This week J.G. Michael of Parallax Views joined me to discuss the current state of the right-wing movement. J.G. started out by talking about the intellectual roots of the far right and how that has evolved over the years. He touched on lesser known but highly influential people like Curtis Yarvin and Hans-Hermann Hoppe. J.G. also talked about the role that silicon valley and tech culture within the neoreactionary movement.
Later we discussed right-wing front man Gavin McInnes and his political gang the Proud Boys. We talked about his recent speech at the Met Club where he reenacted the murder of socialist Inejiro Asanuma by right-wing nationalist Otoya Yamaguchi. J.G. discussed how the Proud Boys fit into this complex milieu. We talked about their role as the Republican Parties brown shirts. Later we talked about punk music and some of their connections to the far right. We ended by talking about some of the real people behind these dangerous groups who are merely using McInnes and others as fronts.
Chuck Ochelli joins me to discuss the aftermath of the violence in Charlottesville and the rise of right wing racist groups. We begin by breaking down the initial protest over the taking down of a statue Robert E Lee. Chuck and I offer up our thoughts not only on America’s new found love of statues from the 1950’s but the make up of this crowd of alt-right protesters. Next Chuck and I explore the racist and racialist history of America and its deep roots in our society. Chuck explains the difference and how racialism has infected most of the population. We talk about the casual racism that persists in America and how it has morphed into the extreme forms that we are seeing at the moment.
In the second hour we discuss self proclaimed white nationalist Chris Cantwell and his bizarre saga which ended with him crying on YouTube. I talk about his strange trajectory from sweaty, unfunny libertarian “stand-up”, to neo-nazi skinhead “activist”. Chuck and I explore how a man as insignificant as Cantwell gravitates to a racist ideology. We then touch on how the alt-media has slowly been infiltrated and co-opted by these right-wing fascist groups. We also look back historically to the 1990’s when the FBI and other groups began infiltrating and radicalizing the Patriot and Militia movements. Chuck and I debate whether the government may be preparing us for another major act of right-wing domestic terrorism by looking at the bizarre case of Jerry Drake Varnell in Oklahoma City. I also touch on Johnny Bangerter, his history as a spokesperson for the White Power Movement, and the efforts by the government to involve him in the OKC Bombing. Chuck and I try to end on a positive note by offering up our own thoughts on how to combat this problem and grow as a nation.