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White supremacy is the variety of white nationalism that believes the white race should rule over other races. It can be distinguished from white separatism, which calls for the creation of culturally and geographically separate areas for different races. For example, the political system of the Antebellum U.S. South was a white supremacist society.
Ideology While white supremacists share with white separatists a general opposition to racial mixing, especially interracial relationships and marriages, a distinguishing feature of white supremacy is the claim that whites who are Anglo-Saxon should rule over blacks, Jews, Muslims, Hispanics, Asians, Turks, Iranians, Arabs, Greeks, Italians, Southern Europeans, Eastern Europeans, Middle Easterners, North Africans, Non-Protestants, atheists, and homosexuals by virtue of the supposed racial superiority of whites upon which white supremacy is posited. (See also: Race and intelligence, The Bell Curve.)
These beliefs have much in common with Nazism. Some white supremacist groups, particularly in German-speaking countries, actively proclaim themselves Nazis; and, collectively, the groups commonly are labelled neo-Nazi.
In the United States, white supremacist movements sometimes are linked to fundamentalist Christianity or Christian Identity; but most Christians, even those who identify themselves as "fundamentalists", denounce the movement as fundamentally non-Christian. Some white supremacists consider violence to be a legitimate way to further their cause.
Some white supremacist groups identify themselves as Odinists,. The white supremacist version of Odinism has little to do with Christian Identity, but there is one key similarity: their version of Odinism provides dualism - as does Christian Identity - with regard to the universe being made up of worlds of light (white people) and worlds of dark (non-white people). The most fundamental difference between the two ideologies is that Odinists believe in the old Norse gods and do not believe in the divinity of Jesus. However, there are enough similarities between the myths and legends of Odinism and the beliefs of Christian Identity to make a smooth transition from Christian Identity to Odinism for some racist individuals. Some groups, such as the South African Boeremag, even conflate elements of Christianity and Odinism.
Many white supremacist groups do not necessarily adhere to Christian Identity or other religious doctrines. Groups such as the American Nazi Party are largely politically, rather than religiously, motivated. The Ku Klux Klan (KKK), one of the most recognized white supremacist groups in the United States, proposes racial segregation that generally is not based on religious ideals.
Distribution and prominence White supremacist groups can be found in most countries with a significant white population, including the United States, Australia, South Africa, and in the nations of Europe and parts of Latin America. In all of these places, their views represent a relatively small minority of the population, and active membership of the groups is quite small. However, a backlash to the influx of non-white immigrants into various European nations in the last 25 years has spurred a rise in membership in such organizations, as well as an escalation white supremacist demonstrations and hate crimes.
The militant approach taken by some groups has caused them to be watched closely by law enforcement officials. In some European countries, which have more recent experience of the effect of such beliefs in World War II, white supremacist groups are banned by various laws. These include laws which forbid hate speech in addition to laws that forbid organisations who are deemed to be fundamentally opposed to any multi-ethnic, multi-racial, and democratic society.
Violent activism The World Church of the Creator, now called the Creativity Movement, presents a recent example of violence perpetrated by a white supremacist in order to bring about a race war. Ben Klassen, the sect's founder, believed that one's race is his religion. Aside from this central belief, its ideology is similar to many Christian Identity groups in the conviction that there is a Jewish conspiracy in control of the federal government, international banking, and the media. They also dictate that RAHOWA, a RAcial HOly WAr, is destined to ensue to rid the world of Jews and “mud races.” In the early 1990s, there was a dramatic increase in membership due to the growing belief in the Apocalypse and that RAHOWA was imminent. In 1996, Matt Hale, who came upon recent fame by being denied a license to practice law in Illinois, was appointed the new leader of the Church of the Creator. Hale made a number of changes to the group, including changing the name of the organization to the World Church of the Creator, to give it the feel of a widespread movement.
Recent incidents have demonstrated the willingness of members to take part in violent action. WCOTC members in Southern Florida are thought to be tied to several racially motivated beatings. Within the last year, four Florida members were convicted for the pistol-whipping and robbery of a Jewish video store owner. They were supposedly trying to raise money for "the revolution."
Many believe in the necessity of becoming martyrs for their cause. For example, Bob Mathews, the leader of The Order, died in a confrontation with law enforcement. Also, William King relished the fact that he would receive the death penalty for his act of murdering James Byrd, Jr.
White Supremacy organizations
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