Related Content
The “Who’s Who” Guide Differentiates between the Two Emerging Movements
New York, NY, July 18, 2017 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has produced “From Alt Right to Alt Lite: Naming the Hate,” a new guide to 36 activists and leaders who personify the alt right and alt lite movements at a time of increased public activity.
The resource from ADL’s Center on Extremism provides a snapshot of key players within the two movements, explaining their backgrounds and involvement. The ADL list, which includes relatively obscure activists as well as movement leaders like Richard Spencer and Gavin McInnes, will be updated as additional figures emerge.
“In the past year, members of the alt right and alt lite have been increasingly at odds with each other, even as they hold public rallies to promote their extreme views,” said Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO. “We want people to understand who the key players are and what they truly represent.”
In the past year the alt right has gone from relative obscurity to one of the most visible extremist movements in the U.S., bringing messages of white supremacy and anti-Semitism into the public sphere. Meanwhile, a loosely connected movement of right-wing activists dubbed the alt lite, which rejects overt displays of white supremacy but embraces misogyny, anti-Muslim bigotry and xenophobia, has also emerged on the far-right scene. This has sowed some confusion about the two movements in terms of their respective goals and who’s involved in each.
“While the alt right has been around for years, the current iteration is still figuring out what it is – and isn’t,” said Oren Segal, Director of ADL’s Center on Extremism. “This is further complicated by the emergence of the alt lite, which operates in the orbit of the alt right, but has rejected public displays of white supremacy. Both movements’ hateful ideologies are still somewhat fluid, as are the lines that separate them.”
Among the figures identified in the online “Who’s Who” resource:
Alt Right Key Leaders & Activists:
- Andrew Anglin runs the The Daily Stormer, a neo-Nazi website
- Andrew Auernheimer, aka Weev, is a white supremacist and anti-Semite and notorious American hacker and online troll.
- Richard Spencer, is a leader of the alt right movement and a symbol of a new generation of “intellectual” white supremacists.
- Tim “Treadstone” Gionet, aka Baked Alaska, a former BuzzFeed editor turned right-wing internet personality.
Alt Lite Key Leaders & Activists:
- Mike Cernovich is a Southern California-based blogger, YouTube personality, author, conspiracy theorist, and radio host.
- Gavin McInnes is a Proud Boys leader and Vice magazine founder, currently contributes to an online right-wing outlet Rebel Media.
ADL’s Center on Extremism fights extremism, terrorism and all forms of hate in the real world and cyberspace with unmatched capabilities in research, analysis, investigation, and online monitoring. Recognized as the foremost authority on extremism, the Center provides resources, expertise and training which enables law enforcement, public officials, community leaders and internet and technology companies to identify and counter emerging threats.
To speak with an expert on extremism and the alt-right and alt-lite, contact ADL Communications at adlmedia@adl.org.
The Anti-Defamation League was founded in 1913 to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all. Today it is the world’s leading organization combating anti-Semitism, exposing hate groups, training law enforcement on hate crimes, developing anti-bias curricula for students, countering cyber-hate and relentlessly pursuing equal rights for all.
Follow us on Twitter: @ADL_National