The failed insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6th was a violent reminder that in the US there is an alarming number of far right extremists looking to disrupt the democratic process.
Militias, well armed groups often on the far right of the political spectrum, have been around for decades, but the pandemic, the rise of conspiracy theories, and the increasingly diverse ethnic makeup of the country have spurred these groups to new prominence.
And the presidency of Donald Trump, experts say, allowed these groups to flourish.
Groups like The Proud Boys and others made their presence known at the deadly Charlottesville rally in 2017. They attempted to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer last year, and many who stormed the US Capitol last month are linked to thes militia groups.
And a new report out from The Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization that tracks hate groups among other things, found that OHIO - has the second highest number of extremist militia groups in the country.
Today we'll hear from ideastream's Matt Richmond about the rise of these militias, as he's been reporting on them in recent weeks.
Later in the program, we kick off a series about embracing winter.
Does Northeast Ohio need an attitude adjustment when it comes to these cold months?
We’ll speak with some guests who are leading the way in inviting Clevelanders outside, yes, even in February during a pandemic.
We’ll hear from other cold-weather cities about how they face winter.
AND we’ll talk about what more we need to do in Cleveland, a city that’s majority non-white, to create inclusive spaces for winter.
- Matt Richmond, Reporter, ideastream
- Justin Glanville, Reporter and Producer, ideastream
- Nelson Beckford, Program Director for Neighborhood Revitalization and Engagement, The Cleveland Foundation
- David Jurca, Principal, Seventh Hill
- Kaela Geschke, Community Network Manager, Neighborhood Connections
