How Derek Black, former white nationalist and son of Stormfront website founder, moved away from white nationalism
Given below are three articles related to how R. Derek Black, who was raised in a white nationalist family, being the son of white nationalist Stormfront website founder, and who was a young rising star of white nationalism, moved away from white nationalism.
1) The white flight of Derek Black By Eli Saslow, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/the-white-flight-of-derek-black/2016/10/15/ed5f906a-8f3b-11e6-a6a3-d50061aa9fae_story.html, 15th Oct. 2016
As he was being raised in a white nationalist environment, Derek Black was taught that USA was meant for white Europeans and that others would be made to eventually leave USA. As a young white nationalist star having a daily radio show, Derek Black talked about 'white genocide' - referring to whites losing their culture and tradition due to large numbers of non-white immigrants.
Derek Black's friendship and interactions with liberal students including a devoutly Jewish student, led to him questioning some of his cherished beliefs. Black's studies of medieval Europe taught him the truth about that history and exposed some of the falsehood/myths about white European history that was taught him by the white nationalists.
A short extract from it:
He was taking classes in Jewish scripture and German multiculturalism during his last year at New College, but most of his research was focused on medieval Europe [Ravi: 5th to 15th century, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ages]. He learned that Western Europe had begun not as a great society of genetically superior people but as a technologically backward place that lagged behind Islamic culture. He studied the 8th century to the 12th century, trying to trace back the modern concepts of race and whiteness, but he couldn’t find them anywhere. “We basically just invented it,” he concluded.
-- end short extract ---
The article also covers how the white nationalists reacted strongly against Barrack Obama, an African-American, being elected as USA president in 2008. Then Derek Black was very much a white nationalist.
The article covers the support of white nationalists for Donald Trump in his 2016 presidential campaign.
2) Why I Left White Nationalism by R. Derek Black, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/26/opinion/sunday/why-i-left-white-nationalism.html, 26th Nov. 2016
3) What White Nationalism Gets Right About American History by R. Derek Black, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/19/opinion/sunday/white-nationalism-american-history-statues.html, 19th Aug. 2017
Black states that the Charlottesville rally was promoted as “a pro-white demonstration” by its organizers, and contests the view of USA president Trump about these rally goers (in Trump's words), "But you had many people in that group other than neo-Nazis and white nationalists."
Black writes, "The most fundamental legislative goal of the white nationalist movement is to limit nonwhite immigration." He explains that nonwhite immigration was limited till the 1960s, and that in 1790s, the first laws of the USA for citizenship limited it to "free white person"s. 1920s legislation favoured northern and western European immigration. The 1960s civil rights movement resulted in change of these immigration laws that favoured white immigrants (to remove any such favoritism).
Black states, "The United States was founded as a white nationalist country, and that legacy remains today." He says that things have improved now in terms of lesser preferential treatment to whites as compared to non-whites. But that more needs to be done. The article criticizes President Trump's unscripted words during his news conference in Trump Tower where he was asked about Charlottesville. Black writes, "The president’s words legitimized the worst of our country, and now the white nationalist movement could be poised to grow."
He concludes by saying that to challenge the white nationalist messages, white nationalist history in the USA and the appeal it has among Americans must be acknowledged. He says that Americans (non white nationalists) "work constantly to argue against it, expose its inconsistencies and persuade our citizens to counter it" which has kept white nationalism as a fringe movement. And as the "country’s leader" does not seem to do that, it is upon "all of us" (non white nationalist Americans) to (continue to) do that.
[I thank washingtonpost.com and nytimes.com and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above short extracts from their websites on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever. Please note that this post deals with public safety and well being.]
1) The white flight of Derek Black By Eli Saslow, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/the-white-flight-of-derek-black/2016/10/15/ed5f906a-8f3b-11e6-a6a3-d50061aa9fae_story.html, 15th Oct. 2016
As he was being raised in a white nationalist environment, Derek Black was taught that USA was meant for white Europeans and that others would be made to eventually leave USA. As a young white nationalist star having a daily radio show, Derek Black talked about 'white genocide' - referring to whites losing their culture and tradition due to large numbers of non-white immigrants.
Derek Black's friendship and interactions with liberal students including a devoutly Jewish student, led to him questioning some of his cherished beliefs. Black's studies of medieval Europe taught him the truth about that history and exposed some of the falsehood/myths about white European history that was taught him by the white nationalists.
A short extract from it:
He was taking classes in Jewish scripture and German multiculturalism during his last year at New College, but most of his research was focused on medieval Europe [Ravi: 5th to 15th century, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ages]. He learned that Western Europe had begun not as a great society of genetically superior people but as a technologically backward place that lagged behind Islamic culture. He studied the 8th century to the 12th century, trying to trace back the modern concepts of race and whiteness, but he couldn’t find them anywhere. “We basically just invented it,” he concluded.
-- end short extract ---
The article also covers how the white nationalists reacted strongly against Barrack Obama, an African-American, being elected as USA president in 2008. Then Derek Black was very much a white nationalist.
The article covers the support of white nationalists for Donald Trump in his 2016 presidential campaign.
2) Why I Left White Nationalism by R. Derek Black, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/26/opinion/sunday/why-i-left-white-nationalism.html, 26th Nov. 2016
3) What White Nationalism Gets Right About American History by R. Derek Black, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/19/opinion/sunday/white-nationalism-american-history-statues.html, 19th Aug. 2017
Black states that the Charlottesville rally was promoted as “a pro-white demonstration” by its organizers, and contests the view of USA president Trump about these rally goers (in Trump's words), "But you had many people in that group other than neo-Nazis and white nationalists."
Black writes, "The most fundamental legislative goal of the white nationalist movement is to limit nonwhite immigration." He explains that nonwhite immigration was limited till the 1960s, and that in 1790s, the first laws of the USA for citizenship limited it to "free white person"s. 1920s legislation favoured northern and western European immigration. The 1960s civil rights movement resulted in change of these immigration laws that favoured white immigrants (to remove any such favoritism).
Black states, "The United States was founded as a white nationalist country, and that legacy remains today." He says that things have improved now in terms of lesser preferential treatment to whites as compared to non-whites. But that more needs to be done. The article criticizes President Trump's unscripted words during his news conference in Trump Tower where he was asked about Charlottesville. Black writes, "The president’s words legitimized the worst of our country, and now the white nationalist movement could be poised to grow."
He concludes by saying that to challenge the white nationalist messages, white nationalist history in the USA and the appeal it has among Americans must be acknowledged. He says that Americans (non white nationalists) "work constantly to argue against it, expose its inconsistencies and persuade our citizens to counter it" which has kept white nationalism as a fringe movement. And as the "country’s leader" does not seem to do that, it is upon "all of us" (non white nationalist Americans) to (continue to) do that.
[I thank washingtonpost.com and nytimes.com and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above short extracts from their websites on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever. Please note that this post deals with public safety and well being.]
Comments
Post a Comment