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Saturday, August 12, 2017, 4:30 AM

An assistant principal in Texas who self-published a conservative childrens book featuring Pepe the frog insists he had no idea the cartoon character had become a symbol of white supremacy.

Eric Hauser, who has worked in the Denton Independent School District for more than 10 years, wrote The Adventures of Pepe and Pede, a book he says has been picked up by a publisher just two weeks after its debut, the Dallas News reported.

The book tells the story of a frog and a centipede who fight to restore law and order and take on a bearded alligator named Alkah, according to the Dallas Observer.

The books description on Amazon.com also reads, This is an adventurous tale for all ages packed with patriotic prominence!

White nationalists march through UVA with torches

Pepe the frog was originally created by cartoonist Matt Furie more than a decade ago before it was hijacked by trolls and branded as a symbol of the alt-right, a movement that mixes racism, white nationalism and populism.

The Anti-Defamation League also called Pepe the Frog a hate symbol in September 2016, although the organization noted the meme was not necessarily bigoted in nature.

Hauser, who claims he was unaware of the connection before the book was published, told the Observer: I disagree with the [alt-right or white supremacist] label. I think that label was put on Pepe in an attempt to silence conservatives.

The political symbolism doesnt stop at Pepe -- centipedes are also what some Trump supporters call themselves.

White nationalist pleads guilty after shoving Trump protester

The term originates from a series of YouTube videos that compiled footage of Trump during a debate with nature documentary voice-overs describing a centipede killing a tarantula.

Hauser told the Observer: This book has a lot of conservative overtones, but I will tell you this: I wrote the book as attempt to break down the barriers of political correctness and embrace truth, honesty and teamwork.

While some residents in Denton were put off by the book, plenty of Amazon customers left positive reviews.

Debra Nobles rated the book five stars and wrote, A very sophisticated commentary about our political world today presented in a charming story for children.

Journalist who exposed troll behind Trump-CNN meme gets threats

Mario Zavala, the spokesperson for the school district where Hauser will serve as an assistant principal at the newly built Rodriguez Middle School, defended him.

Zavala issued a statement on Friday that read: We are aware of Mr. Hauser's publication. The book was written on his own time, using his own resources and is not affiliated with our curriculum or instruction. Mr. Hauser's book and its contents belong to him and are not tied to our district.

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Assistant principal pens conservative children's book featuring Pepe the frog - New York Daily News

BEIRUT Among the postings on what might have been the Facebook page of James Alex Fields Jr., the driver of the car that killed a counterprotester at the right-wing demonstrations in Charlottesville, Va. on Saturday, were images of far-right favorite Pepe the Frog, swastikas and a baby portrait of Adolf Hitler, according to BuzzFeed.

Perhaps more surprisingly, there was also reportedly a picture of Syrias President Bashar al-Assad, in full military uniform, inscribed underneath with the word undefeated.

Screenshots of the now-inaccessible profile were widely circulated on social media on Saturday and Sunday, although the account's authenticity could not be confirmed. But the apparent fascination with Assad would fit a more general link between the far right and the Syrian regime that has grown increasingly pronounced in recent months and played a role throughout this weekends white nationalist rallyin Virginia.

Assads politics and those of his father before him have historically been associated more with the left than the right. His late father, President Hafez al-Assad, was the closest Middle East ally of the Soviet Union throughout the Cold War. The son has enjoyed the stalwart support of international leftists throughout his attempt to crush the six-year-old rebellion against his rule.

In recent months, however, Assad has become an icon also for the far right, whose leaders and spokesman have heaped praise on the ferocity with which he has prosecuted the war, his role in fighting the Islamic State and his perceived stance against Muslims and Jews.

That Assads harsh methods have resulted in tens of thousands of civilian casualties seems only to have enhanced his stature. In a video posted on Twitter, three men who participated in the Charlottesville protests hailed Assads use of barrel bombs to subdue communities that turned against him. One is wearing a T-shirt that says: Bashars Barrel Delivery Co.

Barrel bombs are crude, cheaply made explosive devices that are tipped out of aircraft without any form of targeting, and their use has killed thousands of civilians in Syria. In the streamed live video, the men defend Assad.

Assad did nothing wrong, said alt-right social-media activist Tim Gionet, who is also known as Baked Alaska on Twitter and YouTube.

Barrel bombs, hell yeah, he can be heard saying in the same video.

Assads emergence as a popular hero for the right appears to have followed a series of tweets in March by the former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, in which he lavished praise on the Syrian president, describing him as an amazing leader and more.

Other right-wing leaders have long expressed their support for the Syrian president and clearly hoped that President Trump, who made flattering comments about Assad on the campaign trail, would strike up an alliance with him. Such hopes were also based on the backing Assad had received from some far-right politicians in Europe. Frances Marine Le Pen, for example, has said that keeping Assad in power is the most reassuring solution.

After Trump ordered the U.S. militaryto bomb a Syrian airfield in response to a chemical attack in northern Syria, numerous right-wing commentators expressed their dismay on Twitter. Shortly after the attack, right-wing protesters opposed to the military intervention, led by white nationalistRichard B. Spencer, faced off against a group of antifascist protesters outside the White House.

Although Trump has continued to refuse to directly back Assad, even calling him truly an evil person in an April TVinterview, the far rights apparent fascination with seeing the Syrian president hold on to power has persisted.

The far right's love affair with Assad also might not be entirely unexpected. His Ba'ath Party is fiercely nationalist and ethnocentric, focused on the promotion of Arab identity. One of the few political parties permitted by his regime and one of his staunchest supporters in the war is the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, which drew the inspiration for its logo from the swastika.

Noack reported from London.

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Syria's Assad has become an icon of the far right in America - Washington Post

The car that allegedly plowed through a crowd of protestors marching through a downtown shopping district is seen after the vehicle was stopped by police several blocks away August 12, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Getty Images

James Alex Fields Jr. was arrested Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia, suspected of being the driver of the Dodge Challenger that plowed into a crowd of peaceful protesters on Saturday, killing one person and injuring 19 people in the process. Shortly after his mugshot was released some were quick to recognize the Maumee, Ohio man from photos taken earlier in the day. The New York Daily News photographed Fields on the front lines of a volatile rally about 10:30 a.m.flanked by other white men in polo shirts and tan slacks clutching the racially charged black-and-white insignia of the Vanguard America hate group.

A Facebook page that appears to belong to Fields includes the Othala rune, an image popular among Neo-Nazis, as part of the banner image, revealed the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Vanguard America is a racist right wing group that helped organize the Unite the Right rally that descended into violence and chaos on Saturday. The Anti-Defamation League explains the group has increasingly taken a Neo-Nazi turn lately:

The group, however, released a statement saying that Fields was not an official member. All our members are safe and accounted for, with no arrests or charges, wrote Vanguard America on Twitter.

The suspects family also didnt seem to know about his white supremacist views. Fields mother, Samantha Bloom, told the Toledo Blade that her son had told her he was headed to an alt-right rally in Virginia. I told him to be careful, Bloom said. [And] if theyre going to rally to make sure hes doing it peacefully. Fields mother didnt know her son was going to a white supremacist rally. I thought it had something to do with Trump. Trumps not a white supremacist, Bloom told the Associated Press. He had an African-American friend so ..., she went on to say before her voice trailed off. Fields mother said she would be surprised if her sons political views were that extreme but also recognized she tried to stay out of his politics. I try to stay out of his political views, she said. I dont really get too involved.

Reporters appear to have been the ones who told Bloom about her son's involvement in the violence in Charlottesville and her reaction was all caught on camera.

Even as his mother said she didnt know about Fields political views, it doesnt seem he made much of an effort to hide them. The Facebook page that appears to belong to Fields included lots of photos and references to Nazism and white supremacy, including swastikas and a baby photograph of Adolf Hitler. He also had lots of memes that are popular with supporters of President Donald Trump, including Pepe the Frog. The Facebook page was deactivated at around 11:30 p.m. Saturday.

Fields, a registered Republican, has been charged with one count of second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding, and one count related to leaving the scene of the crash. A bond hearing is scheduled for Monday.

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White Supremacist Group Disavows Ties to Driver Who Plowed Into Protesters - Slate Magazine (blog)

Many Americans watched transfixed as members of those groups marched down the street, barked out anti-Semitic chants and openly displayed the symbols of Nazi Germany and the secessionist South.

And many looked on in horror as a speeding car crashed into other vehicles on a crowded street Saturday afternoon, resulting in the death of a 32-year-old woman and injuries to at least 19 other people.

Though President Trump, in his comments, declined to single out the white supremacist movement, many mainstream conservatives were appalled. Senator John McCain called the white supremacists traitors on Twitter.

The House speaker, Paul D. Ryan, called them repugnant.

The Justice Department announced late Saturday that it was opening a civil rights investigation. The violence and deaths in Charlottesville strike at the heart of American law and justice, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement. When such actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated.

Some left-leaning Charlottesville organizers like Laura Goldblatt, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Virginia, said that the full airing of such ideas would eventually lead more Americans to reject them. I think this is the beginning of the end for this spectacularized part of the movement, Ms. Goldblatt said.

But some key far-right leaders say the outcome was exactly what they had hoped for.

We achieved all of our objectives, Matthew Heimbach, a founder of the Nationalist Front, a neo-Nazi group that bills itself as an umbrella organization for the white nationalist movement, said in an interview Saturday. We showed that our movement is not just online, but growing physically. We asserted ourselves as the voice of white America. We had zero vehicles damaged, all our people accounted for, and moved a large amount of men and materials in and out of the area. I think we did an incredibly impressive job.

Jason Kessler, a Charlottesville conservative and the main organizer of Saturdays rally, has been fighting for months against the City Councils plan to remove a statue of the Confederate general Robert E. Lee from Charlottesvilles Emancipation Park, which once bore Lees name.

Although he is a relative newcomer to the white nationalist movement, Mr. Kessler is well known in his hometown. He has attacked the citys status as a sanctuary for immigrants and has waged a public battle against Wes Bellamy, the black vice-mayor of Charlottesville and one of its city councilmen.

For weeks, a flier for the Unite the Right meeting made its way around the internet. It featured Pepe the Frog-styled soldiers bearing Confederate battle flags, and promised featured speakers like Mr. Spencer and Michael Hill, president of the Southern pro-secession group League of the South.

In Charlottesville, established groups like the local chapter of Black Lives Matter, as well as liberal and anarchist groups, started planning their response in June when activists learned that the Ku Klux Klan would be marching in the city and that Mr. Kesslers rally would follow quickly after it, said Nathan Moore, who sits on the steering committee of Together Cville, a resistance group that formed shortly after the presidential election.

It was all these different affinity groups that came together in the same place even if they didnt know each other before, Mr. Moore said. Its been a real summer of hate here.

Heidi Beirich, who runs the intelligence project at the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors far-right groups, was among those who watched with alarm as the online excitement over the gathering grew. It was astounding to see it go from 100 people saying they were going to go, to 300, to 500, to 700, to raising money on online platforms to facilitate that, she said.

Over the weekend, far-right groups poured into town, representing long-established racist organizations and the newer alt-right movement. It was not the first time these two strains had met up for a rally in recent months members of both had appeared at a pro-Confederacy rally in New Orleans in May but it was the latest example of a new bridging of two generations of hard-right sensibilities.

George Hawley, a University of Alabama political science professor who studies white supremacists, said that many of the far-right members he had interviewed did not inherit their racism from their parents, but developed it online. Many of them had never heard of, say, David Duke, the former Louisiana politician and former leader of the Ku Klux Klan.

But this weekend, Mr. Duke arrived in Charlottesville, along with an array of old-school and new-school white supremacists. They included organizations like Vanguard America, whose Nazi-era motto Blood and Soil was chanted by the marchers on Friday night, and the Rise Above Movement, a loose collective of California neo-Nazis, formerly known as the DIY Division, who train to fight at political events. Members of the League of the South showed up, as did their more recently radicalized colleagues from Identity Evropa, a white separatist group that endorses racial segregation.

On Friday night, hundreds of far-right sympathizers bearing torches marched across the University of Virginia campus, chanting You will not replace us, and Jews will not replace us. There was a brawl with counterprotesters, and at least one arrest.

Mr. Kessler said that the movements torch-lit rally Friday night was especially successful. It was a beautiful moment that no one will ever be able to take away from people who were involved.

The next morning, the trouble started early. Mr. Spencer recalled driving to Emancipation Park with Mr. Kessler. They arrived around 10:15 a.m., and were almost instantly met with dissent.

As we were going in, I was sprayed with Mace, Mr. Spencer said. Someone jumped out of the crowd and I got it in the face.

The counterprotesters included members of the local Charlottesville clergy and mainstream figures like the Harvard professor Cornel West. As the rally erupted into violence Saturday morning, the First United Methodist Church on East Jefferson Street opened its doors to demonstrators, serving cold water and offering basic medical care.

Dr. Hawley said he believed the far-left activists, known as antifa, were welcomed by the white nationalists. I think to an extent the alt-right loves the antifa because they see them as being the perfect foil, he said.

But Ms. Goldblatt, while not addressing those leftists who resorted to violence, said that some kind of response in the street was necessary. History, she said, has shown that ignoring white supremacy, in terms of shutting your doors and not coming out to confront them, has been a really dangerous strategy.

The scenes of violence were already dominating cable television news by 1:42 p.m., when a gray Dodge Challenger sped down a narrow street choked with counterprotesters. The driver, identified by the police as James Alex Fields Jr., had been seen at the protests alongside members of a right-wing group. He was charged with second-degree murder.

The organizers of the event distanced themselves from the crash and Mr. Kessler disavowed any knowledge of Mr. Fields. I dont know anyone who knew, Mr. Kessler said. Everyone in my circles was like, Who is this guy?

Lawrence Rosenthal, the executive director of the Berkeley Center for Right-Wing Studies at the University of California, said that Mr. Spencer appeared to welcome this level of violent, street-level politics. He noted an audio recording Mr. Spencer made after similar skirmishes in April in Berkeley. Mr. Spencer called them a pitched battle between two polarized, political vanguards that reminded him of political upheavals, presumably in Germany, that took place in the 1920s and 1930s.

This is a very different dynamic than Im used to, Mr. Spencer said. I thought that political violence had just become impossible, that wed never see it again.

Mr. Kessler was scheduled to address the news media Sunday. When he appeared, he was shouted down by protesters, and someone punched him.

After widespread criticism of Mr. Trumps remarks, an anonymous White House spokesperson on Sunday said in a statement that the president condemns all forms of violence, bigotry and hatred. Of course that includes white supremacists, K.K.K. neo-Nazi and all extremist groups.

Preston Wiginton, a white nationalist from Texas, announced this weekend that he would hold a White Lives Matter rally at Texas A&M on Sept. 11 with Mr. Spencer as a guest speaker. And on the neo-Nazi site the Daily Stormer, a post promised: There will be more events. Soon. We are going to start doing this nonstop. Across the country.

Sheryl Gay Stolberg, Hawes Spencer and Alan Blinder contributed reporting.

A version of this article appears in print on August 14, 2017, on Page A11 of the New York edition with the headline: Claiming Moral Victory, Far-Right Groups Blaze Into National View.

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Far-Right Groups Surge Into National View in Charlottesville - New York Times

By Fernando Ramirez, Chron.com / Houston Chronicle

Explainer: The Alt-Right movement

A Texas middle school assistant principal recently published a children's book with "Pepe the frog" as a character, a controversial meme that has been labeled as a hate symbol.

Click through to read more about the Alt-Right movement in the U.S.

Explainer: The Alt-Right movement

A Texas middle school assistant principal recently published a children's book with "Pepe the frog" as a character, a controversial meme that has been labeled as a hate

Click through to learn more about the Alt-Right.

Click through to learn more about the Alt-Right.

Slightly amorphous and definitely controversial, the "alt-right" has become the newest political hot button in Donald Trump's run for the White House.

But, how did it start and what does it mean? Here's a few things to know about the alt-right.

EXPLAINER: What is the "alt right?"

The alt-right, a collection of hard line conservatives, white supremacists, anti-immigrationists and others, have become a political hot button in Donald Trump's presidential run.Keep clicking to see the 15 things you need know about this movement as it takes center stage during the presidential race.

Slightly amorphous and definitely controversial, the "alt-right" has become the newest political hot button in Donald Trump's run for the White House.

But, how did it start and what does it mean? Here's a few

The alternative right is relatively new to the American political scene. The Southern Poverty Law Center pegs the start of the alt-right to 2008, when a white nationalist named Richard Bertram Spencer coined the term to describe a loose confederation of ideologies and ideas.

The alternative right is relatively new to the American political scene. The Southern Poverty Law Center pegs the start of the alt-right to 2008, when a white nationalist named Richard Bertram Spencer

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's "America first" campaign pitch has drawn support from the alt-right, who like his pledges to deport the estimated 11 million people living in the country illegally and to temporarily bar foreign Muslims from the U.S. Trump also has retweeted a number of messages from Twitter users with questionable profiles, including one with the handle @WhiteGenocideTM.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's "America first" campaign pitch has drawn support from the alt-right, who like his pledges to deport the estimated 11 million

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton says voters need to be concerned about Donald Trump's brand of "alt-right" conservatism, and that his appeal to the fringe says all people need to know about the GOP nominee.

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton says voters need to be concerned about Donald Trump's brand of "alt-right" conservatism, and that his appeal to the fringe says all people need

A key piece of the alt-right philosophy is an opposition to immigration. Alt-right backers have not only opposed illegal immigration, but legal border crossings as well.

A key piece of the alt-right philosophy is an opposition to immigration. Alt-right backers have not only opposed illegal immigration, but legal border crossings as well.

Followers

The alt-right movement also has some ties to white supremacists, anti-Semitic groups and neo-Nazis, who appear drawn to the anti-political correctness and anti-immigration strains in the movement.

Followers

The alt-right movement also has some ties to white supremacists, anti-Semitic groups and neo-Nazis, who appear drawn to the anti-political correctness and anti-immigration strains in the movement.

Paleoconservatives, a largely isolationist, anti-immigration group led by people such as Pat Buchanan, are the closest ideological cousins to the current alt-right. Paleoconservatives generally found traditional Republicans to be lacking in how conservative they were.

Paleoconservatives, a largely isolationist, anti-immigration group led by people such as Pat Buchanan, are the closest ideological cousins to the current alt-right. Paleoconservatives generally

Roots, Part I

Some of the thinking on the alt-right is traced to the Libertarian philosophies pushed by former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas. Paul is a long-standing critic of federal monetary policy as well as the country's military posture.

Roots, Part I

Some of the thinking on the alt-right is traced to the Libertarian philosophies pushed by former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas. Paul is a long-standing critic of federal monetary policy as well as

Roots, Part II

Other concepts behind the alt-right philosophy have also been traced to former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. Duke has long pushed the concept of "white rights" and "European-Americans" standing up for their heritage. Both are points consistently made by the alt-right. Duke, a former state lawmaker in Louisiana, in a speech Wednesday noted that Trump speaks like an alt-right adherent. Duke is now running for U.S. Senate in Louisiana and causing Trump heartburn by publicly supporting his campaign.Trump initially said he didn't know enough about Duke to disavow him, a point Democrats have been making in ads every since.

Roots, Part II

Other concepts behind the alt-right philosophy have also been traced to former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. Duke has long pushed the concept of "white rights" and "European-Americans" standing

Who's Out

Alt-righters tend to reject the current crop of politicians, particularly those who have held office, such asSenate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., center, and others such as, from left, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas.

Who's Out

Alt-righters tend to reject the current crop of politicians, particularly those who have held office, such asSenate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., center, and others such as, from left, Sen.

The website 4chan gave the alt-right the first really big break when it served as a channel for adherents to discuss ideas, plot protests and generally have a place to gather.

The website 4chan gave the alt-right the first really big break when it served as a channel for adherents to discuss ideas, plot protests and generally have a place to gather.

Spreading the Word

Many on the alt-right use social media platforms such as Reddit and Twitter to promote their ideas and exchange thoughts with other alt-right adherents.

Alt-right adherents have organized online campaigns around hashtags such as #WhiteGenocide, a reference to the belief that white people are being subject to an orchestrated eradication campaign and #ISaluteWhitePeople.

Spreading the Word

Many on the alt-right use social media platforms such as Reddit and Twitter to promote their ideas and exchange thoughts with other alt-right adherents.

Alt-right adherents have organized

Alt-right and Trump

Steve Bannon, who runs Breitbart.com, recently joined Trump's campaign as chairman.Last month, Bannon told Mother Jones magazine that Breitbart was "the platform for the alt-right" but he insisted the movement wasn't racist even if it has attracted some people who are.

Alt-right and Trump

Steve Bannon, who runs Breitbart.com, recently joined Trump's campaign as chairman.Last month, Bannon told Mother Jones magazine that Breitbart was "the platform for the alt-right" but he

GOP Pushback

Traditional Republicans and conservatives disavow some of what is seen as racism and anti-Semitism on behalf of the alt-right. Conservative New York Times columnist Ross Douthat pegged the alt-right as "racist pro-Trump Twitter accounts and anti-P.C. provacoteurs."

GOP Pushback

Traditional Republicans and conservatives disavow some of what is seen as racism and anti-Semitism on behalf of the alt-right. Conservative New York Times columnist Ross Douthat pegged the alt-right

Defenders

Some long-standing backers of the GOP have defended the alt-right movement. A Fox News correspondent said the alt-right is more than a place for racists and anti-Semites. Talk show host Rush Limbaugh told a caller questioning the alt-right: "There is a thriving, youthful conservative emergence happening in this country. They may be borrowing from what's going on in Europe."

Defenders

Some long-standing backers of the GOP have defended the alt-right movement. A Fox News correspondent said the alt-right is more than a place for racists and anti-Semites. Talk show host Rush Limbaugh

Political movements come and go in America, sometimes petering out, other times being absorbed or overtaking a mainstream party.What will happen with the alt-right once Trump's campaign is done? Trump could bring followers along if he follow through on talk of creating his own media company.

Political movements come and go in America, sometimes petering out, other times being absorbed or overtaking a mainstream party.What will happen with the alt-right once Trump's campaign is done?

Texas assistant principal writes 'Pepe the Frog' children's book

A Texas middle school assistant principal is defending himself from claims that his new children's book uses an Alt-Right hate symbol.

Eric Hauser with Denton ISD recently self-published "The Adventures of Pepe and Pede," a children's book with conservative themes. According to itsAmazon descriptionit's "an adventurous tale for all ages packed with patriotic prominence."

Hauser's book features "Pepe the frog," an internet meme that in recent years has been co-opted by the Alt-Right.

"Pede," the other character inHauser's book, is a centipede, a term that some Donald Trump supporters refer to themselves as.

THE LATEST: Organizer of 'pro-white' rally disavows violence

While Pepe the frog's origins are innocent a comic series started by artistMatt Furieturned meme its newfound use in certain dark circles has resulted in it being labeled as a hate symbol by The Anti-Defamation League.

Hauser told The Dallas Morning Newshe didn't know the character was a hate symbol until after the book came out.

"I think people will take that and then just assume negative, just assume bad things," Hauser told the paper. "That's unfortunate. I hate that."

BACKLASH: Police official resigns after posting racist meme

Mario Zavala, a spokesperson forDenton ISD, said the school district is aware ofHauser's new book.

"The book was written on his own time, using his own resources and is not affiliated with our curriculum or instruction," Zavala said in a statement. "Mr. Hauser's book and its contents belong to him and are not tied to our district."

Click through above to learn more about the Alt-Right movement in the U.S.

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Texas assistant principal writes 'Pepe the Frog' children's book - Chron.com