The Contemporary Ku Klux Klan and the American Nazi Party: A Comparison to American Populism at the Turn of the Century

Hate, Oppression, Repression, and the Apocalyptic Style: Facing Complex Questions and Challenges

“…Instead, they look at movement members as people with a grievance who are strategic and instrumental in the way they mobilize resources, exploit political opportunities, develop their own culture, frame ideas, and create slogans (McAdam, McCarthy, and Zald 1996). Aho (1990) found these dynamics at work in his study of Christian Patriots in Idaho, as did Dobratz and Shanks-Meile (1997) in their study of white separatists, and Blee (2002) in her study of women in organized hate groups. Until the late 1970s, most scholarly studies of social movements focused on the political left.…”

“…On the other border of the debate, attempts by scholars to use more nuanced approaches are often met with the skepticism that greeted "White Power, White Pride!" The White Separatist Movement in the United States, by Dobratz and Shanks-Meile (1997). What Dobratz and Shanks-Meile, Durham, Lyons, and I are arguing is that it is important to pay attention to the distinctions and boundaries that exist in rightwing social movements.…”

“…Producerist white supremacy helped fuel the attack on newly gained Black rights after the Civil War (Kantrowitz 2000, 4-6, 109-114, 153 of German Nazi ideology in attracting an alienated audience for a mass base (Payne 1995, 52-53;Postone 1986). The idea that right-wing populism is an ingredient of fascist social movements is an argument that has a long pedigree (Ferkiss 1957;Laclau 1977;Germani 1978;Dobratz and Shanks-Meile 1988;Fritzsche 1990;Griffin 1991;Eco 1995;Berlet and Lyons 2000). The use of populist rhetoric by right-wing groups in the U.S. and Europe increased in the early 1990s (Mozzochi and Rhinegard 1991;Phillips 1992;Betz 1994;Kazin 1995;Betz and Immerfall 1998).…”

The Identity Christian Movement

“…Interracial marriage, dating, and sex are strictly prohibited and are attached to every form of social ill conceivable. Diseases, germs, viruses, bacteria, and general uncleanliness are associated with race mixing (Aho, 1990;Dobratz & Shanks-Meille, 1988;Shanks-Meille & Dobratz., 1991). There is fear that the pure White race will be corrupted and defiled by mixing with the "mud people" (non-Whites) and the penalty for miscegenation is death (Aho, 1990).…”