Before embarking on a racist rampage in Buffalo on Saturday, the alleged gunman left behind a document denying membership in “any organization or group.”
But the 180-page screed, which authorities are scrutinizing in connection with the massacre, leaves little doubt that the alleged perpetrator, 18-year-old Payton Gendron, belongs to a global fraternity fused by the Internet and fixated on the idea that White people are being intentionally replaced.
That idea, once relegated to the fringe, has gained currency on popular right-wing television programs and in the halls of Congress. The theory, known as the “great replacement,” has turned white nationalism into an international call to arms. The apocalyptic vision has accumulated followers during the coronavirus pandemic, which has deepened political polarization and accelerated the online flow of racist ideology.
“You don’t find this philosophy just on the fringes of the Internet and among the most extreme groups anymore,” said Milan Obaidi, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Oslo who has studied “great replacement” rhetoric and the violence it has provoked. “It’s becoming mainstream. You see established politicians in Europe and the U.S. touting similar ideas.”
A French presidential candidate, conservative Valérie Pécresse, referred explicitly to the “great replacement” on the campaign trail in the winter. Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) highlighted its tenets in a congressional hearing last year. And Tucker...
“When companies use kickbacks to influence prescribing, they erode trust in healthcare providers,” said special agent Helsing. Takeda Pharmaceuticals, U.S.A. Inc has agreed to $13,670,921 amid alle...