“Stand for the Flag, Kneel for the Cross”: A Creepy Hike for My Jewish Family

On an isolated trail in Saguaro National Park, we encountered this decal on a pickup truck. I recognized the “III” sign: It stands for Three Percenters, a militia group (formed about 10 years ago). “Three percent” stands for the group’s notions of the percentage of patriots who fought in the Revolutionary War (historians peg the number at about 15%). 

Their point? They are armed and will defend themselves against any usurpation of rights by the federal government.

The group is protected by the Constitution. Only a few members have run afoul of the law. 
Nonethless, my home is an hour drive from a group led by Michael Hari— the White Rabbit Three Percent Illinois Patriot Freedom Fighters Militia. Hari and others were arrested for bombing a mosque in Minnesota and planning to bomb a Planned Parenthood facility in Champaign. They called Illinois a “failed state” and urged followers to take up “armed resistance” against the government. 

I thought for a minute about the wisdom of walking on a trail with Three Percenters. They have guns. We don’t. They seem paranoid. I felt fearful of being in their presence—especially in a national park without any rangers due to a government shutdown.

We continued our hike. But instead of watching for wildlife, we watched for Three Percenters. The idea of having armed Christians defend themselves against perceived outsiders is nothing new. Seeing it up close was creepy.