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CTVNews.ca Published Thursday, March 16, 2017 9:53AM EDT Last Updated Thursday, March 16, 2017 10:45AM EDT

Youve heard of alt-right for sure, but how about antifa or the anti-fascism movement?

Extremism doesnt just belong to the far right. Those on the far left are rejecting the mainstream left and fighting extremism with extremism, says Ameil Joseph, a professor of social work at McMaster University who studies race and activism.

The antifa movement has its roots in Europe in the 1930s, when radicals took a paramilitary approach to fighting Nazism, says Joseph. It was also found in the actions of the Black Panthers in the American civil rights era.

Today, its found in groups like Black Lives Matter or the indigenous protests against the Dakota pipeline, Joseph told CTV's Your Morning.

There is the belief that the left hasnt done enough to fight fascism, corruption, widespread centralized executive ordering and that a more radical approach is necessary.

View original post here:
Is 'antifa' activism a necessary answer to the alt-right? - CTV News

The 2016 election introduced many Americans to what was previously a non-mainstream group in American politics: the alt-right.Last month saw the rise and sudden reversal of alt-right personality Milo Yiannopouloss incorporation into the conservative mainstream, after his controversial comments on pedophilia surfaced.

But the alt-right is not going anywhere. And with Steve Bannon, who boasted of turning Breitbart into the platform for the alt-right, serving as a chief adviser to President Donald Trump, it cannot be ignored.

The threat this movement poses to foundational American values and the key tenets of the Christian faith are so grave that Christians across the political spectrum should join together with other responsible citizens in opposing its pernicious influence and corrosion of our national character.

For those who are unfamiliar with the goals, methods, and nature of the alt-right, it can be described as a loose collection of individuals and groups that advocate for a far-right, ethno-nationalism that is centered on white identity and the notion that Western Civilization is under attack from immigrants, multiculturalism, feminism, political correctness, Muslims, and Jews.

At the heart of the alt-right is a vile racism that permeates the entire worldview. The racist elements of the alt-right are so predominant that some oppose the use of the term alt-right, favoring other descriptions like white nationalists, white supremacists, or even neo-Nazis.

Richard Spencer, the founder of the white nationalist organization, The National Policy Institute, and the man who coined the term alt-right, infamously led a rally in the days after the election of Donald Trump where the crowd made Nazi salutes after he shouted Hail Trump, hail our people, hail victory!

But even those who do not engage in such overt displays of racial bigotry and white pride are nevertheless motivated by a sense of white identity and focused on maintaining and fostering a culture and policies that they believe will benefit white Americans. This shapes their economic views, hardline immigration policies, and more.

Against these racist and xenophobic beliefs, Christian churches have taught the importance of all persons being a part of one extended human family. The Christian commitment to human equality is rooted in this recognition of universal brotherhood and sisterhood. The racism of the alt-right alone is enough to make it untenable for a serious Christian to be a part of the movement.

But Latinos and black Americans are not the only objects of enmity for the alt-right, there is deep anti-Muslim sentiment in the movement and it is linked to their belief in a clash of civilizations. The clash of civilizations is a theory proposed by the late Samuel Huntington that posited that after the end of the Cold War, there would be conflict between people whose cultures, values, and religions were incompatible with each other.

The alt-right maintains that Islam is not a religion of peacethat Islam itself, not just terrorist organizations like ISIS, is actively at war with the West, and that Muslims living in the West are an inevitable threat to Western culture and institutions. The exclusion of refugees from Muslim countries is not supported because they believe refugees present direct security risks, but in order to halt demographic changes.

Christians, on the other hand, are called to love and assist their brothers and sisters who face oppression around the world. This is why Christian leaders have called upon the United States and other countries to accept refugees and welcome migrants.

Christians maintain that diversity enriches society. It is possible to have a multi-ethnic and multi-religious pluralistic societythe proof is the American project itself. Freedom of religion is a fundamental right of all peoples, and Christians have a duty to stand up for the religious freedoms of others.

Another distinctive feature of the alt-right is the sexism and misogyny of the movement. Feminism is seen as a threat to the role of men as the heads of households. The alt-right is known for its online trolling and harassment, but its vile behavior toward women online is particularly egregious.

Likewise, the rise of anti-Semitic harassment on social media reflects the alt-rights deep antipathy toward Jews, whom they often accuse of participation in conspiracies.

Christianity, meanwhile, has done better and better over time as a whole in affirming the full dignity and worth of women and promoting authentic equality, while also working to eradicate anti-Semitism from its churches. There is more progress to be made, but all Christians should be able to condemn the Nazi-like anti-Semitism of the alt-right and its degradation of women.

Finally, the alt-right has a distinctive foreign policy view, as well. In their attacks on globalism (which are frequently linked to anti-Semitic conspiracies), proponents promote an America First approach of populist nationalism that is strongly anti-interventionist, anti-trade, and anti-foreign aid. They reject notions of universal human rights and global solidarity, key Christian political beliefs.

The only exception seems to be among those who promote a sectarian Christian agenda that places the well-being of Christians above the lives of non-Christians. We see this in action in their support of dictatorships that offer preferential treatment to Christians and in the debate over refugees from Syria. Many in this crowd advocate for letting in Christian refugees but refusing admittance of even Muslim children.

While the alt-right is not shy about its affection for dictators and strongmen abroad, it is also waging war on democratic norms here in the U.S. They declare real news fake and fake news real. This nihilistic assault on truth advances relativism and undermines democracy.

Christians who believe in truth and want to preserve the norms that allow our democracy to function must fight back against such efforts.

Racism, xenophobia, anti-Muslim bigotry, anti-Semitism, sexism, sectarianism, and isolationism are not Christian values. Christians across the political and ideological spectrum must come together and speak with one voice: you cannot be Christian and support the alt-right.

Daniel Petri and Robert Christian are PhD candidates in Politics at Catholic University and organizers of a recent conference at the Catholic University of America on How Catholics Should Respond to the Rise of the Alt-Right.

Originally posted here:
Why all Christians should oppose the 'Alt-Right' - Crux: Covering all things Catholic

Media Matters for America

Meet Lauren Southern, The Latest Alt-Right Media Troll To Gain Access To The White House Press Briefing Media Matters for America Canadian Fringe Media Figure Lauren Southern Gains Access To White House Press Briefing. On March 13, Canadian alt-right darling Lauren Southern tweeted from inside the White House press room, reporting that she had access to the press briefing.

Excerpt from:
Meet Lauren Southern, The Latest Alt-Right Media Troll To Gain Access To The White House Press Briefing - Media Matters for America

Amy Schumers latest comedy special is apparently the target of a coordinated online campaign to tank reviews.

The website Splitsider has published a report claiming Redditors who count themselves among the so-called alt-right have been working to give Schumers new Netflix special poor ratings.

Schumers The Leather Special debuted on Netflix last week, and scored solid notices from Vulture, the San Francisco Chronicle, and Entertainment Weekly, among others. But as Splitsiders Megh Wright points out, a ton of outlets reported on its bad user reviews even though The Leather Special received a suspicious amount of ratings since its premiere (currently more than 1,400 total reviews).

With some digging into the Reddit world, Wright discovered a ton of calls (like this one) to give Schumers special only one star from members of the alt-right, a white nationalist group. Read the entirety of Wrights article here.

Schumer responded on Instagram on Wednesday, writing, The alt-right organized trolls attack everything I do. Read the Splitsider article.They organize to get my ratings down. Meeting in sub Reddit rooms. They tried on my book and movies and tv show And I want to thank them. It makes me feel so powerful and dangerous and brave. It reminds me what Im saying is effective and bring more interest to my work and their obsession with me keeps me going. See her full response below.

Visit link:
Amy Schumer Netflix special ratings manipulated by 'alt-right' trolls - EW.com

InfoWars Paul Joseph Watson and white nationalist Richard Spencer spent Tuesday beefing over white supremacys place in the alt-right. Then David Duke stepped in.

Is the alt-right an identity movement for white nationalists seeking political power in the United States and abroad, or is it just about hating Hillary?

Two of the ultra-conservative extremes visible provocateurs spent Tuesday duking it out on Twitter, fighting over the basis of the ideology, and splitting up the alt-rights followers in the process.

The ongoing fight is another divisive blowout in the months-long, often public squabble for the reins of a movement that defines many young supporters of President Donald Trumpplus its viral information army that sometimes reaches the administration itself.

White nationalist (and avid Trump supporter) Richard Spencer, who created the term alt-right, tweeted at InfoWars editor (and avid Trump supporter) Paul Joseph Watson shortly after 10 p.m. Monday night, saying that, the alt-right is an identity movement. Period. It's not about classical liberalism or hating Hillary.

The two extended their transatlantic fight well into Tuesday. Watson, who is based in the U.K., sarcastically quipped, Do tell me what is expected of me, mein Fuhrer.

Spencer had been mocking Watsons homemade style of YouTube videos during the squabble. I hope you'll one day learn that more is expected of you than yelling into a camera in front of a map, he wrote.

The dogfight was signal boosted, and effectively refereed by, former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke, who threw his support behind Spencers brand of white nationalism and disavowed InfoWars Watson. You cannot fight invasion with libertarian individualism, he said, claiming Spencer shut down Watson.

Duke did not respond to a request for comment from The Daily Beast by press time.

There were already fissures emerging between pro-Trump factions of the internet underbelly by the end of 2016. Shortly after Trump won the election, a proxy war over the identity and goals of the movement broke out over an inaugural party called the Deploraball.

Mike Cernovich, an organizer of the event who also popularized the #HillarysHealth hashtag to make up claims about a variety of illnesses from which he claimed Clinton was suffering, took issue with an attendee tweeting veiled anti-Semitic messages. That attendeeknown on Twitter as @BakedAlaska and, in the past, Tim Treadstonewas quickly banned from the event. Cracks in the coalition began to appear.

At the time, some in favor of the ban were referring to themselves as Trumpists. They considered themselves supportive of the presidents agenda, but didnt want to make it seem like they openly embrace anti-Semitism. Some alt-right originals against the ban, like Richard Spencer, began referring to Cernovich and others on his side as alt-light.

The alt-light has also hitched its wagon to free speech, Spencer told The Daily Beast at the time. The catch is, theres clearly some free speech they dont like, particularly regarding race and Jewish activism and influence. In order for the Alt-Light to maintain its current positionplaying footsie with the real alt-right and playing footsie with establishment conservativesthey are going to have to engage in thought-policing and disavows.

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Similarly, Spencer took issue with another Trump superfan earlier this year: the silver-shocked radio host Bill Mitchell, who has marketed himself as a Twitter Nostradamus after predicting that Trump would win the election. Mitchell drew the ire of the alt-right for tweeting disparagingly about Pepe, a frog meme that has been reappropriated by some as a symbol of the pro-Trump community.

Hes just a cuckservative. I really thought the Trump campaign was the death knell of official conservatism; I was overly optimistic, Spencer said of Mitchell at the time.

Responding to a question via email about his beef with Watson, Spencer simply said: He's counter signaling very hard.

On Tuesday, responding to the Twitter thread between Spencer and Watson, Mitchell told The Daily Beast dismissively: Richard Spencer is an ass who thinks he's a big deal when he's actually nothing. That's pretty much it.

Cernovich, who recently smeared humorist Vic Berger as a pedophile resulting in threats directed his way and has a sordid history including a claim that date rape does not exist, similarly disparaged Spencer saying that he is desperate for fame.

It's really sad, Cernovich said in a direct Twitter message to The Daily Beast. Spencer is jealous of Paul Joseph Watson, whose videos get more views than CNN shows. RS telling PJW what is expected of him is laugh out loud funny. You gotta have juice to call shots, and RS has none.

He added: David Duke is a nobody who the fake news trots out when a GOP candidate needs the guilt by association treatment. He has no influence and stole a bunch of money from his supporters. Total loser.

Emails seeking comment from Watson unreturned at press time.

Spencers week had already been eventful. His white nationalist think tank, the National Policy Institute, was stripped of its nonprofit status after it failed to file its tax returns, according to the Los Angeles Times Matt Pearce.

The National Policy Institute grabbed global attention for its meet-up in November, where Spencer exclaimed Hail Trump, hail our people, hail victory! at a podium, conference goers were seen throwing Nazi salutes towards the groups founder.

Watsons pro-Trump brand skews considerably more toward anti-Hillary Clinton and anti-globalist fervor. Watson was one of the leading purveyors of conspiracies that claimed Hillary Clinton had diseases like syphilis or a brain tumor during the 2016 campaign. He also asserted days before the election that Clinton actively worships Satan.

President Trump is a noted fan of InfoWars. In December 2015, Trump told InfoWars founder Alex Jones on the sites livestream that your reputation is amazing and I will not let you down. Many of the presidents disproven or unproven claims about voter fraud or wiretapping originate or are heavily pushed by InfoWars, and sometimes Watson himself.

Spencers other recent claim to fame was a viral video of him being punched during an interview at the inauguration.

Cernovich seemed to find some humor value in the scenario.

I'm off to do cardio kickboxing with my wife, he told The Daily Beast on Tuesday. I suggest Richard spend less time on Twitter and more time learning how to avoid a punch.

Read more:
InfoWars' Big Alt-Right Breakup With Richard Spencerand the KKK - Daily Beast