The deplorables gather for racist conference in D.C.
LatestPresident-elect Donald Trump is already bringing the white supremacists into D.C. They gathered today for a conference organized by the National Policy Institute, founded by Richard Spencer, the same guy who coined the term “alt-right.” Here’s one of the many not-so-lovely things he said today, courtesy of Dave Weigel at The Washington Post.
According to The Post, Spencer and others see the conference as a “coming-out moment.” Once confined to obscure corners of the internet, they see their ideas becoming mainstream in the wake of Trump’s victory. Maybe not, but they’ve ventured outside of cyberspace and are definitely more vocal about their bigoted views.
A highlight from the conference: Tila Tequila making a Sieg Heil alongside racist dudes with hipster glasses. If you’re not familiar with the former Myspace star, that’s because she hasn’t been relevant since her bisexual dating television show A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila on MTV went off the air in 2008.
Speaking with Asawin Suebsaeng at The Daily Beast, who notes she was the closest thing to a celebrity the conference could find, Tequila touched on one aspect about the recent alt-right and white supremacy movement that’s particularly dangerous: it’s meme-able, accessible, and I guess if you run in those circles, hip. Apparently racism is appealing for some people when it’s hidden in something seemingly funny or cute.
The white nationalists can meme all they want though. Racism is never funny or cute, and the progressive community will continuing protesting until the emboldened voices of the overtly racist movement quiet down.