The White Power Movement (WPM) is progressive, fueled by pseudo-politics, and incredibly widespread. Its members are easily written off as an oddly opinionated and confused group, especially by those who don’t want to be stereotyped as racists. But it’s a vast territory intertwined into the belief system of millions of white Americans.
The comments used from Stormfront.org, the White Pride World Wide community site, are as good a starting point as any in understanding why the movement continues to grow. One contributor named “Science Shall Prevail” clarifies the heart of the belief system. Simply put, he states that White Power is an old fundamentalist movement claiming an identity that justifies racial hatred. In other words, Supremacists agree that they have a constitutional right to “prevent the White European Anglo-Saxon population from becoming extinct.”
However, more contributes to this “interesting” viewpoint than fear of extinction. Voting is another area in which white supremacists make their presence known. They often vote for politicians likely to support the white cause and vote against those who threaten the WPM agenda. As Science Shall Prevail notes, ”There are those of us who think an Obama re-election will be the final nail in the coffin of White America, [reinforcing] the view that mongrels and race treason is trendy and totally acceptable.”
Science didn’t reveal which way he was voting, but he referenced a rumor that a Romney presidency would lead to leniency toward the white population. Science believed that had Romney been elected, he would have given the states the right to ban immigration altogether, admitting that this could come at the cost of another expensive Republican war strategy.
Now that Obama has retained his office, many supremacists think he will pass “amnesty,” leading to even more lax immigration laws, encouraging immigrants to invade “our land.” This would theoretically seal the “fate of White America.” Even worse, now that the “anti-white left” again controls the presidency, many in the WPM fear that the First Amendment could even be abolished. In addition, as Defiant White, another contributor to the Stormfront website, argues, the Jewish population is parasitical and nothing more than “vampires and leeches.” He had nothing of academic worth to support this view.
One should keep in mind that the WPM covers a broad spectrum of social classes. As with any culture, the knowledge, education, and awareness level of each supporter is going to vary, from well-scrubbed businessman to gutter-dwelling criminal. Personality traits heavily dictate how outsiders perceive the supremacists in study. Criminals are willing to commit hate crimes and intimidate others with their views. By contrast, the nonviolent members simply state their opinions on blogs. Some supremacists just go about their daily lives, silently hating as they move through the highly diversified society of the 21st century. A large percentage of supporters of the WPM won’t admit they support the cause though they tend to agree with the premise of white race superiority.
A gullible segment of the white population is invariably preyed upon by a smaller coterie of intellectual supremacists, who can persuade listeners that it is “perfectly natural to prefer one race over the other.” These types of activists use fragmented scientific evidence to support their cause. The intelligence-gene theory is popular, arguing that the white race is more intelligent by genetic heritage. All walks of supremacists hold to the testament that they’re superior in race, and they either deny or cite white pride as the reason they see things the way they do.
Expansive detail could be added to this text explaining where the WPM started and where it is today, including who leads and supports the culture. I’ll leave that up to the reader to investigate: a more detailed analysis can take root in a different forum. Know that the movement is very current and active in the lives of millions. The racial divide is strong and far from being fueled by nothing more than a contempt of rap music and La Raza. White Power lives in every snide remark that implicates another race in an unfavorable light, blaming, hating and protesting, claiming to save their race from the threat of the lesser kind.
It seems that the “White Power” movement is an attempt by the whites to define their position and role in the socioeconomic climate of today’s world, and by doing so creating the appearance of themselves in a group that could be considered a minority. That perception allows them to take advantage of some of the things that have contibuted to real minitories’ success, all the while complaining that the minorites previously defined get special treatment.
Attacking a certain group or segment of the population based on their physical attributes has become unacceptable in today’s polite society. Consequently, the attack takes it a step further by focusing on acheivements that the group has accomplished, discounting and downplaying those accomplishments on the basis that the group that propogates them is incapable of such success based on their physical attributes. This is the essence of discrimination in the 21st century.
My visits to a friend that living in northern Idaho brings the realization that “white power” is real and very much alive. In that part of the country there are no African-Americans or Mexican Americans, and the attitude is such that should members of those groups decide to relocate to that part of the nation they would indeed face an uphill battle in doing so. As a gay man, l long ago resolved that I would never lie about myself, and I have never felt the ugly stare of discrimination. However, in Idaho it is absolutely crucial that I climb “back in the closet,” as the feeling of “white power” is so predominant you can almost cut it with a knife. If I “outed” myself, its not me that would face discrimination, but my friend (who is straight) would no doubt experience some. On a recent trip, we searched for Ruby Ridge, where “white power” made a stand that turned tragic. Stopping at a store in Naples for further directioins, the clerk looked at me and matter-of-factly stated “if you’re from the government, we don’t want you here.”
I also think that Obama’s “amnesty” is little more than a band-aid intended to temporarily correct a problem that is so huge that it probably will never see a solution.
If people believe in hate more than they believe in peace, then they are doomed to live life with the glass half empty. People who believe in the WPM will live their lives with the glass half empty.
Us “whites” do seem to be on the way to a “minority” status in this country. But who cares? We aren’t going extinct, and if we did, it might even be for the best. There’s nothing superior about white people, other than our historical capacity for manipulation and malicious control. It’s unfortunate that people still think in terms of ethnic superiority. It didn’t work for Hitler, or for the South, and it won’t work now. People won’t put up with that crap anymore. I’m not surprised at this brazen display of ignorance…it’s just unfortunate.
Very interesting article. Thanks for posting.
It is absolutely ignorant to say that any “one” race is superior to another. We are all the same people. We are all given the same opportunities, just in different places or in different areas. The WPM in my opinion is a reason for bigots to stay bigots, and be justified for it. There is way too much diversity in America, especially for these types of principles created by the WPM to stand. On the other hand, it is natural for a group of people to invest or support individuals of that certain ethnic group. People generally stick with what they know. Ethnic superiority? Where do people even come up with ideas like this? This is the problem with labeling people. I am a black, gay female. I am everything the WPM is against, but guess what? I will never feel the pressure the WPM feels to make themselves feel important. They all just want attention.
Also, this idea of “white America” is misconceived in the first place. Yes, through most of American history we have had white leaders, but we have had immigrants from around the world living here since the original 13 colonies. We have always been a mixed bag. You can’t preserve a culture that didn’t exist. Even if it did exist, and we were a white nation, the times have changed for the better, and now we have to move on, adapt, progress. And grow up.
I would say that our culture is so mixed that in order to keep it, we must allow our society to keep on mixing.
Great article. I love the opening and how you described the WPM’s movement. It has always been a problem in America that in recent times has remained relatively unnoticed. On a psychological level, it is very interesting the necessity for some people to make themselves superior to others in order to generate an inkling of self worth. In my mind, it is the lowest sense of mental functioning, almost childlike and prehistoric.
Black, white, purple, blue-color is color. As a colorblind individual (in the literal sense), I have always had trouble appreciating the importance of color, but that isn’t exactly what we are talking about. Although I am not an advocate and do not agree with the racist comments described above, I see how the idea of being “pure bred” can be valued. I do not see how race can prove superiority in any way and am horrified every time I hear about people who do. However, we have all met someone at some point who took pride in thier “pure” ethnicity. For instance, someone who, despite the mixed culture we live in, is still 100% Native American may hold pride in being linked to one ethinc group. On the other hand, someone like this is not necessarily proud due to notions of superiority. People are not superior because of their race.
Very interesting article.
You address a touchy issue that many people are prone to shy away from. And you do so in a manner that is neither offensive nor altogether opinionated, which is often difficult to do in regards to this particular topic.
I believe that your article is just the scratching the surface of a subject which is actually thriving within and amongst modern American society. There is evidence of white supremacist groups and organizations everywhere, but many people either do not recognize the signs for what they are or they simply choose not to see what is right before their eyes. This piece could stand alone as an introduction to the basics of the subject, and it does; but, in my opinion, it could also serve as an introduction to a series of articles which further explore the many facets of discrimination and intolerance. There is a lot more to be said, as many are aware of.
The problem is not saying what needs to be said, however. It is getting people to actually listen.