Ronson’s ‘Them’ Takes An Extremely Funny Look At Extremist Groups

Never before has extremism been so funny. Jon Ronson, in his new book, “Them: Adventures with Extremists,” brings the reader on a hilarious adventure into the world of some of the most feared terrorists and extremists in the world. Ronson spends time with a number of these madmen, only to realize that they are all bound by a common cause. They all believe that the world is ruled by “them” — a shadowy elite who operates out of hidden, secret room.

Ronson’s journey into the minds of evil begins with Omar Bakri, the most feared terrorist in the United Kingdom. Sometimes called “Bin Laden’s man in Britain,” Bakri is presented to the reader as just a regular guy. Ronson sits with Bakri as he sings “Hakuna Matata” while watching “The Lion King” with his baby daughter and then accompanies him on errands. All the while, Bakri talks of his intense hatred for “them.” Bakri gives Ronson some of the first clues about this secret society. Apparently, this group goes by the name of The Bilderberg Society, and they meet once a year in a hotel to decide everything from elections to wars to who stars in what Hollywood movie. Bakri also says the group is a mainly Jewish conspiracy. The ironic part about the entire encounter is the way in which Ronson describes Bakri’s daily routine. If not for the radical talk, he would be just like everyone else. He is not scary, insane, twisted or anything else the media would like you to think. He is simply a man who believes that it is his destiny to unmask the secret society to the world — his only slip-up is he chooses to do this by means of terrorism.

After getting exiled from Bakri’s side — apparently Bakri does not appreciate the fact that Ronson is Jewish — Ronson heads to the United States to further investigate this so-called Bilderberg Society. He spends time with Rachel Weaver, who describes to her family’s plight during the Ruby Ridge Siege in Montana. Ronson doesn’t go quite as far to present the Weavers as innocent, but he gives evidence to believe that the U.S. government should not have acted in the way they did. Ronson also visits Aryan Nations, believed to be the largest Nazi community in the U.S. In what is described as an absolutely chilling and bizarre experience, Ronson is nearly unmasked as being Jewish, a discovery that would have had dire consequences.

Ronson then tries to infiltrate a hotel in Portugal believed to be the meeting place of the Bilderberg Society. He gets thrown out and chased by men in dark glasses, whom he believes are part of the conspiracy. He makes a panicked call to the British Embassy only to be told that the Bilderberg Society is bigger than the British government. In the short time he was in Portugal, Ronson was witness to the gathering of some of the world’s richest and most powerful men. He watches as billionaires David Rockefeller and Umberto Agnelli pull up to the hotel. They are joined shortly by Vernon Jordan, former President Bill Clinton’s closest friend; James Wolfensohn, the president of the World Bank; and Henry Kissinger, whom some call the world’s most powerful man. The fact that so many seemingly unconnected people are gathered in one place is suspicious enough. The fact that some of the extremists may be right is downright terrifying.

Other than their yearly meeting, the elites of the world are believed to meet once a year in the woods of northern California for a retreat. Ronson is able to get into this meeting surprisingly easily. Aside from the owl worshipping and cross-dressing, Ronson is witness to the elites of the world urinating on trees in some sort of ritual meant to free themselves from the bondage of social consciousness.

Although no real evidence is presented that world policy is decided at these gatherings, Ronson does convince the reader that the extremists may be on to something. There are simply too many coincidences to dismiss the possibility of a new world order controlling every part of our lives. Ronson’s brilliant comical view of the entire experience drives this book. Although it’s an incredibly quick read, this book will linger with you for a long time, making you question whether “them” really exists.