Reflection 2: White Out—On the Mainstreaming of White Suprememcy
After 9/11, our country's national security apparatus focused almost exclusively on foreign-based terror threats. However, in 2019, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it had been "galvanized ... to expand its counterterrorism mission focus beyond terrorists operating aboard." Now, the domestic threat most concerning to DHS was white supremacy—the belief that Caucasians are racially superior and, therefore, should dominate society. Buoyed by a perceived ally in the Oval Office, a loose configuration of, often violent, groups (including QAnon, Neo-Nazis, Incels, the KKK, white Christian Nationalism, MGTOWs, the Manospehere, and others) have coalesced under the umbrella of the Alt-Right. From social media to college campuses to the military, these groups hope to inject their racist ideology into the American mainstream. While racism is an indelible part our nation's history, what can be done about this new wave of race-based hatred? With hate crimes reaching an all-time high in 2021, how should an increasingly-diverse America combat the mainstreaming of white supremacy messaging in our society?
Include at least two of the following in your discussion:
- "White Supremacists are Trying to Recruit American Teens Through Video Games" (Vox)
- "An Invasion of Propaganda: Experts Warn that White Supremacist Messages are Seeping into Mainstream" (USA Today)
- "How Daryl Davis Inspired More than 200 White Supremacists to Change. And How His New Platform Will Help Spark Meaningful Dialogue" (Forbes)
- "How to Combat White Supremacy Online" (MTV News)
Required:
- MLA Style
- Approximately 375 words
- Works cited
Submission Window: Wed 9.21-Mon 9.26 (via Canvas)