White Terrorism and the Replacement Theory

George Cattan
2022 / 8 / 22

Terrorism is usually described as acts of violence perpetrated by individuals´-or-groups against the citizens of their own countries´-or-other countries to achieve political, social,´-or-religious goals. Some believe that this also includes the violent acts of dictatorial regimes to suppress their opponents´-or-to terrorize them and subject them to their authority. While many countries add to the list of terrorism resistance organizations that use violence against the occupation of one country to another´-or-the subjugation of a dominant nationalism to a national minority. But when the word "terrorism" is mentioned, it is usually referred to the terrorism practiced by Islamic jihadist organizations such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS and the like, which are characterized as the most active and widespread in the world, as their operations are not-limit-ed to their countries of origin, but go beyond them to the world as a theater for their operations. But terrorism is not-limit-ed to Islamic terrorism. There is the other side of the coin´-or-the other wing, what can be called "white terrorism" in America and European countries.
White terrorism is active in organizations between secret and overt, usually placed within the framework of the extreme right, but many of them are not satisfied with political action through democratic systems and frameworks in their countries, and often go beyond them to use indiscriminate violence against peaceful civilians´-or-state agencies and elected officials. They justify their terrorist acts with far-right theories, many of which are close to the fictional conspiracy theory. Just as Islamist terrorism carries out its operations based on religious texts that it interprets as desired to justify its violent actions against society, so white terrorism practices its operations based on theories, most of which are racist, including the "Replacement Theory.”
The latest white terror attack was the mass shooting last May in Buffalo, New York, at a supermarket in a predominantly black neighborhood, killing 10 people, 9 of whom were of African descent. An investigation of the 18-year-old white terrorist found that he espoused a racist political theory called the "Great Replacement Theory." He posted online detailing why he chose a mostly black neighborhood store because: "He wanted to kill black people to fight against the Great Replacement Theory”, which also has other names, including: "White Replacement Theory", and "White Genocide".
The Buffalo massacre is not unique, as many preceded it in America and Europe, including, for example, Dylan Roof who killed nine black people that were attending a Bible study class in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015. In America also in 2019, a person was killed in an attempt to kill 53 others in Synagogue in suburban San Diego. The killer stated that he committed his crime to prevent "the meticulously planned genocide of the European race". That same year in El Paso, Texas, a gunman killed 23 Mexican immigrants with an assault rifle. And it s not just an American phenomenon. In Christchurch, New Zealand, a mosque massacre took place in 2019 where 51 people were killed by a white supremacist who feared "white genocide". And in Norway in 2011, Anders Breivik killed 77 people in a bombing and mass shooting, including many children.
The essence of the theory is the belief of its adherents that non-white immigrants will form the majority over time and will not only take white jobs but also the main centers of political power, economy, and culture, the majority of which are currently monopolized by whites, and that if they did not stop the flow of immigrants, white culture would cease to exist, and whites would soon lose their privileged position at the pinnacle of society in favor of people of color. In addition to the migration of colored people, a factor highlighted by its opponents is the birth rates of colored people, which exceed the rates of whites. Adherents of the theory argue that "outsiders" must be subjugated, exiled,´-or-eliminated. Theorists view the "replacement" as a conspiracy orchestrated by the "left" to replace today s mostly white voters, voters of color who are pliant to the left. Fox News s Tucker Carlson has linked Democratic Party politics to "replacing native-born Americans with more obedient people from faraway lands."
The origin of the "Great Replacement Theory" goes back to France when Renaud Camus published a book in 2011 claiming that Europe was invaded by black and brown immigrants from Africa. The white French Catholic population, and the white Christian European population in general, is regularly being replaced by non-Europeans, particularly from the Middle East and North and South Africa, through mass immigration and population growth. They believe that there is a potential danger of destroying French culture and civilization. They accuse the liberal elites of running a premeditated and deliberate plot to replace the European peoples. In America, reference is made to the novel “The Turner Diaries” written in 1978 by William Pierce, which revolves around a violent racial revolution in America that leads to the extermination of non-whites. The FBI described the novel as "the gospel of the white supremacist right".
Who promotes the theory of white substitution? In a number of its aspects, the theory coincides with some of what is shown on the conservative Fox News channel, and with some statements by Republican representatives in the US Congress. An Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found that 1 in 3 Americans believe replacement is correct, and that an effort is underway to replace white Americans with immigrants for electoral gain. The concern of these people contributed to the rise of Donald Trump in 2016, and his first presidential decision after taking power and to satisfy his voters was the issuance of a law to prevent immigration from underdeveloped countries. Had the courts not overturned his contradictory decision, he would have continued his plan to restrict immigration to whites from Western countries.
The most powerful official figure to express his hostility to “replacement” immigration in America was Republican Representative Elise Stefanik of New York, the leader of the third Republican in the House of Representatives, who stated: "The Radical Democrats are planning their most aggressive move yet...their plan to grant citizenship to 11 million illegal immigrants will topple current electoral scales and create a permanent liberal majority in Washington." And she s not the only one in the Republican Party who s said things like that, but she s probably the clearest. Note that not every right-wing white extremist believes in the replacement theory in all its details, but clings to the ideas of its rapprochement.
The most extreme forms of racism in America are not widely accepted, and there are laws to counter them. Its supporters tend to be cautious because they know they are being watched and do not make calls to arms. And they benefit from freedom of expression and the US Constitution allowing Americans to own guns. White nationalists, white supremacists, and other far-right organizations marched in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, which turned into deadly clashes, with the main chants of "You won t replace us!"
The concept of "replacement" risked its public dissemination of hatred against people of color, fueling racist attacks by whites. This conspiracy theory attacks the core concept of the melting pot of the multiple nationalities, cultures, and origins of immigrants in America and European countries, and should not be left unchecked. While those who propagate this dangerous doctrine have the right of the First Amendment to the Constitution to express their opinion, the opposing majority has the right to stand up to them and prevent the spread of their dangerous ideas to society by democratic political and educational means, with strict legal accountability when the matter moves from mere opinion to the use of violence to achieve the objectives of the theory. It is necessary to tighten the procedures for purchasing offensive weapons, especially by individuals, and this is what most representatives of the Republican Party oppose, in the service of arms manufacturers and sellers. Also, tightening security measures against extremist organizations, not only secretive ones but also overt ones that promote theories that are based on terrorists to justify their criminal acts, in a way that does not reduce the freedom of citizens to express their opinion.




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