By Brian Birmingham
A group called “Rise of the Moors,” founded by Jahmal Latimer, received quite a bit of media attention recently. On July 3rd Latimer led ten followers on a march through Wakefield, Massachusetts. The group was heavily armed.
After a standoff with local police, which lasted for several hours, Latimer and his men were all arrested.
The entire incident was livestreamed by Latimer on his YouTube channel, which is now blocked.
Was this all just a publicity stunt to garner attention and gain subscribers on YouTube?
Maybe.
So, who or what is the “Rise of the Moors” and what do they believe?
Jahmal Latimer
First, the Moorish Science Temple of America, founded by Noble Drew Ali in 1913.
Second, the so-called “Sovereign Citizen Movement,” which is a disparate and loosely organized conglomeration of anti-government extremists, typified by the likes of Kent Hovind.
The Moorish Science Temple is historically significant. It is the first Black Muslim movement in the United States. Notably Wallace Fard Muhammad, who is responsible for the formation of the Nation of Islam, was once a member of the Moorish Science Temple. It was the first group to promote the idea of Black Nationalism. The idea that African-Americans must begin to build their own physical nation according to Marcus Garvey. At its most extreme Black Nationalism contends that African-Americans are not actually citizens of the United States and therefore not subject to its laws and taxes.
When Jahmal Latimer livestreamed part of his group’s confrontation with Massachusetts police on YouTube he claimed that he had done nothing wrong. Latimer said the police need not be alarmed by the presence of several heavily armed men dressed in tactical gear marching along the side of the highway. At five minutes and thirty seconds into this video, which is titled “Peaceful,” he says that he took a vow as a Marine, to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Latimer then goes on to define “enemy” as any person who would go against the rulings of Federal Courts regarding laws passed by Congress. Latimer then invokes the Second Amendment and precedents supposedly set by certain cases decided by the Supreme Court, to substantiate his claim that the group is doing nothing wrong in possessing weapons and ammunition.
But upon further analysis Jahmal Latimer’s claims make little if any sense.
He claims to be a sovereign citizen of a Moorish Nation, which is not subject to United States law or authority.
So, on one hand Latimer invokes his duty as a veteran to support and defend the Constitution, but on the other hand he claims that he is a sovereign citizen and member of a Moorish nation and therefore not subject to United States law.
Jahmal Latimer is trying to hold two conflicting set of beliefs simultaneously.
Latimer can’t have it both ways, and the thought process he exhibits in his video is incoherent, muddled and ultimately at best delusional.
Rise of the Moors does not now seem intent upon violence.
Latimer and his followers did not fire their weapons to resist arrest and no one was injured.
The group’s teachings seem to be a type of “stew’” cooked up by Latimer including ingredients derived from Moorish Science, Sovereign Citizen ideology, brought to a simmer as some sort of poorly conceived “militia.” There is also a whiff of the Black Hebrew movement present, despite the Moors label Latimer has chosen.
Jahmal Latimer, like many “cult leaders” today, concocted the recipe for his stew by copying the ideas of others.
For example, cult leader Keith Raniere, who copied Scientology, Ayn Rand, Amway and Landmark Education to come up with NXIVM.
Is Rise of the Moors a potent threat, or even a threat at all?
Maybe not.
Instead, this may be about a deeply delusional man with a desperate need for attention?
