Below is an archived edition of Ctrl Alt Right Delete, a weekly email newsletter. This edition was published on 07/23/2017. Members of Factual Democracy Project have access to past editions. Subscribe to Ctrl Alt Right Delete.
A year ago I set out to learn everything I could about the so-called alt-right and how the digital and media landscape had changed. After the election, that interest became an obsession. I dove headfirst into a world of cartoon frogs, internet nazis, and dank memes. Along the way, I learned about bots, active measures, and conspiracy theories. I’ve done my best to chronicle everything for you all in this newsletter which now boasts a reach of nearly 4,000 readers.
Tonight I’m proud to announce the next evolution of my work: Factual Democracy Project, a home for my newsletter and expanded content. My first project under this new organization is a speaker series of hour long calls, similar to the French Election Debrief Jennifer Fiore and I produced in May. To fund this series, I’m launching a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter.
Learn more at my Kickstarter campaign page. Become a founding backer today!
Starting in September of 2017, I’ll produce a series of 6 conference calls — three for the public, and three exclusively for founding members. The calls will run twice a month and last for one hour. They’ll cover topics aimed at helping people better understand the current political climate: how we got here, what we’re facing, and what we can do about it.
This series comes directly from your feedback. When I surveyed readers 73% of you asked for more commentary and analysis from experts. The most popular request for more additional content was conference calls. 48% of you indicated that conference calls were your jam.
The content of the three public calls will be free and widely available. They’ll be open to the public and the press. And I’ll put recordings and summaries of each call up on Factual Democracy Project’s website so that members can easily access them. The members will be a deeper dive with an emphasis on topics and expertise you’ve been asking me for more information on. My goal for these calls is to curate the wealth of knowledge that exists and make it as easy as possible to consume.
But to get started I need your help. I’ve launched a Kickstarter to fund our first series of calls. Can I count on you to back Factual Democracy Project today?
Here are three additional things you can do to support my effort right now:
This series is the first step towards creating a space for more cross conversations and convenings. I’ve structured the rewards largely as memberships, which 74% of you said you were interested in. Founding members will play a crucial role in making this series of calls happen, but your membership is annual. Founding Members will help shape Factual Democracy Project and I’ll be soliciting your feedback every step of the way. I’m thrilled to bring this to life but I can only do that with your support.
Help me create my first series of programming. Back The Factual Democracy Project Kickstarter today.
I’m so excited to launch and share this with you. But I can’t make this work without your backing. If you have any questions or want to be involved, don’t hesitate to reach out. Thanks in advance for your help and enthusiasm.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has put together a directory of known figures in the so called alt-right. They also attempt to define the difference between alt-lite and alt-right, a distinction I haven’t covered much here but that can be helpful when understanding how various threads of the Frog Squad interact:
Alt right writer and white supremacist Greg Johnson describes the difference between alt right and alt lite this way: “The alt light is defined by civic nationalism as opposed to racial nationalism,” which is a defining characteristic of the alt right.
But while the alt right and alt lite are theoretically distinct – and include a number of warring factions, as seen at dueling June 2017 rallies in Washington DC – there is crossover between them. There are a number of people and groups who walk the line between alt right and alt lite, to the extent that it’s not always easy – or even possible — to tell which side they’re on. The Proud Boys, an alt lite, right-wing activist group founded by Gavin McInnes and dedicated to “Reinstating a Spirit of Western chauvinism,” is a good example of a group toeing that line; some of their members support alt right figures and events, while others have made a point of steering clear of anything associated with white supremacist beliefs.
You’ll be shocked to learn that of the 33 profiles ADL has put together only three are women. All appear to be white.
From Alt Right to Alt Lite: Naming the Hate (ADL)
The Frog Squad seem particularly upset about the ADL list. They claim it is a target list and are expressing their outrage using #ADLterror on Twitter. Jack Posobiec, alt right celebrity and conspiracy theory influencer, even posted a response video he filmed at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial. They are such snowflakes.
Thanks for reading and supporting Ctrl Alt Right Delete. One more plug for the Kickstarter before I go!
See y’all next Sunday!
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