A cult expert lifted the veil on the “Zizian” fringe group that is linked to the Vermont U.S. Border Patrol agent shooting.
The “Zizians” are called after a 34-year-old computer engineer named Jack Amadeus LaSota, known by the nickname “Ziz,” as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. LaSota, a transgender individual who uses female pronouns, founded the group of vegan activists.
The group, originally formed on the West Coast, gained national attention following the murder of U.S. Border Patrol Agent David “Chris” Maland in Vermont on Jan. 20.
“The second thing is they were on a restrictive diet. In this case, they were vegan,” he said. “So when you start to mix in the sexual aspect, then with a restrictive diet, now what you’re doing is behavior control.”
Dar Dixon, an actor and the podcast host of “The Art of Being Dar,” shared his expertise on cults with Fox News Digital. (Fox News Digital)
Referencing cult expert Steven Hassan’s BITE Model of Authoritarian Control, Dixon discussed how cults emotionally control their members.
“I’m sure there was a lot of sleep deprivation going on also, which affects your thoughts, which affects your emotions, which also affects your behavior and your ability to take in and process information,” he said.
“This is part of the emotional control. You’re never allowed to feel your feelings or to discuss your feelings. If you don’t step in line with the party line, you’re immediately reprimanded, sometimes severely, either verbally or physically, or you’re shunned.”
“So the culmination of sexual identity, food restriction, sleep restriction, and emotional restriction, well, now I’ve got you,” he said. “I own you. And I can take you any direction I want to take you now.”
