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Today, three Richard Spencer supporters were charged with attempted homicide in Gainesville, Florida. The men pulled over and began confronting a group of protesters, “making Nazi salutes and shouting chants about Hitler” (Svrluga). When a protester hit the men’s car with a baton, the men pulled over and opened fire on the protesters. The men fled (though they threatened the protesters that they were going to kill them) and a protester got the license plate of their car.
The shooter, Tenbrink, was also involved with Charolettesville at the “Unite the Right” rally which turned violent. The police tracked down the men and Tenbrik admitted to the shooting attempt. The three men were charged with attempted murder.
Do you think that the white nationalist views of the alt-right is causing these people to normalize literal nazism or have these people felt this way and use the alt-right as a way to express these views?
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Do you think that the white nationalist views of the alt-right is causing these people to normalize literal nazism or have these people felt this way and use the alt-right as a way to express these views?
In a word: no. Are race relations not what they could be? Yes. Was the election of Donald Trump a potential indicator that the average American is not a receptive to diversity as was previously thought? Yes. But is this isolated incident an indicator of a growing trend towards fascism? Absolutely not. The Alt-right, like the KKK, is a radical fringe minority of the American conservative movement. They are simply a fringe who have captured the favor of Donald Trump. Most people who voted for Donald Trump didn’t especially care about the nation’s ethnic background, or a resurgent of radical ideologies such as fascism. They care about healthcare, job security, and their personal values. Trump promised healthcare reform, job security, and a return to family values that “Made America Great.” The American blue collar worker voted in his and her interests-and if that meant voting for a man who received an endorsement from the David Duke, then so be it.
And as for if Americans have always felt sympathetic towards fascism, then I have to say but this; these are the children and grandchildren of men and women who fought against the forces and ideologies of Adolf Hitler, Hideki Tojo, Benito Mussolini, and other fascists and radical nationalists. They have a natural disgust of authoritarian ideologies; they were the ones who grew up on horror stories of the communist atrocities under Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, and others in the Soviet Union. They were the first generation to learn about the Holocaust in their history classes. The average American has no sympathy for neo-nazis and fascists. One needs only look at congressional Republican responses to the riots at Charlottesville. Marco Rubio called it “this old evil.” John McCain noted that there was “no moral equivalency” between Antifa and the Alt-right. Authoritarianism (and especially race-based authoritarianism) has no place in America-and I can guarantee you the average American knows that.
I think that for the part these people have felt this way and they have been just using the alt-right to express these views. And I agree with Granger the election of Trump was indication that there is still a fairly decent portion of the people who are white nationalist. Through the election of Trump and social media we begin to see these white nationalist express their opinions more. Groups like these in my opinion anger the majority of Americans who feel like racism no longer should have a place in society. Especially since Florida considered Richard Spencer's event a state of emergency we can tell that events like these only bring violence.
I believe that the alt-right's presence in this country deserves much more attention. They are obviously using domestic terrorism as a tactic and taking advantage of this administration's leniency. But to answer your question, in the recent months since Trump's victory, we see a higher count of violent incidences coming from both the left and the right. So I believe that it is the way current events at home are playing out that are making people much more dramatic in their responses.
Granger,
I tend to avoid using Martin Luther King Jr. quotes because they are often overused/misused, but in this case, I think his insight was so accurate prescient it has to be noted.
I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action;" who paternalistically feels he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a "more convenient season."
Yes, most citizens of the U.S. are not raving white supremacists, but a worrying plurality are comfortable with white supremacist actions and views. Just because someone votes for Trump doesn't necessarily make them racist, homophobic, etc. but it does show that those things are not deal-breakers for them.
I can agree that sine Trump has been elected as president many people have felt safe enough to share their racist views or make terrorist acts. All the recent police brutality against african americans and other minorities have made white supremacists, nazi -supports or whatever feel safe. But let's just say, because one's family was mistreated is no way to attack other human beings who were not at fault. How often do we see african americans attacking white folks for making their ancestors slaves? NEVER. it is NO excuse to attack anyone.
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