# American Redoubt > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/American_Redoubt > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/American_Redoubt.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Redoubt > Source revision: 1348043906 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) The **American Redoubt**[1] is a [political migration](/source/Political_migration) movement first proposed in 2011 by [survivalist](/source/Survivalist) novelist and blogger [James Wesley Rawles](/source/James_Wesley_Rawles)[2][3] which designates [Idaho](/source/Idaho), [Montana](/source/Montana), and [Wyoming](/source/Wyoming) along with eastern parts of [Oregon](/source/Eastern_Oregon) and [Washington](/source/Eastern_Washington), as a safe haven for [conservative](/source/Conservatism_in_the_United_States) [Christians](/source/Christianity_in_the_United_States).[1][2] Rawles chose this area due to its low [population density](/source/Population_density) and lack of [natural hazards](/source/Natural_hazard).[4] It is difficult to measure how many people have been influenced by the proposal to move to these states; *[The Week](/source/The_Week)* estimated that anywhere from "hundreds" to "a few thousand" people may have come,[5] although some may have moved for reasons of general cultural affinity rather than being directly influenced by Rawles's proposal. In December 2019, Rawles published a list of "key leaders and promoters of the American Redoubt movement", including Montana pastor [Chuck Baldwin](/source/Chuck_Baldwin), former [Washington State](/source/Washington_(state)) Representative [Matt Shea](/source/Matt_Shea), and [North Idaho](/source/North_Idaho) [Representative](/source/Idaho_House_of_Representatives) [Heather Scott](/source/Heather_Scott).[6] ## Concept Kim Murphy, a reporter for the *[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times)*, summed up one motivation for the movement: "For a growing number of people, it's the designated point of retreat when the American economy hits the fan. When banks fail, the government declares [martial law](/source/Martial_law), the power grid goes down."[2] The same article identified Rawles as "the guru of the movement".[2] Rawles claims that he is [anti-racist](/source/Anti-racist)[7][8] and [pro-Israel](/source/Zionism).[9] According to an article in The Christian Century in 2012, Rawles compares the movement to the [Puritan](/source/Puritans) migration, saying that secession would be crushed, but people would "vote with their feet."[10] ## Reception In 2011, the American Redoubt concept was endorsed by 2008 [Constitution Party](/source/Constitution_Party_(United_States)) presidential candidate [Chuck Baldwin](/source/Chuck_Baldwin), who had relocated his entire extended family to western Montana.[11] It also soon inspired the launch of a weekly podcast by Christian Libertarian journalist John Jacob Schmidt, called *Radio Free Redoubt*,[12] and a volunteer network of amateur radio operators called AmRRON (the American Redoubt Radio Operators Network) established in 2012.[13] In February 2012, *[The Seattle Times](/source/The_Seattle_Times)* characterized the American Redoubt movement as appealing to "a growing number of people" but concluded that as of that time "not all that many so far" had actually moved to the area.[2][14] In April 2012, the business/arts columnist for *The Ferry County View*, a weekly newspaper in [Republic, Washington](/source/Republic,_Washington) (located inside the Redoubt region) was critical of the Redoubt movement, characterizing it as driven by fear.[15] By contrast, in October 2013, *[The 700 Club](/source/The_700_Club)* aired a news segment that favored the American Redoubt relocation concept. In an aside, the news story mentioned how the growth of the movement has even inspired the minting of silver coins.[16] On October 14, 2013, [Christian Broadcasting Network](/source/Christian_Broadcasting_Network) completed a featured television news segment and accompanying article on the American Redoubt titled *Redoubt: Northwest a Haven for Dismayed Americans*.[16] In the article they noted "... Some conservative American Christians are so dismayed with direction of the country that they're looking for a safe place for their families. They call it the 'American Redoubt.'" Westbrook continued, "I think that people recognize that tough times are coming. And it's time to think about their situation, it's time to think about how they live now, and the security of their family, the stability of society and how they are going to relate to that ... But I'm finding something else, too." he continued. "That is that more and more people are resonating with this idea of getting back to the land, of living a simple, more natural way." It is unclear how many people have moved because of the American Redoubt concept. In an interview on the Charles Carroll Society podcast in 2014, James Rawles estimated the number: ...well into the thousands, but it is difficult to quantify, because the vast majority of the people who are moving are [preppers](/source/Prepper), who are by their nature very circumspect. However look at admittedly anecdotal evidence such as the growth of Pastor Chuck Baldwin's Liberty Fellowship church in [Kalispell](/source/Kalispell,_Montana), Montana where the growth has been phenomenal, and many of the families are moving from far outside of the Redoubt states.[17] Rawles does not provide figures for what he terms "phenomenal" growth of the church, which meets at a local Hilton Garden Inn, according to the Church's website,[18] but at his website, Baldwin mentions that some recent meetings were attended by more than 1,000 people. The [Southern Poverty Law Center](/source/Southern_Poverty_Law_Center) says that "The American Redoubt is not a movement of overt white supremacists, and individuals who identify as Redoubters should not be seen as synonymous with racists," but that "it’s a concept clearly born out of antigovernment extremism — which itself is rooted in the Christian Identity-inspired [Posse Comitatus](/source/Posse_Comitatus_(organization)) of the 1970s…"[19] ## Evolution of the movement By 2016, Chris Carlson, a retired [Democratic Party](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) organizer, was comparing advocates of the American Redoubt to survivalists, with the difference being that the Redoubters have "become the shock troops for the [Tea Party](/source/Tea_Party_movement) and openly support certain candidates."[20] Carlson also claimed that the political migration to western states like Idaho, Montana and Wyoming has been driven by Redoubters seeking to be free from the federal government and that while they disavow racism, they have chosen a location where there are few racial minorities.[20] An August 2016 article about the movement in *[The Economist](/source/The_Economist)* magazine mentioned that "thousands of families" have now migrated to the American Redoubt and that the movement is "quietly gaining steam."[21] Indeed, the election of [Donald Trump](/source/Donald_Trump) has spurred on the movement. In 2017 the Inlander said "But increasingly, they [Preppers] see more political violence in big cities, and more of a divide between rural and urban environments. The left's reaction to Donald Trump's presidency, they feel, has deepened the divide, making the day they've been preparing for seem ever more imminent."[22] In a *[Chicago Tribune](/source/Chicago_Tribune)* article by Kevin Sullivan on August 27, 2016, noted: It is impossible to know exactly how many people have come over the past few years, but newcomers, real estate agents, local officials and others said it was in the hundreds, or perhaps even a few thousand, across all five states. Here, they live in a pristine place of abundant water and fertile soil, far from [urban crime](/source/List_of_United_States_cities_by_crime_rate), free from most natural disasters and populated predominantly by conservative, mostly Christian people with a live-and-let-live ethos and local governments with a light regulatory touch and friendly gun laws.[23] ## Political influence It has been asserted that Republican Party politics in Idaho's northernmost legislative district have been pulled farther to the right with the arrival of conservative Christian "preppers" fleeing more populated states. In 2014, two ultraconservative state legislators were elected from the district: Reps. [Heather Scott](/source/Heather_Scott), R-[Blanchard](/source/Blanchard,_Idaho), and [Sage Dixon](/source/Sage_Dixon), R-[Ponderay](/source/Ponderay). In 2016, state senator [Shawn Keough](/source/Shawn_Keough), R-[Sandpoint](/source/Sandpoint) – an 8-time incumbent and a moderate Republican from one of the most conservative areas of Idaho – faced a hard primary challenge, but went on to win the general election.[24][25] ## Media James Rawles's blog *SurvivalBlog.com* regularly covers Redoubt news and focuses on preparedness "how to" guides. [John Jacob Schmidt](/source/John_Jacob_Schmidt)'s blog *Radio Free Redoubt* and his radio show *The John Jacob Schmidt Show*, transmitted on the [American Christian Network](/source/American_Christian_Network) (ACN) and [KTW 630 AM](/source/KTRW) out of [Spokane, Washington](/source/Spokane,_Washington), carries news and commentary often focused on the American Redoubt.[26] Similarly, the online outlet, *Redoubt News* publishes news and opinion relevant to Christian conservative culture in the American Redoubt.[26] Another prominent leader, [Chuck Baldwin](/source/Chuck_Baldwin), a radio host and politician, promotes the Confederacy and conspiracy theories.[26] ## See also - [Adelsverein](/source/Adelsverein) - [Christian nationalism](/source/Christian_nationalism) - [Christian Patriot movement](/source/Christian_Patriot_movement) - [Free State Project](/source/Free_State_Project) - [Lincoln (proposed Northwestern state)](/source/Lincoln_(proposed_Northwestern_state)) - [List of active separatist movements in North America](/source/List_of_active_separatist_movements_in_North_America) - [List of U.S. state partition proposals](/source/List_of_U.S._state_partition_proposals) - [National redoubt](/source/National_redoubt) - [Northwest Territorial Imperative](/source/Northwest_Territorial_Imperative) - [Return to the Land](/source/Return_to_the_Land) ## References 1. Rawles, James (2011). ["The American Redoubt – Move to the Mountain States"](http://survivalblog.com/redoubt/). *Survivalblog*. Retrieved 29 August 2016. 1. Murphy, Kim (8 February 2008). ["The American Redoubt, where survivalists plan to survive"](http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-american-redoubt-20120209,0,1782251.story). *Los Angeles Times*. Retrieved 4 September 2013. 1. Lenz, Ryan (15 November 2011). ["A Gathering of Eagles: Extremists Look to Montana"](http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2011/winter/extremists-are-coming-together-in-mon). *Southern Poverty Law Center*. Retrieved 4 September 2013. 1. Young, Matt (3 April 2017). ["American Redoubt: James Wesley Rawles on the end of the world"](http://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/people-are-flocking-to-a-region-of-america-so-they-can-survive-the-end-of-the-world/news-story/e7f4239dbbeda218168b66d581636fee). *news.com.au*. Retrieved 4 April 2017. 1. ["The pioneering paranoia of America's preppers"](https://theweek.com/articles/653465/pioneering-paranoia-americas-preppers). *The Week*. 2016-10-09. Retrieved 2024-03-27. 1. Walters, Daniel (2020-02-06). ["North Idaho Rep. Heather Scott reaps the glory — and the consequences — of being one of Matt Shea's biggest allies - Local News - Spokane - News, Politics, Music, Calendar, Events in Spokane, Coeur d'Alene and the Inland Northwest"](https://www.inlander.com/spokane/north-idaho-rep-heather-scott-reaps-the-glory-and-the-consequences-of-being-one-of-matt-sheas-biggest-allies/Content?oid=19045888). *Inlander - Local News - Spokane - News, Politics, Music, Calendar, Events in Spokane, Coeur d'Alene and the Inland Northwest*. Retrieved 2023-01-25. Last December, Rawles put both Scott and Shea on his list of "key leaders and promoters of the American Redoubt movement."... The Redoubt movement has its own alternative media network, filled with some of Scott's most ardent supporters like Redoubt News blogger Shari Dovale — "Patriot Journalist" on her business card — and pseudonymous Radio Free Redoubt radio host John Jacob Schmidt... Yet, it's not hard to see why some people conflate the Redoubt movement with Idaho's ugly past. Montana pastor Chuck Baldwin — the first on Rawles' list of Redoubt movement promoters — celebrates the Confederacy and preaches anti-Semitic 9/11 conspiracy theories. 1. Hilliker, Joel (4 November 2009). ["What Survivalists Have Right"](http://www.thetrumpet.com/article/6700.5220.0.0/what-survivalists-have-right). *theTrumpet*. Retrieved 5 November 2015. 1. North, John (9 August 2012). ["Collapse coming? Survival guru tailor tips to Carolinians"](http://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/2828-collapse-coming-survival-guru-tailor-tips-to-carolinians). *Asheville Daily Planet*. Retrieved 4 September 2013. 1. Rawles, James Wesley (30 November 2011). ["The SPLC's Demonization of SurvivalBlog and "Montana Extremists""](https://web.archive.org/web/20140705055807/http://survivalblog.com/the_splcs_demonization_of_surv/). *Survivalblog*. Archived from [the original](https://survivalblog.com/the_splcs_demonization_of_surv/) on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2013. 1. MacDonald, G. Jeffrey (29 November 2012). ["A surge in secessionist theology"](http://www.christiancentury.org/article/2012-11/secession-theology-runs-deep-american-religious-political-history). The Christian Century. Religion News Service. Retrieved 4 September 2013. 1. Baldwin, Chuck (31 March 2011). ["The American Redoubt"](http://www.newswithviews.com/baldwin/baldwin642.htm). *Newswithviews*. Retrieved 4 September 2013. 1. ["The Voice of the American Redoubt: Emerging Safe Haven and Refuge for God-Fearing, Liberty-Loving Patriots."](http://www.radiofreeredoubt.com/). *Radiofreeredoubt*. Retrieved 4 September 2013. 1. ["AmRRON: The American Redoubt Radio Operators Network and The America Preparedness Radio Network (TAPRN)"](http://www.amrron.com/). *amrron*. 21 April 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013. 1. Murphy, Kim (9 February 2012). ["Local News | Economy, blogs give survivalists new reason to look to Northwest | Seattle Times Newspaper"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120712034738/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2017469929_redoubt10.html). *Seattle Times*. Archived from [the original](http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2017469929_redoubt10.html) on July 12, 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2013. 1. ["Op-Ed: American redoubt or doubt?"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131023064156/http://ferrycountyview.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=561%3Aop-ed-american-redoubt-or-doubt&catid=64%3Aop-ed&Itemid=85). Ferry County View. 28 April 2012. Archived from [the original](http://ferrycountyview.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=561:op-ed-american-redoubt-or-doubt&catid=64:op-ed&Itemid=85) on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013. 1. Holton, Chuck (14 October 2013). ["Redoubt: Northwest a Haven for Dismayed Americans"](http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2013/October/Redoubt-Northwest-a-Haven-for-Dismayed-Americans/). *CBN News*. Retrieved 22 October 2013. 1. Barron, Alex (8 October 2014). ["Podcast Episode 16-2014: James Rawles American Redoubt Interview"](https://charlescarrollsociety.com/2014/10/08/podcast-episode-16-2014-james-rawles-american-redoubt-interview/). *The Charles Carroll Society*. Alex Barron. Retrieved 10 October 2014. 1. ["Liberty Fellowship MT > About Us > Location"](http://libertyfellowshipmt.com/AboutUs/Location.aspx). *Liberty Fellowship*. 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016. 1. ["Far-right survivalist and icon of 'Patriot' movement predicts religious civil war"](https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2019/01/03/far-right-survivalist-and-icon-patriot-movement-predicts-religious-civil-war). *Southern Poverty Law Center*. Retrieved 2023-12-15. 1. Carlson, Chris (26 January 2016). ["Raising serious doubts about American Redoubt"](http://www.cdapress.com/1/article_3f00cc2c-087d-5630-9dfb-2499b3e4d4c5.html). *Coeur d'Alene Press*. Retrieved 3 April 2016. 1. ["The last big frontier"](https://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21703411-movement-staunch-conservatives-and-doomsday-watchers-inland-north-west). *The Economist*. 6 August 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2016. 1. Criscione, Wilson. ["Here in the American Redoubt"](https://www.inlander.com/spokane/here-in-the-american-redoubt/Content?oid=4036093). *Inlander*. Retrieved 2017-06-02. 1. Sullivan, Kevin (August 27, 2016). ["In the Pacific Northwest, members of survivalist movements are growing in number"](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-american-redoubt-prepper-movement-20160827-story.html). *Chicago Tribune*. Retrieved 25 October 2016. 1. Russell, Betsy Z. (15 May 2016). ["Redoubt movement helps push North Idaho politics to extreme right"](http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/may/15/redoubt-movement-helps-push-north-idaho-politics-t/). *Spokesman-Review*. Retrieved 24 July 2016. 1. ["Idaho 1st District State Senate Results: Shawn Keough Wins"](https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2016/results/idaho-state-senate-district-1). *The New York Times*. 2017-08-01. [ISSN 0362-4331](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Retrieved 2022-04-19. 1. Walters, Daniel (2020-02-06). ["North Idaho Rep. Heather Scott reaps the glory — and the consequences — of being one of Matt Shea's biggest allies - Local News - Spokane - News, Politics, Music, Calendar, Events in Spokane, Coeur d'Alene and the Inland Northwest"](https://www.inlander.com/spokane/north-idaho-rep-heather-scott-reaps-the-glory-and-the-consequences-of-being-one-of-matt-sheas-biggest-allies/Content?oid=19045888). *Inlander - Local News - Spokane - News, Politics, Music, Calendar, Events in Spokane, Coeur d'Alene and the Inland Northwest*. Retrieved 2023-01-25. Last December, Rawles put both Scott and Shea on his list of "key leaders and promoters of the American Redoubt movement."... The Redoubt movement has its own alternative media network, filled with some of Scott's most ardent supporters like Redoubt News blogger Shari Dovale — "Patriot Journalist" on her business card — and pseudonymous Radio Free Redoubt radio host John Jacob Schmidt... Yet, it's not hard to see why some people conflate the Redoubt movement with Idaho's ugly past. Montana pastor Chuck Baldwin — the first on Rawles' list of Redoubt movement promoters — celebrates the Confederacy and preaches anti-Semitic 9/11 conspiracy theories. ## Further reading - ["Extremists finding fertile ground in Northwest"](https://eu.monroenews.com/story/news/2011/06/21/extremists-finding-fertile-ground-in/32690884007/). *The Monroe News*. Associated Press. 2011-06-21. Retrieved 2022-08-12. - Larry Keller (2011-08-15). ["Hate in the Last Best Place"](https://inthesetimes.com/article/hate-in-the-last-best-place). *In These Times*. Retrieved 2022-08-12. - Petersen, Anne Helen (2017-02-12). ["Love Lives In Whitefish, Montana, But So Do Neo-Nazis"](https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/annehelenpetersen/love-lives-in-whitefish-but-so-do-neo-nazis). *BuzzFeed News*. Retrieved 2022-08-12. - Sullivan, Kevin (27 August 2016). ["A Fortress Against Fear: In the rural Pacific Northwest, prepping for the day it hits the fan"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/wp/2016/08/27/2016/08/27/a-fortress-against-fear/). *The Washington Post*. Retrieved 29 August 2016. - Jenkins, Jack (February 24, 2023). ["'Christian patriots' are flocking from blue states to Idaho"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2023/02/24/idaho-christian-nationalism-marjorie-taylor-greene/). *[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)* --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [American Redoubt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Redoubt) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Redoubt?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.