Review of a Book: Academics Study the Influence of Extreme White Supremacy on U.S. Politics and Society
TL/DR –
In “Out of Hiding: Extremist White Supremacy and How It Can Be Stopped,” sociologists Kathleen M. Blee, Robert Futrell, and Pete Simi argue that extremist white supremacist ideas have become mainstream and pose a significant threat to democracy. The authors identify three critical moments that empowered extremist white supremacists: the violent backlash to Barack Obama’s election in 2008, the lack of strong government opposition to the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, and the Jan. 6 insurrection. They suggest countering racial polarization through individual action, prosecution of domestic terrorists using rarely invoked existing laws, and evidence-driven deradicalization programs.
Understanding the Rise of Extremist White Supremacy in the US
As the fallout from the Jan. 6 insurrection continues and disinformation about U.S. voting systems persists, sociologists shed light on the rise of extremist white supremacy in the US.
In “Out of Hiding: Extremist White Supremacy and How It Can Be Stopped,” sociologists Kathleen M. Blee, Robert Futrell, and Pete Simi explore how extremist white supremacist ideas have become a major threat to democracy. The authors directly relate these ideas to the Capitol insurrection’s disinformation-fueled rage.
The authors pinpoint three critical moments in recent history that allowed the supremacist movement to gain power, suggesting that decisive actions from federal law enforcement and political leaders could have hindered their growth.
According to the authors, “Racist ideas and symbols, previously hidden in society’s corners, are now widely circulated across digital landscapes and political discourse, largely due to the influence of the Republican Party and its ties to racial extremism.”
The 2008 election of Barack Obama, America’s first Black president, was a pivotal point. The authors show how this election energized supremacist groups, who rebranded their racial hatred as the “alt-right” and “white nationalism,” attracting younger people and those who wouldn’t normally affiliate with traditional hate groups.
The Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, successfully merged these growing racist movements, with the movement gaining further ground due to lack of strong government opposition and support from Donald Trump.
The Jan. 6 insurrection marked the culmination of this united supremacist movement that was embraced by the then-president, despite the clear warnings from Charlottesville that were ignored by the FBI and other agencies.
“Out of Hiding” stresses that viewing this racial extremism simply through groups like the Proud Boys or Atomwaffen is misleading. The authors argue that Trump and partisan news outlets like Fox News have exploited racial resentment for political power.
While there’s no simple solution, the authors suggest a combination of individual action, use of current laws to prosecute domestic terrorists, and evidence-driven deradicalization programs as seen in European countries like Denmark and Germany.
“We need to stop telling ourselves fictions about our present and future and replace false optimism with urgency and sober assessment,” the authors warn.
Further Reading
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