WINTER 2018 The Public Eye

In this issue: One Year In: A Q&A with Tarso Luís Ramos Emmanuel Macron and Authoritarian Liberalism The Far Right and Neopaganism A Manual to Restore a Christian Nation That Never Was editor’s letter

THE PUBLIC EYE It’s been a long year since Trump was elected, and the assaults on civil and human rights QUARTERLY are almost too many to name. Some of what’s happened has been “predictable in broad out- PUBLISHER lines, if not always the details,” notes PRA Executive Director Tarso Luís Ramos in a discus- Tarso Luís Ramos sion with Public Eye, At the start of Trump’s term, PRA warned that “One Year In” (pg. 3). EDITOR White supremacist and other bigoted groups would be emboldened, the Christian Right Kathryn Joyce rewarded, and Trump’s economic populist campaign promises abandoned to deliver culture COVER ART war tokens in their stead. But there’s “a gift in this moment,” finds Luís Ramos, as masses Karl Orozco of people “are newly aware of themselves as historical actors and are forming (or reforming) LAYOUT their sense of purpose in this extended moment of crisis.” There’s also a challenge: that Gabriel Joffe anything-but-Trumpism doesn’t convince progressives to settle for an old status quo that PRINTING enables more right-wing victories down the road. Red Sun Press EDITORIAL BOARD Frederick Clarkson • Alex DiBranco That threat is the subject of Ajay Singh Chaudhary’s essay, “In the Court of the Centrist Gabriel Joffe• Kapya Kaoma King” (pg. 6), about the rise of France’s supposedly liberal savior, President Emmanuel Greeley O’Connor • L. Cole Parke Macron. Squared off against Far Right candidate Marine Le Pen, and in a European elec- Tarso Luís Ramos • Zeina Zaatari tion season marked by a frightening array of xenophobic, nationalist and even neo-fascist candidates, Macron’s victory was greeted with a nearly universal sigh of relief. And yet, in The Public Eye is published by governance, Macron’s regime has come to resemble an “authoritarian liberalism”: rejecting Political Research Associates civil rights and equal protection, committed to neoliberal economic reform, and skeptical Tarso Luís Ramos about democracy itself. “While Donald Trump has been stymied in fulfilling many of his Executive Director promises to suspend or abridge U.S. civil liberties,” writes Chaudhary, “Macron, the sup- Sarah Burzillo posed avatar of ideological opposition to Trumpism, is pulling it off with speed and effi- Finance Manager ciency in France.” Frederick Clarkson Senior Research Analyst Cloee Cooper In Shannon Weber’s report, , the cross-At- “White Supremacy’s Old Gods” (pg. 11) Research Analyst lantic influence flows both ways, as some U.S. and European Far Right factions commonly Gabriel Joffe find in neopagan beliefs a framework for anti-immigrant sentiment and violent White na- Program Coordinator tionalism. While the reach of neopaganism in the U.S. is quite limited, it has an outsized Kapya Kaoma influence in White supremacist circles. In part, that’s because it offers White supremacists Senior Research Analyst a belief system grounded in hypermasculinity, a sentimental connection to a mythic Euro- Greeley O’Connor Communications Director pean past, and a justification for considering North America a White homeland. White su- L. Cole Parke premacist neopaganism also strongly corresponds with bias-related violence, from attacks Research Analyst on Muslim schoolgirls in Oregon to vigilante Odinist squads in Finland to “black sun” flags Shayna Parker at Alt Right rallies. Operations Coordinator Zeina Zaatari Research Director The more traditional version of the Religious Right—the Christian Right—has continued

to work steadily over the last year to translate Republican dominance of all branches of gov- Fellows ernment into victories for their agenda, chipping away at the secular state in dozens of ways Tope Fadiran • Spencer Sunshine • Mariya Strauss at once. The effects of their work are clear; how they got to this position of influence, not Interns so much. But in carefully reviewing an overlooked Family Research Council manual, Fred- Konstantin Gorbunov • Elizabeth Rideout erick Clarkson finds a grassroots playbook that’s serving as a blueprint for today’s Christian Julia Taliesin Right. In “A Manual to Restore a Christian Nation That Never Was” (pg. 17), Clarkson Board of Directors explores the underreported world of local churches’ Culture Impact Teams—the cellular Dania Rajendra, Chair Paulina Helm-Hernandez • Lynette Jackson building blocks of a national Christian Right action network—and the dubious historical Hamid Khan • Jenny Levison • Scot Nakagawa claims they use to justify a Christianity-first vision of religious freedom. Mohan Sikka • Zeke Spier Carla Wallace • Susan Wefald In between issues, PRA will continue its coverage and analysis of the Right, with new blog posts, online-only features, and reports every week, so make sure to follow us at po- Founder Jean V. Hardisty, Ph.D. liticalresearch.org.

Kathryn Joyce 1310 Broadway, Suite 201 Somerville, MA 02144-1837 Tel: 617.666.5300 [email protected] © Political Research Associates, 2018 All rights reserved. ISSN 0275-9322 ISSUE 93 www.politicalresearch.org q & a BY KATHRYN JOYCE

One Year In A Q&A with Tarso Luís Ramos

n the anniversary a privatizing, crony capitalist of Donald Trump’s way) before the “sticks” of Mus- inauguration, PRA lim and trans military service Executive Director bans and so on. OTarso Luís Ramos talks about Given the hollowness of his some of what’s changed in the economic populism, it seemed past year, and what progres- inevitable that the regime sives should be alert to going would have to deliver tangi- forward. ble non-economic benefits to Trump’s electoral base. And I Tarso Luís Ramos Executive Director PE: What should we make of think we’ve seen that: No stu- Sarah Burzillo this anniversary? dent loan relief, but the revo- Finance Manager As relentless a year as it’s cation of guidelines for redress Frederick Clarkson been, the Trump camp accom- around sexual assault on cam- Senior Research Analyst plished less of its agenda than pus, as well as challenges to Cloee Cooper they might have. They’ve not higher ed access for Black and Research Analyst Gabriel Joffe been able to fully convert on Brown students. No policies Program Coordinator GOP control of both chambers to revive manufacturing, but Kapya Kaoma of Congress and it took them a crackdown on “Black iden- Senior Research Analyst a full year to win a major—if tity extremism.” No reining in Greeley O’Connor devastating—legislative victo- of Wall Street excesses—peo- Communications Director ry in the form of the tax heist. ple forget that was part of his L. Cole Parke Research Analyst The widespread and fierce re- stump speech, before the Gold- Shayna Parker sistance to the Trump agenda Women’s March on Washington, January 21st, 2017. Photo: Molly Adams / Flickr. man Sachs appointees—but Operations Coordinator from the Women’s March on- Muslim bans and a steady drip Zeina Zaatari ward compelled congressional Demo- PRA warned that White nationalists of antisemitism. Research Director crats to take a harder line of resistance would make a show of force; that the Yet after the election came a chorus of

Fellows than they could have, and deep divisions Christian Right would be rewarded with liberal critics calling on progressives to Tope Fadiran • Spencer Sunshine • Mariya Strauss on the Right scuttled repeal and replace- things like judicial appointments and reject identity politics—by which they Interns ment of the Affordable Care Act and oth- pushback against LGBTQ communities. meant appeals to gender or racial jus- Konstantin Gorbunov • Elizabeth Rideout er administration initiatives. Trump has It was clear that Trump was going to en- tice—in favor of the supposed universal- Julia Taliesin had to rely disproportionately on execu- gage in eliminationist policies, directed ism of economic populism. We at PRA Board of Directors tive power, and by all accounts his is not at Muslims, refugees, and immigrants, heard this as a call to a different sort of Dania Rajendra, Chair a tight ship. This is all to say that things and expanded targeting of Black com- identity politics: White identity politics. Paulina Helm-Hernandez • Lynette Jackson could be—and may yet become—much munities. The Trump campaign combined White Hamid Khan • Jenny Levison • Scot Nakagawa Mohan Sikka • Zeke Spier worse. We also warned that Trump would not racial grievance with toxic masculinity Carla Wallace • Susan Wefald Of course, tremendous damage can make good on his promises of economic and economic populism. It linked, espe- and has been done through executive ac- populism and argued that it would be cially, race and the economy, blaming Founder tion and the full implications of changes the job of progressives to reveal Trump’s people of color and immigrants for the Jean V. Hardisty, Ph.D. at the various federal departments have betrayals as quickly as possible. That declining economic fortunes of White not been fully felt. Yet looking back on nobody, including Trump voters, would people. Trump campaigned on the lie 1310 Broadway, Suite 201 what PRA anticipated from a Trump pres- deserve what was coming. Even we, that bigotry can bring prosperity. The Somerville, MA 02144-1837 idency, a lot of things that have come to who may have a reputation for gloomy challenge for progressives is not to shut Tel: 617.666.5300 [email protected] pass were predictable in their broad out- forecasts, thought Trump would lead up about race, gender, and sexuality, © Political Research Associates, 2018 lines, if not always in the details. with the “carrot” of infrastructure (if in but to do a better job of addressing them All rights reserved. ISSN 0275-9322 ISSUE 93 www.politicalresearch.org WINTER 2018 Political Research Associates • 3 in relation to widespread economic in- political real estate captured by the GOP tionalist groups who mobilized to mur- equality. in 2016—the executive branch, both derous effect in Charlottesville last Is any of this similar to dynamics un- chambers of Congress, and the lion’s August, have social and political goals der the last Bush administration? share of the states. With that has come beyond any simple notion of hatred. There are parallels, such as tax cuts for an opportunity to do deep, generational Richard Spencer and his ilk seek a racial- the rich, the crackdown on immigrants damage to the economy, as well as to ly cleansed White authoritarian state. from predominantly Muslim countries, any broadly felt experience of American Naturally, they are thrilled to see their the “clash of civilizations” framework, democracy—something long denied to agenda of ethnic cleansing reflected in and endorsement of torture in pursuit of African Americans, Indigenous commu- Trump’s push for a southern border wall, national security goals. We’ll see wheth- nities, and others, and that may now be Muslim ban and registry, crackdown denied to an ex- on Black dissent, and an aggressive im- panding num- migrant detention and deportation We have been in an extended social and ber. Trump’s program. For these White nationalists, economic crisis in the U.S., and now that attacks on the mobilizing racial resentment—and, yes, emergency is being felt by a much broader institutional fostering hatred of other groups—is criti- pillars of de- cal to movement building. But it’s not segment of society. mocracy—the an end unto itself any more than “hate” judiciary, the sums up the agenda of the German Nazi vote, indepen- Party. dent media— If we misunderstand the problem as signal a poten- being limited to a small—if growing— tial descent into number of violent militants, we’ll tend oligarchy or au- to use the wrong yardstick to measure thoritarianism. White nationalists’ influence. Of concern So there are is not only the number of militants they continuities can mobilize, but how broadly influential from the Bush their ideas have become. The president era, as well as of the United States champions their real ruptures eliminationist policies and provided po- that could make litical cover for overt White nationalists what’s coming even after Charlottesville. Yet the “hate unrecognizable frame,” as PRA contributor Kay Whitlock to large swaths calls it, relies mostly on legal and law en- of the popula- forcement responses to so-called extrem- Police presence during the presidential inauguration, January 20, 2017. Photo: Johnny Silvercloud / Flickr. tion. ists and avoids dealing with structural racism and other systems of domination. er Trump also leads the country into ma- Given the increase in violence As the Black Lives Matter and trans jus- jor military engagements. grounded in bigotry, how should we tice movements regularly remind us, But quite a bit is different from the think about “hate crimes” and “hate police agencies are among the principal George W. Bush period, including the groups”? sources of bigoted violence. We should be more open-throated expression of an There’s been a real surge in reported wary of positioning law enforcement as exclusionary, White definition of Ameri- bias crimes—from desecration of Jewish the solution, particularly in a moment of can identity. Many have noted that we’ve cemeteries to physical assaults against “blue lives matter” backlash and a nation- left behind the dog whistles for straight- African Americans, Latinx immigrants, al security doctrine of counter-terrorism. forward racial and ethnic appeals. Also, and people perceived to be Muslim. Both Is Trump’s engagement with White where Bush was an heir to the Republi- the Trump camp and organized bigoted nationalists unprecedented in the can establishment, Trump ran a hostile groups are successfully stoking hatreds presidency? takeover of the GOP from the outside. based on race, religion, gender, sexual- Yes and no. People don’t know or forget And while they each won support from ity, and so on. Their relentless demoni- that the Reagan administration cultivat- the Christian Right, with Pence the do- zation of targeted communities inevi- ed European fascist émigrés who came to minionists appear to have even more tably encourages individuals to act on the U.S. after World War II—a story PRA influence in Trump’s government. Of their bigotries. Yet defining the problem published decades ago. Pat Buchanan, course there’s also Trump himself—a in terms of “hate” and “hate groups” can a White supremacist, served in more demagogue and racist campaigner from obscure both the root issues and the ap- than one administration. So there’s some a very different mold. propriate responses. precedent on the staffing. With Trump, Another difference is the vast scale of Organized bigots, like the White na- it’s not just Bannon, Gorka, and Stephen

4 • The Public Eye WINTER 2018 Miller; the administration has pulled in as an extension of current conditions. There should be no going backwards personnel from national anti-immigrant Holding those different perspectives to unjust economic and social arrange- groups founded by White nationalist simultaneously can be a challenge but ments, however worse present circum- John Tanton to serve at the U.S. Depart- is necessary to the project of building stances have become. Russian meddling ment of Homeland Security. a mass movement—not only for resis- aside, the crisis of our political and eco- Trump’s amplification of neonazi Twit- tance, but for transformative change. nomic systems facilitated Trump’s rise to ter and his defense of the Charlottesville power. His explanation of the causes and Unite the Right rally are extraordinary What are your concerns about the nor- remedies for our crises were and remain developments indeed. The White na- malization of Trumpism? horrifyingly wrong, but he got a hearing tionalists and fascists who marched in We can’t allow what’s happening under in part because he connected his bigotry Charlottesville are part of a revolution- this regime to become normalized, but to an insistence that the economy is fun- ary movement seeking to overthrow the neither can we behave as if resistance to damentally broken for everyday people. current political order. Even racist politi- oppressive governance began in Novem- Any victory over Trump that’s worth cians who defend the current system of ber 2016. fighting for should advance a more fun- White dominance generally reject insur- There’s a gift in this moment: Tens of damental restructuring of our social, po- rectionists as treasonous. Trump has bro- thousands of people are newly aware of litical, and economic lives. ken with that tradition. themselves as historical actors and are Do I think it’s possible? Yes, but there forming (or reforming) their sense of are many challenges, and a desperation How much of what we’re seeing now purpose in this extended moment of cri- for anything but Trumpism could lead to are things that many people weren’t sis. There is tremendous opportunity for setting our sights too low. It took decades paying attention to before? deep transformation there. There’s also for the Right to consolidate this much Trump’s campaign and election has tension with movements that have long power, and it will take more than one or been a wake-up call for many people. In been in the struggle for transformational two political cycles to produce transfor- a way Trump represents the fruition of change. We are at an inflection point in mational alternatives. We need to shore the economic and social initiatives of the the social, cultural, and political life of up institutional pillars of democracy, like Hard Right in the 1960s and ‘70s that led this country, in which simply having a the judiciary, that, however inadequate, to the election of Reagan and have con- well-formed opinion is insufficient. are critical bulwarks against the worst tinued ever since. Non-normalization involves ground- excesses of the Right. At the same time, One way to think about this moment ing ourselves in shared values. In gener- it’s a moment to be bold about the need is to acknowledge that we have been in al, we have to practice deep solidarity: if for fundamental changes, because the an extended social and economic crisis the regime comes for any of us, they will brokenness of our social and economic in the U.S., and now that emergency is have to come through all of us. systems require more than a little tinker- being felt by a much broader segment ing. of society. Suddenly, there is open and Is this a fight we can win? widespread discussion in mainstream People define the fight differently. For Kathryn Joyce is the editor of The Public media about whether the president is some, success might be getting back to Eye. She is also the author of The Child a proto-fascist and whether the U.S. is what existed under Obama or Clinton. Catchers: Rescue, Trafficking and the drifting toward autocracy. These are val- For others, including PRA, the levels New Gospel of Adoption and Quiverfull: id questions. Yet conditions were already of economic and social inequality; the Inside the Christian Patriarchy Move- quasi-authoritarian if you lived in a low- violent, unprecedented deportation pro- ment. Her work has appeared in The New income African American community— gram; the military adventurism and reli- York Times, Highline, Pacific Standard, in terms of things like policing, denial of ance on drone warfare; the decimation Mother Jones, and many other publica- due process, regulation of the body and of economic opportunities for the work- tions. family, deprivation of social services, ing and middle classes; the ongoing at- and denial of education and economic tacks on reproductive justice and LGBTQ Tarso Luís Ramos is the Executive Direc- opportunities. To get an idea of what a rights; the system of mass incarcera- tor of Political Research Associates. He more authoritarian U.S. could look like, tion—these were all unacceptable condi- has been researching the U.S. Right for we should look not only at other nations’ tions even before Trump. For us, Trump over two decades, contributing numerous histories, but also more deeply into the represents an escalation of the local and articles and reports on Christian Right, American experience. global crisis of liberal democracies. The anti-immigrant, anti-labor, and anti-en- So there’s both deep continuity and answer cannot be, as in France, defeating vironmental movements and campaigns. rupture in this moment. We believe the Far Right at the ballot box with a sup- Ramos previously served as founding direc- there’s a danger of descent into some- posed liberal whose austerity programs tor of Western States Center’s racial justice thing more authoritarian but it’s in no will worsen economic inequality and program. way inevitable. Some find the possibility possibly strengthen opportunities for the novel and shocking while others view it Right down the road.

WINTER 2018 Political Research Associates • 5 BY AJAY SINGH CHAUDHARY

In the Court of the Centrist King Emmanuel Macron and Authoritarian Liberalism

n July 3, 2017, France experi- first Far Right party to enter its parlia- racy in France? If Macron is the defender enced an unusual spectacle. ment since the end of WWII, Macron also of a broadly liberal dream, why do his With all the regal pomp that represents a rightward trend: a brand of policies look less like support for a mul- the French state and the Palace authoritarian liberalism that emboldens ticultural, egalitarian liberal republic Oof Versailles can accord, newly elected the Right, facilitating its political maneu- and instead, as Nancy MacLean recently President Emmanuel Macron addressed vering, and allowing even small radical wrote of midcentury American libertar- both houses of parliament, only the right-wing movements outsized influ- ians, more like “protecting capitalism fourth such address since 1873. ence over national policy. from democracy”?5 Macron used his speech to lay out And yet, Macron’s election was met a program of severe transformations: with near universal acclaim among nom- A “NEW” KIND OF POLITICIAN breaking labor and enacting economic inally left-of-center politicians and media Macron cuts a strange figure on the “reforms”; decreasing the number of par- commentators across Europe and North French stage, but perhaps one more liamentarians; minimizing legislation America. “About as exciting and theatri- familiar to an American audience. A and legislative oversight; and making cal as electoral politics gets,” exclaimed banker by trade, he uses his finance back- permanent aspects of the constitutional The New York Times.2 Macron’s movement ground as a stark contrast to the “ineffi- “state of emergency” France has been was held up as an exciting prospect, a cient” and hopelessly “weak” state. He under since the 2015 terrorist attacks in new “revolution” from the center, a re- embodies the increasing cross-spectrum Paris. In other words, far from the image sponse to “Trumpism” the world over. enthusiasm in France for militarism, of a liberal democratic savior painted by This despite the fact that, just as in the both in policy and aesthetic. In a weird the Anglo-American press, Macron out- Netherlands and Austria, the French Far echo of George W. Bush arriving in a lined a program to maintain and consoli- Right, while not winning the election, fighter jet to his famously ill-conceived date minority-government rule. In terms still received higher support in the na- “Mission Accomplished” press confer- that hovered between self-parody and tional contest than ever before. ence, mere weeks into his presidency, pure mysticism, Macron called this an Political scientists Yascha Mounk and Macron turned an ordinary naval inspec- “efficient,” new “contractual republic.” Roberto Foa have recently argued, citing tion into a bizarre photo-op. In specially From the dais of the Sun King, Macron public opinion polling data, that there tailored, Macron-branded pseudo-mil- proclaimed that we are all human capital are decreasing levels of support for lib- itary gear, he rappelled onto a nuclear now. eral institutions and liberal democracy submarine from a helicopter then had Macron’s program is anti-democratic itself.3 Such commentators do focus on himself photographed in a commanding in everything from its rejection of civil the existential threat the Far Right poses. officer’s pose on the vessel’s bridge.6 rights and equal protection to perfected But their arguments go further: if push In another strange episode, he engaged neoliberal economic “reforms.”1 It even comes to shove, better the “traditional” in a “handshake battle” with President takes aim at the democratic institutions Right than the emergent Left. Mounk Donald Trump in May 2017. “My hand- of the state itself. In structure and even and likeminded thinkers imply that there shake with him was not innocent...but aesthetic, “Macronism” presents a post- is little difference between, say, enthu- a moment of truth,” he’d later explain. modern pastiche of hyper-modern tech- siastic English Labour Party supporters “We must show that we will not make nocracy and ancien regime all at once. chanting for Jeremy Corbyn and torch- small concessions, even symbolic ones.”7 Understanding why this program is so light parades in Charlottesville.4 They see Macron caused another scene a couple attractive to the political center, and to the failure to uphold the “vital center” as months later at a G20 photo-op where he liberals more broadly, is vital in order to the disease and men like Emmanuel Ma- awkwardly hugged, kissed, and elbowed understand the volatile political climate cron are the cure. his way to the front, right next to Trump.8 on both sides of the Atlantic. As with the But if Macron is the bulwark against a There are dozens of critiques of Trump’s supposedly “boring” political situation in looming authoritarian nightmare, why hypermasculine behaviors during the Germany, where the neo-fascist Alterna- does his program look like an assault on 2016 presidential election, and rightly tive fur Deutschland party will now be the the fundamental foundations of democ- so. Yet Macron’s similar behavior makes

6 • The Public Eye WINTER 2018 hardly a blip, and when it does, is often the French electorate and transformed it tion framed explicitly around the threat noted approvingly by center-left commen- into complete political domination.12 of fascism, it remains remarkably under- tators.9 The Republique en Marche! program reported that for two years France has al- In addition to mirroring Trump’s per- was hilariously opaque during the elec- ready technically been in a period of con- formance-art version of politics, Macron tions—draping itself in cant and Camus, stitutional abeyance: one of the textbook also rivals his U.S. counterpart in sheer technocratic derision and Deleuze.13 warning signs for more legal understand- narcissism and “will to power,” compar- Since then, though, it has become crystal ings of fascism and authoritarianism. ing his rule to that of Jupiter, King of the clear.14 Macron will proceed—with the Under the state of emergency, thou- Gods; and openly regretting the fall of incredible speed afforded by the French sands of warrantless raids have been con- France’s monarchy in the French Revolu- constitution, which grants the president ducted and hundreds of people placed tion and, sounding quite a bit more like unusually strong powers—toward a radi- under house arrest—overwhelmingly the conservative Edmund Burke or re- cal transformation of the French state French citizens and residents of Muslim actionary Joseph de Maistre than liberal and society. This is most apparent in background and racial minorities. Po- John Rawls, openly lamenting democra- three key areas: first, destroying French lice were given nearly limitless power cy’s inability “to fill this void.”10 labor and instituting related economic of surveillance, search, and seizure. Af- An apples-to-apples comparison of “reforms”; second, making the current ter these searches, only twenty actual France and the U.S. is difficult. Even if constitutional “state of emergency” de charges were ever filed. And although Macron’s wish list for curtailing French facto permanent; and third, enacting people remain under house arrest to this labor laws and welfare provisions comes anti-democratic political reform. day, no emergency house arrest has led to pass, what remained would still be en- viable compared to the U.S. In basic so- cial provisions—from welfare to health- If Macron is the bulwark against a looming care, public housing to paid leave—the authoritarian nightmare, why does his program look United States lacks anything more than the most rudimentary forms of these vital like an assault on the foundations of democracy? social guarantees. But the importance of understanding Macron lies in the appeal French cultural issues and even its to any charges. Human rights NGOs like of his political tendency—what Macron increasingly bellicose foreign policy Human Rights Watch and Amnesty In- represents to so many delighted com- seem secondary to the goal of outright ternational have warned that these devel- mentators—and the political formation consolidation of political power around opments indicate that the rule of law in he is trying to create: an anti-democratic, Macron’s weak, unpopular government, France is deteriorating. The emergency “authoritarian liberalism” as a possible of maintaining minoritarian rule, and measures have been used not only for future for “liberalism” itself. expanding state power of the police, in- racial profiling but also to combat politi- telligence, and military. This political cal dissent, such as at the COP21 treaty SOMETHING DIFFERENT? consolidation is the means to enacting a negotiations, in which protests were France’s election did do something series of “free” market reforms—a kind banned and 24 ecological activists pre- extraordinary: as the French versions of massive neoliberal catch-up plan. And ventatively detained to ensure the smooth of Republicans and Democrats both im- if it sounds familiar to American readers, negotiation of the market-friendly cli- ploded, a “new,” “neither Right nor Left” it should. In a Venn diagram of the Re- mate change treaty. One need not imag- center-of-the-center candidate, Macron, publican Party and Trump’s political ob- ine how these powers could be used to rode middling support and the public jectives, Macron represents the vast area suppress French unrest over changing la- loathing of Marine Le Pen’s Front National of agreement. bor laws or other political and economic into a situation of extraordinary power.11 reforms; since 2015, emergency powers In addition to his sweeping powers as STATE OF EMERGENCY have been explicitly invoked 155 times to president, Macron’s new La République en France had been in a technical “state of prevent public demonstrations. Beyond Marche! party—an amalgamation of the emergency” since the 2015 terrorist at- the Muslim dragnet, 639 known political Right, the neoliberal wing of the disinte- tacks in Paris. The emergency suspended activists have been individually barred grating Socialist Party, and center-right constitutional protections for citizens from public participation in assemblies politicians—effectively commands -sin and residents and granted sweeping and 574 of those cases targeted labor ac- gle party rule in the French parliament. powers to executive bodies, from the tivists.16 Despite overwhelming voter disaffection president to the police. Then-President In early July 2017, the state of emer- (voter abstention in the second round of Hollande’s declaration was the first of gency was extended until November and the parliamentary elections was close to its kind in six decades, since the presi- on October 3, the first institutionaliza- an astonishing 65 percent, the highest dency was granted new powers during tion measures were passed. Although in modern French history), Macron has France’s colonial war against Algerian Macron campaigned on lifting the state taken support from a mere 11 percent of independence in 1955.15 Despite an elec- of emergency, it is clear he is doing so in

WINTER 2018 Political Research Associates • 7 name only. His proposals—which have mirable working conditions (not to men- ous employment for not only youth and already sailed through the French Sen- tion its standard 35-hour workweek) the long-term unemployed reentering ate—codify the power of the executive were largely secured and maintained the workforce, but also for a significant to ban public gatherings, close places of through fierce union struggle. portion of the currently stable labor sec- worship, search individuals, and con- France’s economic situation today is tor as well. Macron is aware of this, ac- fine people to house arrest, all without dire. Unemployment has held steadily at knowledging in 2014 that his proposed judicial oversight. A speedy judicial around 10 percent for many years. One labor reforms mean “young people will in four experience ten to twenty changes in their A more precarious society has less time and French careers, they will work longer, their wag- youth are es will not increase, not all the time.”24 fewer resources for democratic participation. unem- Already, the initial reforms Macron ployed, helped pass under the government of procedure—akin to the American FISA with a similar level of unemployment former President François Hollande have court—allows police to additionally raid found among immigrants. Nearly half produced a pattern where 86.4 percent any space, but the executive has full and of all unemployed citizens are long-term of new hiring is for temporary employ- absolute control over all information the unemployed.21 Because of its extensive ment.25 This increase in precarious em- court sees.17 A new national counter- social welfare system, France has not ployment—and in social precarity over- terrorism agency has been promised, in- yet faced the extraordinary decline in all—is not simply an economic hardship telligence-gathering powers enhanced, quality-of-life indicators that are seen for French workers. It has an additional, and a 10,000-officer expansion of police in the U.S.22 But the overall structure fundamental political impact: a more forces proposed.18 This codification— of the European Union will likely soon precarious society quite literally has less and in some cases intensification—of make many of these social provisions time and fewer resources for democratic emergency rule provides a classic case increasingly difficult to maintain. For participation. of nearly every political philosophy ar- example, France has been in violation of Macron seems likely to secure his gument against the very idea of states of European GDP-to-debt ratio rules since policy victories with the same sorts of emergency.19 But while Donald Trump 2009. While France’s political and eco- measures that have been used in the has been stymied in fulfilling many of his nomic position as the key “second” power U.S.—those pioneered by American promises to suspend or abridge U.S. civil in Europe (after Germany) has given it Republicans and emulated by the DLC- liberties, Macron, the supposed avatar of considerable room to maneuver, recent style Democrats of the 1990s and their ideological opposition to Trumpism, is EU and European Community (EC) reac- contemporary successors. His tax and pulling it off with speed and efficiency in tions—particularly to the Greek debt cri- welfare reduction policies—couched in France. sis and Brexit—have demonstrated the retro-chic Reaganite language, fretting EU’s ongoing commitment to a strictly about “the weakest” becoming “wards CRUSHING LABOR neoliberal austerity regime. It’s difficult of the state”—are another near pitch- The French Center-Left and Right have to foresee a future in which French social perfect imitation of Republican policies, long dreamed of breaking the near leg- provisions are not sharply curtailed with- promising to starve the state into “prop- endary power of French labor unions. out a revolutionary transformation of the er” form.26 If successful, a more precari- France has followed the Organization for EU and EC. ous society is precisely what he will get. Economic Cooperation and Coordination Macron’s initial round of labor laws, (OECD) trend in decreased participation put into swift effect by presidential - de ENDING CHECKS AND BALANCES in organized labor—moving from a mid- cree, weaken national collective bargain- Perhaps the most audacious of Ma- 1970s high of around 30 percent of the ing, end sector-wide union representa- cron’s plans is his proposal to overhaul workforce to a current level of approxi- tion, allow for swift and easy firing of the French parliament altogether, de- mately 11 percent, heavily dominated employees, particularly employees at creasing its number of deputies, over- by public sector unions. This is almost smaller French firms (over 50 percent of sight, and even the amount of legislation a mirror of labor union participation in the workforce), and broadly circumvent it should consider. This parliamentary the United States (while as of 2014, Scan- unions and encourage “modern,” “flex- reform remains the vaguest part of Ma- dinavian countries have above or even ible” employment.23 cron’s program, but he has promised to well above 50 percent, the UK about 25 Macron’s labor and economic reforms reduce the size of both houses by a third, percent, and the OECD a nearly 17 per- will have the twin effect of bringing to introduce measures to speed legisla- cent average).20 However, what has dis- France closer to overall EU compliance tion through more quickly, and even to tinguished French labor even amid this and, to some extent, alleviating aspects move some powers either to the execu- relatively low level of union participation of its dire economic portrait. Liberalizing tive or to subcommittees which could is its militancy. Although the French pro- the job market should bring unemploy- bypass parliament altogether. In an echo pensity to strike may be the butt of many ment down, but almost certainly through of U.S. Republicans’ demands to “deregu- jokes, its vital labor protections and ad- an explosion of American-style precari- late,” he used his simulacrum State of the

8 • The Public Eye WINTER 2018 Union address to call on France to “try to ion. It is not an end in itself. It is a rule the crises of the 1970s, neoliberalism put an end to the proliferation of legisla- of procedure whose aim is to promote has become increasingly tenuous since tion.” freedom. But in no way can it be seen its heyday in the 1990s, when there truly Macron’s popularity—ginned up by as the same rank as freedom. Freedom “was no alternative” between the feel- his image as the foil to Marine Le Pen— requires democracy, but I would prefer good brands of Blair and Clinton or the is already plummeting. He knows very temporarily to sacrifice, I repeat - tem more hardnosed, “law and order” vari- well that his party is new and untried porarily, democracy, before having to eties of Major and Bush. Since the 2008 and that, as many neoliberals before him do without freedom, even if temporar- financial crisis—in which the state was have noted,27 his program will never find ily.30 forced to reveal its vast role in both main- broad support beyond the technocratic One must keep in mind that “freedom” taining the economic status quo and ex- and professional elite. While he has not for Hayek and for his later followers plicitly failing to intervene for the vast quite reached Trumpian levels of popular means market freedom above all. majority of individuals and communi- disdain, Macron’s support stands at the While the history of liberal thought ties—the neoliberal political project has lowest all-time for a new French presi- includes many cautions about simple held together largely through continued dent: 42 percent as of late October 2017. majoritarian rule—sometimes war- market and political consolidation, and And so it seems he sees labor repression, ranted, as for the protection of minor- subsequently, greater direct coercion emergency powers made permanent, ity racial, religious, sexual, and ethnic and repression. and a “kinder, gentler” semi-authoritari- groups from potential bigotry—Hayek’s What lies at the center of Macronism is an state as the key legs of Macronism into chief concern is with preventing any rule the lesson the U.S. Right learned nearly the future. of the majority to demand a change in 50 years ago and that Hayek and his fol- the overarching social contract. In this lowers have always known: this political THE DEMOCRATIC VOID conception, humans are bound forever program, fully exposed, could never gain The Austrian economist and key neo- to the only true vision of freedom—mar- popular support. In the U.S., Republicans liberal theorist Friedrich Hayek was ever ket freedom—and the state’s role is in have responded to this reality by work- fearful of the encroachment of democrat- enforcing that “freedom.” As with small ing, since the 1960s, to decrease the size ic majorities on “individual liberty”—a government arguments—from Hayek of the electorate, disenfranchise racial concept he carefully distinguished from to “state’s rights”—the rhetoric is decep- minorities, and make voting as difficult “political liberty” (which he defined as tive. The state, under his vision, won’t (and pointless) as possible for poor and “the participation of men in the choice of necessarily shrink. It may, in a technical working-class Americans.32 Democrats their government, in the process of legis- sense, become not clearly sovereign, but eyeing Macron as a model for sustained lation, and in the control of administra- its coercive apparati—through policing, commitment to the neoliberal program tion”28). What Hayek and modern-day surveillance, and programs to promote must know full well that they would be neoliberals value above political liberty business—may, in fact, expand. embracing Republicans’ outlook on dem- is a vision of human beings as completely Macronism seeks to fill what he calls ocratic participation and rights. free within the market and further, since the “emotional abyss” of democracy, dug For weary spectators across the Atlan- the 1970s, as themselves “human capi- apparently by the French Revolution, tic, Macron looks like a welcome relief tal”: existing as objects for “investment” with a neofeudal monarchial spirit of the from rising right-wing monsters and to generate profit and not the full, rights- “free market.” Instead of liberté, egalité, sheer gross incompetence. But while bearing citizens envisioned by classical fraternité, Macron seeks to instill a busi- liberal commentators like Mounk see liberalism.29 The threat that democracy ness-friendly alternative: the “efficien- Macron as shoring up support for liberal poses for private property is one of the cy, representativity and responsibility” democracy,33 they fail to understand that key foundations of neoliberalism. of his “contractual republic,” all under Macronism cedes the entire “democracy” Democracy, for Hayek et al., is not his careful, well-educated, “Jupiterian” side of the equation—sometimes even about majority rule, self-governance, gaze.31 In the heart of technocracy, one the very idea of popular government—to and certainly not achieving egalitarian finds a postmodernancien regime. the Far Right. Simultaneously, the Left is outcomes (or even equal opportunity). What Macron cannot change is the denigrated as expressing populist anti- Democracy in this sense is purely func- fundamental nature of the neoliberal liberal attitudes that might undermine tional. It allows for a smooth transition project. Capitalism extended its lifespan the one right—property—that is the of power and provides the necessary with deregulated finance, the return of raison d’être for the regime. For Mounk, checks on majoritarian power and other boom and bust cycles, and the squeez- for example, popular European Left par- citizens for the flourishing of property, ing of any remaining value out of a nearly ties like Spain’s Podemos or Greece’s as cultivated by entrepreneurs. As Hayek fully commodified society—but it can no SYRIZA offer “simplistic” solutions and once said in an interview: longer artificially prop up growth rates “inflammatory rhetoric.”34 They have Democracy has a task which I call “hy- nor solve the long-term productivity cri- the dangerous temerity to question the gienic,” for it assures that political pro- sis in the economy. Having once intensi- realities of “meritocracy.” They seek to cesses are conducted in a sanitary fash- fied the life of post-war capitalism past “overthrow” the system unlike, well, Em-

WINTER 2018 Political Research Associates • 9 q & a

manuel Macron. rights of the individual; for investment the work of Thomas Piketty and Emman- Macron demonstrates what it will take in universal public goods and identity- uel Saez reminds us, vestigial feudalism for the “center to hold”: nothing short focused programs that specifically -ad has finally caught up with the times—are of one-party, technocratic “liberal” au- dressed the unique social repression indeed ahead. Macron is the centrist vi- thoritarianism, of the kind many OECD faced by women, racial and religious sion for a baroque future better suited to countries have been sliding towards for minorities, LGBTQ people, and the dis- the Palace of Versailles than the gleam- 40 years.35 But as a political program to abled. It did so within a coherent politi- ing skyscrapers of New York. The great- extend capitalism through crisis condi- cal framework as well: the flourishing of est irony of all: for all this consolidation tions, sluggish growth, and growing in- individuals through the flourishing of of power, for all the pomp and delusions stability, such a project must become in- society, understanding the interconnec- of grandeur, Macron is auditioning him- creasingly coercive, short-lived, or both. tion of formal liberal equality claims and self, and France, for, at best, a number It would seem that the only opposition it demands for recognition, and the social two role, to be forever in hock to Germa- can tolerate—in a version of Hayek’s er- equity and democratization necessary ny through the current mechanisms of satz democracy—is that of the Far Right. for their realization.36 Corbyn was not at- the EU. Macron will truly be a king with- But if the neoliberal center can offer up tacking basic liberal rights or the demo- out a crown. only ever closer approximations to the cratic process; Theresa May was. And yet Without substantive advances for ac- right-wing project, there are few other the self-appointed defenders of “liberal tual democracy, liberal rights lose even possibilities it can pursue (and ever de- democracy,” who had championed Ma- their formal meaning. They become creasing political prospects). As the great cron and his authoritarian liberalism, charity bestowed by benevolent auto- political economist and socialist organiz- were silent. crats, by Jupiterian kings of the center, er Rosa Luxemburg proposed in the 20th The irony of the Corbyn-Macron para- parceled out or withheld on whim. There Century, the choice was simple—social- dox, for those in the business of carving is a dialectic of technocracy and its frui- ism or barbarism. This, the 21st Century out a future for liberal democracies, is tion is a new feudalism. Hiding within center tells us, is oversimplified. There is that only with policies like Corbyn’s can every good technocrat is a feudal lord also the choice of extended misery. those phantasmagorically ascribed to who catches the scent, in Baudrillard’s Macron possibly come to fruition. phrase, of the “primitive future”—of a THE CORBYN-MACRON PARADOX new-old barbarism just on the horizon. During the ecstatic trans-Atlantic jubi- LATE TO THE FUTURE Macron’s appeal to political actors and lation for Macron there was another elec- “America is the original version of mo- thinkers is that he is the distilled essence tion right around the corner. Following dernity. We are the dubbed or subtitled of this spirit; he represents a future, hol- the Brexit referendum, UK Prime Min- version,” the French postmodernist Jean lowed-out liberalism relieved of all but ister Theresa May called early elections Baudrillard wrote in his 1986 travelogue the most cosmetic vestiges of democracy. to solidify the position of her new, hard- America. “We are condemned to the When Margaret Thatcher was asked right nationalist Tory formation. May, imaginary and to nostalgia for the fu- about her greatest achievement, she re- who has become one of Trump’s leading ture,” he continued. “What we see here plied: “New Labour.”38 In that she was international supporters, had married [in the U.S.] are merely the inescapable both witty and incisive. It was only with David Cameron’s austerity program with results of an orgy of power, and an irre- the capitulation of the Center-Left that the nativist elements from Nigel Farage’s versible concentration of the world that neoliberalism truly became entrenched UK Independence Party. That orientation has followed upon its extension.”37 as the only alternative to the Right. While made it strange that many liberal com- Although Baudrillard’s arguments Macron reshapes France into the per- mentators who’d welcomed Macron as are slippery, he stumbled onto a truth, fect European vassal state and centrists an antidote to the Far Right were either almost a funhouse mirror anticipation around the world applaud, I can imagine silent about the contest between May’s of Francis Fukuyama’s post-Cold War the Iron Lady laughing as she wonders Conservative Party and Jeremy Corbyn’s declaration that here, in Reaganite and just how much more the Front National newly recommitted left-wing Labour Par- Thatcherite “liberal democracy,” was the wins the next time around. ty, or openly contemptuous of Corbyn. “end of history.” Baudrillard proposes The liberal response to Corbyn is all the instead that America is always already Ajay Singh Chaudhary is the executive di- more strange given that he and similar the future. It is where the “idea” of his- rector of the Brooklyn Institute for Social political figures of the reinvigorated Left tory, where Geist, already landed. And— Research and a core faculty member spe- are more consonant with liberal tradition in good postmodern fashion—Macron cializing in social and political theory. He writ large than their faux-liberal coun- proves him both right and wrong. Ma- has written for The Los Angeles Review terparts of the increasingly authoritarian cron is the overdubbed Ronald Reagan, of Books, Quartz, Social Text, Dialecti- center. Corbyn’s 2017 Labour Manifesto several decades late and better educated. cal Anthropology, The Jewish Daily For- was the most full-throated major party He’s the subtitled Bill Clinton, without ward, Filmmaker Magazine, 3quarks- platform to call unequivocally for both the popular appeal or charm. But for daily, among other venues. economic democracy and full liberal once the French—perhaps because, as

10 • The Public Eye WINTER 2018 BY SHANNON WEBER

White Supremacy’s Old Gods The Far Right and Neopaganism

n 2014, a White supremacist leader, Frazier Glenn Cross, Jr. (also known as F. Glenn Miller), killed three people outside Jewish organizations Iin Overland Park, Kansas. Although all three were actually Christian, Cross’s intended target was clear, as was the re- ligious justification he found for his su- premacist beliefs. Cross, founder of the Carolina Knights of the KKK, which later became the White Patriot Party,1 was a convert from Christianity to a neonazi in- terpretation of the pre-Christian, North- ern European and Germanic religion of Odinism. In his self-published 1999 au- tobiography, A White Man Speaks Out, he wrote: I’d love to see North America’s 100 mil- lion Aryan Christians convert to the religion invented by their own race and practiced for a thousand generations before the Jews thought up Christian- ity. / Odinism! This was the religion for a strong heroic people, the Germanic Shannon Weber, “White Supremacy’s Old Gods,” photo collage, 2018. people, from whose loins we all de- scended, be we German, English, Scott parative religion scholar Mattias Gardell thenry.5 Perhaps the most recognized [sic], Irish, or Scandinavian, in whole wrote that racist forms of neopagan- Heathen faith is Ásatrú, a polytheist reli- or in part. / Odin! Odin! Odin! Was the ism were already outpacing traditional gion venerating old Norse gods and god- battle cry of our ancestors; their light monotheistic versions of White suprem- desses. However, despite its small num- eyes ablaze with the glare of the preda- acy.3 Today, they’re even more prevalent, bers—in 1996, religion scholar Jeffrey tor, as they swept over and conquered as White supremacists exploit political Kaplan estimated fewer than 1,000 U.S. the decadent multi-racial Roman Em- instability driven by anti-immigrant and adherents6—Ásatrú has come to figure pire. / And Valhalla does not accept anti-refugee sentiment in Europe, and prominently in modern U.S. White su- Negroes. There’s a sign over the pearly the racist backlash surging under Donald premacist movements. gates there which reads, “Whites Trump in the United States. While most U.S. Ásatrúar (followers of only.”2 Only about 0.3 percent of the U.S. pop- Ásatrú) are inclusive,7 there exists a di- Cross’ hateful manifesto on the eve of ulation follow beliefs related to neopa- vide within Heathen communities about the 21st Century represents more than ganism, an umbrella term for modern in- who should be allowed to take up ancient just the ramblings of one violent terror- terpretations of polytheist and pantheist Scandinavian and Germanic spiritual ist. His argument that White people need religions that predate Judaism, Christi- practices. Those who eschew racism and to embrace their pre-Christian roots in anity, and Islam.4 Within that figure, an invite potential members regardless of service of the White race is one increas- even smaller number—just 7,878 people ethnic background are termed “univer- ingly being adopted by White suprema- according to one community census— salists.” Conversely, those groups call- cists across Europe and North America. practice Scandinavian and Germanic ing themselves “folkish” stipulate that More than a decade ago, in 2003, com- forms of neopaganism known as Hea- only members with Northern European

WINTER 2018 Political Research Associates • 11 or Germanic ancestry may join. Many of supremacists finding themselves drawn victors and victims, beating Columbus in these “folkish” groups are overtly White to Ásatrú are also growing. Odinism was the race for conquest yet not given their supremacist, claiming that Ásatrú is the introduced to the American prison sys- proper historical due. true religion of the superior “Aryan race.” tem in the late 1980s12 by adherents such Many “folkish” Ásatrúar, Odinists, and White supremacists practicing Ásatrú as Danish immigrant Else Christensen, Wotanists defend their desire to restrict may also use the term Odinism, named who traveled through the U.S. spread- the religion to those with Northern Eu- after the god Odin, though not all self- ing the word about Odinism and setting ropean ancestry as akin to Native Ameri- identified Odinist groups are White- su up Odinist prison groups.13 In 2002, the cans practicing indigenous religious premacist, and there are ongoing debates Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported beliefs. The difference between the two within Ásatrú communities about the that Ásatrú was “one of the faiths that groups, of course, is one of power. Na- differences implied by the terms. Others incarcerated White supremacists found tive Americans strive to maintain their use the name Wotanism. The late White most often.” For example, David Lane, cultural and religious practices in the supremacist and convicted murderer who was sentenced to 150 years in prison aftermath of centuries of colonization David Lane promoted the term Wotan- for his role in the murder of a Jewish ra- and genocide. White Odinists, by con- ism to serve as an explicitly racist form dio host, heavily promoted Ásatrú dur- trast, benefit from White supremacy and of Odinism. Lane, who also created the ing his incarceration, before dying in deny others membership out of concerns “14 Words” slogan widely cited by White prison in 2007.14 about White “purity” rather than cultural supremacists—“We must secure the In addition to the “true believers” survival in the face of mass slaughter, existence of our people and a future for drawn to Odinism, the religion has also forced sterilization,17 and the kidnap- White children”8—favored Wotanism in become a useful organizational tool in ping, abuse, and cultural “reeducation” part because, he explained, “W.O.T.A.N. providing White supremacists behind found at American Indian boarding makes a perfect acronym for Will Of The bars a chance to gather under the guise of schools.18 Aryan Nation.”9 religious worship. This strategy is com- Given that White people were the per- By whatever name, the ties between mon for many ethnically-based prison petrators of this colonization and geno- some neopagans and organized racist gangs, who are legally permitted to con- cide—and do not have an original claim movements are clear. “The most cursory gregate with inmates dispersed across to the land—professing a connection glimpse at White-racist publications, the prison only when united in worship. to Vinland enables White supremacist Web pages, and White-power lyrics,” The Latin Kings, for example, organize Odinists to “asser[t] a historical claim warned Gardell, “reveals muscular hea- under the cover of Santería, while Italian over North America,” according to Da- thens, pagan gods and goddesses, runes gangs organize under the facade of Cath- vid Perry, associate professor of history and symbols, magic, and esoteric themes olic worship services. Given that the only at Dominican University in Illinois.19 In in abundance.” Racist versions of pa- jewelry prisoners are allowed to wear are other words, by laying claim to Vinland, ganism had already become so popular wedding bands and religious insignia, Odinists tap into the idea of indigenous among White supremacists that, by the wearing a Thor’s Hammer necklace (as belonging while conveniently glossing time Gardell’s book, Gods of the Blood: Heathens have been legally permitted over their status as settlers on stolen The Pagan Revival and White Separatism, to do since 2005) can serve as a signal to land. was published in 2003, they were dis- other White supremacists in a prison en- As religion scholars Jennifer Snook, placing organizations like the Ku Klux vironment structured by de facto racial Thad Horrell, and Kristen Horton argue, Klan and national socialist parties, and segregation and interracial violence.15 when it comes to defining indigeneity, were rendering “earlier racist creeds, “Heathens in the United States certainly such as Christian Identity, to the status THE POWER OF VINLAND do not count.” But claims of indigeneity of an ‘old man’s religion.’”10 Since that For many White supremacists, the serve a powerful rhetorical purpose: time, the explosion of the Alt Right has ability to connect with a religious iden- [C]laiming indigeneity offers an - op only amplified this threat. tity they see as indigenously White is al- portunity to understand oneself not as Many of those drawn to Odinism seem luring. Ásatrú, especially for men, is a a global villain, an invading destroyer to fit the popular image of the angry, celebration of virile Northern European of distinct and diverse cultures and disaffected White men who voted for hypermasculinity, a chance at re-enact- a spreader of global mono-culture, Trump: lacking in status,11 searching for ing the glory of their presumed Viking but rather as a fellow victim of these a sense of identity and community, and ancestors. Followers in the U.S. take historical atrocities. Most Heathens insistent that White people are under at- the idea of this legacy one step further recognize that their ancestors were tack as a group. In the face of economic through their notion of “Vinland,” the global conquerors. Most of these seem despair and entitled, hypermasculine portion of North America (most likely to celebrate the fact as an indication of White rage, embracing a religion that eastern Canada) explored by Vikings their people’s potency and power. This seems to be all about White male victory prior to the conquest of Christopher Co- allows the maintenance of their settler can be appealing. lumbus.16 In Vinland they are able to identity…20 The numbers of incarcerated White envision a past in which they were both To put it another way, White suprema-

12 • The Public Eye WINTER 2018 cist Odinists assert their claims as “right- folklore, and a yearning to return to a folkish Asatru Folk Assembly in 1994. ful” inhabitants of North America by par- mythical agrarian past.24 (McNallen is most recently responsible adoxically emphasizing their Northern During Weimar-era Germany, writes for forming the Wotan Network, a White European ancestry. At the same time, Kaplan, some contingents of the German nationalist Odinist group dedicated to their adherence to Whites-only Odinist Youth Movement embraced Odinist be- spreading White nationalist Heathen beliefs and hypermasculinity aids them liefs that would later flourish in Nazi Ger- memes.) in strategically celebrating their pre- many, as well as “sympathizers abroad Shortly after McNallen disbanded the sumed ancestors’ conquest of foreign whose antisemitic beliefs would lead Asatru Free Assembly, White suprema- lands. In so doing, they are able to main- them to conclude that, as Christianity is cist Valgard Murray formed the Asatru tain the contradictory idea that they are built on a Jewish foundation, it too must Alliance (AA) to take its place. Murray both indigenous Vinlanders and power- be swept away in the construction of a was a former member of the American ful White invaders. millenarian ‘New Order.’”25 Nazi Party who, until the 1960s, signed Above all, writes Perry, “They use the During World War II, the “neo- his letters with the phrase “Heil Hitler!”32 myth of Vinland to position themselves völkisch” movement constituted a revival He also had a history of violent rhetoric: as righteous defenders in the wars of race of this völkisch sentiment, as well as the Viking Brotherhood co-founder Robert and religion they believe are coming.” heavy investment of prominent Third Stine, a fellow member of the Asatru Free Reich leaders in Odinism. Adolf Hitler’s Assembly and former member of the Ku CONNECTIONS TO ANTISEMITISM: THE Schutzstaffel, or SS, for example, relied Klux Klan and Nazi Party, claimed that RIGHT FINDS ODINISM on Odinist mythology in their initiation Murray once threatened to kill a gay man While White supremacist Odinists use rituals and cosmology. After the war, at an official Asatru Free Assembly gath- their religion as a way to play at the by- “völkisch ideology in general [was] dis- ering.33 While the current bylaws of the gone glory of hypermasculine Viking cul- credited” in Germany, writes German AA claim that the organization “do[es] ture, they see Christianity, by contrast, literary scholar Stefanie von Schnurbein, not practice, preach, or promote hatred, as a “self-destructive theology created yet Odinist groups in West Germany were bigotry, or racism,”34 Murray has served by Jews and forced on White people who also able to rebuild thanks to the restora- as its chief religious leader since 1997,35 were by nature supposedly very differ- tion of constitutional protections for the as well as its treasurer36 and public con- ent,” in the words of Southern Poverty freedom of religion.26 In the U.S., the tact.37 Law Center (SPLC) senior fellow Mark American Nazi Party was founded with Potok.21 Odinist influences in 1959,27 followed by THE “THUG REICH” On its face, it might seem illogical for the first U.S. Ásatrú and Odinist organi- Murray’s threats of violence weren’t Odinists to embrace antisemitism. After zations in the 1970s. In short order, the an isolated example. Odinist groups that all, as John Yeowell, a leading Odinist new groups would become divided be- use Vinland as a defining part of their or- community figure and author on modern tween their White supremacist and uni- ganizational identity, such as Vinlanders Odinism in the U.K. (also known by the versalist contingents. Social Club—who go by the slogan “Thug pen name “Stubba”),22 writes: [A]ntisemitism is a Christian aberra- tion and in no sense a product of the By 2003, racist forms of neopaganism were heathen tradition ... In the pre-Chris- already outpacing traditional monotheistic tian period the Jewish diaspora had not yet spread to the still heathen lands versions of White supremacy. of northern Europe and therefore the question of antisemitism does not arise in the historic tradition of Odinism.23 Stephen McNallen, who became inter- Reich”38—and Wolves of Vinland, have However, the contemporary White su- ested in Heathenry as a college student frequently embraced violence. Vinland- premacist revival of Odinism is deeply in Texas in the late 1960s,28 formed the ers Social Club, according to the ADL, is rooted in antisemitism and Nazism. Viking Brotherhood circa 1972 with Rob- “one of the larger racist skinhead groups The veneration of ancient Scandina- ert Stine.29 This group in turn became in the United States and has a high asso- vian and Germanic religions has a long the first American Ásatrú organization, ciation with violence, including multiple history in modern Europe, particularly in the Asatru Free Assembly, about four murders.”39 They were formed in 2003 in Germany since the 19th Century. Amid years later.30 By 1978, McNallen sought the U.S. Midwest by one-time members a backlash against the Industrial Revo- to lessen Odinism’s association with Na- of the Outlaw Hammerskins, a break- lution and German modernity, the 19th zism though he expressed sympathy for away faction from the Hammerskin Na- and early 20th Centuries saw the rise of the “‘legitimate frustrations of White tion coalition of White supremacist skin- the völkisch movement in Germany: a re- men who are concerned for their kind.’”31 head groups.40 Decrying what they see as naissance of romanticized notions about He ultimately shut down the Asatru Free the downfall of Western civilization, the the “German people,” their history and Assembly in 1987 before founding the group has developed a reputation for us-

WINTER 2018 Political Research Associates • 13 ing brute force to intimidate and control of the Alt Right. But during his trial in carried by Vanguard America during the those they perceive as enemies, includ- 2012, Breivik explained how he’d named infamous and deadly “Unite the Right” ing other White supremacists. various of his possessions after Odinist rally in Charlottesville.56 The Wolves of Vinland, based outside religious beliefs. In 2016, he removed all In May 2017, an intoxicated White su- Lynchburg, Virginia, haven’t been shy doubt, declaring during a court proceed- premacist named Jeremy Christian killed about either their ritual practices (post- ing, “I’m an Odinist, I believe in the only two men and seriously injured a third on ing a photo to Instagram in 2015 of a god, Odin.” He added that he “had never a Portland, Oregon, light rail train, after dead sheep they had sacrificed41) or their truly believed in Christianity.”47 the men had intervened to stop Christian members’ violence (in 2012, member Since the public rise of the Alt Right, from harassing two teenaged Muslim Maurice Michaely pled guilty to setting there has been a string of White suprem- girls, variously yelling “Get the fuck out,” a Black church on fire42). But they’ve acist, pagan-inflected crimes in 2017. “I don’t care if you are ISIS,” and “Free nonetheless gained entrée to the Nazis- In March 2017, Vinlanders Social speech or die!” Earlier that month, Chris- in-suits political world of the Alt Right. Club cofounder Brien James led another tian had posted to Facebook, along with Member Jack Donovan made an appear- White nationalist group he’d founded, various neonazi rants, “Hail Vinland!!! ance at the White supremacist National The American Guard—formerly the In- Hail Victory!!!”57 Then in August came the White su- premacist terror in Charlottesville, which In the face of economic despair and entitled, in addition to featuring Odinist symbol- hypermasculine White rage, embracing a religion ism also drew the support of Odinist lead- ers like Stephen McNallen of Asatru Free that seems to be all about White male victory can Assembly.58 Odinist involvement in the be appealing. terrorist clash, which involved assaults on Charlottesville residents and left 32-year-old counter-protester Heather Policy Institute’s biennial Halloween diana chapter of Soldiers of Odin48—to Heyer dead,59 is a sobering reminder of event in 2015, which was held at the Na- show up at an Indianapolis rally for Don- the White supremacist Heathen glorifi- tional Press Club, two blocks from the ald Trump. They bore shields with White cation of and capacity for violence. Obama White House.43 Given how White supremacist symbols and claimed they supremacist violence has become more were there “to provide ‘security’ for the THE SOLDIERS OF ODIN mainstreamed during the Trump era, es- march against the threat of left-wing pro- While examples of White supremacist, pecially after the lethal violence in Char- testers.”49 James, who is also involved in neopagan violence are plentiful, central lottesville, Wolves of Vinland and groups the “Alt Light” organization the Proud to any discussion of these connections is like them seem bound to grow. And with Boys and their “tactical defense arm”50 the Soldiers of Odin. Originally formed the token inclusion of gay male mem- the Fraternal Order of the Alt-Knights in late 2015 in Kemi, Finland—against bers of the Alt Right, such as Donovan (FOAK), has a violent past going back to the backdrop of increasing White su- and Milo Yiannopoulos,44 these move- at least 2000, when he was allegedly in- premacist and right-wing radicalization ments also have the potential to attract volved in beating a man close to death across Europe that targets immigrants, members from a community typically for failing to sieg-heil during a party.51 refugees, and Muslims as defiling the Eu- thought to be excluded from right-wing (James has even found a way to monetize ropean “way of life”—just two years later movements. (Of course, there have long his hatred, as creator of American Viking the group has a presence in more than been gay men among the leadership of Clothing, a White supremacist t-shirt 20 countries worldwide,60 including the right-wing groups, although they’ve of- company.52) U.S. ten been easily disposed of, such as Ernst The month after James’ American From its inception, Soldiers of Odin Röhm, the head of the Nazi Brownshirts, Guard appeared at the Indianapolis was linked to violent White suprema- who was ultimately assassinated during Trump rally, in April 2017, street-fight- cism. Its founder, Mika Ranta, a White the Night of the Long Knives in 1934.45) ing between White nationalists and supremacist with connections to the neo- Other White supremacist Odinists anti-fascist groups in Berkeley, Califor- nazi Finnish Resistance Movement, was have been linked to multiple high-profile nia, attracted neonazis who carried flags convicted of racially aggravated assault acts of violence and murder in recent embossed with a black sun, a symbol of for attacking two immigrants in 2005,61 years.46 Anders Breivik, Norway’s worst Odinism that was widely adopted by Nazi as well as assault and aggravated assault mass killer who murdered 77 people and neonazi groups.53 The symbol, used in 2016.62 (mostly youth) in 2011, more recently during the Third Reich and known in The stated purpose of the Soldiers of revealed that he has long considered German esoteric circles since the turn of Odin is to “protect” citizens from refu- himself an Odinist. Potential signs of the 20th Century,54 would also surface in gees through deploying vigilante street Brevik’s Odinism may not have been as June during a White supremacist rally in patrols. By February 2016, they had well understood in 2011, prior to the rise Houston, Texas,55 and again in August, reached the U.S., thanks in large part

14 • The Public Eye WINTER 2018 to social media, with at least 42 state GENDERED VIOLENCE IN RIGHT-WING However—and unsurprisingly—the chapters, some of which have only a few NEOPAGANISM claimed concerns about protecting wom- adherents, and others with at least 75 Soldiers of Odin’s leaders say their en from violence at the hands of immi- members.63 founding motivation was to protect grants and refugees also exist alongside a Some members of Soldiers of Odin are White women’s “honor” in the face of an clear pattern of gendered violence at the notable for their associations with other epidemic of sexual violence allegedly be- hands of Odinists themselves. There was racist groups, such as Jason Tankersley, ing committed by Muslim refugees in Eu- Vinlanders Social Club member Michael founder of the Maryland Skinheads, and rope. Between December 2015 and Janu- Parrish, who in 2009 murdered his girl- Bradley Jenkins, an Alabama neonazi ary 2016, women in Helsinki, Finland, friend and their two-year-old son,76 for KKK leader. Foreshadowing the violence and in several German cities reported which he entered a guilty plea in 2010.77 that would unfold in Charlottesville, multiple incidents of sexual harassment Also in 2010, Vinlanders members Travis 27-year-old Jani (no last name given), and assault, by men who appeared to be Ricci and Aaron Schmidt were indicted in one of the group’s leaders in Kemi, told Middle Eastern or North African, during Arizona78 after murdering a White wom- the U.K.’s Daily Mail, “The Government holiday festivities. German police con- an walking at night with her Black boy- screwed things up so bad, and we are the nected many of these reports instead to friend the previous fall.79 Separately, in consequence. Politicians are allowing gang activity by men gathering near train 2011, Ricci was sentenced to 22 years in migrants to rape our women, and they stations for the purposes of mugging; prison for slamming his girlfriend’s head are doing nothing about it. There will be and, as journalist Alex Shams points out, into a wall during a party and stabbing a war on the streets, and we are ready to “Germans have only to look to Oktober- two men who tried to intervene.80 fight.”64 fest…or other mass drunken gatherings Underlying these attacks are threads In some regards, that war on the to remember that, unfortunately, mi- of misogyny throughout a male-dom- streets may have been underway already. sogynist men from many different cul- inated movement—one study found In 2016, Finnish police opened an inves- tural backgrounds engage in sexual ha- that Odinists in the U.S. are 65 percent tigation into three men who had worn rassment.”71 Still, the damage had been male81—where women simultaneously Soldiers of Odin jackets while assaulting done, as anti-refugee extremists used the serve as the rationale for outward-direct- a man in the city of Imatra.65 Immigrants reports to justify assaulting asylum seek- ed bigotry and violence and internal tar- in Finland report fearing for their safety ers and burning down refugee centers.72 gets of domestic violence. as a result of the menacing patrols; Kurd- “Where are the Freikorps when we The misogyny within the movement ish migrant Hasim Keles explains, “We need them?” Stephen McNallen wrote in makes sense for a culture that goes hand [asylum seekers] don’t go into town any response on Facebook, referencing the in hand with the hypermasculinity and more, particularly in the evenings, be- right-wing German-aligned mercenaries rejection of femininity that’s common cause we’re scared of getting beaten up responsible for political assassinations in the groups’ literature82 (and its social by the Soldiers of Odin.”66 after World War I. Many Freikorps mem- media, as Wolves of Vinland and other Juha-Matti Kinnunen, a Soldiers of bers went on to become loyal servants of Odinists often add “#brosatru” to their Odin chapter leader in Joensuu, Finland, the Third Reich in the Sturmabteilung, the posts, a play on the words “bros” and felt comfortable telling a British journal- Nazi Party’s original paramilitary wing, “Ásatrú”). It’s also in their disparagement ist, “If things carry on like this, ethnic colloquially known as the Brownshirts.73 of Christianity as a feminine, weak reli- cleansing will be necessary”67 —an omi- In April 2016, a Soldiers of Odin USA gion. Followers see the Norse gods, in nous statement that can hardly be seen Facebook group with more than 4,000 contrast, as “the big tough white guys as a hollow threat on a continent haunted members declared that “it stands in op- who, when they see a woman they want, by genocide, whether during the Holo- position to the hordes of ‘refugees’ that grab her by the hair and pull her in the caust, the Bosnian war, or the Armenian have invaded Europe and will soon be cave,” says Potok. “It’s seen as this ultra- Genocide. coming to America, brining [sic] massive male, super muscular religion, which is Lari Kuosmanen, another Joensuu waves of rape and crime with them.”74 antithetical to Christianity and Judaism chapter leader, claims, “The cops say Contradicting previous assertions that … It’s a comic book religion in a lot of they hate us, but on the street they often they would serve only as the “eyes and ways.”83 give us the thumbs-up…Some of them ears” of the police, one graphic from the would probably join us if they could.”68 Facebook group declared: UNIVERSALISTS FIGHT BACK In a similar claim, Soldiers of Odin USA We are not a nice, polite group that will The good news is that, despite this also boast of being the “eyes and ears” of do nothing but report outrages to the growing movement of violence, a large the police, characterizing their patrols as police. The police are overworked as contingent of anti-racist Heathens are “observe-and-report” operations.69 This it is, and hamstrung by the dictates of fighting to take back control of their re- is special cause for concern given FBI re- law. WE ARE NOT. We will BEAT THE ligion. Given that universalist Heathens ports from 2006, 2009, and 2015 on the LIVING SHIT out of any we catch rap- are already positioned as a mysterious infiltration of White supremacists into ing American women and terrorizing minority within the West’s Christian- law enforcement roles.70 American citizens.75 dominated religious landscape, the asso-

WINTER 2018 Political Research Associates • 15 ciation of Ásatrú with White supremacy Over time, HUAR’s mission became according to Smith, HUAR organized an presents an embarrassing image prob- one of taking bold stances against White event called Light the Beacons, in which lem. On a deeper level, universalists have supremacy and fascism. Although in pre- Heathens lit candles and bonfires at over collectively become fed up with their vious years, the White nationalist wing of 200 locations across four continents to religious beliefs being used to justify Heathenry engaged in what Smith called demonstrate solidarity with inclusive bigotry and violence. These Heathens, “very careful plausible deniability,” he Heathenry. The same year, HUAR took despite being comprised primarily of continued, part in signing Declaration 127, an open White members, see the old Norse gods As we stepped up our efforts and the letter approved by 180 Heathen organi- as deities who might call out to anyone, Alt Right became more visible, the zations in 20 countries that publicly dis- and they identify their community not [Asatru Folk Assembly] became more avowed and broke ties with the Asatru through shared Whiteness but shared blatant in their rhetoric and positions Folk Assembly based on the AFA’s “long commitment to Heathen cosmology. and more actively linked itself to the and well-documented history of discrim- Increasingly, they see it as their duty to rising Alt Right. They effectively self- ination on the basis of ethnicity, sexual- not only distance themselves from White radicalized and in the process also ity, and gender identity.”91 supremacist movements but to vocally self-isolated, making it easier to rally As White supremacist Ásatrúar, denounce and organize against White opposition and support for genuinely Odinists, and Wotanists continue to grow supremacist Odinists. inclusive community. in number and influence across North The major universalist America and Europe, it will be Ásatrú organization is The essential to better understand, Troth, formerly the Ring of document, and track their Troth. The Troth emerged in Women simultaneously serve as the growth. It is critical to have a 1987, as religion scholar Jef- rationale for outward-directed bigotry full view of the connections be- frey Kaplan writes, “from the and violence and internal targets of tween racism, antisemitism, wreckage of the Asatru Free and misogyny that animate Assembly,”84 and it repre- domestic violence. White supremacist appeals to sented remarkable diversity, pre-Christian European reli- with Jewish, Black, and LG- gion as activists and research- BTQ members.85 As the group noted on HUAR members’ increased education ers develop best practices for countering its website, “membership in the Troth about these issues, and the AFA’s increas- their recruitment strategies. Going for- and participation in our activities is open ingly visible alignment with the Alt Right, ward, anti-racist advocates will need to to worthy folks regardless of race, ethnic caused HUAR to “shif[t] in the direction continue challenging and dismantling origin, gender or sexual orientation, and of exposure, denunciation, and in some pseudoscientific theories of Aryan racial we do not permit discrimination on these cases direct action in solidarity with purity and superiority, ahistorical claims grounds.”86 movements like Black Lives Matter” and about the nature of pan-European White An important turning point came in antifa, Smith says. HUAR has also sought identity, and teachings that pit marginal- 2012, when a group called Heathens to hamper Soldiers of Odin’s organizing ized groups against one another. Above United Against Racism (HUAR) emerged by publicizing any information they ob- all, advocates will need to continue their to unite Heathens opposed to the “co- tain about Soldiers of Odin’s members sustained and vocal pushback on the in- optation of our beliefs, traditions, and and supporters, internal organizational creasing prominence and validity given lore by racist groups.”87 Ryan Smith, one structure, and key leaders. Their efforts to these types of groups by the Trump of HUAR’s co-founders, told PRA that the have sometimes resulted in venues pull- administration and those adjacent to it. group first started as a discussion and ing their support from Odinist events, for Through these means, as well as through educational space for Heathens to collec- instance persuading The Cotillion Room partnering with anti-racist Heathen tively unpack the troublesome problems and Garden, an events center and wed- groups like HUAR, White supremacist of bigotry that have so long plagued their ding hall in Independence, Missouri, to Odinism can be countered. 88 communities. “For a long time the rac- cancel a book-signing event with author Shannon Weber, Ph.D, is a Boston-based ist, fascist types have effectively hogged and Asatru Folk Assembly member Bry- writer and researcher on U.S. politics, so- 89 the microphone and set the tone for how an Wilton. cial movements, feminism, and spiritual- Heathenry is perceived, shouted down Smith says HUAR has developed “a ity. A former gender studies professor, she any opposition, and effectively margin- substantial, international support base,” is also a recognized expert and published alized all protest,” said Smith. “This was including chapters in the U.S., U.K., and scholar in the interdisciplinary field of gen- also made possible by a lot of self-identi- Canada, and online connections with der and sexuality studies. fied moderates and liberals who wanted the Scandinavian Heathen group Svin- to be fair-minded, not cause strife in the fylking.90 This international networking community, or were defending personal has enabled them to coordinate multiple relationships.” intercontinental actions. In May 2016,

16 • The Public Eye WINTER 2018 BY FREDERICK CLARKSON

A Manual to Restore a Christian Nation That Never Was

n October 2017, I was perusing preciated weakness. It illuminates the exhibit area of the Values the Christian Right’s dynamic politi- Voter Summit, the annual po- cal theology but also shows how its litical conference of the Family theological justifications rest in part IResearch Council (FRC), when I was on false historical interpretations. buttonholed by John Méndez, na- These assumptions, which gener- tional coordinator for the Christian ally fall under the idea that America Right giant’s network of church- was founded as a Christian nation, based political committees. As a have become commonplace in con- white-haired White guy in a blazer, servative evangelical culture, even I must have seemed like a good pros- as the anti-democratic ideology and pect, because he wanted to know if distorted historical narrative in the I was interested in forming such a manual expose a cracked and vul- committee in my church. nerable foundation that can’t sup- He reached under the display port the movement forever. table and pulled out a box contain- ing copies of Culture Impact Team THE MATURATION OF A MOVE- Resource Manual: a 200-page three- MENT ring binder of instructions and re- FRC was founded in 1983 and soon sources for setting up such groups in became the political and policy arm local churches. He gave me two cop- of James Dobson’s Focus on the Fam- ies: one for my pastor, whose buy-in ily. It later became independent, and would be essential for organizing a under the leadership of Tony Per- Culture Impact Team, or “CIT.” They The Culture Impact Team Resource Manual has served as the kins, has grown into Washington, primer for church-based, Christian Right political action for the past were so bulky they barely fit in my seven years. D.C.’s premier Christian Right po- conference tote bag. But I was glad I litical organization. It serves as the managed. Originally published in 2011, Right and an integrated historical and national hub of some three-dozen state the manual—which includes, among theological justifications for its political Family Policy Councils, most of which are other things, sample voter guides and in- agenda. also affiliated with Focus on the Family’s structions for church-based voter regis- After Donald Trump received 81 per- current political offshoot, Family Policy tration drives—has served as the primer cent of the White evangelical vote in the Alliance. All also partner with the Chris- for church-based, Christian Right politi- 2016 presidential election, there was tian Right legal network, Alliance De- cal action for the past seven years. It cer- substantial polling and reporting on fending Freedom.1 Taken together, they tainly played a role in the 2016 elections, what issues concerned this demograph- constitute the leading coalition of the and will no doubt continue to be used for ic. But there was comparatively little re- evangelical wing of the Christian Right. the foreseeable future. porting on the theological and historical FRC’s Values Voter Summit has become While the manual has been promot- justifications that underlie those issues Washington’s most important Christian ed at other conferences and is avail- and animate the movement more broad- Right political conference, drawing ma- able to download online, it’s gathered ly. Similarly, there has not been much jor political figures, including, in 2017, little notice beyond the Christian Right. reporting on how the Christian Right has President Donald Trump and then Ala- Nevertheless, it has been an important been organized, and how the church- bama Republican Senate candidate Roy grassroots playbook and ideological based model encouraged by the manual Moore. Since Trump’s election, FRC has manifesto, serving as both the contem- may be playing a role. grown even more influential, becoming porary blueprint for a central element But alongside this influence, the man- a guiding force in policy and personnel of the infrastructure of today’s Christian ual inadvertently reveals an underap- development in the administration. As

WINTER 2018 Political Research Associates • 17 Perkins told the New York Times in 2017, gelicals are carrying forward the mission Commission—as well as instructions for “I’ve been to the White House I don’t of both God and the leaders of the Ameri- how churches should use them. The col- know how many more times in the first can Revolution. This grounding provides laboration behind that project itself il- six months this year than I was during church CITs with the direction and know- lustrates an evolution in Christian Right the entire Bush administration.”2 how to build an effective grassroots - in strategy, from externally organized par- Unsurprisingly, the administration is frastructure. The goal is to turn parish- tisan political development to building festooned with Christian Right figures, ioners into voters, voters into activists, an ecumenical political program with a notably Vice President Mike Pence, At- and activists into issue specialists and common message to be shared among torney General Jeff Sessions, CIA Direc- candidates who might implement godly different movement groups, and which is tor Mike Pompeo, and Secretary of Edu- principles in law. compatible with existing church thought cation Betsy DeVos. All of these, along and structure. with other top administration officials, CHURCH-BASED POLITICAL COMMIT- A more recent example of such col- attend a weekly Bible study led by Chris- TEES laboration occurred between FRC and tian nationalist pastor Ralph Drollinger. The CITs are the basic unit of the Fam- the Texas-based Christian Right group (An additional Drollinger-led Bible ily Policy Councils/Family Policy Alli- Vision America. Together the two groups study is attended by many Members of ance state political network. FRC claims mapped the nature and level of engage- Congress.)3 Cabinet members’ embrace to have nearly 5,000 such groups. While ment of individual congregations, with of Christian nationalism has profound there is no independent confirmation their permission and, notably, for their policy implications. DeVos, for example, of that number, nor of how active the internal use. As Vision America’s John has long viewed school privatization groups are, FRC has dedicated a number Graves and Rebecca Berry explained in a schemes as a way to “advance God’s king- of national staff to develop and maintain 2016 CIT training video, they partnered dom,”4 and Trump’s education plan seeks this network. FRC president Tony Perkins with individual churches’ CIT leaders to to redirect billions of dollars in federal has gone so far as to declare, “Operating compare congregations’ membership funds away from “failing government under the authority of the church’s lead- lists against a database of registered vot- schools” towards private, including reli- ership, CITs serve as the command cen- ers. The national groups obtained data gious, schools.5 ter for a church’s efforts to engage the for voter mobilization, and the pastors Trump has also rewarded this constitu- culture.”8 and individual CITs received a portrait of ency in other ways. His appointment to The job of CITs is to create and build their congregation’s political participa- the Supreme Court of Neal Gorsuch, an upon extant church political commit- tion that could help them organize their appellate court judge who sided with tees, across denominational lines: with church towards maximum political im- Hobby Lobby stores in the company’s a Baptist focus but an ecumenical intent. pact. historic suit against the contraception In 2011, when the manual was released, ST coverage mandate in the Affordable Care FRC was reorganizing and refocusing A 21 CENTURY APPROACH Act, delighted the Christian Right.6 They their political base in the run-up to the Many of the CIT tactics explained in were similarly gratified when Trump- is 2012 election season and beyond, and the manual may seem like contemporary sued an executive order on religious CITs were the building blocks to make takes on old ideas, recalling the efforts of liberty, prompting Attorney General that possible. the Christian Coalition in the 1980s and Sessions to draft religious liberty guide- The manual was compiled by Kenyn ‘90s. Key to the Coalition’s method was lines for all federal departments,7 allow- Cureton, FRC Vice President for Church obtaining and comparing church mem- ing religious employers “to employ only Ministries and a former official of the bership lists with voter registration and persons whose beliefs and conduct are Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the mailing lists of anti-abortion, gun rights, consistent with the employers’ religious nation’s largest Protestant denomina- and other issue groups to create voter precepts”—a dictate interpreted by many tion. Cureton has been with FRC since files for political and electoral develop- as allowing federal contractors to dis- 2006 and claims a network of 41,000 ac- ment. In the 1990s, the Coalition built criminate against LGBTQ people. tivist pastors, recruited under the rubric on an earlier concept called “in-pew vot- In a fundraising letter, FRC identified of Watchmen on the Wall, who are also er registration” with events they called Trump’s executive order as its top ac- encouraged to form CITs. In a training “Citizenship Sundays.” Today’s CITs complishment of 2017. But long before video, Cureton explains that once estab- stage an annual event of the same name, the Christian Right joined the top ranks lished, CITs work to inform, equip, alert, similarly aimed at voter registration.9 (In of governmental power, it was reshaping and mobilize church members on public 2016, the event was held on September itself, drawing on the lessons of the past policy and electoral engagement. 18, shortly before registration for the No- in pursuit of permanent dominance in To that end, his manual includes vember election closed.) American public life. The manual epito- sample voter guides—an updated ver- There are subtle but important differ- mizes this, weaving detailed theological sion of voter engagement materials he’d ences in these approaches, though, that and historical justifications into a narra- originally developed with Richard Land shed light on how the movement has tive in which today’s conservative evan- of the SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberty grown. Since the decline of the Chris-

18 • The Public Eye WINTER 2018 tian Coalition and other national groups (now Family Policy Alliance), to organize THE MYTH OF CHRISTIAN NATIONAL- with aging leaders, and especially since six CIT training conferences to prepare ISM Barack Obama’s election in 2008, the for the 2012 election and in anticipation All of this organization is in service Christian Right has needed to reorga- of a referendum on marriage equality of a seamless theological and pseudo- nize, thanks to generational changes in in 2013.12 In 2014, FRC organized a se- historical narrative, which both mobi- leadership, institutionalization of a frac- ries of 12 rallies for pastors across North lizes lay conservative Christians and pro- tious but dynamic movement, and the Carolina, partly with the intention of or- vides the framework for their political typical adaptations that any social and ganizing CITs.13 agenda. When the manual approvingly political movement faces after losing a In August 2015, a Baptist church in quotes Richard Land as saying that it is national election. This has partly meant Louisiana hosted a “pastors luncheon” up to Christians to “restore once again to revising, retooling, and updating the me- to promote the formation of new CITs in America a biblically based legal system chanics of their political operations. And other congregations. The event featured that protects all human life from concep- the primary distinction between the old as speakers Tony Perkins (who headed tion to natural death,”19 its author is ap- and new forms of organizing is where the the state’s FRC/Focus on the Family polit- pealing for the restoration of a Christian movement thrust is coming from. ical affiliate before becoming the nation- nation that never was—what historian The Christian Coalition worked pri- al FRC leader); then-Senator David Vitter Frank Lambert calls a “usable past” that marily outside of churches in its effort (R-LA); and Mike Johnson,14 an attorney justifies the politics of the present.20 to mobilize conservative Christians into who’d be elected as a state representative This usable past suggests a transcen- politics, sometimes alienating pastors that fall. Johnson’s appearance at this dent vision of a Christian nation, man- and congregations with tactics like ag- catalytic event demonstrated another dated by God and ordered by the Found- gressively leafleting church parking lots role that the CITs play: providing an ing Fathers. It’s a powerful appeal, yet one with voter guides during Sunday ser- electoral base—and arguably a launch- based on self-serving distortions of histo- vices. The approach of today’s Christian ing pad—for aspiring Christian Right ry. “On July 4, 1776 in Philadelphia,” Cu- Right is to work primarily from with- pols who go on to advance their agenda. reton writes in the manual, “our Found- in: the manual encourages individual Shortly after his election, Rep. Johnson ing Fathers signed a document declaring churches to connect their resources with proposed a bill titled the Marriage and our independence from the tyranny of a greater public movement, in their own Conscience Act, similar to Indiana’s con- those who would enslave the minds, the way, at their own pace. It’s a method in- troversial 2015 Religious Freedom Res- souls, the lives of men. But what many tended to have longer-term effects, as toration Act, which would have made it Americans don’t realize is that with the Christian Right activism becomes more easier for businesses to claim religious same document, we not only declared of an organic part of local congregations’ exemptions to anti-discrimination laws. our independence from Great Britain, we beliefs and actions that flow from them. The bill was tabled, but Johnson went on just as strongly declared our dependence A Facebook post by the South Dakota FRC to be elected to the U.S. House of Repre- upon Almighty God.” affiliate, Family Heritage Alliance, epito- sentatives, where he serves on the House This argument is part of the manual’s mized this when promoting a seminar on Judiciary Committee. larger conflation of God and the -inten CITs in November 2017: “The Culture Im- And on January 16, 2016—Religious tions of the Founding Fathers, deployed pact Team is indigenous to your church. Freedom Day—FRC hosted a national to justify contemporary Christian Right Focusing on the local church allows us four-hour seminar called the Freedom views of what the Constitution requires to be able to come along side you to be a to Believe Broadcast.15 Republican Presi- on such matters as religious freedom and source of information, equipping, alert- dential candidates Jeb Bush, Mike Hucka- separation of church and state. ing, and mobilizing you and your church bee, Ted Cruz, Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, History doesn’t bear out the argument as we engage our communities, state and Carly Fiorina, Rick Santorum and Donald that the United States was founded as nation.”10 Trump were slated to send video mes- a Christian nation. God, the Bible, and But even as FRC and its affiliates - as sages about their views on religious free- Christianity are nowhere mentioned sure churches that they are in control, dom.16 Speakers included FRC leaders as in the Constitution. The sole reference they see churches as a potent part of their well as Ronnie Floyd, the President of the to religion is in Article VI, which pro- political plans; the Family Heritage Alli- Southern Baptist Convention. Some 160 scribes religious tests for public office, ance hoped to train its state’s CITs to fight churches hosted viewings and discussion and thereby established a principle of re- religious liberty issues as a 2018 prior- groups in all 50 states.17 The announce- ligious equality that has, over time, simi- ity.11 ment declared that churches should “Use larly precluded religious tests for citizen- Similar efforts are ongoing in other this event to gather a group of believers ship and voting, or for immigrants and states. In 2012, FRC teamed up with their interested in joining or forming a Culture refugees. Ohio state political affiliate (Citizens for Impact Ministry in your church.”18 Because the story of the Constitution Community Values), the Alliance De- does not bear out their claims, Christian fending Freedom, and Focus on the Fami- nationalists usually avoid talking about it ly’s political unit, then called CitizenLink and often rely on the Declaration of Inde-

WINTER 2018 Political Research Associates • 19 pendence as proof that the country was rives from the biblical book of Genesis, WRONG ON RELIGIOUS LIBERTY founded as a Christian Nation, to be gov- in which God declares that man shall Writing in the manual, Cureton equates erned under biblical laws. They frequent- “have dominion over the fish of the sea, religious liberty solely with advancing ly conflate the religious references found and over the fowl of the air, and over the the mission of conservative evangelical in the Declaration with the intentions of cattle, and over all the earth, and over Christianity, especially on abortion, sex- the Framers of the Constitution. But in every creeping thing that creepeth upon uality, gender, and marriage. As Cureton fact, the Framers’ approach to matters of the earth.” Over the past half-century, sees it, religious freedom amounts to religion and government are not rooted the phrase has become the watchword this: “God has given every human being in the Declaration of Independence. for the religious vision of Dominionists, the basic freedom of being able to relate The actual story of religious liberty who believe that, regardless of means, to and worship Him both privately and in the U.S. is rooted not in the Declara- timetable, or theological camp, God has publicly, a freedom which is enshrined in tion’s appeals to God, but in other work called conservative Christians to exercise our First Amendment.”27 No mention is of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. dominion over society by taking control made of the religious freedom of others. After serving as the principal author of of political and cultural institutions.24 Such a narrow and self-serving claim the Declaration in 1776, within a year of The implications of these terms, con- relies on a shaky foundation not support- his returning to Virginia, Jefferson wrote sidered the foundation for a “biblical ed by history. A focus of this revisionist and introduced in the state legislature worldview” (used interchangeably with a campaign is a long-term siege against what eventually became the Virginia “Christian Worldview”), and the activities Thomas Jefferson’s famous phrase, “wall Statute for Religious Freedom. The point related to attaining Christian domination of separation between church and state,” was to promote religious equality under over every area of life are discussed in the and related constitutional principles. the law, such that citizens may believe as manual. This frank theocratic language Historian John Ragosta writes that prior they will and that this “shall in no wise is remarkable in itself since so much of to the modern notion of Christian nation- diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil ca- what we hear is couched in vaguer terms alism, the idea of separation of church pacities.”21 As historians Edwin S. Gaus- like “family values” and “values voter.” and state was little questioned. It had tad and Leigh E. Schmidt wrote in their Cureton’s essays in the manual, by con- been central to Supreme Court jurispru- classic, The Religious History of America, trast, epitomize contemporary Domin- dence since 1879.28 the development of religious freedom in ionism, as when he writes: In keeping with this siege on the meta- Virginia “determined the course that the This God-given responsibility and au- phorical wall, Cureton grossly distorts nation itself chose to follow.”22 Yet there thority to have dominion is all inclu- the idea of church-state separation, its is nothing in the Virginia Statute hold- sive. As vice-regents of God, we are history and the motives of its defenders. ing a special place for Christianity or that to bring His sovereign rule (i.e., His The distortions involve the claim that re- otherwise supports Cureton’s claims.23 Kingdom) to bear on every sphere of ligion generally and Christianity in par- Nevertheless, the fundamentals of our world, not just the sacred, but also ticular need protection from the alleged Christian nationalist ideology are part of the secular. God’s dominion is to hold creeping tyranny of the secular state. what FRC wants its grassroots activists to sway over all human endeavors and in- Unfortunately, these and other such build upon. And the failure of most of the stitutes, such as religious practice, eth- claims have not been contested as widely rest of society to engage with this body of ics, education, government, science, as befits their central role in the religious misinformation has effectively ceded the medicine, the arts, the environments, and political identity of members of the public debate, treating these distortions entertainment, etc.25 Christian Right. as esoteric matters best left to the acad- The manual’s worldview was given In 1802, President Jefferson wrote to emy and the most persistent advocates of voice at the 2017 Values Voter Summit, the Baptist Association of Danbury, Con- separation of church and state. where plenary speaker Dr. Frank Wright, necticut, to assure this religious minor- History is powerful. That’s why it is im- CEO of the D. James Kennedy Center for ity of his support for religious freedom. portant for the rest of us not just to know Christian Statesmanship in Washington, At the time, Connecticut had yet to dises- how the Religious Right is wrong, but D.C., explained the biblical justification tablish the Congregational Church, and also that the Framers of the Constitution for political action. “[T]he Great Commis- Baptists were effectively second-class cit- intended to inoculate the country against sion and the Cultural Mandate together izens. Jefferson promised them, in a let- the ravages of religious supremacism. comprise the ethic of Christian cultural ter vetted by his Attorney General, that engagement,” Wright declared. He em- they could be so assured because the First DOMINIONISM AND THE CULTURE phasized that God is sovereign over all Amendment had erected a wall of separa- MANDATE of the institutions of culture, “including tion between church and state. Other key texts in the manual refer and maybe especially government and But Cureton claims, in one of sev- to the “cultural mandate” or the “cul- politics.”26 Wright’s Center for Christian eral essays in the manual, that the “true tural commission”—terms that in other Statesmanship seeks to train members meaning of Jefferson’s ‘wall’” is that he contexts are used interchangeably with of Congress and staff in this approach to intended it as “a protection of people the “dominion mandate.” This idea de- government and governing. of faith from government intrusion.”29

20 • The Public Eye WINTER 2018 This echoes a long-debunked notion that for the evangelical antiabortion move- commands what God condemns, then the metaphor was intended as a “one- ment, the broader Christian Right, and you are obliged to disobey.”42 directional wall” to protect religion from the creeping theocratization of the Re- Justifying what he calls the “last re- government, when in fact the purpose publican Party.36 Cureton cites the book sort” of Christian civil disobedience, he was for the protection of both from one in denouncing an apolitical stance on attributes a quote to George Washington: another.30 Cureton is evidently aware the part of some conservative Christians “Government… is a troublesome servant of this, complaining that the Supreme as “unbiblical,” declaring that, “it is in and a fearful Master.”43 Tellingly, it’s a Court has “ignored the original intent of fact a heresy, a doctrine of demons.” The line taken from a larger statement that the Founding Fathers” and “trashed four answer, Cureton asserts, is “to recover a the Washington Library at Mt. Vernon centuries of America’s Judeo-Christian biblically based worldview that rightly has debunked as “spurious.”44 heritage” in “declaring a two-way ‘Wall of places all of life under the rule of God.”37 Separation’ between church and state.”31 While Schaeffer claimed to support reli- THE MANUAL FOR THEOCRATIC DO- Unsurprisingly, Cureton therefore gious pluralism and to oppose theocracy, MINION claims that the so-called “culture war” his work inspired the political activism The religious vision of the manual— is a war against both Christian beliefs of many who later became full-fledged of conservative Christians laboring to- and against “our nation’s Christian heri- Dominionists. Although he didn’t share ward political dominion—and the many tage.”32 He questions the patriotism of the belief, held by Christian Reconstruc- Christian Right catchphrases it deploys, anyone who holds different views. -“No tionist followers of theologian R.J. Rush- are familiar to anyone engaged in public body,” he concludes, “ought to claim doony, that society should eventually be life. Many of its false historical claims are to be a good citizen, a patriot who takes reorganized according to Old Testament also familiar. Taken together they pro- Christianity out of culture, God out of biblical laws, he nonetheless warned of a vide a clear snapshot of the ideological government.”33 profound threat to contemporary Christi- presumptions of the Christian Right and This dualistic framing pits the people anity by secular government, and called merit careful study as well as the devel- of God against a secular government for massive resistance. opment of thoughtful responses. whose actual purpose is to protect the Cureton, like many others, follows in Culture Impact Teams serve as the rights of all. Indeed, Cureton claims that Schaeffer’s harsh rhetorical wake, -call ground troops of a formidable political defenders of church-state separation are ing judges “black robed tyrants” who are army, now waging its war from the cen- trying to silence Christians who speak engaged in “radical secularization” of the ter of politics and government, where out about the issues of the day: public square, promoting homosexual- they’ve been empowered to advance a [H]ave you noticed how the critics cry ity, which he calls a “deceptive perver- dangerous suite of theocratic and perse- foul, claiming “Separation of Church sion,” and attacking the “sacred institu- cutory policies. What’s often lost amid & State,” and saying “You don’t have a tion of marriage.”38 the consternation over Trump’s sup- right to speak about public policy and Cureton’s manual thus casts the ordi- port among White evangelicals, is that law! Go cower in your church, lock nary struggles of public life in terms of it they are not just a mystifying demo- yourself in your little stained glass religious war. And in so doing, it does graphic, but a politically well-organized prison, and stay there!”34 not just idly employ military and apoca- one as well. When people refer to “the Of course, few if any ever say such lyptic rhetoric the way some people base,” they are an important element; things. And consistent with Cureton’s speak of politics as a horse race. Rather, when they refer to the infrastructure of method, he cites no examples of anyone the meaning is more literal, as he states, the Christian Right, CITs are part of the who ever has. “we are soldiers on a battlefield of a much foundation. And when we say that the grander scale fighting in a War that has Christian Right is promoting theocratic THE VIRTUAL REALITY OF “CHRISTIAN been waged since the beginning of time Dominionism, FRC’s manual is Exhibit WORLDVIEW GLASSES” with an enemy that desperately seeks to A in demonstrating how this ideology is Cureton and his ilk believe that there stop God’s kingdom from coming…”39 shaping national policy, as well as the are three areas of God-ordained gover- “It is only when you put on your ‘Chris- Christian Right’s plan to continue build- nance: civil government, the family, and tian worldview glasses,’” Cureton de- ing their base into the future. 35 the church. And while he insists that clares, “that you can see the current cul- Frederick Clarkson is a Senior Research 40 the godly institution of civil government ture war for what it really is.” Analyst at Political Research Associates. must be obeyed, he also says that when it Following this, Cureton denounces the He co-founded the group blog Talk To Ac- strays out of conformity with God’s laws, idea of religious tolerance, and anything tion and authored Eternal Hostility: The it is incumbent on Christians to resist. other than a “black and white” view of Struggle Between Theocracy and De- How far this resistance should go is the good and evil, as a “subtle, sinister brain- mocracy. Follow him on Twitter at @Fred- question. washing process” that seeks “peaceful co- Clarkson. The influential evangelical theolo- existence with evil.”41 Therefore, he con- gian Francis Schaeffer’s 1981 book, A cludes, sometimes, “we must stand up Christian Manifesto, served as a catalyst to our government…if the government

WINTER 2018 Political Research Associates • 21 endnotes

In the Court of the Centrist King, p. 6 macron-policies-beliefs-philosophy. Macron’s Waste (2014) and Nancy MacLean, Democracy in 8. George Michael, “David Lane and the Four- words. Chains (2017). teen Words,” Totalitarian Movements and Political 1. Neoliberalism, broadly construed, is a form 11. One should recall that various formulations 28. Friedrich Hayek, The Constitution of Liberty, Religions 2009, 10(1): 43-61. of capitalist politics and governance which inten- of “neither right nor left”—while more recently (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1960), 13. 9. David Lane, “Wotanism (Odinism),” Der sifies market relations in all aspects of society. popular with centrists—were a frequent self-de- 29. The Chicago School economist Gary Becker Brüder Schweigen Archives & David Eden Lane’s Sometimes confused with a purely libertarian scription of 1920s and ‘30s fascists. popularized the concept of “human capital” in Pyramid Prophecy, accessed September 3, 2017, “market fundamentalism” (which it rhetorically 12. Will Worley, “French election turnout worst the 1960s. Since then the concept has become http://www.davidlane1488.com/wotan.html. often adheres to) or simply “more capitalism” in modern history as Emmanuel Macron heads for prevalent in policy discussions and popular dis- 10. Mattias Gardell, Gods of the Blood: The Pagan (which is true but incomplete), neoliberalism landslide victory in parliament,” The Independent, course. It is part of a two-fold transformation of Revival and White Separatism (Durham and Lon- extends the life of capitalism past endemic and June 12, 2017, http://www.independent.co.uk/ the subject as found in classical liberal political don: Duke University Press, 2003), 1. external crises. So while there is language of news/world/europe/french-election-turnout- philosophy. On the one hand, human beings are 11. See Will Carless, “An Ancient Nordic Re- the “shrinking” of the state, in fact state power emmanuel-macron-parliament-france-victory- “human capital,” like fixed capital—say, - ma ligion Is Inspiring White Supremacist Terror,” is increased in its coercive functions while it is fn-marine-le-pen-national-front-a7785366.html. chines or buildings. You can invest in them for Reveal News, May 25, 2017, https://www.reveal- simultaneously decreased in its definitional sov- 13. Gilles Deleuze, influential French poststruc- greater return on investment; they are change- news.org/article/an-ancient-nordic-religion-is- ereignty. One can think of this as a fundamental turalist philosopher. able, malleable, and above all to be understood inspiring-White-supremacist-jihad/. restructuring of the state in favor of unmitigated 14. For an examination of the election as well as in their capacity to generate profit. On the other 12. Frank Green Richmond, “Two Accused of capital interests. For a more precise and thorough some of its social underpinnings please see Perry hand, human beings are consumers and all Race-War Plot Tied to Asatru Religion in Vir- definition see Philip Mirowski, Never Let A Seri- Anderson’s excellent piece for the New Left Review meaningful choices can and should be expressed ginia Prisons,” The Roanoke Times, November ous Crisis Go To Waste: How Neoliberalism Survived 105 (May-June 2017), “The Centre Can Hold.” through the market or market-like mechanisms. 22, 2015,http://www.roanoke.com/news/vir- the Financial Meltdown, (New York: Verso, 2014), 15. “France: Abuses Under State of Emergency,” This is a far cry from the robust, rights-bearing ginia/accused-of-race-war-plot-tied-to-asatru- chapter 2. On neoliberalism as a fundamentally Human Rights Watch, February 3, 2016, https:// citizen one finds in the pages of classical liberal religion-in/article_f83401e4-faf5-5196-baad- right-wing reaction to the failures of the center- www.hrw.org/news/2016/02/03/france-abuses- political philosophy. 2a428a54f849.html. left see, Adam Przeworski, Capitalism and Social under-state-emergency. 30. Friedrich A. Hayek, as quoted in Philip 13. Will Carless, “An Ancient Nordic Religion Is Democracy, (Cambridge: Cambridge University 16. “France: Unchecked clampdown on protests Mirowski, “Postface: Defining Neoliberalism.” Inspiring White Supremacist Terror.” Press, 1986), chapter 6. For a more purely eco- under guise of fighting terrorism,” Amnesty in Philip Mirowski and Dieter Plehwe, The Road 14. Betsy Woodruff, “Inside Virginia’s Church- nomic analysis of neoliberalism see David Har- International, May 31, 2017, https://www.am- from Mont Pelerin: The Making of the Neoliberal Burning Werewolf White Supremacist Cult,” The vey, A Brief History of Neoliberalism, (Oxford: nesty.org/en/press-releases/2017/05/france- Thought Collective (Cambridge MA: Harvard Uni- Daily Beast, November 11, 2015, http://www.the- Oxford University Press, 2007); and finally for unchecked-clampdown-on-protests-under-guise- versity Press, 2009),446. dailybeast.com/inside-virginias-church-burning- understanding neoliberalism as a way of think- of-fighting-terrorism/. 31. Eleanor Halls, “Emmanuel Macron says werewolf-white-supremacist-cult. ing, see Wendy Brown, Undoing the Demos: Neo- 17. Anne-Sylvaine Chassany, “France: the Per- France needs a King.” 15. Rick Paulas, “How a Thor-Worshipping Re- liberalism’s Stealth Revolution (Cambridge: MIT manent State of Emergency,” Financial Times, 32. Nancy MacLean, Democracy in Chains, 87. ligion Turned Racist,” VICE News, May 1, 2015, Press, 2015). Przeworski’s succinct statement, in October 2, 2017, https://www.ft.com/content/ As argued by Mariya Strauss (“‘Faith-Washing’ https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/qbxpp5/ the early 1980s, that this is a new Right wing “to f5309ff8-a521-11e7-9e4f-7f5e6a7c98a2. Right-Wing Economics: How the Right is Mar- how-a-thor-worshipping-religion-turned-rac- free accumulation from all the fetters imposed on 18. Yasmeen Serhan, “Will France’s State of keting Medicare’s Demise,” The Public Eye, Fall ist-456. it by democracy,” is extremely helpful in under- Emergency Become Permanent?,” The Atlantic, 2015), Republicans have also been enormously 16. Birgitta Wallace, “Vinland,” Encyclopaedia standing that the neoliberal project is principally July 11, 2017, https://www.theatlantic.com/in- successful at mobilizing, within this diminished Britannica, June 3, 2015, https://www.britan- anti-democratic, not anti-state, even as it under- ternational/archive/2017/07/will-frances-state- electorate, popular ideas via Christian moralism nica.com/place/Vinland. mines, in many cases and areas, state sovereignty of-emergency-become-permanent/532848/. and theology of profit as a sign of grace, work as 17. Jane Lawrence, “The Indian Health Service particularly where non-market actors might exert 19. This series of developments would seem to a moral imperative, and capitalism itself as in and the Sterilization of Native American Wom- limiting powers over market actors. confirm the classic Schmittian thesis about execu- some ways divinely ordained. As Kathi Weeks en,” American Indian Quarterly vol. 24(3), 2000: 2. The Editorial Board, “Mr. Macron Starts tive decision and emergency/exception being the and others have noted—drawing on the seminal 400-419. Making Waves,” New York Times, July 21, 2017, true constitution of sovereign power. However, work of Max Weber—this “Protestant ethic” can 18. Charla Bear, “American Indian Board- https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/opin- here it is interesting to note that Macron is not serve a profound role in justifying and reproduc- ing Schools Haunt Many,” NPR, May 12, 2008, ion/emmanuel-macron-campaign-promise-bud- fully sovereign in a Schmittian, Hobbesian, or any ing capitalism while creating crushing commit- http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story. get.html. traditional definition of the word. In the realm of ments to work for work’s sake. Democrats and php?storyId=16516865. 3. Roberto Stefan Foa and Yascha Mounk, “The the economy he is only able to “reform” as pre- many who would consider themselves on the Far 19. David Perry, “White Supremacists Love Danger of Deconsolidation: The Democratic Dis- determined by the EU and, even there, where Left also often demonstrate a manic commitment Vikings. But They’ve Got History All Wrong,” connect,” The Journal of Democracy 27, no. 3 (July sovereignty lies is not entirely clear. This sets up a to “Protestant ethic” values. The Washington Post, May 31, 2017, https:// 2016), https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/ series of questions about the nature of states and 33. Yascha Mounk, “The Real Lessons of the www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/ article/danger-deconsolidation-democratic-dis- sovereignty in the globalized era that goes far be- French Election,” Slate, April 24, 2017, http:// wp/2017/05/31/white-supremacists-love-vi- connect. There is something of a tautological ar- yond the scope of this paper. Carl Schmitt was a www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/ kings-but-theyve-got-history-all-wrong/?utm_ gument across Mounk’s work. Support for liberal noted jurist and legal philosopher in the Weimar the_good_fight/2017/04/how_emmanuel_ma- term=.986f1bbb7b34. democracy is waning, the argument goes. And, and Nazi eras in Germany. Although a far-right cron_can_save_france_from_the_populists. 20. Jennifer Snook, Thad Horrell, and Kristen while sociological specters like xenophobia, rac- thinker—and an enthusiastic Nazi—his views are html. Horton, “Heathens in the United States: The Re- ism, class status, and economic well-being hover extremely influential on a wide spectrum -of po 34. Yascha Mounk, “European Disunion.” turn to ‘Tribes’ in the Construction of a People- offscreen, haunting us with hopes of a causal litical thought to this day. “Simplistic” is a farcical description of either hood,” in Cosmopolitanism, Nationalism, and Mod- mechanism, the primary motion is ascribed to the 20. Trade Union Density (by country), OECD. Podemos or SYRIZA, regardless of one’s place on ern Paganism, ed. Kathryn Rountree (New York: expressions of support or criticism for the status Stat, https://stats.oecd.org/. the political spectrum. Palgrave Macmillan, 2017), 58. quo. Thus, support for liberal democracy is fall- 21. Hannah Murphy and Valentina Romei, “The 35. Raphaële Chappe and Ajay Singh Chaud- 21. Jack Jenkins, “The New Religion of Choice ing because people are failing to support liberal economy that France’s next president will inher- hary, “The Supermanagerial Reich,” Los An- for White Supremacists.” ThinkProgress, Novem- democracy. it,” The Financial Times, March 9, 2017, https:// geles Review of Books, Nov. 7, 2016, https:// ber 13, 2015, https://thinkprogress.org/the- 4. See for examples of similar equivalencies: www.ft.com/content/c33bafde-fe68-11e6-8d8e- lareviewofbooks.org/article/the-supermanage- new-religion-of-choice-for-white-supremacists- Yascha Mounk, “European Disunion,” New Re- a5e3738f9ae4. rial-reich/. 8af2a69a3440/. public, July 19, 2017, https://newrepublic.com/ 22. “By almost any measure, life for the vast ma- 36. “Where We Stand: Our Manifesto,” UK La- 22. “Stubba - John Yeowell (1918-2010),” The article/143604/european-disunion-rise-populist- jority of Americans has gotten worse over the last bour Party, https://labour.org.uk/manifesto/. Odinic Rite of Australia, accessed December 7, movements-means-democracy. 40 years or so. Poverty, women’s health, median 37. Jean Baudrillard, America, (New York: Ver- 2017, https://odinicriteofaustralia.wordpress. 5. Nancy MacLean, Democracy in Chains: The per capita wealth, income inequality, incarcera- so, 2010), 76, 95. com/stubba-john-yeowell-1918-2010/. Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for tion rates, and so on have all grown worse. The 38. Thomas Jones, “Blair’s Thatcher, Thatcher’s 23. Stubba, This is Odinism and Other Essays America, (New York: Viking, 2017), 81. United States is one of the few countries on Earth Blair,” London Review of Books, April 8, 2013, (Melbourne: Renewal Publications, 2016), 90. 6. “French President Emmanuel Macron Dan- where the maternal death rate is increasing. We https://www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2013/04 24. George Lachmann Mosse, The Crisis of Ger- gles From Helicopter Over Sub,” NBC News (web), have a growing life-expectancy gap.” Ajay Singh man Ideology: Intellectual Origins of the Third Reich July 5, 2017, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/ Chaudhary, “What a proper response to Trump’s White Supremacy’s Old Gods, p. 11 (New York: Schocken Books, 1981). world/french-president-emmanuel-macron-dan- fascism demands: a true ideological left,” Quartz, 25. Jeffrey Kaplan, “Right-Wing Violence in 1. “White Patriot Party (WPP) Group Guide,” gles-helicopter-over-sub-n779721. November 17, 2016, https://qz.com/838537/ North America,” in Terror from the Extreme Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terror- 7. “French President Emmanuel Macron says what-a-proper-response-to-trumps-fascism-de- Right, ed. Tore Bjørgo (London: Frank Cass & Co., ism (MIPT) Terrorism Knowledge Base, accessed Trump handshake was ‘not innocent’,” USA To- mands-a-true-ideological-left/. 1995), 60. November 2, 2017. day, May 29, 2017, https://www.usatoday.com/ 23. Caroline Mortimer, “Emmanuel Macron 26. Stefanie von Schnurbein, Norse Revival: 2. Daniel Burke, “The Accused Kansas story/news/politics/onpolitics/2017/05/29/ signs sweeping new labour law reforms amid Transformations of Germanic Paganism (Boston and Killer’s Neo-Pagan Religion,” CNN Belief Blog, french-president-emmanuel-macron-says- union outcry,” The Independent, September 22, Leiden: Brill, 2016), 48. April 14, 2014, http://religion.blogs.cnn. trump-handshake-not-innocent/352967001/. 2017, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/ 27. Daniel Burke, “The Accused Kansas Kill- com/2014/04/14/frazier-glenn-cross-racist- 8. Mary Bowerman, “Emmanuel Macron world/europe/macron-labour-laws-reforms-new- er’s Neo-Pagan Religion,” CNN Belief Blog, religion/. jostles his way to the front of G20 photo to stand france-union-protests-a7962141.html. April 14, 2014, http://religion.blogs.cnn. 3. Mattias Gardell, Gods of the Blood: The Pa- by Donald Trump,” The Telegraph, July 7, 2017, 24. Branko Marcetic, “Emmanuel Macron is com/2014/04/14/frazier-glenn-cross-racist- gan Revival and White Separatism, (Durham and http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/07/ Not Your Friend,” Jacobin, July 26, 2017, https:// religion/. London: Duke University Press, 2003). emmanuel-macron-jostles-way-front-g20-photo- www.jacobinmag.com/2017/07/emmanuel-ma- 28. Stephen McNallen, “Three Decades of the 4. 2014 Religious Landscape Study, Pew stand-donald-trump/. cron-france-unions-workers-economics-le-pen. Ásatrú Revival in America,” in Joshua Buckley Research Center, http://www.pewforum.org/ 9. Sylvie Kauffmann, “When Trump Meets It is worth noting that Macron here is referring to and Michael Moynihan (eds), Tyr: Myth, Culture, religious-landscape-study/. Jupiter in Paris,” The New York Times, July 12, earlier less drastic reforms. Tradition, Volume II (Atlanta: Ultra), 203-219. 5. Karl E.H. Seigfried, “Worldwide Heathen 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/12/ 25. Hannah Murphy and Valentina Romei, 29. Michael F. Strmiska and Baldur A. Sig- Census 2013: Results and Analysis,” The Norse opinion/emmanuel-macron-donald-trump-paris. “The economy that France’s next president will urvinsson, “Asatru: Nordic Paganism in Iceland Mythology Blog, January 6, 2014, http://www. html. While I have argued elsewhere that the inherit.” and America,” in Michael F. Strmiska (ed.), Mod- norsemyth.org/2014/01/worldwide-heathen- “politics of personality” are a poor substitute for 26. Adam Nossiter, “In Lofty Versailles Speech, ern Paganism in World Cultures: Comparative Per- census-2013-results.html. ideology, what is interesting in Macron’s case is Macron Tells the French to Prepare for Change,” spectives (Santa Barbara and Oxford: ABC-CLIO, 6. Jeffrey Kaplan, “The Reconstruction of the not the man himself but rather the reactions to The New York Times, July 3, 2017, https://www. 2005), 127-180. 127. Asatru and Odinist Traditions” in Magical Reli- him, particularly among media and political ac- nytimes.com/2017/07/03/world/europe/ma- 30. Gardell, 260. Note that some sources, such gion and Modern Witchcraft, ed. James R. Lewis tors outside France. cron-france-parliament-speech.html. as Strmiska and Sigurvinsson, place the founding (Albany: State University of New York Press), 10. Eleanor Halls, “Emmanuel Macron says 27. See arguments about difficulties of advanc- of the Asatru Free Assembly as having occurred 198. France needs a King,” GQ UK, May 9, 2017, http:// ing a neoliberal program with electoral popularity circa 1972. 7. Jeffrey Kaplan, “The Reconstruction of the www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/emmanuel- in Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to 31. “New Brand of Racist Odinist Religion on the Asatru and Odinist Traditions.”

22 • The Public Eye WINTER 2018 endnotes

March,” Southern Poverty Law Center, March 15, hate-speech. com/news/neo-nazi-travis-ricci-just-pulled-two- 1998. 58. McNallen was scheduled to speak at the decades-in-the-joint-as-the-specter-of-his-death- Council’s Free to Believe Nationwide Broadcast to 32. Ibid. rally, and he also publicly endorsed the event waits-6448951. Reach Over 160 Churches in 50 States,” January 33. Jeffrey Kaplan, “The Reconstruction of the on Twitter through his Wotan Network account: 81. Helen A. Berger, Evan A. Leach, and Leigh 14, 2016. Ásatrú and Odinist Traditions,” in Magical Reli- https://twitter.com/WotanNetwork1/sta- S. Shaffer, Voices from the Pagan Census: A Nation- 18. “Free to Believe,” Culture Impact web site. gion and Modern Witchcraft, ed. James R. Lewis tus/896382167336538113. al Survey of Witches and Neo-pagans in the United 19. Kenyn Cureton, unbylined essay, “Biblical (Albany: State University of New York Press, 59. Christina Caron, “Heather Heyer, Charlot- States (Columbia: University of South Carolina Basis: Firm Foundation for Cultural Impact Min- 1996), 203-204. tesville Victim, Is Recalled as ‘a Strong Woman,’” Press, 2003), 16. istry,” Pgs. 18-19. Included in Kenyn Cureton, 34. “Bylaws,” The Asatru Alliance, accessed The New York Times, August 13, 2017, https:// 82. “Soldiers of Odin USA: The Extreme Euro- “Culture Impact Team Resource Manual: How to September 3, 2017, http://www.asatru.org/aab- www.nytimes.com/2017/08/13/us/heather-hey- pean Anti-Refugee Group Comes to America,” Establish a Ministry at Your Church,” Family Re- ylaws.php. er-charlottesville-victim.html. Anti-Defamation League, 2016, https://www. search Council, 2011. 35. See “Valgard Murray Biography: ABOUT 60. Jonathan Montpetit, “Inside Quebec’s Far adl.org/sites/default/files/documents/assets/ 20. Frank Lambert, “Separation of Church & VALGARD MURRAY,” World Tree Publications, Right: Soldiers of Odin Leadership Shake-Up pdf/combating-hate/Soldiers-of-Odin-USA-Re- State: Founding Principle of Religious Liberty,” accessed November 1, 2017, https://web.ar- Signals Return to Extremist Roots,” CBC News, port-web.pdf. Mercer University Press, 2014. Pg. 13. chive.org/web/20130501220434/http://www. December 14, 2016, http://www.cbc.ca/news/ 83. Jenkins, 2015. 21. Quotes from Thomas Jefferson, “Monti- worldtreepublications.org/page009.aspx. canada/montreal/quebec-far-right-soldiers-of- 84. Jeffrey Kaplan, Radical Religion in America: cello.” 36. See “Asatru Alliance Althing 36,” The Asa- odin-1.3896175. Millenarian Movements from the Far Right to the 22. Edwin S. Gaustad and Leigh E. Schmidt, tru Alliance, accessed November 1, 2017, https:// 61. Tom Porter, “Soldiers of Odin: Name of Children of Noah (Syracuse: Syracuse University The Religious History of America, Revised Edition, www.asatru.org/althing36.php. Far-Right Group Patented for Use By ‘Glittery Press, 1997), 21. Harper Collins, 2002. Pg. 123. 37. See “Contacts of the Asatru Alliance,” The Unicorn’ Clothing Range,” International Business 85. Ibid. 23. John Ragosta, Religious Freedom: Jefferson’s Asatru Alliance, accessed November 1, 2017, Times, May 18, 2016, http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/ 86. “Frequently-Asked Questions About The Legacy, America’s Creed, University of Virginia https://www.asatru.org/contact.php. soldiers-odin-name-far-right-group-patented- Troth,” The Troth, February 3, 2017, https://www. Press, 2013; Edwin S. Gaustad, Sworn on the Altar 38. “Do You Want Bigots, Gavin? Because This use-by-glittery-unicorn-clothing-range-1560781. thetroth.org/faq.html. of God: A Religious Biography of Thomas Jefferson, Is How You Get Bigots,” Southern Poverty Law 62. Tom Porter, “Mika Ranta: Founder of Far- 87. See https://www.facebook.com/pg/Hea- Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1996. Center, August 10, 2017, https://www.splcenter. Right Soldiers of Odin Vigilante Group Convicted thensUnited/about/?ref=page_internal. 24. Frederick Clarkson, “Dominionism Rising: org/hatewatch/2017/08/10/do-you-want-bigots- of Aggravated Assault,” International Business 88. Ryan Smith (Co-Founder, Heathens United A Theocratic Movement Hiding in Plain Sight,” gavin-because-how-you-get-bigots. Times, May 19, 2016, http://www.ibtimes. Against Racism), interviewed by Shannon Weber The Public Eye, Summer 2016. 39. “Vinlanders Social Club,” Anti-Defamation co.uk/mika-ranta-founder-far-right-soldiers- via Facebook Messenger, November 2, 2017. 25. Kenyn Cureton, unbylined essay, “Biblical League, accessed October 3. 2017, https://www. odin-vigilante-group-convicted-aggravated-as- 89. Max Londberg, “White Supremacists Com- Basis: Firm Foundation for Cultural Impact Min- adl.org/education/references/hate-symbols/ sault-1560987. ing to Independence? Community Outcry Halts istry,” Pgs. 3-4. vinlanders-social-club. 63. “Soldiers of Odin USA: The Extreme Euro- Fringe Group’s Event,” The Kansas City Star, 26. Frank Wright, Video Archive, Values Voter 40. Stephen E. Atkins, Encyclopedia of Right- pean Anti-Refugee Group Comes to America,” August 16, 2017, http://www.kansascity.com/ Summit, 2017. Wing Extremism in Modern American History (Santa Anti-Defamation League, 2016, https://www. news/local/article167494937.html. 27. Kenyn Cureton, “Culture Impact Team Re- Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2011), 117-118. adl.org/sites/default/files/documents/assets/ 90. See https://www.facebook.com/Heathen- source Manual: How to Establish a Ministry at 41. Woodruff, 2015. pdf/combating-hate/Soldiers-of-Odin-USA-Re- sUnited/. Your Church,” Family Research Council, 2011. 42. Ibid. port-web.pdf. 91. “Declaration 127,” Huginn’s Heathen Hof, Pg. 24 43. Will Rahn, “Inside the White Supremacists’ 64. Jake Wallis Simons, “Exclusive: Nazi Dag- accessed October 3, 2017, http://www.declara- 28. John Ragosta, Religious Freedom: Jefferson’s Halloween Bash,” The Daily Beast, November 2, gers, SS Hats and a Hangman’s Noose: On Night tion127.com/. Legacy, America’s Creed, University of Virginia 2015, https://www.thedailybeast.com/inside- Patrol with the ‘Soldiers of Odin’, Neo-Nazi Led Press, 2013. Pgs. 1-3. the-white-supremacists-halloween-bash. Vigilantes Vowing to ‘Keep Europe’s Women Safe A Manual to Restore a Christian Nation 29. Kenyn Cureton, “Culture Impact Team Re- 44. Donna Minkowitz, “How the Alt-Right Is Us- from Migrant Sex Attacks,” Daily Mail, February that Never Was, p. 17 source Manual: How to Establish a Ministry at ing Sex and Camp to Attract Gay Men to Fascism,” 4, 2016 (updated 7 February 2017), http://www. Your Church,” Family Research Council, 2011. 1. Frederick Clarkson, “EXPOSED: How the Pg. 37. Slate, June 5, 2017, http://www.slate.com/blogs/ dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3426685/Nazi- Right’s State-Based Think Tanks Are Transform- outward/2017/06/05/how_alt_right_leaders_ daggers-SS-hats-hangman-s-noose-night-patrol- 30. Robert Boston, “Sects, Lies and Videotape: ing U.S. Politics,” The Public Eye, Winter 2013. David Barton’s Distorted History,” Church & State, jack_donovan_and_james_o_meara_attract_gay_ Soldiers-Odin-neo-Nazi-led-vigilantes-vowing- See FRC State Family Policy Councils; Focus on men_to.html. Europe-s-women-safe-migrant-sex-attacks.html. April 1993. the Family’s political arm, Family Policy Alliance’s 31. Kenyn Cureton, unbylined essay, “Christian 45. Matthew Wils, “Ernst Röhm, the Highest- 65. “Soldiers of Odin USA,” Anti-Defamation State Family Policy Councils. Ranking Gay Nazi,” JStor Daily, March 27, 2017, League, 2016. Citizenship Sunday: How you Can Have Maxi- 2. Jeremy Peters, “Trump Keeps His Conser- https://daily.jstor.org/ernst-rohm-the-highest- 66. Simons, 2016. mum Patriotic Impact,” 2011. (Pg. 8 of an unpagi- vative Movement Allies Closest,” The New York nated document). ranking-gay-nazi/. 67. Ibid. Times, August 2, 2017. Jenkins, 2015. Ibid. 32. Kenyn Cureton, unbylined essay, “Biblical 46. 68. 3. Katherine Stewart, “The Museum of the 47. Carless, 2017. 69. “Soldiers of Odin USA,” Anti-Defamation Basis: Firm Foundation for Cultural Impact Min- Bible Is a Safe Space for Christian Nationalists,” istry,” Pg. 1. 48. Jordan Fischer, “Who are the American League, 2016. The New York Times, January 6, 2018; Peter Mont- Guard: Patriotic Nationalists, or Skinheads in Dis- 70. Alice Speri, “The FBI Has Quietly Investigat- 33. Kenyn Cureton, unbylined essay, “Christian gomery, “Leader Of Trump Cabinet Bible Studies Citizenship Sunday: How you Can Have Maxi- guise?” The Indy Channel, May 25, 2017, https:// ed White Supremacist Infiltration of Law Enforce- Aggressively Expanding Right-Wing Proselytizing www.theindychannel.com/longform/who-are- ment,” The Intercept, January 31,2017, https:// mum Patriotic Impact.” (Pg. 8 of an unpaginated To Government Officials,” Right Wing Watch, No- document). the-american-guard-patriotic-nationalists-or- theintercept.com/2017/01/31/the-fbi-has-qui- vember 27, 2017. skinheads-in-disguise. etly-investigated-White-supremacist-infiltration- 34. Kenyn Cureton, unbylined essay, “Christian 4. Katherine Stewart, “Betsy DeVos and God’s 49. “Behind the American Guard: Hardcore of-law-enforcement/. Citizenship Sunday: How you Can Have Maxi- Plan for Schools,” The New York Times, December mum Patriotic Impact.” (Pg. 4 of an unpaginated White Supremacists,” Anti-Defamation League, 71. Alex Shams, “Neither Taharrush Gamea 13, 2016. March 30, 2017, https://www.adl.org/blog/ Nor Sexism Are Arab ‘Cultural Practices,’” Huff- document). 5. Kristina Rizga, “Betsy DeVos Wants to Use behind-the-american-guard-hardcore-white- Post, accessed December 19, 2017, https://www. 35. Kenyn Cureton, unbylined essay, “Biblical America’s Schools to Build ‘God’s Kingdom’: Basis: Firm Foundation for Cultural Impact Min- supremacists. huffingtonpost.com/alex-shams/sexism-isnt-an- Trump’s education secretary pick has spent a life- 50. Bill Morlin, “New Alt-Right ‘Fight Club’ arab-cultural-practice_b_9022056.html. istry”, Pg. 19. time working to end public education as we know 36. Charles S. Broomfield, Francis A. Schaeffer, Ready for Street Violence,” Southern Poverty Law 72. “Soldiers of Odin USA: The Extreme Euro- it,” Mother Jones, March/April, 2017. Center, April 25, 2017, https://www.splcenter. pean Anti-Refugee Group Comes to America,” The Force Behind the Evangelical Takeover of the Re- 6. Steve Vladeck, “Hobby Lobby and executive org/hatewatch/2017/04/25/new-alt-right-fight- Anti-Defamation League, 2016, https://www. publican Party in America, (University of Missouri power: Gorsuch’s key rulings,” CNN, February 1, – Kansas City, 2012). club-ready-street-violence. adl.org/sites/default/files/documents/assets/ 2017. 51. “Do You Want Bigots, Gavin? Because This pdf/combating-hate/Soldiers-of-Odin-USA-Re- 37. Kenyn Cureton, unbylined essay, “Biblical 7. Department of Justice, “Office of Public -Af Basis: Firm Foundation for Cultural Impact Min- Is How You Get Bigots,” Southern Poverty Law port-web.pdf. fairs, Attorney General Sessions Issues Guidance Center, August 10, 2017,https://www.splcenter. 73. “Enough is Enough,” Patheos, January 16, istry”, Pg. 2. On Federal Law Protections For Religious Liber- 38. Kenyn Cureton, unbylined essay, “Christian org/hatewatch/2017/08/10/do-you-want-bigots- 2016, http://www.patheos.com/blogs/throught- ty,” October 6, 2017. gavin-because-how-you-get-bigots. hegrapevine/2016/01/enough-is-enough/. Citizenship Sunday: How you Can Have Maxi- 8. Tony Perkins, “Doubting Thomas: Libs Take 52. See https://shop.americanvikings.com. 74. “Soldiers of Odin USA,” 2016. mum Patriotic Impact.” (Pgs. 5-8 of an unpagi- on Jefferson’s Legacy,” Washington Watch, Janu- nated document). 53. Natasha Lennard, “The Violent Clashes 75. Ibid. ary 15, 2018. In Berkeley Weren’t ‘Pro-Trump’ Versus ‘Anti- 76. Dan Berrett, “Differing Pictures Emerge 39. Kenyn Cureton, unbylined essay, “Biblical 9. Rebecca Berry and John Graves, “Pastors Basis: Firm Foundation for Cultural Impact Min- Trump.’” Esquire, April 16, 2017, http://www. of Pennsylvania Slaying Victim,” Times Herald- 2028 Project - Practical Implementation,” You esquire.com/news-politics/news/a54564/the- Record, July 17, 2009, http://www.recordonline. istry”, Pg. 7. Tube, Posted March 10, 2016; See Culture Impact 40. Kenyn Cureton, unbylined essay, “Biblical violent-clashes-in-berkeley-werent-pro-trump- com/article/20090717/News/307179900. Team training video 10. versus-anti-trump/. Given the fact that Parrish also worked as a Basis: Firm Foundation for Cultural Impact Min- 77. 10. Family Heritage Alliance, “Culture Impact 54. Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, Black Sun: Aryan Pennsylvania corrections officer, it is worth con- istry”, Pg. 7. Training, Rapid City,” Facebook, retrieved Janu- 41. Kenyn Cureton, unbylined essay, “Biblical Cults, Esoteric Nazism and the Politics of Identity, sidering to what extent those employed by the ary 7, 2018. New York: New York University Press, 2002, 136. prison industry are also “buying into” the prom- Basis: Firm Foundation for Cultural Impact Min- 11. Dana Ferguson, “Conservative group will 55. Shane Burley, “Disunite the Right: The ises proffered by incarcerated Odinists. istry,” Pg. 15. wait for new governor to push transgender bill,” 42. Kenyn Cureton, unbylined essay, “Christian Growing Divides in the Pepe Coalition,” Politi- 78. “2 Men Charged in Phoenix Hate-Crime Argus Leader, September 27, 2017. cal Research Associates, September 19, 2017, Shooting,” AZFAmily.com, September 30, 2010, Citizenship Sunday: How you Can Have Maxi- 12. Brian Tashman, “Anti-Gay Groups Prepare http://www.politicalresearch.org/2017/09/19/ http://www.azfamily.com/story/28328488/2- mum Patriotic Impact.” (Pg. 4 of an unpaginated for Potential Ohio Referendum on Marriage Ban,” document). disunite-the-right-the-growing-divides-in-the- men-charged-in-phoenix-hate-crime-shooting. Right Wing Watch, July 27, 2012. pepe-coalition/. 79. Stephen Lemons, “Can France Save a Phoe- 43. Kenyn Cureton, unbylined essay, “Christian 13. Posmo, “Rabid anti-gay ‘Pastors 4 NC’,” blue Citizenship Sunday: How you Can Have Maxi- 56. “Flags and Other Symbols Used By Far-Right nix Neo-Nazi and Accused Murderer from the nc, June 27, 2014. Groups in Charlottesville,” Southern Poverty Law Needle? Let’s Hope Not,” Phoenix New Times, Janu- mum Patriotic Impact.” (Pg. 4 of an unpaginated 14. Brian Blackwell, “Culture Impact Teams Center, August 12, 2017, https://www.splcenter. ary 31, 2017, http://www.phoenixnewtimes. document). help churches influence society,” The Message, 44. Digital Encyclopedia, “Spurious Quota- org/hatewatch/2017/08/12/flags-and-other- com/news/can-france-save-a-phoenix-neo-nazi- April 1, 2015. symbols-used-far-right-groups-charlottesville. and-accused-murderer-from-the-needle-let-s- tions,” Mount Vernon. 15. “Free to Believe Broadcast,” Family Research 57. Jason Wilson, “Suspect In Portland Double hope-not-9037127. Council, You Tube, January 16, 2016. Murder Posted White Supremacist Material On- Stephen Lemons, “Neo-Nazi Travis Ricci 80. 16. John Wright, “WATCH LIVE: Eight GOP line,” The Guardian, May 28, 2017, https://www. Just Pulled Two Decades in the Joint, As The Presidential Candidates to Speak During Anti-Gay theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/27/port- Specter of His Death Waits,” Phoenix New Times, Web Hatecast,” Towleroad, January 16, 2016. land-double-murder-White-supremacist-muslim- May 26, 2011, http://www.phoenixnewtimes. 17. Family Research Council, “Family Research

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The Art of Activism

As a Filipino-American printmaker, illustrator, comic artist, noted, “I worry about who gets left behind in the quest for sur- and educator, Karl Orozco’s work often grapples with the legacy vival.” of colonialism, seeking to “challenge assumed notions of race, When he’s not making comics, Orozco creates promotional family, migration and power.” The Queens, New York-based art- materials for racial justice organizations such as the Asian Arts ist’s comics typically follow characters of color as they migrate, Initiative, 18 Million Rising, and Anakbayan New York-New build community, and confront Jersey, a Filipino youth organi- environmental crisis. Grappling zation. For him, art can convey with multifaceted topics such as advocacy messages with a power identity and colonialism, Oro- that other formats often lack. “An zco is fascinated by how symbols organizer once told me that art is change in meaning based on con- like a flower,” Orozco said. “Its text, pointing out that, “To one appearance is like petals, which person a palm tree could conjure beckon the honeybees and hum- the words ‘exotic’ or ‘foreign,’ mingbirds, but its influence is and to another, ‘motherland.’” small without a message—or Orozco’s creative process usu- seed—to spread. Artists serve as ally starts at the library. He likes interpreters for complex ideas to gather references on a topic, and are key in engaging audienc- and then fill his sketchbook with es outside our movements.” ideas. “I try to fill a full two-page Karl Orozco, Panel from “Low Tide,” featured in New Frontiers: The After the 2016 election, Orozco spread with relevant pictures and Many Worlds of George Takei, 2017. See more at: karlorozco.com. left his graphic design job for the quotes. When complete, I step back to see if any new connec- Queens Museum, where he teaches art to middle-school stu- tions arise and use those in-betweens as starting points.” One dents. “I have always loved working with youth and find art ex- recent comic, “Low Tide,” took inspiration from science fiction tremely important in navigating our current political and social authors Octavia Butler and Chang-Rae Lee to tease out conversa- climate,” he said. “I want youth to feel agency over their futures tions about the desire to discover other Earth-like planets, the by cultivating a sense of pride and power in themselves and their history of colonialism, and how they relate to marginalized com- communities.” munities. “As this planet becomes less and less inhabitable,” he -Allison Puglisi

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