Simmering on the Back Burner: America’s Recipe for Modern Fascism
- Karen Brittingham-Edmond
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
11 January 2026
Investigative Report Topic: Fascism, Psychosocial Impacts
Monmouth County NJ - If you catch a whiff in the air these days, it might smell suspiciously like beans left too long on the stove—a pungent aroma with a hint of something sinister. The truth is, the flavor of fascism Americans taste today with the Trump Administration and its chorus of MAGA followers, isn’t a new recipe. Rather, it’s been slow-cooking in America’s political kitchens for decades, with Southern Baptist Confederate Evangelicals’ so-called “Sanctuary Movement” and The Christian Coalition quietly stoking the flame.
For years, these movements have been simmering a pot of white nationalist ideas, blending disengagement, oppression, and exclusion on a low heat, until now. What once seemed like a gentle stew has boiled over, filling the air with aspirations not unlike those of history’s darkest chapters—intent on relegating Black Americans to the margins. Even figures like Clarence Thomas, whose success masks a willingness to support the very structures that harm vulnerable Black citizen communities, have ladled out helpings of this toxic brew, all under the banner of Southern Confederate televangelism.
A recent Echo News TV LLC report (Echo News TV LLC, 2026) details the 40-year process that’s led us here, brimming with evidence that today’s outpouring of Confederate and Nazi rhetoric didn’t happen overnight. The Trump Administration and its followers are simply serving up a dish that’s been simmering for generations—one that Americans must finally reckon with, lest the kitchen be lost to the flames. According to James Andres’ master’s thesis, there is substantial evidence and an analysis of strategies employed by a segment of mainstream racist Americans. Once these strategies are understood, they illuminate why such groups are unlikely to regain broad trust from Americans of all backgrounds. Andres’ research, titled "From Mainstream to Fringe Conspiracy: Examining White Supremacist Literature Before and After the Civil-Rights Movement," explores how white supremacist ideology shifted from mainstream acceptance to fringe conspiracy, focusing on the evolution of rhetoric and stigma management since the Civil Rights Era (Andres, 2019).
Here's the breakdown!
Summary Report
Andres, James, "From Mainstream to Fringe Conspiracy: Examining White Supremacist Literature Before and After the Civil-Rights Movement" (2019). Masters Theses. 4319. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/4319
Thesis Overview
James Andres’ thesis examines the transformation of white supremacist ideology and rhetoric in the United States, contrasting the pre- and post-Civil Rights Movement eras. The work analyzes how white supremacist literature and organizations adapted to increased social stigma, legal restrictions, and changing political circumstances, and how these adaptations led to the adoption of conspiracy theories and new forms of stigma management.
Background and Context
Historical Legitimacy:
Prior to the Civil Rights Movement, white supremacy was not fringe; it was embedded in law and social norms, directly shaping government policy and public life.
Resistance to Civil Rights:
White supremacist ideology played a central role in resisting desegregation and civil rights reforms, as seen in key events like the Little Rock crisis and the Southern Manifesto, which opposed federal integration orders.
Shift to Stigmatization:
After the Civil Rights Movement, overt racism became stigmatized. White supremacist movements lost their mainstream position and were forced to adapt.
Post-Civil Rights Evolution
Adoption of Conspiracy Rhetoric:
The decline in mainstream legitimacy led white supremacists to embrace conspiracy theories, particularly those involving Jewish control (“ZOG” – Zionist Occupied Government) and the alleged victimization of whites by minorities and liberals.
Repackaging and Stigma Management:
Modern white supremacists, aware of their stigmatized status, employ strategies to “normalize” or “mainstream” their arguments. They often avoid overtly racist language and instead frame their ideas using coded language and claims about “heritage,” “culture,” and “survival.”
Victim Narratives:
Central to the new rhetoric is the claim that whites are under siege, oppressed, and victimized. This narrative is used to deflect accusations of racism and to broaden appeal, especially to disaffected whites.
Narratives and Techniques
Stigma Management (Goffman):
Drawing on Erving Goffman’s work, Andres describes how white supremacists attempt to “normify” themselves—presenting as ordinary citizens while hiding or rationalizing their racist beliefs.
“New Racists” (Berbrier, Dobratz & Shanks-Meile):
These actors:
Deny their racism,
Use pseudo-scientific arguments about race,
Claim to simply respect “differences,” and
Argue that whites need protection (appropriating anti-racist rhetoric).
Public and Private Masking:
White supremacists hide their views in public, sometimes even in private, to avoid exposure and its consequences (loss of job, social isolation, law enforcement attention).
Online Sanitization:
Even white supremacist forums have rules against direct slurs or open expressions of hate, aiming to reduce stigma and attract more moderate sympathizers.
White Victimization and Siege Mentality
Siege Mentality (Bar-Tal):
White supremacists see themselves as besieged by a hostile world, leading to:
Us vs. Them thinking
Heightened group identity and unity
Xenophobia and suspicion of outsiders
Justification of extreme actions for survival
Victimization Narratives (Berbrier):
Five main claims:
Whites are oppressed victims of discrimination
White rights are being abrogated
Whites are shamed for their identity
Resulting in low self-esteem
Culminating in the threatened survival/genocide of the white race
Radicalization and Violence
From Narrative to Violence:
The victimization and siege narratives create an environment ripe for radicalization, justifying violence as self-defense or a last resort for survival.
Recent Attacks:
The thesis references violent incidents (Pittsburgh Synagogue, Charleston, etc.) as manifestations of these radicalized beliefs—the perpetrators explicitly cited white supremacist victim narratives.
Threats to Civil Rights
How These Actions Threaten Civil Rights (as per the thesis analysis):
Delegitimizing Civil Rights Progress:
White supremacist conspiracy rhetoric seeks to undermine the legitimacy of civil rights gains by framing them as part of a plot against whites.
Mainstreaming Extremism:
By cloaking racist ideology in mainstream conservative rhetoric and victimhood, extremists attempt to infiltrate public discourse, threatening to roll back anti-discrimination norms.
Recruitment and Normalization:
Stigma management and coded language make it easier to recruit new adherents and reduce the social cost of expressing white supremacist views, undermining social progress toward equality.
Infiltration and Subversion:
Efforts to infiltrate law enforcement, the military, and other institutions create direct risks to the fair enforcement of civil rights and public safety.
Radicalization and Violence:
The siege and victimization narratives foster environments where violence becomes justified in the minds of adherents, leading to hate crimes and terrorism targeting minorities and civil rights advocates.
Undermining Social Cohesion:
By perpetuating “us vs. them” mentalities, white supremacist rhetoric erodes social trust and fosters polarization, making collective action for civil rights more difficult.
Conclusion
Andres’ thesis demonstrates that since the Civil Rights Movement, white supremacist movements have shifted from overt, legalistic racism to more covert, conspiratorial, and “mainstreamed” forms of propaganda. This evolution is not just a matter of rhetoric, but a strategic adaptation in response to the stigmatization of racism and the legal protections provided by civil rights advances. The adoption of conspiracy theories and victim narratives not only rationalizes extremist actions—including violence—but also aims to undermine civil rights by infiltrating mainstream discourse and institutions.
In summary: The theorist finds these developments threaten civil rights by attempting to roll back progress, normalize extremism, encourage violence, and subvert institutions meant to protect equality under the law.
References:
Andres, J. (2025). From mainstream to fringe conspiracy: Examining white supremacist literature before and after the Civil-Rights Movement (Master’s thesis, Western Michigan University).
Echo News TV LLC. (2026). [Report on the 40-year development of Confederate and Nazi rhetoric in the United States]. Echo News TV LLC.
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