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Rob Larsen
10652686
CES 444 Fall 2008
December 4th, 2008
Writing Assignment 4 (Final)
CES 444 Writing Assignment 4
For the fourth paper in our Comparative Ethnic Studies 444 class this semester, we are tasked with creating a lesson plan for a workshop on a subject relating to white power. For this assignment, I've chosen to focus on the part of white power that has interested me the most over the course of the semester, media relating to white power, specifically propaganda that has been used by groups to help spread the message of white power. While this lesson would cover many different forms of the relationships between white power and all types of media, it will mainly focus on selections straight from the horse's mouth, works from actual white power groups found in America. The primary goal of this workshop would not be to just note handouts and papers written by white power advocate groups, though completely leaving them out would be illogical, but it would also note that white power propaganda can come in many forms. The workshop would aim to discuss the hidden messages in seemingly harmless materials, as well as to note the slanted views that are being used in white power propaganda. It would point out how to spot these, and how to discuss them (or engage in discussion with members) without immediately creating villains of these people without noting the constitutional rights that they also hold. Overall, it would allow attendees to have a better understanding of why this propaganda exists, and how to break down its rhetoric in the future.
The Workshop outline would be as follows:
Types of Propaganda
a. Print and Physical
i. National Alliance Magnet
ii. Free Speech Issues with Flyers (YouTube Video)
b. Digital
i. Forums and Message Boards
ii. Group Operated Web Pages
c. Final Discussion of Propaganda
The workshop would be aimed at those interested in how the message of White Nationalists is being spread, or how they are using propaganda to create (or attempt to create) a specific view of their groups. The workshop would be roughly 45 minutes of speech and a very short video, and would leave equal time for discussion (about fifteen minutes for each specific segment) directly following each specific topic. There would also be discussion time left at the end to talk about propaganda as a whole, as well as how to spot messages that may be hidden within other "texts" that, at first glance, may seem harmless or not so slanted. The format would be speech driven, with a projector to show specific examples during the speech process, as well as the capability to show a short video streamed off the internet. Required reading would be pre and post event, and would task attendees with spending time on a specific white power web forum, paying special attention to a few threads which are highly active and will be discussed later. The workshop would also have a handout to accompany the portion dealing with the forum, highlighting specific posts from threads that were going to be used in the speech portion so that everyone's memory will be fresh when it comes time for discussion.
The first piece to be shown would be a magnet from the National Alliance. While at first it looks like a seemingly harmless support our troops yellow ribbon, further inspection reveals a message. The magnet reads "BRING OUR TROOPS HOME // & PUT THEM ON THE MEXICAN BORDER". This magnet can be confusing for some readers because it displays three messages at once, a common theme in white power propaganda. The first is the most obvious, the yellow ribbon. This is a symbol in our country of a philosophy most people back; support our troops. Even anti-war individuals find themselves in line with this message. Next is bring our troops home, which popular consensus says we should be doing in order to avoid any more war casualties from a war that much of our population is against. The last message presented is one that stirs up a more mixed bag of emotions. Telling people that you support pulling our troops out of foreign countries to bring them home and keep foreigners out of our country is generally not heard. It would also be different if it had said but them on our borders, as opposed to just the Mexican border. This adds an air of racism to the magnets whole message, which could be confusing to some viewers as they will generally support at least two of the three messages presented. Discussions on this item would probably range from disapproval of the way it displays its message, to even full approval from some. I feel it would be difficult to find people fully against this propaganda however, which could make it argued that it is very successful. Other physical propaganda forms would be discussed in lesser detail.
Distribution of propaganda from white power groups is also a hot debate issue. This issue has been a major one since the dawn of our country. Our workshop would show a video from YouTube from KCRA TV that shows people in California community outraged that a white pride group had put flyers on cars inside a shopping center. Near the end of the video a civil rights activist is says "They have the right to say whatever they want, we have the right to respond and say 'you know, not in our town ... we don't accept hate here.'" While to most people this quote is easy to agree with, it blatantly disregards free speech and laws set forth by the constitution. This is part of the reason why free speech and propaganda discussions go hand in hand, and would make an interesting workshop debate topic. On one hand, you have people claiming the right to not be offended, and not hear speech they choose not to hear. On the other, you have a group expressing its opinions (even if unpopular) and they have a constitutional right to not have that speech limited. As most people are familiar with, the first amendment of the constitution of the United States says "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or the press" both of which would be covered in this case. The interesting topic for debate is how people's opinions on free speech change when they no longer like what is being said. This makes propaganda a big issue for free speech, because propaganda's main point is generally to spread a specific belief, often contrary to truth or general consensus.
Digital mediums have also taken off as a form of propaganda distribution, and as more and more daily tasks become computer driven, it would need to be discussed heavily in a workshop on propaganda. A solid example to show in the realm of major online discussion forums is the StormFront.org webpage. At the time of research (about 5pm PST on a Tuesday afternoon) there were over 1,000 active users viewing or contributing to the forum. Using this example of ways to distribute propaganda or other messages refutes what a lot of people think they know about white power movements. Most people tend to think that white power movements are isolated incidents in the Deep South, or are small groups of people that gather for hate talk but have very little voice to the greater masses. StormFront.org would prove the contrary though, as the forum has well over two million posts. Within the walls of this internet community people are given a relatively guilt free (and even more so, an anonymous) way to outlet both their feelings about the white power movement, and spread any propaganda they see fit. As part of a pre or post reading for this workshop, the attendees would be required to spend at least an hour looking through and reading various threads on this forum. Specific time would be pointed at the "Pictures Round Two" thread, a thread dedicated to pictures found amusing by visiting members. While the range in photos is absurdly large (anywhere from pictures of guns to art and photography, a little Dutch girl picking flowers to a racist Obama joke), there are rules to this thread. The original post states that "Ok, all of you who feel a need to use up bandwith [sic] with pictures do it here. Keep in mind that all pictures posted should reflect well on Stormfront and the cause. Profanity and nudity are not acceptable. Try to keep at least a modicum of good taste." Good taste is a matter of opinion obviously, as swearing is not allowed, but a Photoshopped picture of a black man fighting another black man for a bucket of KFC is fully within the realm of taste. Many of these pictures are direct pieces of propaganda themselves, quite a few of which are made up by members specifically for posting on the internet.
While StormFront.org has a sub-forum specifically allowing anti-White Nationalists to voice their opinions of members, racism, and so on, the forum is heavily moderated and the administrators have the final say. A recent thread on this sub-forum had a member say that he would miss a recently banned anti-White Nationalist, to which another member responded with "This isn't a hangout for anti's imo [sic] .... let the good ones make 50 , or 100 posts then show them the door .." Freedom of speech extends as far as those in control want it to in this situation, as is the case with almost everything. Those in power have the final say. Topics for group discussion on this workshop would dive into specific threads, especially those most popular. One thing that would be discussed in detail is the fact that most of the opposing views threads are actually started satirically by a Stormfront member. They ask those with opposing views a limited information or slanted question, hoping to get a limited response (which "proves" that they were correct). Pages like this offer countless opportunities to spread propaganda to the masses, and if the numbers show anything these pages are at the very least reaching a substantial audience.
While only three main examples would be used, all of them show many different levels of white power propaganda. The first shows how an object can say many things at once, including saying something that most rational people would have trouble disagreeing with (while at the same time being racist). The video shows the fine line between people being offended and allowing others their freedom of speech and ideas. The last example shows a massive new distribution method for propaganda in the white nationalist movements. All three of these also share another thing in common; on the surface they seem fairly innocent. Support our troops and protect our borders, a few simple flyers, and a confined internet group don't seem like major problems or things that have the ability to make a large impact. However each of these things can make a major impact, and that is why they should be discussed in detail. Hopefully all persons in attendance would not only learn more about propaganda the white power movements are using, but propaganda in general; be it government, religious, or anything else. Using these examples will offer insight into white power movements and the messages they are trying to portray, but any discussion on any bias media should help people identify all forms of it in the future. If this workshop were to help all those present to not only become more aware of a resurgent white power movement, but to also be critical of all forms of media trying to convey a point, I would call it a complete and utter success.
Works Cited/Referenced:
KCRATV. "White Supremacy Group Circulates Propaganda." YouTube. 02 Mar. 2008. KCRA. 7 Dec. 2008 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sujzc6phpb0>.
Pilon, Roger. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America. Annapolis: Cato Institute, 2000. 43.
User: Lycia. "Pictures Round Two." StormFront.org. 14 Feb. 2007. 07 Dec. 2008 <http://www.stormfront.org/forum/showthread.php?t=364582>.
User: Rundown. "RIP General Sherman." StormFront.org. 16 Dec. 2008. 16 Dec. 2008 <http://www.stormfront.org/forum/showpost.php?p=6246846&postcount=3>.
"YELLOW RIBBON MAGNET." Yellow Ribbon Magnet. National Vanguard Books. 07 Dec. 2008 <http://www.natvanbooks.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_prod.html?p_prodid=846>.