The right's embrace of a deadly racist conspiracy theory
Last week, Popular Information reported that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis lied about the contents of elementary school math textbooks. On April 15, DeSantis claimed the rejected elementary school math textbooks included Critical Race Theory (CRT). But every review of these textbooks conducted by the Florida Department of Education explicitly stated there was "no CRT." On Friday, I received a call from the Press Secretary for the Florida Department of Education, Cassandra Palelis. She told me that the article was "very misleading" and DeSantis' claims were accurate. I said that I would be happy to correct the article if she provided evidence of CRT content in any of the rejected elementary school math textbooks. She told me that she would email me the evidence. Paleis did email me, but her email did include any evidence. Instead, it repeated her talking points from our phone conversation. I made it clear that I stood by Popular Information's reporting. Shortly thereafter, the Florida Department of Education began attacking me on Twitter: In short order, these attacks were amplified by DeSantis' press secretary, Christina Pushaw. Being held accountable clearly bothers DeSantis' political team. But their tactics backfired. The attacks against my reporting went viral and made millions of people aware of DeSantis' deception. Popular Information is a three-person newsletter but we can rattle the cages of the most powerful politicians in the country. You can support this work — and help us do more of it — with a paid subscription. If the cost of this newsletter ($6/month or $50/year) would create any kind of financial strain, please stay on this free list. That's why we've taken down the paywall. But if you can afford it, consider becoming a paid subscriber. The "great replacement theory" can be traced back at least to Theodore G. Bilbo (D-MS), the brazenly racist U.S. Senator who held office from 1935 to 1947. Bilbo, an antisemite who acknowledged being a member of the Ku Klux Klan during an appearance on "Meet the Press," warned that at "the present rate of interbreeding and miscegenation and intermarriage between the [n-words] and the Whites… there’ll be no Whites, there’ll be no Blacks in this country. We’ll all be yellow [or brown]." In 1947, Bilbo published a book Separation or Mongrelization: Take Your Choice. In the book, Bilbo argued that "great civilizations of the ages have been produce[d] by the Caucasian race" and the "mongrel not only lacks the ability to create a civilization, but he cannot maintain a culture that he finds around him." He asserted that the nation must choose between a "White America and a mongrel America." 75 years ago, Bilbo's arguments were seen as extreme. The Saturday Evening Post, an influential conservative publication, called him "America’s Worst Demagogue." In 1946, Senator Robert Taft (R-OH) described Bilbo as "a disgrace to the Senate." There were several efforts to remove him from office prior to his death from cancer in August 1947. Bilbo's beliefs, however, were refreshed and repopularized by The Camp of the Saints, the 1973 novel by French author Jean Raspail. The novel is "an apocalyptic tale that attempts to depict the destruction of white, Western society at the hands of mass immigration from the Global South." The book gained popularity "among American white supremacist and anti-immigrant groups in the 1980s and 1990s." In 2012, Renaud Camus, a French white nationalist and conspiracy theorist who was influenced by Raspail, wrote The Great Replacement. Camus argued white Europeans "are being reverse colonized by Black and Brown immigrants, who are flooding the Continent in what amounts to an extinction-level event." The philosophical underpinnings of European white nationalism became increasingly popular among American racists. The white supremacists who gathered in Charlottesville in 2017 chanted "you will not replace us" and "Jews will not replace us." Even though that gathering resulted in deadly violence, the racist conspiracy theory only became more popular. It was embraced first by fringe members of Congress like former Representative Steve King (R-IA), who tweeted "[w]e can’t restore our civilization with somebody else’s babies" in 2017. But it was mainstreamed and popularized by Fox News' Tucker Carlson, the nation's most-watched political pundit. In 2021, despite heavy criticism for promoting racist conspiracy theories, Carlson described the great replacement theory as "true" and "what’s happening, actually." A December poll found that "about 1 in 3 U.S. adults believes an effort is underway to replace U.S.-born Americans with immigrants." On Saturday, 18-year-old Payton Gendron allegedly drove more than 200 miles to a predominantly black neighborhood in Buffalo and, dressed in tactical gear, opened fire at Tops Friendly Market. 13 people were shot and 10 died. Gendron, who has been charged with murder in connection with the shooting, reportedly left behind a 180-page manifesto that "repeatedly cited" the great replacement theory. The role of Tucker Carlson in mainstreaming the great replacement theory is well-documented. But the mass shooting in Buffalo raises serious questions about many prominent Republican officials and right-wing advocates who have adopted the great replacement theory in recent years, even as the racist conspiracy was cited as motivation by previous mass shooters in Pittsburgh and El Paso. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI)Johnson promoted the ideas undergirding the great replacement theory during an April 15, 2022 appearance on Fox Business:
Senate candidate J.D. VanceVance, who recently won the Republican nomination for a U.S. Senate seat in Ohio, referenced concepts associated with the great replacement theory in an April 2022 townhall. He claimed Democrats were plotting to let in 15 million additional immigrants because they were confident that 70% would vote Democratic.
Vance made a similar claim in a campaign advertisement. The ad claims that Biden was deliberately keeping the border "open" to keep "more Democrat voters pouring into this country." In the ad Vance, echoing Carlson, insists he is not "racist" for telling "the truth." Senate candidate Blake MastersMasters, a Republican campaigning for the Senate in Arizona, has advanced variants of the great replacement theory on multiple podcasts and videos. He tweeted the claim on Saturday, shortly after the shooting in Buffalo: The Democrats want open borders so they can bring in and amnesty **tens of millions** of illegal aliens — that’s their electoral strategy. Not on my watch. Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY)Stefanik, a member of the Republican House leadership, ran a Facebook ad with a variation of the great replacement theory. It claimed that Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Nancy Pelosi were plotting to "flood our voter roles [sic] with 11 MILLION NEW VOTERS by giving illegal immigrants amnesty." The Albany Times-Union, Stefanik's hometown paper, said the "despicable" ads "repackaged" the great replacement theory. Congressman Scott Perry (R-PA)Perry promoted the great replacement theory during a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing on immigration from Central America in April 2021:
Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL)Gaetz supported Carlson on the great replacement theory and said the Anti-Defamation League was "racist" for calling for Carlson's ouster: .@TuckerCarlson is CORRECT about Replacement Theory as he explains what is happening to America.
The ADL is a racist organization.
Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R)In a September 2021 appearance on Fox News, Patrick said Democrats were "trying to take over our country without firing a shot" by inviting millions of immigrants into the country. Patrick said each of those immigrants would have "two or three children" who will support Democrats to thank "Biden for bringing them here."
Fox News' Laura IngrahamIn October 2018, Ingraham warned Fox News viewers that Democrats "want to replace you":
Fox News' Jeanine PirroIn October 2019, Pirro said that Democrats were involved in "a plot to remake America—to replace American citizens with illegals who will vote for the Democrats." Daily Wire host Matt WalshMatt Walsh, who hosts a podcast on the Daily Wire, one of the most popular right-wing websites, promoted the great replacement theory on August 13, 2021. Walsh acknowledged that many people believes the great replacement is racist but, like Carlson, argued that it is a fact:
Trump advisor and political operative Steve BannonSteve Bannon, the former top aide to President Trump who now hosts a podcast popular with Republican candidates, was at the vanguard of popularizing the great replacement theory with MAGA Republicans. Bannon repeatedly referenced The Camp of the Saints as an explanation for immigration in Europe and elsewhere. "It’s not a migration,” Bannon said in January 2016, “It’s really an invasion. I call it the Camp of the Saints.” A few months later, in a June 2016 interview with then-Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Bannon described a "war" against liberals in the United States who were attempting to change the nature of the country through immigration. "Do you believe the elites in this country have the backbone, have the belief in the underlying principles of the Judeo-Christian West to actually win this war?" Bannon asked. At the time, Bannon was editor of Breitbart, a far-right media outlet. A BuzzFeed exposé found that, in the runup to the 2016 election, Breitbart collaborated with white nationalists. In the White House, Bannon was the driving force behind Trump's ban on immigration from several Muslim countries. Trump advisor Stephen MillerDuring the 2016 campaign, Stephen Miller, then an aide to Sessions, was in close communication with editorial staff at Breitbart. In one email, Miller encourages former Breitbart editors Katie McHugh and Julia Hahn to incorporate The Camp of Saints in their immigration coverage.
A couple of weeks later, Hahn did just that: In the emails, Miller also "pushed racist immigration stories and obsessed over the loss of Confederate symbols after Dylann Roof’s murderous rampage." President Donald TrumpTrump won the presidency fear-mongering about immigrants. In a July 2017 speech in Poland, Trump deployed the language of the great replacement theory. He described immigration as an issue of "survival" for "the West." Migrants were part of a plot to "subvert and destroy" our "civilization."
The speech was reportedly written by Miller. |
Older messages
After Roe
Thursday, May 12, 2022
In the coming weeks, Roe v. Wade is expected to be overturned and the constitutional right to abortion will be eliminated. If that happens, 22 states already “have laws on the books that impose very
The baby formula shortage and the twisted priorities of the American economy
Thursday, May 12, 2022
Throughout the country, there is an acute shortage of baby formula that millions of families rely on to feed their children. According to research from Datasembly, "the national out-of-stock rate
Ron DeSantis' math textbook hoax
Tuesday, May 10, 2022
The Florida Department of Education issued an alarming press release on April 15: "Florida Rejects Publishers' Attempts to Indoctrinate Students." The release claimed that publishers of
PR giant advising corporate clients to stay silent on abortion rights
Friday, May 6, 2022
A massive public relations firm, Zeno, is privately advising its high-profile corporate clients to avoid commenting on the draft Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, according to an internal
What corporations are saying about the end of constitutional protections for abortion
Thursday, May 5, 2022
Corporations can play a critical role in pushing back against state action that undermines fundamental rights. In 2016, for example, the Georgia legislature passed a bill that would have allowed
You Might Also Like
What A Day: A-drone again (naturally)
Saturday, April 20, 2024
Israel hit back at Iran but in a more tartgeted scope than expected ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
The Idea of Presidential Immunity Is Not As Ridiculous As You’ve Heard
Friday, April 19, 2024
Columns and commentary on news, politics, business, and technology from the Intelligencer team. Intelligencer the law The Idea of Presidential Immunity Is Not As Ridiculous As You've Heard Still,
I Found a Sample Sale at Staud
Friday, April 19, 2024
22 Things on Sale You'll Actually Want to Buy: From Bioderma to PicassoTiles The Strategist Every product is independently selected by editors. If you buy something through our links, New York may
An Exclusive Interview With Wemby
Friday, April 19, 2024
View in your browser Twitter Facebook Instagram Share | Subscribe The Ringer April 19, 2024 Welcome to the tortured playoffs department? NBA Getty Images/Ringer illustration Twenty-year-old San Antonio
On the Shoulders of Giants
Friday, April 19, 2024
Feel Good Friday, Weekend Whats ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Seattle startup vet leads the new ‘Homebrew Computer Club’ for AI
Friday, April 19, 2024
In-home health screening startup raises $14M | AI's impact on biopharma ADVERTISEMENT GeekWire SPONSOR MESSAGE: Science Firsthand: Learn how Bristol Myers Squibb unlocked the potential of CAR T
Dove's New Campaign, Stunning Interactives and the Two Kinds of Attention
Friday, April 19, 2024
Ten stories that have given us creative inspiration this week ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Why so many publishers have failed at copying Wirecutter
Friday, April 19, 2024
PLUS: How Joe Pulizzi built and sold The Tilt, a newsletter and conference business geared toward creators ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
A nearly perfect pan
Friday, April 19, 2024
It only gets better with time ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
☕ Four plenty
Friday, April 19, 2024
Cannabis retailers' big day. April 19, 2024 Retail Brew PRESENTED BY Feedonomics It's Friday, and tomorrow, as we note below, is 4/20, the biggest day in cannabis retail. But food brands are