The Fifth Column
The term “fifth column” was first used by nationalist general Emilio Mola in a 1936 radio address, during the Spanish Civil War. The term simply refers to a group of people who clandestinely undermine a larger group to which it is expected to be loyal, such as a nation.

In Mola’s case, he was referring to the citizens of Madrid, who he believed sympathetic to his cause of overthrowing the legitimate government of Madrid. As Mola sent his four military columns into Madrid, he called upon his “fifth column” living in Madrid, his sympathizers, to provide aid, comfort and propaganda assistance to his soldiers, thereby assisting with their victory over Madrid’s defenses.

The term has been used many times since in many parts of the world. But it is always used to describe a clandestine “enemy within,” overtly claiming loyalty to the homeland while covertly working to undermine the homeland.

The American Fifth Column
In America, the term refers to American citizens who are ideologically aligned with anti-American organizations, sentiments, principles and values, who work individually or in concert with various organized movements in an effort to undermine American interests, counter official American policy, erode American confidence at home and abroad, or in any way aid and abet America’s enemies, while publicly proclaiming all of it to be an act of patriotism.

The most common defense for members of a Fifth Column is the claim of “conscientious objector,” or “patriotic dissenter.” This defense was used to protect draft dodgers from legal prosecution as AWOL defectors during the 1960’s. It’s been used to defend common college war-protesters as well as the American soldier who rolled a live grenade into his Commanding Officer’s tent, attacking his fellow soldiers while on deployment in the Middle East. It’s used to defend members of Congress who have traveled abroad to undermine US foreign policy and even disclose top secret military intelligence to enemies of our state.

This is the American Fifth Column and some of the many rolls they play in the destruction of a nation they publicly claim to love and support.

For years, the Fifth Column was seen as only a rag-tag group of left-leaning, free-sex, dope-peddling, bra-burning hippies, supporting hand-picked pieces of the International Socialist agenda, in many cases without even knowing that they were playing a vital roll in a much grander scheme. Vladimir Lenin referred to all of them as “useful idiots.”

But today, what was once a clandestine movement of “useful idiots” quietly operating below radar, has become a well organized and well funded political juggernaut, largely in control of almost everything we see on TV, hear on the radio, read in newspapers, magazines and books, and even witness in the halls of congress.