The Order (white supremacist group)

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Template:Short descriptionTemplate:Redirect Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox organization Template:Neo-Nazism sidebar The Order, also known as the Silent Brotherhood,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> was a neo-Nazi terrorist organization active in the United States between September 1983 and December 1984.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The group raised funds via armed robbery. Ten members were tried and convicted for racketeering, and two members were tried and convicted for their role in the 1984 murder of radio talk show host Alan Berg.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Order's main objective was to start a white supremacist revolution against the United States, after which, Black Americans, Jewish Americans, "race mixers", and other perceived enemies would be exterminated. Inspired by The Turner Diaries, the organization declared war on the federal government of the United States under Ronald Reagan, which it called the "Zionist occupied government".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Order drew up a hit list of enemies, and on June 18, 1984, radio talk show host Alan Berg was murdered in front of his home by Bruce Pierce, assisted by other members of the Order.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Berg was number two on the Order's list.<ref>Morris Dees and Steve Fiffer. Hate on Trial: The Case Against America's Most Dangerous Neo-Nazi. Villard Books, 1993. page xiiv</ref>

In December 1984, authorities were able to track down Robert Jay Mathews, the organization's leader, to a house on Whidbey Island in Washington State, where he refused to surrender.<ref name="SPLC-law" /> Mathews was suspected of wounding an FBI agent in a previous shooting in Oregon.<ref name="UPI 9-12-84"/> During a shootout, the house was ignited by incendiary flares and became engulfed in flames, with Mathews being killed.<ref name="SPLC-law" />

History

The Order was founded by Robert Jay Mathews in late September 1983 at his farm near Metaline, Washington.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Reportedly, Mathews's farm was where the members trained.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Mathews had previously formed the Sons of Liberty, an anti-communist militia mostly made up of Mormon survivalists, fundamentalists and associates of John Singer that had no connection to the historical American organization of the same name.

A fundamental goal of the Order was revolution against the American government, which its members, and those of other white supremacist groups, believed to be controlled by a cabal of Jews with internationalist and Jewish-racial loyalties, rather than loyalty to the American nation. The Order was named after, and partly modeled on, a fictional terrorist group in William Luther Pierce's novel The Turner Diaries.<ref name="SPLC-law">Template:Cite news</ref> The Order's goals included the establishment of a homeland (now the Northwest Territorial Imperative) from which Jews and non-whites would be barred. They often referred to the United States federal government as ZOG, an acronym for Zionist occupied government. Members of the Order included Randy Evans, Gary Yarborough, Bruce Pierce, Denver Parmenter, Frank DeSilva (also known as Frank Silva), Richard Scutari, David Lane, Randy Duey, and David Tate.

Funding

Next, the group discussed how to fund actions of the Order, considering bidding on lumber-jacking and timber contracts, counterfeiting money, diaspora funding from overseas oil countries, and robberies. Though timber contracts were legal, counterfeiting money appealed to the ideals of the group in that it undermined the government by devaluing US currency. Robbery was first denied as an option due to its perceived sinful nature, until someone suggested they could rob pimps and drug dealers, which would raise money for the organization as well as set back street criminals in their businesses.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref>

The organization won a bid on a timber trimming contract for a trail in the Salmo-Priest Wilderness. After five hours of grueling work, Mathews decided to call off the work and head home. Headed back to the trucks, David Lane muttered, "Well, we're going to have to be better thinkers than our fathers were, because we're sure not the men they were,"<ref name=":0" /> while Mathews mentions that the pay off from the job "would not fund the right wing for a week anyway."<ref name=":0" /> The Order decided to try their hand at robberies, attempting to target pimps and drug dealers. After weeks of trailing black men in flashy cars, they realized they had no idea what a pimp or drug dealer looked like,Template:Citation needed and decided to switch to other crimes for funding.

The Order raised money through robbery. This began with the robbery of a pornographic video store, which netted them $369.10.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Their later robberies were more effective, including a bank robbery, followed by a series of three armored car robberies. In the armored car robberies, they took a total of $4.1 million, including their final armored car robbery near Ukiah, California that netted them $3.8 million. The Order detonated a timed firebomb in a movie theater in Seattle (causing no deaths or injuries), in order to occupy the police during their second planned armored car robbery that took place the next day. They also detonated a bomb at the only synagogue in Boise, Idaho.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Proceeds from these robberies were distributed to leaders of sympathetic organizations such as William Pierce (National Alliance) and Frazier Glenn Miller, Jr. (White Patriot Party).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The Order also ran a counterfeiting operation, but their bills were of poor quality, especially early on, and they led to Bruce Pierce being jailed early on, which later precipitated the group's downfall.

Downfall

The Order was ultimately brought down when a member, Tom Martinez, approached the FBI and offered to turn informant. His role in the organisation had been to pass counterfeit money and he had been arrested on June 29, 1984, for passing counterfeit ten dollar bills to buy liquor. After he was released on his own recognizance Mathews convinced him to go underground and during this period Martinez learned that Mathews intended to kill the liquor store owner in order to prevent him from testifying. When he learned of Mathews's plan, Martinez approached the FBI and offered to turn informant.<ref name="Hamm">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On December 8, 1984, Mathews was cornered in a rented waterfront house off Smugglers Cove Rd near Greenbank, Washington on Whidbey Island.<ref name="Seattle Times Archive">Template:Cite news</ref> After a two-hour shoot-out, involving the use of machine-guns, tear gas and a helicopter to illuminate the target with flares, Mathews's house was engulfed by flames and, according to FBI officials, exploded in "a huge fireball". Mathews had been wanted for the shooting of an FBI agent in Oregon two weeks before.<ref name="UPI 9-12-84">Template:Cite news</ref>

Convictions

Ten members of the Order were tried and convicted under Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) statutes with the help of the testimony of Frazier Glenn Miller, Jr., who testified against Order members in order to have his own sentence reduced. In a separate trial, three other members of the Order were tried and convicted of violating the civil rights of Alan Berg.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> No one has been charged in the murder of Berg. David Lane, the getaway driver for Berg's assailants, was sentenced to 190 consecutive years on the charges of racketeering, conspiracy, and violating Berg's civil rights. He died in prison in 2007.<ref name="ADL-Lane">Template:Cite news</ref> Order member Bruce Pierce was sentenced to 252 years in prison for his involvement in the Berg murder, and died of natural causes at the Allenwood Federal Correctional Complex on August 16, 2010 at the age of 56.<ref>The Denver Post Template:Webarchive, "Neo-Nazi gunman in Alan Berg's murder dies in prison," by Howard Pankratz (August 17, 2010 - retrieved on August 17, 2010).</ref> Like Mathews, Lane and Pierce are regarded by many white-supremacists as heroes, political prisoners, and martyrs.Template:Citation needed In another trial, 14 men were charged with sedition, conspiracy, and civil rights violations.<ref name="ADL-Lane" /> Thirteen of them were acquitted, and the judge dismissed the charges against the fourteenth man for lack of evidence.<ref name="ADL-Lane" />

A 2011 NPR report claimed that some of the people associated with this group were imprisoned in a highly restrictive communication management unit.<ref name=npr2/> Richard Scutari, a member of the Order, was sentenced to a 60-year prison term in 1986,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and was transferred to USP Marion CMU in July 2008.

Members

Name Associated Group(s) Sentence Status Ref.
David Charles Tate Church of Israel and Aryan Nations Life imprisonment without parole Incarcerated at Southeast Correctional Center <ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Richard Joseph Scutari The Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord 60 years Incarcerated at FCI Mendota<ref>Richard Joseph Scutari Template:Webarchive - Register Number: 34840-080 - Located At: FCI Mendota. Bop.gov. Retrieved 25 January 2022.</ref> Released January 21, 2025<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Thomas Allen Martinez National Alliance 3 years probation <ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Andrew Virgil Barnhill The Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord 40 years Released on April 24, 2008
Ardie McBrearty Posse Comitatus 40 years Released on July 3, 1995 <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
David Eden Lane Aryan Nations 190 years Died while incarcerated at FCI Terre Haute on May 28, 2007
Bruce Carroll Pierce Aryan Nations 252 years Died while incarcerated at USP Allenwood on August 16, 2010
Sharon Merki LaPorte Church of Christ 25 years
Jean Margaret Craig 40 years Died in prison on April 18, 2001 <ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Denver Daw Parmenter II Church of Jesus Christ–Christian 20 years <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Randolph George Duey Aryan Nations 100 years Incarcerated at FCI Butner Medium
Frank Lee Silva Ku Klux Klan 40 years Released on August 18, 1998
Gary Lee Yarbrough Aryan Nations 60 years Died while incarcerated at ADX Florence in 2018
Zillah Craig <ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Jackie Lee Norton The Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord 6 months plus 5 years probation <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
James Sherman Dye 20 years <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Robert E. Merki LaPorte Church of Christ 30 years

The Order II (Bruder Schweigen Strike Force II)

The Order II, which is also known as the Bruder Schweigen Strike Force II, was an attempt to perpetuate the activities of the first Order by David and Deborah Dorr, both of whom were previously members of Aryan Nations, but their activities were confined to the state of Idaho.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The group launched its first attack on March 6, 1986, when it sent a packaged bomb to Gary Solomon, a local Jewish businessman who owned the Solomon Trucking company in Hayden Lake, Idaho.<ref name="Hayden">Template:Cite news</ref> No casualties resulted from the incident and it is unknown whether or not the explosion caused any property damage. The bomb was sent by David Dorr, the leader of Order II, a group that grew out of the original Order, which had previously collapsed. Order II (Bruder Schweigen Strike Force II) was also anti-government and antisemitic.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

On August 7 of the same year, a 12-inch tube bomb exploded at Fred Bower's auto repair shop in Hayden, Idaho, causing about $2,000 in damage.<ref name="Hayden"/> No casualties resulted from the incident. The two perpetrators, David and Deborah Dorr, and an alleged third perpetrator, Edward W. Hawley, were members of the Bruder Schweigen Strike Force II.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On September 16, 1986, an explosion was reported in front of the house of a Catholic priest who lived in the city of Coeur d'Alene, in Idaho. The explosion caused no injuries. It only caused property damage.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On September 29, 1986, his latest attack targeted a federal building, a telephone and luggage store, and a restaurant parking lot in Coeur d'Alene, without causing any injuries.<ref name="Hayden"/>

The ATF and local, state and federal security forces collected evidence from the scene of the blast and executed a federal search warrant at Dorr's residence three days later. Special agents discovered a shelter that housed AR-15s converted to select-fire assault rifles in violation of federal firearms laws. Thirty other firearms, large amounts of ammunition, and counterfeit money were also found.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They also discovered bomb-making components that were used in the September 29 explosion, as well as in previous bombings. The militants received federal sentences which ranged from 6 to 30 years and state sentences which ranged from 5 years to life in prison.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Several projects premiered during 1988, which drew inspiration from—albeit seldom direct depictions of—the events that unfolded during The Order's brief reign: The Oliver Stone-directed film Talk Radio, starring Eric Bogosian (who adapted his own play)<ref name="forward">Template:Cite news</ref> as a fictional radio DJ similar to Alan Berg, drew inspiration from his assassination.<ref>Template:Cite interview</ref> That same year, the film Betrayed—directed by Costa-Gavras and starring Debra Winger as an undercover FBI agent,<ref name="betrayed" /> tasked with infiltrating Tom Berenger's clandestine "family"—also drew inspiration from The Order and its activities.<ref name="betrayed">Template:Cite magazine</ref> In addition, a play from playwright Steven Dietz titled God's Country<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> documented the real-life events in a triptych, utilizing several key individuals as characters.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It premiered at Seattle's ACT Theatre on August 18, 1988.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1989, the non-fiction book The Silent Brotherhood,<ref name="brotherhood">Template:Cite news</ref> written by investigative journalists Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt, was published detailing The Order's history of events.<ref name=":0" />

A 1999 television film called Brotherhood of Murder, based upon the autobiography written by group member-turned-FBI informant Tom Martinez (along with co-writer John Guinther),<ref name="showtime" /><ref name="torres">Template:Cite web</ref> aired on Showtime. It starred William Baldwin as Martinez; Kelly Lynch as his wife, Susan; and Peter Gallagher as The Order's leader Robert Jay Mathews.<ref name="showtime">Template:Cite book</ref>

The crime drama-thriller film The Order, loosely based on the aforementioned Flynn & Gerhardt book The Silent Brotherhood,<ref name="brotherhood" /> was released in 2024.<ref name="betrayed" /> It features portrayals from Nicholas Hoult as Mathews;<ref name="brotherhood" /> Alison Oliver as his wife, Debbie;<ref name="cast" /> Sebastian Pigott as Bruce Pierce;<ref name="beast" /> Phillip Forest Lewitski as David Lane;<ref name="beast" /> Odessa Young as Zillah Craig;<ref name="cast">Template:Cite news</ref> George Tchortov as Gary Yarbrough;<ref name="betrayed" /> Victor Slezak as Richard Butler, founder of Aryan Nations;<ref name="betrayed" /> Daniel Doheny as Walter West,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> also assassinated by members of The Order;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Matias Lucas as Tony Torres (based on Tom Martinez);<ref name="torres" /> Chantal Perron as Jean Craig;<ref name="torres" /> and Marc Maron, in a cameo as Berg.<ref name="cast" /> Jude Law,<ref name="brotherhood" /> Tye Sheridan,<ref name="sheridan">Template:Cite magazine</ref> and Jurnee Smollett also star,<ref name="cast" /> in composite FBI roles. The film was directed by Justin Kurzel,<ref name="forward" /><ref name="beast">Template:Cite news</ref> with a screenplay written by Zach Baylin.<ref name="sheridan" />

See also

Footnotes

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<ref name=npr2>DATA & GRAPHICS: Population Of The Communications Management Units Template:Webarchive, Margot Williams and Alyson Hurt, NPR, 3-3-11, retrieved 2011 03 04 from npr.org</ref>

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Further reading and listening

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