Speech: "News, 'Fake News' and Democracy in America" 11/07/2018 I gave an hour-long talk on so-called "fake news" in the age of Donald Trump and "alternative facts" in Montpelier, Vt., close to where I grew up. Many thanks to the Vermont Humanities Council and host Kellogg-Hubbard Library for the invitation and the terrific audience! The talk, at the local Unitarian Church, was underwritten by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in partnership with Pulitzer Prizes.
I gave an hour-long talk on so-called "fake news" in the age of Donald Trump and "alternative facts" in Montpelier, Vt., close to where I grew up. Many thanks to the Vermont Humanities Council and host Kellogg-Hubbard Library for the invitation and the terrific audience! The talk, at the local Unitarian Church, was underwritten by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in partnership with Pulitzer Prizes.
The Curious Case of Daryl Davis, the Black Man Befriending Members of the KKK 09/02/2018 I take a critical look at Daryl Davis, who has made "friends" with -- and in two cases, testified for -- a bevy of Klan leaders, all in the name of combating racism. It's not a story you'll find in most accounts this self-styled crusader. Photo: Matt McClain/Getty
I take a critical look at Daryl Davis, who has made "friends" with -- and in two cases, testified for -- a bevy of Klan leaders, all in the name of combating racism. It's not a story you'll find in most accounts this self-styled crusader. Photo: Matt McClain/Getty
To Russia With Love: U.S. Extremists Are Mad About Vlad 08/22/2018 In my latest Daily Beast piece, "To Russia With Love: U.S. Extremists Are Mad About Vlad," I take a look at the white supremacist League of the South's love affair with Russia and Vladimir Putin, along with some of the history and reasons why. A version of the piece is also published at the Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right, where I'm currently a Senior Fellow. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY LYNE LUCIEN/THE DAILY BEAST
In my latest Daily Beast piece, "To Russia With Love: U.S. Extremists Are Mad About Vlad," I take a look at the white supremacist League of the South's love affair with Russia and Vladimir Putin, along with some of the history and reasons why. A version of the piece is also published at the Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right, where I'm currently a Senior Fellow. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY LYNE LUCIEN/THE DAILY BEAST
The New Phrenology: The U.S., 'Conversion Therapy,' and the Radical Right 07/21/2018 British Prime Minister Theresa May vowed to eradicate the barbaric practice of "conversion therapy." In the United States, I write in an essay on attempts to "cure" homosexuality, not so much. PHOTO: FORTUNE
British Prime Minister Theresa May vowed to eradicate the barbaric practice of "conversion therapy." In the United States, I write in an essay on attempts to "cure" homosexuality, not so much. PHOTO: FORTUNE
'Three Years After Dylann Roof, Neo-Confederates Are Back' 06/16/2018 A backlash against Confederate symbols swept the country after the 2015 racist Charleston massacre. But, as I wrote in the Daily Beast, the vast majority of these statues and other markers remain, as does the loathsome neo-Confederate movement. PHOTO BY BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/GETTY
A backlash against Confederate symbols swept the country after the 2015 racist Charleston massacre. But, as I wrote in the Daily Beast, the vast majority of these statues and other markers remain, as does the loathsome neo-Confederate movement. PHOTO BY BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/GETTY
Book Review: 'Bring the War Home,' by Kathleen Belew 05/18/2018 In a post for the Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right, where I am now a Senior Fellow, I look at University of Chicago historian Kathleen Belew's new book, which claims to be the first comprehensive history of the American radical right. While Belew gets much right, she reaches some major conclusions that seem entirely wrongheaded.
In a post for the Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right, where I am now a Senior Fellow, I look at University of Chicago historian Kathleen Belew's new book, which claims to be the first comprehensive history of the American radical right. While Belew gets much right, she reaches some major conclusions that seem entirely wrongheaded.
New Documentary: "Alt-Right, Age of Rage" 04/28/2018 I was in Toronto for a couple of days thanks to the generosity of the Canadian International Documentary Festival, which flew me up to speak at a couple of featured showings of the important new documentary, "Alt-Right, Age of Rage." The two-hour film, directed by Adam Bhala Lough, builds out from the horrific events in Charlottesville, Va., in August of last year, and I'm quoted at some length. Ironically, the film festival opened just three days after 10 people were murdered by a van driver
I was in Toronto for a couple of days thanks to the generosity of the Canadian International Documentary Festival, which flew me up to speak at a couple of featured showings of the important new documentary, "Alt-Right, Age of Rage." The two-hour film, directed by Adam Bhala Lough, builds out from the horrific events in Charlottesville, Va., in August of last year, and I'm quoted at some length. Ironically, the film festival opened just three days after 10 people were murdered by a van driver
"The Waco Raid at 25: Enough With the Fairy Tale Lies" 04/19/2018 In my latest piece for the Daily Beast, I take on the reality of what happened during the 51-day Branch Davidian standoff in Texas and the way that propagandists of the radical right have twisted the facts. Particularly egregious for its propagandistic falsehoods was the six-part "Waco" miniseries by the Paramount Network, starring Taylor Kitsch, that was seen by millions of Americans earlier this year. PHOTO: SUSAN WEEMS/AP
In my latest piece for the Daily Beast, I take on the reality of what happened during the 51-day Branch Davidian standoff in Texas and the way that propagandists of the radical right have twisted the facts. Particularly egregious for its propagandistic falsehoods was the six-part "Waco" miniseries by the Paramount Network, starring Taylor Kitsch, that was seen by millions of Americans earlier this year. PHOTO: SUSAN WEEMS/AP
Speech: "The State of Hate in America" 03/07/2018 Thanks to the generosity of the Chicago law firm Kupets & DeCaro P.C., I was invited to give two speeches on the state of the radical right at the John Marshall Law School in the Loop. The talks, which were part of the school's annual week celebrating diversity, centered on the role of President Trump in enabling the extreme right and historical comparisons to the 1920s. A special thanks to law school Dean Darby Dickerson and to David Kupets.
Thanks to the generosity of the Chicago law firm Kupets & DeCaro P.C., I was invited to give two speeches on the state of the radical right at the John Marshall Law School in the Loop. The talks, which were part of the school's annual week celebrating diversity, centered on the role of President Trump in enabling the extreme right and historical comparisons to the 1920s. A special thanks to law school Dean Darby Dickerson and to David Kupets.
"Was Nikolas Cruz a White Supremacist?" 02/18/2018 Thom and I discussed the claim that the Parkland, Fla., mass murderer was a member of the white nationalist Republic of Florida militia group. While that assertion, based on questionable reporting by the Anti-Defamation League, appears to be false, better evidence suggests that Cruz did make racist, anti-Semitic and anti-LGBT comments online and elsewhere.
Thom and I discussed the claim that the Parkland, Fla., mass murderer was a member of the white nationalist Republic of Florida militia group. While that assertion, based on questionable reporting by the Anti-Defamation League, appears to be false, better evidence suggests that Cruz did make racist, anti-Semitic and anti-LGBT comments online and elsewhere.
