economic and cultural center of the Inland Northwest. The CSA is anchored by Spokane and its largest satellite, Coeur d'Alene, which are separated by suburbs that largely follow the path of the Spokane Valley and Rathdrum Prairie.

Mary Louise Reed is an American politician and environmentalist. She served as a member of the Idaho Senate for the 4th district from 1984 to 1996.

References

  1. 1 2 Rawles, James (2011). "The American Redoubt – Move to the Mountain States". Survivalblog. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Murphy, Kim (February 8, 2008). "The American Redoubt, where survivalists plan to survive". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  3. ↑ Lenz, Ryan (November 15, 2011). "A Gathering of Eagles: Extremists Look to Montana". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  4. ↑ Young, Matt (April 3, 2017). "American Redoubt: James Wesley Rawles on the end of the world". news.com.au. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  5. ↑ "The pioneering paranoia of America's preppers". The Week. October 9, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  6. ↑ Walters, Daniel (February 6, 2020). "North Idaho Rep. Heather Scott reaps the glory — and the consequences — of being one of Matt Shea's biggest allies - Local News - Spokane - News, Politics, Music, Calendar, Events in Spokane, Coeur d'Alene and the Inland Northwest". Inlander - Local News - Spokane - News, Politics, Music, Calendar, Events in Spokane, Coeur d'Alene and the Inland Northwest. Retrieved January 25, 2023. Last December, Rawles put both Scott and Shea on his list of "key leaders and promoters of the American Redoubt movement."... The Redoubt movement has its own alternative media network, filled with some of Scott's most ardent supporters like Redoubt News blogger Shari Dovale — "Patriot Journalist" on her business card — and pseudonymous Radio Free Redoubt radio host John Jacob Schmidt... Yet, it's not hard to see why some people conflate the Redoubt movement with Idaho's ugly past. Montana pastor Chuck Baldwin — the first on Rawles' list of Redoubt movement promoters — celebrates the Confederacy and preaches anti-Semitic 9/11 conspiracy theories.
  7. ↑ Hilliker, Joel (November 4, 2009). "What Survivalists Have Right". theTrumpet. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  8. ↑ North, John (August 9, 2012). "Collapse coming? Survival guru tailor tips to Carolinians". Asheville Daily Planet. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  9. ↑ Rawles, James Wesley (November 30, 2011). "The SPLC's Demonization of SurvivalBlog and "Montana Extremists"". Survivalblog. Archived from the original on July 5, 2014. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  10. ↑ MacDonald, G. Jeffrey (November 29, 2012). "A surge in secessionist theology". The Christian Century. Religion News Service. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  11. ↑ Baldwin, Chuck (March 31, 2011). "The American Redoubt". Newswithviews. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  12. ↑ "The Voice of the American Redoubt: Emerging Safe Haven and Refuge for God-Fearing, Liberty-Loving Patriots". Radiofreeredoubt. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  13. ↑ "AmRRON: The American Redoubt Radio Operators Network and The America Preparedness Radio Network (TAPRN)". amrron. April 21, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  14. 1 2 Barron, Alex (January 28, 2013). "The Bard". The Charles Carroll Society. Alex Barron. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
  15. ↑ Murphy, Kim (February 9, 2012). "Local News | Economy, blogs give survivalists new reason to look to Northwest | Seattle Times Newspaper". Seattle Times. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Op-Ed: American redoubt or doubt?". Ferry County View. April 28, 2012. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  17. 1 2 Holton, Chuck (October 14, 2013). "Redoubt: Northwest a Haven for Dismayed Americans". CBN News. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
  18. ↑ Barron, Alex (October 8, 2014). "Podcast Episode 16-2014: James Rawles American Redoubt Interview". The Charles Carroll Society. Alex Barron. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Liberty Fellowship MT > About Us > Location". Liberty Fellowship. 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Far-right survivalist and icon of 'Patriot' movement predicts religious civil war". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  21. 1 2 Carlson, Chris (January 26, 2016). "Raising serious doubts about American Redoubt". Coeur d'Alene Press. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  22. ↑ "The last big frontier". The Economist. August 6, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  23. ↑ Criscione, Wilson. "Here in the American Redoubt". Inlander. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  24. ↑ Sullivan, Kevin (August 27, 2016). "In the Pacific Northwest, members of survivalist movements are growing in number". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  25. ↑ Russell, Betsy Z. (May 15, 2016). "Redoubt movement helps push North Idaho politics to extreme right". Spokesman-Review. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  26. ↑ "Idaho 1st District State Senate Results: Shawn Keough Wins". The New York Times. August 1, 2017. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  27. 1 2 Walters, Daniel (February 6, 2020). "North Idaho Rep. Heather Scott reaps the glory — and the consequences — of being one of Matt Shea's biggest allies - Local News - Spokane - News, Politics, Music, Calendar, Events in Spokane, Coeur d'Alene and the Inland Northwest". Inlander - Local News - Spokane - News, Politics, Music, Calendar, Events in Spokane, Coeur d'Alene and the Inland Northwest. Retrieved January 25, 2023. Last December, Rawles put both Scott and Shea on his list of "key leaders and promoters of the American Redoubt movement."... The Redoubt movement has its own alternative media network, filled with some of Scott's most ardent supporters like Redoubt News blogger Shari Dovale — "Patriot Journalist" on her business card — and pseudonymous Radio Free Redoubt radio host John Jacob Schmidt... Yet, it's not hard to see why some people conflate the Redoubt movement with Idaho's ugly past. Montana pastor Chuck Baldwin — the first on Rawles' list of Redoubt movement promoters — celebrates the Confederacy and preaches anti-Semitic 9/11 conspiracy theories.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.