Hate
Online: Hate Groups Growing Usage of the Internet
GVPT 333 Presenters
Sofia Haque
Sean McDonald
Steve Markley
Introduction
The Internet has affected every aspect of human life. Through it, people can shop, research, and meet others and an endless number of other things. It has become a part of not only our culture, but of the way humans communicate with each other, and thus, how they feel.
During the tragedy after September 11, the Internet was used as a news medium, a tracker and maybe most importantly, a support group. There have now been countless marriages as a result of Internet meetings and the technology has allowed us to keep in touch with loved ones, no matter how far apart we are. And as much as the Internet has taught us about how to love, it has also provided new ways for us to hate.
A large number of “hate groups” have made their presence known on the Internet since it’s inception. By “hate group” we mean any group that promotes or fails to condemn violence against a group of people based on their race, personal beliefs or lifestyle choices. And while the groups are not all new, the ways that they’re using the Internet to promote violence and hate are.
Some sites have posted pictures or symbols to be visual representations of their hatred. Other groups have created music, video and even video games which carry a very aggressive message against non-whites.
American extremism has a long history; violent groups of all kinds have utilized new media to spread their messages. Hate groups have used all types of media, from printed material to radio to television. The Internet is seemingly the latest in a series of methods used to grab the attention of the public by these groups.
The hate groups who we have chosen to analyze tend to be “white pride” groups. They all share a "right-wing" or "conservative" viewpoint, taken to the extreme of motivated racism. In general, their values include individualism, capitalism, nationalism; values that provide common ground with much of their audience, and a platform from which to dive into their ideology.
There are certainly other groups with other belief systems that embody the same violent hatred as the groups we are analyzing. The Black Panther Party at one time fit the bill. The Progressive Labor Party engages in frequent conspiracy theorizing and calls for the violent overthrow of all democratic governments worldwide, for instance (George and Wilcox 1996). But their calls for violence are less aggressive mandates, a far cry from the more modern American hate group.
Common themes to extremist groups include: paranoia and conspiracy mongering, a black and white all or nothing mentality separating the world into good or evil and a tendency to personalize hostility. These groups have located an enemy and they mean to eradicate them, convincing everyone possible along the way that their path is a righteous one.
Persecution is another theme of most hate groups. Many hate groups believe that their
traditional society is under siege by a secular, liberal society. How the group
thinks is more important than what they think, with regard to status as a hate
group (George and Wilcox 1996;
Perry 2001). A group can choose any issue to be extreme about. A hate group needs not
only to have extreme ideologies, but facilitate a violent solution to the
social issue which they have formed around.
A note of caution is needed before venturing into the world of the hate groups. Some groups identified by such watchdog organizations like the Anti-Defamation League simply cannot be ascribed the title of hate group. Skinheads, for example, are not all racist and not all violent. Most are non-political, non-violent and some are anti-racist (George and Wilcox 1996). In addition, the militia movement has been demonized as anti-government racists. Certainly these groups have some rather strange political theories and are generally conservative in their politics. However, take this quote from the FAQ section on one California Militias' Web site:
Q: Are you guys white supremacist?
A: We seem to be
getting asked this one a lot lately. And the answer is NO!!!! NO!!!! NO!!!! We
are very diversified, as an example some of our members
are Jewish, a few are mexican, and others are of
varying ethnic backgrounds. . . We are Americans regardless of our ethnic
backgrounds and that is our unifying factor. (
These
claims are supported by the FBI itself, which began a militia outreach program
and has found that most militias engage only in peaceful activity (
Hate Groups
Hate
groups active on the net range in age, quality and degree of virulence. Some of the most active internet hate groups
are: Stormfront, the National Alliance, various
factions of the Ku Klux Klan and the
Stormfront (www.stormfront.org) was the original "hate site"(Anti-Defamation League). It was created online in 1995. There is an online store, contact information, and an online manual exposing various Jewish centered conspiracy theories. One can easily apply for membership, subscribe for the newsletter, read up on national socialism, or donate as a supporter of the cause (Stormfront 2002).
Stormfront styles itself as an alternative to the mainstream media. Dominated by the Celtic cross, a symbol appropriated by many racists, Stormfront is not a group in and of itself but a jumping-off point into the gray areas of hatred and racism. It offers a clearinghouse of white supremacist material, links to white pride groups and forums. It is a portal into this particular hate community.
Its main role seems to be in facilitating communication between various white supremacist groups. Their web site features the writings of prominent figures in the hate community such as David Duke, a former Klan member, and William Pierce, a well-known author of hate literature that will be discussed later.
Stormfront cloaks itself in "White Nationalism" and European pride in an attempt to give itself a veneer of respectability. It seems to revel in its notoriety, posting links to articles from mainstream news media such as USA Today and even the liberal Village Voice.
But even more than just as a series of text-based messages, Stormfront has appropriated the Internet to best fit it’s audience. The site contains a store from which to buy materials supporting their ideology; it has graphics which can be downloaded and used; it houses discussion boards where visitors and members can raise issues of “concern”; and it offers a mailing list, so as to keep its membership abreast of the correct view on current events. Perhaps most frighteningly, the Stormfront website has separate links for both women and children, each authored by the group that it is aimed at.
The children’s link focuses heavily on schooling and the “problems” that arise from it. The rhetorical schemes within are extremely intricate. It relates problems like gang violence to race issues saying of the system: “I am home schooled. I no longer get attacked by gangs of non-whites and spend my day learning instead of tutoring the slowest kid in my class” (Stormfront 2002).
It is important to
note that most of these pages do not launch themselves on the platform of hate,
realizing the negative connotations of the word. They instead claim that they are being
under-recognized and must, because of their pride in their heritage, strike
back against these groups. This same 13
year old, who web mastered the page, calls for white people to “take back our
freedom,” something many people would argue that whites have had the most of
throughout history (Stormfront 2002).
The women’s page is styled in much the same way, claiming with its first sentence that it does not “hate”. And perhaps, the woman does not hate by her definition. However, she surrounds herself with those who are notorious for being hateful though all she actually does is ascribe to a set of beliefs. Stormfront is the hub of the hate wheel, and while it doesn’t ever specifically call for violence, it defends and rationalizes the beliefs of those that do.
Stormfront was founded by Don Black (Stormfront
2002, Anti-Defamation League), a former Ku Klux Klan member. The Webmaster of Stormfront
is also the technical contact for the web site of another hate group, the
American Nazi Party (www.netnation.com).
The ANP has always been marginalized and small, not having fielded a
candidate since the 1967 assassination of leader George Lincoln Rockwell
(George and Wilcox 1996). However, the fact that the group still survives and
that it is connected to Stormfront is indicative of
the durability of hatred and the symbiotic relationship of hate groups.
Though their
online presence is not particularly impressive, the Ku Klux Klan is perhaps one
of
And while the Klan’s unique title system and costumes have made them stand out, the organization has fallen on hard times. Founded after the civil war by Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest, the Klan’s' fortunes have risen and fallen. From its peak in the 1920's, scandals and infighting have reduced the KKK to a myriad of bickering, cantankerous factions. There has not been a single united KKK since the 1930's (George and Wilcox 1996).
These Klan factions maintain a variety of web sites; most seem clumsy but a couple are decent technically speaking. The Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, in particular, have attempted to reinvent themselves with the times.
Their web site includes a variety of attempts to use the Internet, clumsily pasted together into a long, uncomfortably designed web page. There is an online gift shop, through which products like hats, pins and traditional memorabilia can be purchased. The Knights have also decided to use the video capabilities of the internet to put together an online television show, which is not only downloadable every Monday with a new episode, but can be purchased on tape through the website. News coverage is available, provided with the proper slant, of course, as is contact information for congress, online TV shows, and an online store much like any political party (Klan).
The Knights also offer the Klan magazine, The Crusader and many other publications. Also, in an effort to better keep the pulse of its constituency, the Klan has several polls, with which it can decipher the viewpoints of website visitors. However, many of these polls offer wording that is steeped in their own bias. Much like Stormfront, the Klan also offers breakdowns of pages based on issues and who is reading them. Specialized pages are created for children, parents and “patriots”, as are links on how to get involved, what issues are being focused on and how to join the Klan (Klan).
But as many of these groups do, the focus of the main page is donations. Different rewards are offered for donations of ranging amounts. Differently than most of the other websites, the Klan site is extremely Christian, a distinction that may be what is keeping the Klan alive, or it could be what is breaking it apart.
It is important to note, that even the Klan, who is notorious for racially and religiously based violence, does not go so far as to directly promote violence on their website. Their website feels a lot like someone throwing kerosene at a smoldering fire, claiming later that they just wanted to throw kerosene and didn’t realize it’s explosive tendencies. Or at least they don’t take responsibility for them (Klan).
The Klan is traditional and steeped in Christianity, taking its strength from the working class. It remains to be seen whether or not they can adapt to the changing society or whether they will be completely superceded by newer groups who appeal to a more educated, secular audience.
One such group is the
To the WCOTC and like-minded groups, all white people are “creators“. The group is extremely anti-Semitic and anti-non-white, which is expressed through their effective use of rhetoric. The website offers a series of publications, including it’s own “holy book” of Creativity. The website is clearly one of the more intellectual, trying to capture the white-collar audience. The site features graphics throughout of whites, sitting and laughing in conversation. In addition, Hale has issued a challenge to all of the “race myth-mongers”(WCOTC), or leaders on race and religion issues. This is expressed in a link in which he describes his “debate hall of shame”, or people who have refused his challenges (WCOTC).
The site also features “Research Categories” which include Anti-Semitism and a Security Database. This database also includes a listing of weapons and how to carry them concealed. While there is a written disclaimer, saying that these are not to be used for criminal acts, the amount of detail, as well as the pointers for how these weapons are “usually” carried is enough to raise some question. Here is an excerpt from the section on blades:
First, they are cheap and easily
available, which enables them to be quickly tossed if a search appears
probable. Second, they are small, lightweight, and easily concealed. Third,
they are far more intimidating and damaging than empty hands. Fourth, many
criminals mistakenly believe that blades are "untraceable" weapons
which cannot be connected to them once their prints have been wiped off. Fifth,
in most instances, possession of a blade (particularly a folder, boxcutter, or small
kitchen knife) will carry a far less serious penalty than possession of a
handgun. And finally, blades are silent (which gives the criminal greater
opportunity to avoid attracting unwanted attention)(WCOTC).
It is in this type of description of “criminals” and how to use weapons, that the WCOTC addresses the issue of violence through its website. There is also a section devoted to firearm maintenance and use, and pointers on how to keep them concealed. And again, while the WCOTC denies any direct links with violence, it is certainly chilling that information of this nature is included in a website which preaches against so many groups of people.
The WCOTC holds
that non-whites are the enemies of the white race and peaceful co-existence is
impossible. The most persecuted race by
many of these websites, the WCOTC in specific, are the
Jews. Jews and non-whites are “subhuman
mud people” and all valuable accomplishments have been made by the white race.
They claim that this can be proven by legal means. Although the group doesn’t explicitly condone
violence, a shooting spree in July 1999 was carried out by Benjamin Nathaniel
Smith, a 21-year-old follower of Hale's group.
Hale refused to condemn Smiths' actions (
Another group that is notorious for this type of violence are the Neo-Nazis, perhaps best represented on the Internet by the National Alliance.
The National
Alliance (NA) is the country's
most prominent Nazi group, and is described by the Anti-Defamation League as
the most dangerous hate group in the country (Stormfront).
Its leader, William Pierce, is a former American Nazi Party member. He authored
The Turner Diaries, which may have
been an inspiration to
The
NA ideology is complicated and centered on Natural Law, which, incidentally,
figured prominently in the founding fathers' philosophy. Their goals include
the creation of a "white living space" - all white communities
insulated from all minorities. It blames the inclusion of these groups in the
political process for the "decline" of the American republic. It
regards the current
The
NA supports eugenics, the selective breeding of humans along racial lines, for
all of
NA economic policies are based on ethnic principles. It could be described as structured capitalism. Restrictions will be placed on non-white labor, etc. The NA program is quite complex and extensive, and takes up a good portion of their web site. It is coherent and well thought out, in contrast to some other white supremacist writings.
National
The NA web site takes advantage of multimedia. Visitors can view streaming video at various speeds, with adjusted formats for every modem connection. The National Alliance also archives editions of its radio broadcast American Dissident Voices, all the way back to 1976. There is also, as is common on many of these sites, a downloadable application and membership information available.
National
The National Alliance is a well-organized, well-financed hate group. Their leader, William Pierce, is an accomplished writer, as can be seen directly from his online writings. The sophistication of their enterprise suggests considerable technical savvy and financial success. They are as far from the "illiterate redneck" stereotype of American Nazis as one may get. Their web site appeals to the educated, computer literate American or European.
These groups, through their use of the Internet and its expanding technology are becoming the new face of racial hatred. But these are just several examples of groups centered around one type of hate. While they are all trying to convey a similar message they are appealing to different groups. Hate exists in many forms to many people, but over the last couple of years, hate has taken a new form… the Internet. While it is important to allow people to speak their views, it is also important to be aware of what groups that have obviously violent motives are doing. Though this is not the government’s role, as they have been mostly uninvolved, there are several organizations that are stepping up to the plate.
Most of these sites appeal to those users that have
a computer with the technology to use its multimedia features. Studies have suggested that the social
profile of an Internet user; the highest percentage have a college degree or
some college (Norris 1999). Therefore,
the audience most intended for these websites are likely to be those readers
that have higher levels of education.
Even the writing style of the authors of the discussion on these sites
show higher reading levels. The majority
of these sites are organized to look for financial assistance, so it would be
favorable to appeal to the educated, as they are most likely to have potential
for higher incomes. There is also
evidence that they are trying to communicate in particular with women. Websites like Stormfront
have been especially particular to appeal to women sometimes even with specific
links. A study done in 2000 suggests
that about 46% of women are online (Norris 1999). In
There are other types of media offered through the Internet that would correspond with the lower income individuals. There could be those individuals who are just looking to see the current social gatherings or just looking to sign-up on the mailing list. By listing this information, they are allowing those without regular computer use like the lower class an opportunity to find a way to have information sent to them.
Some
sites are concerned with providing to the International and National
population. Sites such as the National
Alliance and Stormfront appeal internationally by
attempting to pandering to European nationalism and
having website capable to be seen in different languages. Then there are those websites that are
looking for a secular audience verses the religious. The
In terms of individuals, the websites are
increasingly attracting many as conversations take place on many extremist
Internet Relay Chat channels, such as #Nazi and #Klan (ADL). The collection of thousands of public
discussion groups where people write, read and respond to messages attracts
hundreds of thousands of participants each day.
These discussions are known to attract both active (those who write) and
passive (those who simply read or "lurk")(ADL).
The main issue surrounding hate groups comes down to the argument of how much of the group’s message is to be protected or trampled on as hate speech (Anderson 2001). However, it is not the government’s role, and in its place several organizations are stepping up to take on the responsibility. In response to hate the three most powerful tools watchdogs are applying are the law, community action and education (Media-Awareness). Some examples of watchdog organization would be the Anti-Defamation League, Cyber Patrol, and Simon Wiesenthal Center Task Force. These organization set up filters that will bar access to anti-Semitic, racist, and other forms of hate speech online, that signaling a change in the way Net filtering companies operate.
However, the anonymity, availability and economy of the Internet seem to make it tailor-made for hate groups. People who would never have the courage to attend an extremist group meeting can read up on their ideology from the comfort of their own homes. Groups without the financial resources of mainstream political parties can access the same audiences as multi-million dollar campaigners. Obscure parties can reach out to isolated sympathizers who would have otherwise never heard of them. And many groups have utilized the multi-media capabilities of the Internet to more effectively convey their exact message. In many cases, this has made their messages even more offensive.
Though it is tempting to blame the Internet for the material now connected to the homes of millions worldwide, it is the message of hate and not the medium that deserves closest scrutiny.
And this scrutiny is being provided by the groups that are monitoring and filtering hate speech who are equally as effective in their use of technology. And by doing so, they are creating an environment, true to the American design, where free speech, even hateful speech, no matter how seemingly dangerous, reigns supreme.
Works
Cited
Anderson, Kevin. Battling Online Hate.
Anti-Defamation
League. “Hate on the World Wide
Web: A Brief Guide to Cyberspace Bigotry.”
Web Site.
http://www.adl.org/special_reports/hate_on_www/hate_on_www.html
(
George, John and
Laird Wilcox. American
Extremists: Militias, Supremacists, Klansmen, Communists & Others.
Knights of the
Ku Klux Klan. Web
Site. http://www.kukluxklan.org/ (
National
Norris, Pippa. Digital Divide Civic Engagement, Information Poverty, and the Internet
Worldwide.
Perry, Barbara. In the Name of Hate: Understanding Hate
Crime.
Stormfront. Web Site. http://www.stormfront.org/ (
Mock, Karen. Challenging Online Hate. Web Site. http://www.media-awareness.ca/eng/issues/internet/hintro.htm