Talia Lavin does something I would never do: she created multiple online identities and joined extremist organizations. Lavin’s exploration of dangerous right-wing groups predicts the Assault on the Capitol.
I was fascinated to learn how white supremacy groups operate online to recruit and fund-raise. Lavin exposes the strategies of Neo-Nazis, Christian extremists, and other hate groups.
It’s clear that we’re in for a protracted period of civil unrest. If you want to understand what we’re up against, read Culture Warlords. GRADE: A
Table of Contents:
Introduction — 1
- On hating — 9
- The Jews — 23
- Boots on for the boogaloo — 46
- Operation Ashlynn — 74
- Adventures with incels — 99
- That good old-time religion — 124
- Tween racists, bad beanies, and the great casino chase — 155
- Getting to the boom: on accelerationism and violence — 183
- Antifa civil war — 203
- We keep us safe — 217
Afterword — 237
Acknowledgements — 241
Endnotes — 243
Index — 255
Sometimes I feel like Cassandra: I can see what’s coming and no one listens (present company excepted, of course). I’ve yammered on about the country being on the wrong course going back to Reagan’s decision (well, Lee Atwater’s decision) to court the Evangelicals (in which there’s a strong vein of white nationalism) back in 1980. And people forget that Reagan (or his handlers) chose Philadelphia, Mississippi (where three civil rights workers were murdered in the 1960s) as one of the first stops when he started campaigning. That was clearly a dog-whistle to racists. And “country club Republicans” like the two Bush presidents may not have been racists but they sure benefitted from appealing to them (the Willie Horton ad, the failure to condemn the racially-based murder of James Byrd, etc.). And I’ve said before that the Reagan Administration’s push to drop the Fairness Doctrine regarding how political opinion was expressed on radio & television opened the floodgates. We’ve now radicalized two, going on three, generations—I don’t know how we reverse this. Sigh.
Deb, I agree that the current right-wing extremist group problems go back to the Reagan Administration. The Intelligence Community now says foreign countries (gee, I wonder which ones) are funding these groups in order to spread conflict and chaos in America. That strategy is working.
And let’s not forget Reagan’s tone deaf visit to Bitburg, burial site of 49 members of the Waffen-SS, in 1985, rather than visiting a concentration camp (one was hastily added to the trip).
Jeff, you’re right about Reagan opening the door to the GOP for these right-wing and religious groups.
Deb is right. this has been a long time coming.
Scary.
Jerry, and Deb is asking the right question: How do we get out of this mess?
George, I really don’t know how we get the racist genie back in the bottle—especially, as I’ve said before, the radicalized right is utterly brainwashed by the right-wing media echo-chamber that they watch/listen to/consume/parrot all day long. Based on what I saw during the insurrection, we’re dealing with Jonestown-level cult mind here, and how do you de-program half the country? Again, Voltaire’s dictum, “Those who can make you believe in absurdities can make you commit atrocities” is absolutely spot-on.
Deb, Voltaire had it right: millions of Americans are programmed to accept untruths and act on them…violently!
I went to a Christian school with these people and way back in the sixties, much of this stuff was floating around above ground in their circles. I was able to view Barry Goldwater’s film “A CHOICE NOT AN ECHO” and a lot of these crazy theories were embedded in there. The film never was aired, deemed too dark not scare voters off. So much of it emanates from racism. Studies of infants show they prefer adults who look like their parents. White babies like white adults; Black babies prefer Black adults; Asian prefer Asians. Hard to combat such an early hard-wiring.
Patti, preference is one thing, violence is another. As more and more footage comes out revealing the Assault on the Capitol, the worse the incident appears. Very close to being a massacre…
And babies who are in mixed environments, much less have “mixed” parents, tend to like friendly adults who look familiar…I’m glad Patti chimed in with the Goldwater non-echoing, which was certainly exploited by Nixon even more deftly than Reagan and Co. managed later on (with the clumsy self-destruction of the Democratic Party, only to see itself reborn thanks to the Democratic Leadership Council as the Neoliberal Party, and all the voter alienation of the DP’s natural base that has ensued.
I wish I could come up with a solution to this mess that doesn’t involve machine guns and hand grenades but I’m drawing a blank. When Trump was elected I remember thinking that four years of this guy might be worth it if he went down in flames and took the GOP with him. So Trump is (at least) on the way out and we’ll have to see what happens with that, but the GOP is still here, spewing lies and hatred. It really astonishes me that the most radical political party in American history is still getting by on screaming about the Democrats’ “radical socialist agenda”.
Michael, the GOP managed to make “liberal” a dirty word. Now, they’re beating the drums about “socialism” conveniently ignoring the fact that many of their followers benefit from a socialistic program: Social Security.
A lot of people don’t know the difference between socialism and communism Also the GOP constantly use the words radical left instead of liberal.
Steve, the GOP has graduated from “liberal” to “radical Left.” It’s just a dog-whistle to their base. You’re right about people not know the difference between socialism and communism or fascism. That’s why most Americans believe Government is all bad.
Well, except for kleptocrats who seem to share their contempt. And, frankly, a lot of neoliberal Democratic as well as reactionary and neoconservative GOP policy has earned that contempt, since it so thoroughly demonstrated contempt for all but the wealthiest Americans.
No, I won’t be reading this. I do agree with Deb. The only hope is that they succeed in tearing the Republican Party in two.
Jeff, the Republican Party is in crisis mode right now. They’re losing elections and headed toward being a fringe party catering to kooks and wackos.
If Trump manages to cobble up a new Know-Nothing American Party (or something out of the ashes of the Reform Party, where he once tried a run for pres. only to lose in NY and quickly quit the primary race, it could do some good for the nation…except it will almost certainly do nothing to shake the neoliberal death-grip on the DP.
Scary!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_Warlords
I don’t get it that the democratic USA seems to return to its racist past too.
But here in Europe we have similar developments in several countries – at least not as bad as in the USA because it’s much more difficult to get guns.
What I really don’t get:
In Hungary too “Liberal” has become a swear word for the ruling right wing class – they openly are for “Illiberal Democracy” whatever that means – just changed it to “Christian” Democracy which is as crazy.
Wolf, part of the problem in America is income inequality. We have Super Rich people who benefit from tax breaks and other Governmental perks while millions scrape by and have to resort to food pantries. The problem of money leads to social instability.
As does the desire to pretend that the wealthy deserve their wealth, as opposed to having managed to rig the game…even more blatantly than in most of the rest of the world.
An article I read today — in the Atlantic, maybe? I’ve read so many this morning — said the way the GOP is moving on from here is to pretend that Trump never happened, that the last four years were successful because of what they accomplished: all the conservative judges, some pro-business laws, whatever little things they can think of.
Jeff, I saw that article or a similar one in today’s NEW YORK TIMES. THE GOP, like the Communist Party in Russia, is rewriting History.
Consider all those who pretend Reagan was a great president. Then consider the crimes of most of the “great” presidents.
I don’t see a way for this country to heal. The radical right, racists, trumpanzees are turning into terrorists.
I also blame the tea party for helping this.
I feel if someone is against socialism, return your social security checks and don’t use medi care for health issues. If you don’t wear a mask, tattoo a big red T on your forehead and sign a document that you will not receive medical care for covid and won’t take the vaccine. That should free up some doses for those of us who aren’t total fking idiots.
Maggie, the GOP is learning they can’t win elections with their current issues. They lost the Presidency, the House, and now the Senate. The loss of Power will force them to either move towards the Center…or become more extreme.
I disagree, George. I think what the GOP learned from this election cycle is that they have to start amending state constitutions so that state legislatures can override the state’s electoral vote if it doesn’t go the way the GOP wants it to. Let’s face it, if the state law of, for example, Michigan or Wisconsin (or even Georgia) had given the legislature the power to refuse to certify an election, do you think for a minute they would have “allowed” Biden to be named the winner? I guarantee you that right now at some right-wing “think tank” (and I use the term advisedly) there are people putting together the proposals that will be presented at the next legislative sessions of all the states where the GOP controls the legislature but Biden won the electoral vote. Listen to Cassandra—she cries out in the wilderness!
Deb (aka, Cassandra), I hear your warning. I’m sure New York State will take measures to protect the state’s electoral vote, but some of the Red States may not. This could be a source of problems in 2024.
And why has the GOP managed to win so many state legislatures in so many “purple” states? Because the DP hasn’t been too convincing in its half-hearted case of being genuinely engaged in helping poorer US folks. Or even the middle class.
The Republicans have to do something. Trump got them the most voters they’ve ever had, and it wasn’t enough. No one else will come close. The only way they’ll win the presidency now is if the Democrats pick somebody really horrible. (Remember, even Hillary Clinton won the popular vote.) Voter suppression is losing ground, despite their “best” efforts.
But, Cassandra, I think what you’re worrying about here is unconstitutional. If the GOP tries that, the Dems WILL pack the Supreme Court so it can’t be ruled legal.
It’s reassuring to hear that. Thank you for talking me down from a ledge.
Deb, a lot of people are on that ledge with you!!
Jeff, I think you might have something there with packing the Supreme Court.
maybe also get rid of the electoral college A voter from say Wyoming’s vote counts like 20x my vote
Maggie, or we need more people like us to move to Wyoming!
The Electoral College has NEVER had a good reason to exist. Only bad reasons. It’s “convenient” for the big parties, and only self-deludingly so.
I guess there just aren’t any pleasant or nice things to think, talk or read about. Pfui. I’m going back to reading E. B. White.
Rick, just two more days and Trump is gone!
E. B. White can help.