Dr. Roderick GrahamRhode Island College

“Diversity Week” Presentation

White Nationalism• For the first time since a count began,

hate groups topped 1000 in 2010 (Southern Poverty Law Center 2011).

• One area of growth is within white supremacist organizations

• I will focus on one type of white supremacist group – “white nationalists”

White Nationalism• Believe it is their God-given and

natural right to have a distinct white identity and white homeland

• This identity is threatened by: • The rise of multiculturalism• Affirmative action policies • Immigration into the United

States from non-white nations• Racial intermarriage

White Nationalism• Attempt to build up a movement

at the grass roots level

• Work towards their goals through political action and persuasion• Not Fear or violence (e.g. Ku Klux

Klan or Neo-Nazis)

• Attract educated, high status members to their cause

White Nationalism• Some of the first

“communities” on the web were white nationalist communities

• Current U.S. climate does not allow for open discussion of “white pride”

• The culture of the movement –persuading educated whites through argumentation and information – is well suited for the online world

White NationalismKey Websites

Intellectual Development/Dialogue Stormfront American Renaissance VDAREPolitical Action American Third Position CofCC (Council of Conservative Citizens)

The Study

What are the non-racist beliefs of white nationalists?

How Non-racist Beliefs Can Work

How Non-racist Beliefs Can Work

How Non-racist Beliefs Can Work1) “I always knew I was right…”

• Non-racist beliefs solidify racism 2) “That explains everything…”

• Can give explanations through which people derive racism

3) “Finally, someone is speaking a language I can understand…”

• Can act as a means to recruit people into the white nationalist movement by explaining current conditions

A Few NotesRacialism vs. Racism

Racialism – believing that people who share a phenotype share common behaviors (Appiah 1990)

Racism – believing that people who share a phenotype are morally, culturally, or intellectually inferior to another groups and deserve special treatment

Method• Qualitative study • Content analysis• Looked at 10 websites from February

2010 to September 2011• Took field notes, looked for patterns• Explored discussion boards, podcasts,

and videos

The Non-Racist Beliefs

1. A Natural Racial Order1. A Natural Racial Order

• Races are real, people identify with those who are of the same race, people want to be with their own kind

• These processes are good, healthy, and natural• Interfering with these processes only causes

problems

Quote from Stormfront:"Clearly, each race evolved independently under vastly different conditions, and the results manifests these differences: Whites and Asians developed greater intellect, for example, while Blacks developed greater physical prowess. In their individual environments, each race developed the adaptations that suited them best. I do not doubt that Whites have made tremendous contributions to humanity --that is indisputable. This does not, however, make us utterly "superior" --This simply means that we are more intelligent, on average than some other races. Likewise, Blacks are not "superior" because they are, on average stronger than some other races. My belief in WN stems from the conviction that each race is uniquely valuable and that miscegenation destroys true diversity..."

Quote from Occidental Dissent:

"To deny White citizens of White nations the right to preserve themselves- biologically, ethnically, and culturally- is the true example of racism and hatred. Genocide is never acceptable. What can be more racist than the systematic eradication of an entire race? White Americans need not be ashamed of identifying on a racial basis, as every other race in America has a political license to do so. La Raza, the League of United Latino American Citizens, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the Anti-Defamation League of the B’nai B’rith are all bound by racial or ethnic ties."

Video from David Duke’s YouTube ChannelThe video is entitled

“Race is more than skin color”

The Non-Racist Beliefs2. Cultural Marxists are Destroying (White) 2. Cultural Marxists are Destroying (White)

SocietySociety

Cultural Marxists advocate multiculturalism, diversity, and racial equality. This group of people are the ones who are tying to interrupt natural racial processes. At the root of cultural Marxism is a Jewish Influence.

Quote from American Third Position

"Look at their track record. "Multiculturalism" and "Integration" are their stock in trade. "Equality" is their buzzword."

Quote from Occidental Dissent

"Forced diversity, multiculturalism = Washington, DC (Jew influence)

Army of white enablers = Marxist, higher-education system (Jew influence)

Clandestine brainwashing = Hollywood & Madison Avenue (Jew influence)

Clandestine dispossession = Wall Street (Jew influence)

Clandestine mass distraction = Sports (Jew influence)

See, we really only have one problem."

The Non-Racist Beliefs3. Europeans (Whites) Face a Double 3. Europeans (Whites) Face a Double

StandardStandard

Whites cannot be proud of their race, while other groups can. Whites must walk on egg-shells so as not to offend racial groups. There are many government programs designed to help other races, but none designed to help whites.

Quote from David Duke:"The fact is, in America today there is not equal rights for all but a systemic and endemic racial discrimination going on against European Americans. In jobs, promotions, college admissions, scholarships, and contracting millions of better qualified white Americans are being systematically discriminated against in so called affirmative action programs."

Quote from American Third Position

"The American Third Position has no problem with Hispanics organizing their own college funds. What we do have a problem with is the failure of these major corporations to set up such funds for white American kids."

The Non-Racist Beliefs4. Government Intervention Hinders White 4. Government Intervention Hinders White

ProgressProgress

“Laws have been passed since the 1950's that have ripped apart the social cohesion of

society, taken resources away from whites and giving them to minorities, and generally have

lowered the prestige of whites.”

The Non-Racist BeliefsGovernment Intervention Hinders White Government Intervention Hinders White

ProgressProgress

1.1. Brown v. Board of Education (1954)Brown v. Board of Education (1954)2.2. Civil Rights Act (1964)Civil Rights Act (1964)3.3. Fair Housing Act (1968)Fair Housing Act (1968)4.4. Affirmative ActionAffirmative Action

Non-Racist Beliefs - Summary1.A natural racial order2.Cultural Marxists are destroying (white)

society3.Whites face a double standard4.Government intervention hinders white

progress

Effects of Non-racist Beliefs - Review1) “I always knew I was right…”

• Non-racist beliefs solidify racism 2) “That explains everything…”

• Can give explanations through which people derive racism

3) “Finally, someone is speaking a language I can understand…”

• Can act as a means to recruit people into the white nationalist movement by explaining current conditions

The Promise and Peril of Virtual Communities

PromiseThe Internet reduces

the cost of communication and organization (Shirky 2009). More people participate in the production and consumption of knowledge, and more opinions are shared.

PerilAllows people to filter

the information they consume (Sunstein 2001). This does not lead to democracy because people are not making informed decisions.

ConclusionsSolidifying Racism• If one believes in a “natural racial order”, then racist

feelings can be justified:

“Its ok for me to feel this way is because they feel the same way about me.”

“Look, Hispanics are only going to look out for their own kind, so they should go back to their own country.”

“Hey what’s wrong with me looking out for my own kind. If I don’t want to rent to that black man, that’s my choice.”

ConclusionsDeriving Racism

The belief that cultural Marxists are destroying society by passing laws that hurt white people and by creating a double standard for whites may lead to antipathy towards Jews.

ConclusionsDeriving Racism• The belief that the government only works to

hurt white people can lead to strong reactions against government plans to redress inequalities.

• The program may be harmless to most whites (or even help), but any government led program is seen as hurting whites and helping minorities

• The merit of a program is less important than whether or not it helps non-whites

ConclusionsDeriving Racism

The belief that cultural Marxists are destroying society may lead to antipathy towards Jewish intellectuals.

ConclusionsRecruiting• Many whites may be trying to make sense of:

• What appears to them to be obvious distinctions between people

• the negative experiences they have had directly and indirectly with racial others

• the relative loss of power both nationally and internationally of whites, a group that they identify with

• An inability to express their racial pride like others do

ConclusionsRecruiting• People may not wish to

see themselves as “racist” and may be turned off by the racism on those sites.

• But the non-racist beliefs may appeal to them because they provide answers to questions they have been having

The Promise and Peril of Virtual Communities• Do online communities bring racial and

ethnic groups together or drive them apart?

• Does online anonymity allow people from across racial and ethnic divides to interact in a virtual space free from stereotypes or allow people to express their racial and ethnic prejudices more freely?

ReferencesAppiah, Kwame A. 1990. “Racisms.” pp. 3 - 17 In Anatomy of Racism, David Goldberg (ed.)

Minneapolis: Minnesota University Press.

Shirky, Clay. 2009. Here Comes Everybody : The Power of Organizing Without Organizations. Penguin Press: New York, New York.

Southern Poverty Law Center. 2011. “The Year in Hate & Extremism.” Retrieved June 2, 2011 (http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2011/spring/the-year-in-hate-extremism-2010)

Sunstein, Cass. 2001. Republic.Com. Princeton University Press: Princeton, New Jersey.