Thread by @kathleen_belew

Okay, trying again: to those asking why Patriot Front would target Pride: to the white power movement and some of the militant right, a host of social issues (abortion, gay rights, interracial contact, immigration, secularism) are all a problem for the same reason. (1)

White power activists have long seen all of these issues as part of an interconnected conspiracy to lower the white birth rate, attacking their race and nation. They see this as an apocalyptic threat. (2)

This is what connects attacks on the black community (Buffalo, Charleston) with attacks on immigrants (El Paso) with attacks on Jews (Pittsburgh) with attacks on Pride (Idaho, SF) (3)

Coeur d'Alene has a long history of white power activity going back to the late '70s. It was the site of the Aryan Nations compound and remains symbolic both for the militant right and for peace activists that want to stop white power activism. But this is not an Idaho thing. (4)

We should be thinking back way before the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville (2017), because these groups have been working out of this playbook for decades, if not generations. The history of the earlier period can illuminate what comes next (5)

We are on a trajectory that leads NOT ONLY to mass shootings and violent attacks, but also to continuing, intense activation of cell-style action across the country, in every region, in cities and suburbs and rural areas (6)

Public-facing recruitment actions will play out alongside mass violence. This impacts all of us, activity is escalating dramatically, and time is running short to do something about it. (7)

Concrete things you can do right now about the problem of white power violence: 1) Watch the Jan 6 hearings and talk about the findings, especially with people who are checked out or have different views. It was an attack on our nation and our democracy. (8)

Concrete things you can do right now about the problem of white power violence, continued: 2) Read news stories about these different groups and ask yourself and others, how is this part of a groundswell? (9)

Concrete things you can do right now about the problem of white power violence, continued: 3) Go to your local school board meetings and pay attention to what's happening there. (10)

Concrete things you can do right now about the problem of white power violence, continued: 4) Volunteer at your local library and/or high school to encourage conversation about civics and responsible media consumption (11)

Also, just my regular reminder that people in the white power movement are PEOPLE, motivated by a political ideology. We can take cheap shots at them all we want, and I see a lot of this on social. Here's the thing though (12)

1) They have not stopped killing people while we ignored them and called them names and 2) They have repeatedly used the idea of their ineptitude to avoid prosecution for serious crimes (13)

So besides the fact that an idea of shared humanity is, in this historian's opinion, a good place to begin any social project, we will get better accountability if we employ it. Take it seriously. Respond accordingly. (14)