popular

Mother's viral thread on white boys and alt-right propaganda is a must-read for parents

Mother's viral thread on white boys and alt-right propaganda is a must-read for parents
Photo by Blink O'fanaye / Flickr

America is seeing a huge surge in right-wing terrorist acts perpetrated by young white males. Since 9/11, right-wing terrorists have killed more people in the United States than Jihadis.

So the new questions become, how do we stop breeding terrorists in America? How do we identify the warning signs of alt-right radicalization? And how do we prevent white teens from falling victim to a vast campaign of propaganda that aims to radicalize them?

Joanna Shroeder, a self-identified feminist mother, wife, and writer, whose work has appeared in outlets such as Redbook, Time.com, and AskMen, wrote a powerful viral tweet thread on how and why these young white teens become radicalized.

The thread also shows how parents can help prevent radicalization from happening in the first place.

Alt-right activist making the "OK" aka white power sign. via Mooch Cassidy / Flickr

Shroeder's take is important because it shows that radicalization doesn't happen in a bubble. It also points out that many teens lack the nuanced, critical thinking skills necessary to develop an inclusive worldview.

All the while, they are living in a time of great change in which society is working to level the playing field by elevating people of color, women, and religious minorities.

This, in turn, makes it much easier for these teens to be seduced by propaganda that affirms their whiteness. These days, YouTube, 4Chan, and gaming forums are rife with propaganda that preys on the vulnerability of white teens.

RELATED: Justice finally served in the case of a Nazi who unleashed a troll army on a Jewish woman

Over the past decade, there's been a lot of talk about how older white men have been radicalized by Fox News, Schroeder makes a similar argument for white teenagers and social media.

Schroeder's empathetic view of these young men doesn't serve to forgive those who become radicalized, but it shows that it's more important than ever for parents to understand their perspectives.

We often talk about women and ethnic minorities as "falling through the cracks" in institutions that fail to support them. Schroeder's thread shows that, in changing times, new chasms have opened in the social fabric that have made it easier for white teens to be radicalized. It's time for them to be closed.


She also suggested some ways to learn more about this form of white radicalization.

Related Articles Around the Web
popular

Biden announces that we will have enough vaccines for every adult in the U.S. by end of May

The Hill/Twitter

It was a mere three weeks ago that President Biden announced that the U.S. would have enough vaccine supply to cover every adult American by the end of July. At the time, that was good news.

Today, he's bumped up that date by two full months.

That's great news.

In his announcement to the nation, Biden outlined the updated process for getting the country immunized against COVID-19.


Keep Reading Show less
coronavirus
Badge
Sumo Citrus®
Sumo Citrus®
Sponsored

This family’s journey to adoption demonstrates the transformative power of love

True

We're redefining what normal means in these uncertain times, and although this is different for all of us, love continues to transform us for the better.

Love is what united Marie-Claire and David Archbold, who met while taking a photography class. "We went into the darkroom to see what developed," they joke—and after a decade of marriage, they know firsthand the deep commitment and connection romantic love requires.

All photos courtesy of Marie-Claire and David Archbold

However, their relationship became even sweeter when they adopted James: a little boy with a huge heart.

In the United States alone, there are roughly 122,000 children awaiting adoption according to the latest report from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. While the goal is always for a child to be parented by and stay with their biological family, that is not always a possibility. This is where adoption offers hope—not only does it create new families, it gives birth parents an avenue through which to see their child flourish when they are not able to parent. For the right families, it's a beautiful thing.

The Archbolds knew early on that adoption was an option for them. David has three daughters from a previous marriage, but knowing their family was not yet complete, the couple embarked on a two-year journey to find their match. When the adoption agency called and told them about James, they were elated. From the moment they met him, the Archbolds knew he was meant to be part of their family. David locked eyes with the brown-eyed baby and they stared at each other in quiet wonder for such a long time that the whole room fell silent. "He still looks at me like that," said David.

The connection was mutual and instantaneous—love at first sight. The Archbolds knew that James was meant to be a part of their family. However, they faced significant challenges requiring an even deeper level of commitment due to James' medical condition.

James was born with congenital hyperinsulinism, a rare condition that causes his body to overproduce insulin, and within 2 months of his birth, he had to have surgery to remove 90% of his pancreas. There was a steep learning curve for the Archbolds, but they were already in love, and knew they were committed to the ongoing care that'd be required of bringing James into their lives. After lots of research and encouragement from James' medical team, they finally brought their son home.

Today, three-year-old James is thriving, filled with infectious joy that bubbles over and touches every person who comes in contact with him. "Part of love is when people recognize that they need to be with each other," said his adoptive grandfather. And because the Archbolds opted for an open adoption, there are even more people to love and support James as he grows.

This sweet story is brought to you by Sumo Citrus®. This oversized mandarin is celebrated for its incredible taste and distinct looks. Sumo Citrus is super-sweet, enormous, easy-to-peel, seedless, and juicy without the mess. Fans of the fruit are obsessive, stocking up from January to April when Sumo Citrus is in stores. To learn more, visit sumocitrus.com and @sumocitrus.

From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
sumo citrus
popular

Woman shares her pre-pandemic tattoo as worst case of 'bad timing' in the history of body art

via wakaflockafloccar / TikTok

It's amazing to consider just how quickly the world has changed over the past 11 months. If you were to have told someone in February 2020 that the entire country would be on some form of lockdown, nearly everyone would be wearing a mask, and half a million people were going to die due to a virus, no one would have believed you.

Yet, here we are.

PPE masks were the last thing on Leah Holland of Georgetown, Kentucky's mind on March 4, 2020, when she got a tattoo inspired by the words of a close friend.

Keep Reading Show less
covid-19
popular

Coworkers who became quick friends are shocked to discover they're actually sisters

via ABC News

Julia Tinetti, 31, and Cassandra Madison, 32, first met in 2013 while working at The Russian Lady, a bar in New Haven, Connecticut, and the two immediately hit it off.

"We started hanging out together. We went out for drinks, dinner," Julia told "Good Morning America." "I thought she was cool. We hit it off right away," added Cassandra

The two also shared a strong physical resemblance and matching tattoos of the flag of the Dominican Republic. They had a bond that was so unique, even their coworkers thought there must be something more happening.

Keep Reading Show less
family
Trending Topics
Trending Stories
Sister Sites