I have a lot of confidence that the Feds are constantly looking into these fringe groups..my confidence is based, in part, on history...they have always seen the fringe Right as a danger...and actively infiltrate such organizations/meetings.
As for coordination..in theory, the Dark Web, Freenet and robust encryption probably make planning such things..conspiring, as it were, a bit easier.
True civil war would require the active consent of a majority of both the people..and the local govt. apparat--neither seems likely...in these times of plenty.
Plenty of SHTF scenarios abound..but civil unrest seems to follow some other event..such as..irony alert..a climate change disaster! A breakaway region could happen..in the absence of strong federal authority--but the fringes would still probably be left out..as the local govt. assumed overall control.
The gathering in the article..was an an atypical thing..in our larger context. As i alluded to in an earlier post...they are the RW brothers of the tinfoil hats that make this site their home. I see little threat..in the larger sense...I don't doubt that a few of their screws are loose..and that they may hurt someone....which is tragic--but their threat is on the same level as the Antifa--who, as you know, I lump into exactly the same category.
To be honest, I have next to no confidence the Feds are looking into the right-wing, gun-nut, vigilante, militia phenomenon with anything like the required consistency. That was historically never the case, and, after 9/11, they dropped the ball completely, which is why the rise of right-wing hate groups after 9/11 and, particularly, after President Obama assumed office, went largely undetected until very recently.
Here's an excellent read on that.
I agree a "civil war" warranting the name would require State governments' involvement, not least the State's national guard refusing the President's orders, which I also cannot see. Right-wing hordes by the thousands or tens of thousands ransacking towns - who knows? The Malheur Wildlife Refuge incident writ larg(er)? That might be possible. Also not to be underestimated, they appear to be on a recruiting drive dragging in veterans - have been for years, reportedly - and there is no telling what by way of bomb-making skills they have acquired since.
As to coordination and its detection,
Matt Shea (co-organizer of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville) and his network of armed-up nutcases went completely unnoticed until an insider blew the whistle. I have no doubt there are more, and more capable, figures out there organizing that beast - or trying to, as the case may be.
Your continued use of that right-wing bogeyman,
Antifa, is noted.
