Stealth Candidates rooted in Anti-Indian Movement

Where did the anti-democracy, anti-government, bigoted, theocratic candidate for Vice President come from? Commentators have been assuming Palin arose through the conventional political system, earning the right to serve the public in government. The truth is she did rise through the conventional politic system using the Republic Party as the vehicle, but she started with unconventional roots.

The Anti-Indian Movement in the United States and Canada began in the late 1960s as a reactionary movement against efforts by Indian leaders to reclaim their rights under treaties with both Canada and the United States. Reactionary is the key term to describe this movement.

Paralleling the Anti-Indian Movement and using it to stoke bigotry on and near Indian reservations non-Indian groups began to form in the 1970s opposing Indian governments and the claims of rights by Indian peoples. Ne0-Nazis, survivalists, environmental bigots and religious zealots slowly combined forces politically organizing against Indian tribes. Bigoted, anti-democratic and white supremacist groups sought to take advantage of the attacks on Indians and began building support for their efforts from individuals resenting Indian people.

By the 1980s extremist groups made up of the aforementioned adherents began to organize political campaigns to win seats on school boards, county commissions, and city councils. Individuals from these extremist groups could not win elective office if the public understood their true ideological orientation. No, they became “stealth candidates” often promoting populist agendas that would appeal to a general electorate. Stealth candidates won seats in state legislatures and eventually seats in the Congress.

David Duke, a white supremacist and once a Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, ran and won a seat in the Louisiana State Legislature and ran as a candidate in presidential primaries for both the Democratic and Republic Parties. Evidence of his failure helped create the “stealth candidate” who could win elective office.

The stealth candidate Palin clearly has little interest in the US Vice Presidency…she wants to be US President.  Her efforts todate are being rewarded with a leadership role in the Republican Party.  Her anti-Indian attitudes and policies in Alaska are not well known, but they are easliy recognizable as being consistent with the Anti-Indian Movement of earlier decades. After November Palin the stealth candidate will become the titular head of a major party in the United States.  Clearly being a stealth candidate pays off for those who seek power.

Stealth candidates emerge in Canada and the United States hiding their bigoted views and intentions. They promote anti-democratic, often theocratic and supremacist policies violating the public trust and undermining democratic institutions. Accountability and openness to public scrutiny is essential to a democratic society.  When an individual seeks elective office but avoids questioning and challenges to their views, you know you are probably looking at a stealth candidate.