Religion: ultra-conservative 
Name: We the People
Other Names: We--the People; We... the People; the Knights of Brooklyn; the Brooklyn Knights
Classification:
villains
group
Publisher(s): 
First Appearance: Marvel Fanfare (vol. 1) #18 (Jan. 1985): "Home Fires!"
Creators: Roger McKenzie, Roger Stern, Frank Miller, Joe Rubinstein
Number of Appearances: 1
Enemy of: Captain America
Type of Organization/Group: arsonist
Location: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Note: burned NYC apartment buildings as part of extortion scheme
The short-lived group (or perhaps it could be called a "movement" or "plot") known as "We the People" was a group of working class New Yorkers who shared similar beliefs and political ideologies. Their common beliefs eventually led them to hatch a criminal scheme - an arson-based extortion plot.
The people who formed "We the People" were hard-working individuals who belonged to the same fraternal lodge - the Knights of Brooklyn (a group presumably similar to and/or based on The Knights of Columbus, Catholic fraternal organization). One of the people who formed the "We the People" group was a policeman. One was a shopkeeper. They were frustrated that their take home pay seemed to be decreasing even as they worked harder. They felt that the latest wave of immigrants was to blame for many of the problems they and their country faced. They felt that their pay was being taxed exorbitantly, and that much of the taxes they paid were used to pay for lazy people and deadbeats. They resented the money spent on welfare and benefits for people who would rather take handouts from the government rather than work and provide for themselves. The people in the "We the People" group felt that the recent immigrants and welfare deadbeats and other problematic segments of society were taking the America they loved away from them.
Their political and ideological beliefs were such that this group might be branded "ultra-conservative" or "right-wing." They were not necessarily aligned with any specific political party (e.g., Democrat or Republican).
The resentment these groups felt grew until they eventually decided to act upon their beliefs - in dangerous, criminal ways. They began to burn down selected buildings in New York City. They chose tenement apartment buildings which mostly housed poor welfare recipients - a main target of their ire.
After burning down some buildings, they left a ransom note demanding that the city of New York City pay them $6 million dollars, lest they strike again. They note was signed "We -- the People."
The actual mechanics of their criminal plot were essentially identical to what a purely criminal non-ideological group might have done. But while a purely criminal group might have hatched such an extortion scheme based only on greed, the "We the People" group was motivated primarily by their political/ideological beliefs. They hoped to get money out of the plot - money they probably rationalized was somehow "due" to them. But their primary motivation was not simple greed.
Captain America investigated the arson extortion scheme. He eventually discovered the identities of those behind it and brought them to justice.
Number of group members listed below: 2
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We the People (leader) | |
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[burned NYC apartment buildings as part of extortion scheme] | |
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Captain America 70th Anniversary Magazine #20 (Winter 2011): "Home Fires!"Marvel Fanfare (vol. 1) #18 (Jan. 1985): "Home Fires!"
Suggested links for further research about this character and the character's religious affiliation:
- http://www.marvunapp.com/master/wbwei.htm
- http://www.marvunapp.com/master/bra.htm
- http://www.comicvine.com/marvel-fanfare-18-home-fires/4000-25168/
- http://www.captainamericalibrary.com/superhero-library/captain-america/captain-america-comic-details.aspx?id=MFF1&issue=18
- http://marvel.wikia.com/Marvel_Fanfare_Vol_1_18
- https://www.comics.org/issue/39600/
- http://daveslongbox.blogspot.com/2006/03/marvel-fanfare-18-marvel-comics-1985.html