A defunct antisemitic Christian Identity movement with a mission rooted in white supremacy.
The 11th Hour Remnant Messenger was a radical Christian Identity organization known for its antisemitic and white supremacist ideologies. Established in Sandpoint, Idaho, by wealthy retired entrepreneurs Vincent Bertollini and Carl E. Story, this organization was strategically located near the Aryan Nations compound, with which it closely cooperated. Sandpoint was chosen for its demographic makeup, which was predominantly non-Jewish Caucasian Americans, accounting for roughly 98% of its population.
The foundation of the 11th Hour Remnant Messenger’s belief system was the notion that non-Jewish white Europeans are the true Israelites, as described in the Bible, and are thus the chosen people. In contrast, they held that individuals of Jewish descent were descendants of Eve and Satan, and they considered non-whites as “soulless”. This ideology led them to produce and distribute hundreds of thousands of pieces of propaganda, including flyers, pamphlets, audio, and videotapes, espousing these beliefs. One of their notable propaganda efforts involved mailing out elaborate, expensive posters that outlined their own “tree of heredity” for major ethnic groups to residents in their area.
Vincent Bertollini, who made his fortune in the Silicon Valley computer industry during the 1990s, was a key figure in the organization. His criminal history included multiple DUI convictions and a significant prison sentence that temporarily halted his activities within the movement. Despite these setbacks, Bertollini continued to support and finance racist and antisemitic propaganda through the 11th Hour Remnant Messenger, along with his partner Carl E. Story. Their efforts also extended to providing financial support to Aryan Nations’ Richard Butler, particularly after Butler lost his compound due to a lawsuit brought by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
After serving his prison sentence, Bertollini was released in 2010 and moved to New Mexico, where he continued his activities under a legally changed name. Despite the legal and societal challenges faced by its leaders, the 11th Hour Remnant Messenger remains a notable example of extremist movements that have sought to propagate hate and division based on distorted religious and racial ideologies.
image via Southern Poverty Law Center
