There is much to be learned from the movie American History X as well as the book Autobiography of a Recovery Skinhead: The Frank Meeink Story. Both offer insight into the world of white nationalists with elements ranging from day to day discourse all the way to socialization into the white supremacist movement. This blog has dedicated each and every post to the examination of the white nationalist movement, both the book and the film embody many of the topics raised in this blog, while offering new elements of discussion for future blog focus.
Many of the previous posts on this blog have been dedicated to topics specific to white nationalism on a global scale, on of the most important elements of globalized white nationalism is the facilitation of translocal whiteness. Translocal whiteness describes a shared white communal identity that transcends geographic location. Though notions of translocal whiteness are not explicitly stated in either the movie or the novel, invocations and symbols of this shared identity are on display in both pieces of media. Upon Derek's release from prison he revisits his old hangout and has a conversation with Cameron, the leader of the local white nationalist movement, a man Derek once viewed as a father figure and as a mentor. Cameron, the former mentor shares with Derek how the movement has changed since his imprisonment. Cameron describes the new level of organization in the movement detailing the new found communication with white nationalist groups all along the west coast, communication facilitated by new media specifically the Internet.
Though it is not explicitly stated this is translocal whiteness, using the Internet groups across a whole region have now fostered a singular identity and can now work together towards a collective goal. This same transcending identity is on display in the Frank Meeink story. Frank himself comments on the new uses of the Internet and at one point even hosts his own white nationalist television program, yet another sign of new media and its fostering of translocal whiteness. Though I understood the definition and significance of translocal whiteness before watching the movie and reading the book, consuming both allowed me to see how this shared identity is felt on the ground level for individuals operating within these groups.
One of the most intriguing elements for me in both the book and the movie is the notions of individual socialization into the white nationalist movement. In both Frank and Derek’s case, feelings of racial hostility were felt at an age before entering the movement. Frank captures these feelings in his book.
“Especially after I moved in with my dad and I saw black guys beating the shit out of white guys almost every day. Especially on the days I was the one they were wailing on.”
Not only does Frank discuss his experiences with other races but he acknowledges how these life experiences left him predisposed to falling into the movement.
“ I’d be lying if I said those guys planted a seed in me that night; the truth is they just added water and beer to a seed already inside me waiting to grow.”
This same narrative is also offered in American History X, with Derek’s father and his forced socialization. The scene below displays this dynamic, with Derek’s father racializing the a conversation about what Derek is learning in school. Not only does he throw out terms like “affirmative blacktion” he cuts down an influential black leader in Derek’s life.
Another learning point in both the film and the book comes from an epistemological viewpoint. Anyone who researches the white supremacist movement will learn of the epistemological attack white nationalists are waging on hard earned political truths. In American History X the leader who I alluded to earlier uses epistemological attacks to not only convince recruits of their legitimacy but also to justify and validate the violent actions of the group and its members. The same progression is seen in the false truths adopted by Frank Meeink, throughout his career as a white supremacist he uses these so called truths to validate his constant violence. An example of this can be seen when Frank and a group of white nationalists beat up a group of gay men for seemingly no other reason than their apparent sexual preference.
These validations are the same in American History X when Derek gives a speech detailing the evils of immigration and how it affects white America, quickly afterwards they go on to raid a grocery store supposedly employing illegal immigrants (Video Posted Below). Before the book and the film I viewed the epistemological attack from white supremacists as a way to misconstrue truths in mainstream society, and while it still serves that purpose it is also used to validate the actions of white supremacist groups.
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