Missionaries of the Sacred

In March, the media reported on the arrest of members of the Hutaree (Christian Warrior) militia. This self-defined Christian militia is Michigan-based, but arrests were also made in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.

The Hutaree is one of the many extremist and/or hate groups in the United States. A hate group is defined as,

an organized group or movement that advocates hate, hostility or violence towards members of a race, ethnicity, religion [political identity], sexual orientation or other designated sector of society that supports and publishes assertions and argumentation characteristic of hate groups without necessarily advocating such hate or violence that otherwise characterize hate groups.¹

Most hate groups do not identify themselves as such. They receive this label from others. The above definition, will best serve our purpose here.

The characteristics of hate groups are similar to those of gang members (See JPIC Corner, September 2009). Hate groups exhibit progressive stages.² First, joining a hate group offers a  person a chance to validate his/her anger and empowers him/her to express his/her intense feelings in a secure and supporting environment. In this setting, the group provides “a welcome anonymity in which to express hate without being held accountable.” Second, a hate group is self-defined through “symbols, mythologies and rituals designed to enhance the members’ status and at the same time degrade the object of hate.”

Third, through debasing and degrading the object of hate, members of the group are able to proclaim their self-importance. This stage may well aggravate the level of excitement and intense feelings of dissatisfaction which lead to taunting and “offensive gestures” towards their victims. Violence or vandalism without arms follows. This moment is “critical because it differentiates vocally abusive behavior from physically abusive ones.” An “adrenaline high intoxicates the attackers.” It can be a thrill-seeking adventure. The use of violence separates hate group from those functioning normally in society. The group finds it difficult to work within existing social, political and religious groups to resolve conflict so they resort to violence. Some hate groups will use arms against the object of hate. This is a reflection of a “deep-seated need of the hater to have dominance over the object of [his/her] hate.”

Achieving one’s goal is the final stage, i.e. “to destroy the object of [his/her] hate,” and “the ultimate destiny of hate is the physical and psychological destruction of both the hater and the hated.”

The roots of hate groups and their anti-social behavior hinge on the experience of emotional and social pressures.³ They “feel a duty to protect their respective societies from things that are viewed as ‘harmful.’ This great sense of duty causes pressure to arise. They are under so much pressure to protect their families and lifestyles that violence is often the easiest way to do so.”⁴ Unfortunately, it is the innocent who suffer from their relentless release of violence.

Hate groups have a distorted view of reality. They tend to exaggerate or deny scientific, religious, political, and historical facts. They hold prejudicial views towards different people on all levels of society. They see certain individuals different from themselves as inferior unworthy persons. They want to create distrust and instill fear in others, not just in their objects of hate but also in all persons.⁵ Often hate groups will use God as an excuse to justify their beliefs and behavior.

The Christian response to hate groups is to follow the path of Jesus Christ. As followers of Jesus, “we must realize that a special obligation binds us to make ourselves the neighbor of absolutely every person, and of actively helping him [her] when he [she] comes across our path.”⁶ This involves seeing one’s neighbor as “another self above all bearing in mind his [her] life and the means necessary for living it with dignity.”⁷ This includes those whose beliefs are different from our own. Hatred towards another is a sin, a “grave sin” in which one intentionally inflicts harm on another.⁸ Jesus said, “But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment. . . But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be children of your heavenly Father.”⁹

In order to combat hate groups, we need to engage in a dialogue, a dialogue in which we cannot compromise Gospel values. Such a dialogue is not easy because hate groups “advocate extreme prejudice, vandalism or violence.”¹⁰ Some suggestions have been made to combat hate groups, such as having pro-diversity rallies, market campaigning, and newspaper ads.¹¹ Nevertheless, it seems that the greater need is for an interchange between the hate group and the various communities. Here a high level of trust on both sides is essential. Acceptance of differences must be handled in peaceful ways. Through an honest dialogue, we can appreciate those elements of truth, which are common to all of our human endeavors and for the good of all humanity.

JPIC Coordinator

Notes:

1. http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Hate+Groups
2. Ibid. (All the stages and quotes in this section, unless otherwise noted.)
3. Spell, Ryan, The Causes for Hate Crimes in Human Society,  <http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1165366/ the_causes_for_hate_crimes_in_human.html?cat=9>
4. Ibid.
5. Cf. http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Hate+Groups
6. Guadium et Spes, [GS] #27
7. Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC] #1931
8. Cf. CCC #2303
9. Matthew 5:22, 44-45
10. A Guide To Responding to Hate Groups. http://www.niot.org/action-hub/local-lesson/guide-responding-hate-groups.
11. Ibid.