Ruby Ridge Redux?

Homeland Security says they've noticed that, with economic stress and a liberal President and all, more people are joining the Neo-Nazis and Posse Comitatus -- just like back in the '90's.

Frankly the '90's were a rather placid time for us, with 2 babies and a secure, reasonably well-paying job in sunny Southern California. But just like today there was a thriving sub-culture of people who were sure feckless President Clinton (and his evil minion, Janet Reno) was just about to confiscate all our guns and declare martial law so he could rule America forever. The periodic swooping down by the FBI and ATF on people like David Koresh, Elian Gonzalez, and the folks at Ruby Ridge didn't really help dispel these subterranean rumors.

Strangely (?), left-wing extremists seem to get a lot less play -- possibly because a lot of them don't have leaders, whereas a mighty leader is de rigeur for right-wing groups (though they'd never use a french word to describe it). Or maybe because former '60's radicals who later took up journalism feel a twinge of nostalgia over the exploits of current anarchists and give a sly wink to their charming antics.

But loopy leftist groups like the Animal Liberation Front and the Ruckus Society are out there too, Homeland Security says, rescuing experimental bunnies, saving the trees, and overthrowing western-style political hierarchies. At least, according to this report, they currently prefer hacking to bombs.