One of the most alarming developments in today’s America is the increasing rise of white supremacist hate groups, spewing venom on the Internet, and often gathering to clash in "happy rage" near college campuses, including the infamous 2017 riot in Charlottesville, VA. Filmmaker Richard Rowley’s PBS-aired Frontline documentary on hate groups in America notes that hate often centers on immigration and the feeling that the white race is being "replaced" by "the others"—black and brown people, Jews, gays, and just about anyone else who does not conform to these groups’ rigid beliefs. They relish street fighting, often tangling with their "Antifa" (anti-fascist) opponents. And thanks to social media, their messages are easily spread to the disaffected, informing them of upcoming actions (despite a stated claim that the Charlottesville protest was about the removal of Confederate statues, people from 35 states converged on the college town, chanting hateful slogans that had nothing to do with statues). Due to increasing FBI surveillance and infiltration, hate groups now advocate for "leaderless resistance," encouraging lone wolf attacks like the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shootings. One of the most disturbing aspects covered here is extremist penetration within the military by individuals who seek to gain expertise in the use of weapons and paramilitary training. By far the most dangerous outfit profiled here is the Atomwaffen neo-Nazi group, whose spokesman James Mason coyly denies any responsibility for violence while at the same time praising the terrorism of Oklahoma City and the mayhem in Charlottesville. Believing that anything could be possible in the Trump era, hate groups obviously feel that their time has come. Sure to fan discussion, this timely documentary is recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)
Documenting Hate: Charlottesville & New American Nazis
(2018) 120 min. DVD: $24.99 ($54.99 w/PPR). PBS Video. SDH captioned. ISBN: 978-1-5317-0597-8. Volume 34, Issue 4
Documenting Hate: Charlottesville & New American Nazis
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