by Loretta J. Ross

About the author: Loretta J. Ross is the research director of the Center for Democratic Renewal in Atlanta, Georgia.

The bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995, was no isolated incident. Extremist right-wing groups around the country have been getting bigger and bolder for some time. While militia leaders are scrambling to distance themselves from Oklahoma, these groups pose a serious threat to our society.

They have been known to force confrontations with local sheriffs and have threatened to lynch any elected official they believe is a traitor. Attorney General Janet Reno, in particular, has been vilified by these people, and her personal security should be sharply increased.

These groups are dead serious about avenging Waco, which they viewed as a direct threat to them. White supremacists quickly rallied to...