The podcast Extremely American takes you inside militias and other far-right groups that are trying to remake America in their absolutist image.
For more than a year, I traveled the country to meet with these groups — and the people pushing back against them. In Episode 1, I spent time at a militia training camp with camouflage-clad recruits who were shooting guns and practicing first-aid deep in the woods.
Christian Yingling, the leader of the group, explained that weekend why he shows up armed with his guys to tense protests like the deadly showdown in Charlottesville, Va. He sees himself as an arbiter of First Amendment rights.
“People on the right think that people on the left don't have any rights. People on the left, think that people on the right don't have any rights. Right? And here we are in middle going, ‘yo, we all got rights,' and that's where you get a constant clash,” Yingling says. “And that's why everybody hates us on both sides.”
Take a look, then be sure to look for Extremely American whereever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
