William Potter Gale

William Potter Gale (1916-1988), a retired U.S. Army colonel, was a disciple of Christian Identity pioneer Wesley Smith and a prominent extremist active in California for decades, forming or participating in many different groups. In the 1970s, he helped found the Posse Comitatus, an anti-government extremist group which spawned the sovereign citizen movement. In the 1980s, he was the leader of another anti-government extremist group, the Committee of the States. He was convicted of threatening government officials in 1987.

This database provides an overview of many of the terms and individuals used by or associated with movements and groups that subscribe to and/or promote extremist or hateful ideologies.

Skousenism

Skousenism is a term used to describe the political philosophy of ultraconservative political theorist W. Cleon Skousen (1913-2006). Skousen advocated a philosophy centered on advocacy for extremely limited federal government, anti-Communism, conspiracy theories and Mormon theology. Skousenites... Read more

Key Concepts / Definitions Anti-government

Moorish Movement

An Afro-centric offshoot of the sovereign citizen movement that emerged in the mid-1990s primarily as a result of people merging sovereign beliefs with beliefs from a longstanding religious sect, the Moorish Science Temple. Moorish sovereign citizens often... Read more

Groups / Movements Anti-government

Romana Didulo

Romana Didulo is a Canadian QAnon figure who falsely claims to be the "Queen of Canada." She has frequently called for violent action online, especially against individuals involved in administrating Covid-19 vaccines to children. Didulo has frequently... Read more

People Right-wing

David Straight

David Straight is a prominent sovereign citizen guru and QAnon adherent who teaches sovereignty with a QAnon bent, urging his followers to become "American State Nationals" before Trump is reinstated as president. He works closely with Bobby... Read more