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Shofar FTP Archive File: people/p/peters.pete//adl-pete-peters


Newsgroups: alt.conspiracy,alt.politics.white-power
Subject: Paranoia as Patriotism: "Pastor" Pete Peters

Archive/File: pub/orgs/american/adl/paranoia-as-patriotism/pete-peters
Last-Modified: 1995/08/26

                 "Pastor" Pete Peters

Pete Peters is probably the leading figure in the "Identity"
movement, preaching the bigoted pseudo-religion in his
LaPorte, Colorado Church of Christ since 1977. He proclaims
that Jews pose a Satanic threat to American civilization and
that they are conspiring to control America; that blacks and
other people of color are inferior to whites; that homosexuals
should be executed; and that northern European whites and
their American descendants are the Biblical "chosen people."

Peters makes video and audio recordings of his sermons, writes
numerous pamphlets, broadcasts on shortwave radio, satellite,
and public access TV, and hosts semi-annual "Bible" retreats
across the country. The titles in Peters' _Scriptures for
America_ book and tape catalog reveal the essence of his
"Identity" philosophy: "My Personal Experience with Jewish
Power"; "Skinheads - S.O.S. Troops of the Right"; "Death
Penalty for Homosexuals"; "Martin Luther King, Jr.: His Dream,
Our Nightmare."

Peters and his congregation first received national attention
in 1985, when it was reported that several members of The
Order, the most violent far-right terrorist group of the
1980s, had attended the LaPorte Church during their criminal
heyday. Subsequent investigation into The Order's activities
revealed a string of firebombings, armed robberies,
counterfeiting and the "execution" of one of its own members.
On February 13, 1984, Peters and his close colleague, Col.
Jack Mohr, appeared on Alan Berg's Denver talk radio program.
An angry confrontation ensued between the host and his guests
over the latter's white supremacist views. Four months later,
on June 18, Berg was murdered outside his home. In 1987, two
members of The Order were convicted and sentence to prison
terms of 150 years in connection with the crime.

Peters inspires fervent devotion by presenting his ministry as
the ticket to salvation. His statements and writings document
his hostility toward Jews, blacks, other minorities and
American democracy itself. (Anti-Defamation League, 35)

                       Work Cited

Anti-Defamation League. [Special Report] Paranoia as Patriotism:
Far-Right Influences on the Militia Movement. 1995.



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