Documenting Hate: New American Nazis

Overview

• Lecture discusses the resurgence of white supremacist movements, focusing on neo-Nazi groups in the U.S.
• Key events include the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh and the Charlottesville rally.

Key Events

Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting

• Date: October 27, 2018
• Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Incident: Robert Bowers killed 11 Jewish worshipers.
• Weapon: AR-15
• Context: The deadliest attack on the Jewish community in U.S. history.
• Motivation: Anti-Semitic beliefs.

Charlottesville Rally

• Date: Unite the Right rally, one year prior to the lecture
• Incident: White supremacists clashed with counter-protesters, resulting in one death and multiple injuries.
• Highlight: Rise Above Movement (RAM) and neo-Nazi fight clubs exposed.

Neo-Nazi Groups

Rise Above Movement (RAM)

• Involved in: Violent melees in multiple cities.
• Actions: Eight members or associates face federal charges.

Atomwaffen Division

• Name Meaning: 'Atomic weapons' in German.
• Ideology: Embraces Nazi ideology, anti-Semitic, anti-gay, anti-minorities.
• Activities: Calls for lone wolf attacks; involved in murders and planned bombings.
• Key Figures:
  • James Mason: Influential through his newsletter ‘Siege’, considered a bible by Atomwaffen.
  • Brandon Russell: Founder, former military, convicted of possessing explosives.
  • Rape (John Cameron Denton): Leader of the Texas cell.

Cases and Incidents

• Nick Giampa: Allegedly killed ex-girlfriend's parents because they objected to his Nazi views.
• Sam Woodward: Allegedly killed Blaise Bernstein; Woodward celebrated in Atomwaffen chat logs.
• Additional incidents involving Atomwaffen members or associates.

Interviews and Insights

Former Members and Insiders

• John: Former Atomwaffen member, discusses group's ideology and recruitment after Charlottesville.
• Jeremiah: Army vet, explains group's military training and lone-wolf strategy.
• Devin Arthurs: Killed two Atomwaffen members, warned authorities about the group's violent plans.

Academic Perspective

• Kathleen Ballou: History of white power movements, correlation with post-war periods.

Government and Law Enforcement Response

FBI Investigations

• Ongoing investigations into Atomwaffen activities and members.
• Devin Arthurs' Warning: Atomwaffen has military members stealing equipment.

Homeland Security and Military

• Daryl Johnson’s 2009 Report: Predicted rise of white supremacist groups; was retracted after political backlash.
• Pentagon Response: Claims aggressive screening, but numbers of reported extremist activities seem low.

Congressional Involvement

• Keith Ellison: Wrote to DoD demanding account of extremist efforts; DoD claimed few incidents but responses seem inadequate.

Ongoing Threat and Conclusions

• White supremacist threat remains significant due to deep societal roots.

• FBI and other agencies continue to monitor and respond to these groups, but challenges persist.

• Hate Crimes: Spike in reported hate crimes, showing increased activity and boldness of these groups.

• Important Note: The lecture underscores the persistent and evolving danger posed by contemporary neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups in America.