In this episode, I speak with researcher, journalist, activist, and political consultant regarding Far Right movements Spencer Sunshine. The last time I spoke with Spencer Sunshine was a year ago, soon after the "Unite The Right" rally in Charlottesville, North Carolina in August 2017, in which we discussed the fallout of that event. In this conversation, we catch up on the development of the Far Right over the past year.
We start this discussion with an examination of the recent controversy surrounding Gavin McInnis, founder of the Proud Boys, and his invitation to speak at the Metropolitan Republican Club in New York City, in which a group of Proud Boys openly attacked protesters after the event. We discuss the lack of police interference in the beatings, and the overall trend in policing and law enforcement's attitude toward Far Right movements in the US, and internationally as well, and what this means regarding the development and expansion on these movements. We also discuss the differences and similarities between what has been defined as the “Alt-Right” and the “Alt-Lite,” and what these two camps of Far Right ideology have accomplished in the past year in the expansion and normalization of Far Right rhetoric and violence. We also discuss other strains of Far Right organization and ideology, including Joey Gibson and Patriot Prayer, as well the Left's altogether lack of preparedness in addressing the looming threat posed by these groups.
Spencer Sunshine holds a PhD in Sociology and has been an activist for over 25 years. Currently, he is an associate fellow at Political Research Associates, a progressive think tank that monitors right-wing organizing. He was present at the armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge outside of Burns, Oregon in January 2016, and at the demonstration against the fascist-led “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in August 2017. Sunshine is the lead author of 'Up in Arms: A Guide to Oregon’s Patriot Movement.' He is currently working on a new book, ‘Unorthodox Fascism: The New Right, Third Positionism, and the Specter of Multiracial Fascism in the United States,’ which will appear on Routledge’s Studies in Fascism and the Far Right.☍
☍Source: http://bit.ly/SunshineBio
Episode Notes:
- Learn more about Spencer’s work at his website: https://spencersunshine.com
- Follow Spencer on Twitter: https://twitter.com/transform6789
- Read Spencer’s most recent piece in Truthout ‘Anti-Immigrant Rampage in Germany Shows Expansion of Right-Wing Violence’: http://bit.ly/2AmnBnT
- Read Shane Burley’s piece ‘The Proud Boys Have Revived Far-Right Gang Terror With GOP Support’ in Truthout: http://bit.ly/2R5qqPO
- Watch Vic Berger’s video highlighting the violent rhetoric of Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnis in ‘Gavin McInnes In His Own Words: Proud Boys Engage In Violence For Fun’: https://youtu.be/_J_1Wqzqt4I
- The songs featured in this episode are “I’m Scum” and “Never Fight A Man With A Perm” by IDLES from the album Joy As An Act Of Resistance.
