Emboldened by white supremacist hate speech on social media platforms like "X", on right-wing media outlets, and by Republican politicians, neo-Nazi groups have come out of the shadows and are openly demonstrating their bigotry and anti-Semitism in plain view of the general public. The epicenter for these groups is reported to be Florida, where fascistic demagogue Gov. Ron "Bootsie" DeSantis has made a career out of bashing black history, LGBTQ+ communities, immigrants, and the politics of inclusion. From Vice.com:
"This year so far, neo-Nazi appearances have been spread across 15 different states and generally involved members from relatively new groups that initially formed as loose online communities, and then metastasized into formal organizations, such as NSC-131, Aryan Freedom Network, Blood Tribe, Goyim Defense League and a national network of Active Clubs.
The majority of the newer neo-Nazi groups are headquartered in Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running for president, has repeatedly earned extremist praise for his hardline policies against immigration, LGBTQ rights, and “Critical Race Theory.” Which is why some neo-Nazis, like the Order of the Black Sun, like to wave the DESANTIS 2024 flag at their demonstrations.
Experts say that there’s a direct correlation between aggressive, conspiratorial, and bigoted rhetoric in the mainstream, and how emboldened extremists feel to take action.
Whether it's a spike in hate crimes against Jews after rapper Ye’s (formerly Kanye West) highly publicized anti-semitic rantings, the transphobic account “Libs of TikTok” inspiring anti-LGBTQ legislation in Florida, or an angry mob storming the U.S. Capitol after being fed lies by lawmakers about the 2020 election, it’s clear that the fringes, influencers, right-wing media, and GOP are all part of the same toxic soup." (our emphasis)
The report goes on to note that the majority of demonstrations by neo-Nazi groups in 2023 appeared to be at LGBTQ+ events and drag shows. The Republican / New Confederate / Shooters party has also stirred animosity through its school book banning campaigns by groups like "Moms for Liberty":
"For over a year, 'grooming' conspiracies have had a chokehold on the entire spectrum of the right, from GOP policy-makers down to QAnon conspiracists. What began as a culture war over teaching kids about acceptance and the LGBTQ community via books or movie characters has ballooned into a full blown moral panic and the neo-Nazis took notice.
A broad constellation of far-right activists around the country have spent the past year showing up to protest outside school board meetings and drag events, including 'parents rights' groups like 'Moms for Liberty,' and 'Gays Against Groomers,' alongside more typical far-right groups like the Proud Boys, Patriot Front—and, increasingly, explicitly neo-Nazi organizations." (our emphasis)
The Vice report is worth reading in it's entirety. There's a growing connectivity of right-wing politics and media with neo-Nazis, whether the former want to acknowledge it or not.
