The “Alt-Right” Just Held A Neo-Nazi Conference In Our Nation’s Capital
Nazi salutes at a DC restaurant (Friday, November 18, 2016)
Washington DC — It was a frightening scene straight out of Nazi Germany. A room filled with over 200 people, mostly white males, with their arms outstretched from their chests in a Nazi salute shouting, “Hail Trump! Hail our people! Hail Victory!”
Leading the chants was Richard B. Spencer, a rising leader in the so-called “alt-right” (white supremacist) movement. In his speech this past Saturday, he spoke on the superiority of the white race and discussed how he believes they have been disenfranchised: “America was, until this last generation, a white country designed for ourselves and our posterity. It is our creation, it is our inheritance, and it belongs to us.”
“To be white is to be a creator, an explorer, a conqueror,” he added.
Spencer went on to slam the mainstream media using the German term “Lügenpresse,” a Nazi-era word that means “lying press.” He suggested that the media is seeking to protect Jewish interests and questioned if they were “people are people at all, or instead soulless golem.” Golem is a giant from Jewish fables, that was created by a rabbi to help protect the Jews.
Spencer went on to say President-elect Trump’s win was a result of “the victory of will.” A term oddly reminiscent of a Nazi propaganda film titled “Triumph of the Will.” He believes their movement willed Trump into victory. The group is especially excited about a Trump presidency now that Steve Bannon, former Executive Chairman of Breitbart which has provided a platform for the “alt-right” white supremacist movement, is Trump’s Chief Strategist and Senior Counselor.
Watch some of the speech for yourself:
This 'alt-right' conference in D.C. openly advocated white supremacy and had frightening Nazi undertones https://t.co/n2Cq74oLpf
They are out here at a conference yelling "Heil Trump." 2016. https://t.co/vZvAz83686
— @deray
Richard B. Spencer, is the President and Director of The National Policy Institute. They organized the annual event.
The National Policy Institute describes itself as, “an independent organization dedicated to the heritage, identity, and future of people of European descent in the United States, and around the world.” While the LA Times called the organization a “Think Tank,” we’ll call it like it is: A Neo-Nazi, white supremacist organization.
Spencer, in his own words, has said, “Our dream is a new society, an ethno-state that would be a gathering point for all Europeans.” He’s also called for “peaceful ethnic cleansing.”
The group held the event at the Ronald Reagan Building, a few blocks away from the White House.
On Friday night, the group held a dinner at a restaurant in Northwest Washington, D.C. Tila Tequila, an ex-TV personality and now a self-described “Alt-reich Queen,” was in attendance.
Seig heil! ✋
The dinner sparked outrage. Protesters stormed the restaurant.
Protesters barge into restaurant Neo-Nazi think tank National Policy Institute is dining at https://t.co/PNGOnC1s6z
The restaurant, Maggiano’s Little Italy, later released a statement of apology, stating: “This expression of support of Hitler is extremely offensive to us, as our restaurant is home to Teammates and Guests of every race, religion and cultural background.”
This event, coupled with the recent uptick in hate crimes, highlights the racial disparities in our country. These are deeply concerning developments in American society. We must not let this become the new normal. We need to pay attention. This is unacceptable. Will President-elect Donald Trump denounce this neo-nazi conference? We don’t know.
Update: President-elect Donald Trump disavowed and condemned this event in his meeting with the New York Times.
