As the buzz around the re-emergence of the Three Percenter militia on Facebook picks up with the approach of the 2024 presidential election, there’s a critical piece of the puzzle being blatantly ignored: the FBI’s deep involvement in infiltrating and even fabricating these far-right, anti-government groups online. Ken Silva hits the nail on the head—we’d be foolish to think the federal government isn’t up to its old tricks, intervening and stirring up chaos as the election year ramps up. This isn’t just about monitoring potential threats; it’s about understanding how these narratives are shaped by those with the power to manipulate and distort the political landscape.
The Three Percenters, a name that symbolizes the small fraction of colonists who fought against British rule during the American Revolution, have been implicated in significant events like the Whitmer kidnap plot and the Capitol Hill unrest on January 6, 2021. However, it’s crucial to remember that the FBI wasn’t just watching these groups; they were actively shaping their activities. During the first Whitmer kidnap trial in 2022, it was revealed that FBI informants ran Three Percenter Facebook groups and even orchestrated leadership roles within these militias.
Even more absurd, after these arrests, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg proudly claimed credit for alerting the FBI, unaware that he was essentially tipping off the Bureau to its undercover operations. This comedy of errors would be humorous if it weren’t so profoundly indicative of a disturbing reality where federal agencies are not just observers but active participants in creating the plots they later “foil.”
This resurgence of Three Percenter activity on Facebook is yet another example of the mainstream media fearmongering about right-wing extremism without acknowledging the complex and often deceptive role of government agencies in these narratives. As we approach another election cycle, we need to be vigilant not only about the threats posed by extremist groups but also about a government that appears all too ready to violate civil liberties and engage in deceitful practices under the guise of national security.
It’s a stark reminder that our fight isn’t just against visible threats but also against those who operate in the shadows, manipulating public perception and law enforcement resources to serve their ends. The real danger may not be the militias themselves, but a rogue government apparatus that sows discord and distrust among its citizens.
