Continuing investigations into far-right disinformation

Last week, I cross-posted my article Conspiracy Theories and Far-Right Disinformation on Daily Kos. After a question posed by a reader, I continued my research. The reader asked whether it was less attempt to discredit the left than an attempt to form an alliance. That was a good question, one I'd briefly considered and dismissed because so much of the stuff I was researching was clearly intended to deceive. Yet, it was certainly worth considering as an additional motive.

I decided to go back to Google and search some more. One search was using my article's title. Turns out, one of the first things I saw was an online study done by Chip Berlet during the first Gulf War called "Right Woos Left". So, the answer the reader's question was yes, they are trying to form an alliance. Here's the catch: they're also trying to discredit and destroy the left. They just want to use us in the meantime. Plus, it allows them to shape the framework of the discussion and recruit people to their side.

I've contacted Mr. Berlet and he's interested in discussing the issue with me in preparation for another article in the series, but it's going to be a bit before that piece is ready. So, in the meantime, I'm writing a brief update.

I strongly recommend reading the Berlet piece. However, if you don't have the time to make your way through the entire 100+ page investigation, I'll give you a quick rundown.

Conspiracism and the Far Right

Mr. Berlet, as well as other researchers of the far right note the central role paranoid conspiracies play in their ideology. The Nazi's certainly used this -- the secret plotting of a Jewish conspiracy played big in their discussion. People with even a passing familiarity of the beliefs of white supremacist, Identity Christians, the Patriot Militia movement and such are familiar with their fantastical theories. Talk of ZOG (Zionist Occupational Government), Bilderberger, UN One World government, inflation of the GHW Bush phrase "New World Order" into a rallying cry of opposition. Even the nickname these people have acquired -- the "black helicopter crowd" -- speaks to their paranoid conspiracy theories.

These theories are articles of faith, used to create a dualistic "us and them" attitude. Faced with a perceived evil this great, great sacrifice and struggle for their cause is called for. The theories allow them to find a target to blame for all the ills in the world and serve as their rallying cry for their efforts at recruitment. They justify any means necessary and provide simple, reassuring answers to otherwise complex issues.

Popularization of Conspiracism.

Conspiracism has been rising in popularity among not only the right, but among a broad range of people as trust in the government has declined. JFK assassination theories, CIA plots, Iran/Contra and the "Secret Team", abuses of government power, and most recently, 9/11. And let's not forget UFO's and alien abduction. Many of these conspiracy theories have origins or at least active participation among the extreme right. But they've also infected the culture. The X Files couldn't have been a hit without this substrate of belief in conspiracies.

And some of these conspiracies have been particularly appealing to the left, government wrong-doing and secret plots do exist. The left was systematically hunted in the 60's under COINTELPRO. Ronald Reagan and the first George Bush were in fact secretly trading missiles to Iran to fund the Nicaraguan contras. The CIA has been involved in coups time and again. So, it's no wonder there's interest. The problem comes with the sources of information are coming from the extreme right. Even when they do have good information, they pollute it with their ideology and ideas, merging it into their larger conspiracy theories.

Berlet gives examples where this information has been spread, wittingly and unwittingly. Sometimes it gets uncritically passed on by sources considered reputable, sometimes by subterfuge, sometimes by capitalizing on claims of a relationship with reputable people.

Examples of the Spread of Conspiracy Theories into the Mainstream

A good starting point for discussing the dissemination of these conspiracy theories is the Christic Institutes' lawsuit over Iran/Contra. Originating as a suit over the La Penca bombing, the case grew as Daniel Sheehan began to accept more and more of the ideas of a larger "Secret Team" conspiracy. There was a secret team that included numerous administration officials, Oliver North, Richard Secord, John Singlaub, CIA participation and others. However, "Secret Team" describes an overarching, long-term conspiracy to take over the government. Much of the information Sheehan began buying into was tainted, flawed and undocumented. This was one of the elements that resulted in the case being dismissed. The untrustworthy sources included followers of Lyndon LaRouche and people linked to Willis Carto's Liberty Lobby.

Carto's people also were able to inject their rightist theories into the anti-war movement as preparations for the Gulf War and the popular resistance to it got rolling. In this case, blaming Israel was the goal. Carto's connection to the holocaust denying "historical revisionism" movement and his virulent anti-semitic beliefs was the motive here. (Echo's of the current moment as the David Duke-affiliated StormFront have come out in "support" of Cindy Sheehan. What they really say, however, is that Israel is to blame for this war and they don't want some "Johnny come lately" liberal stealing their issues.)

While the Carto people did their thing regarding the war, putting out stories and tracts, the LaRouche crowd attempted to gain access to coalitions from the left in opposing the war. Initially, the anti-war organizers were caught flat-footed by this, but quickly started giving the LaRouchies the boot. Yet, by persistence, the LaRouche allies and associates managed to wiggle back in to the room, if only to get asked to leave again. While their less obviously anti-semitic fascists, it's only because their ideology is so freaking nuts and because they launder the anti-jewish aspect behind conspiracies involving Britain. LaRouche is also particularly devious, continuing to pretend participation in the Democratic Party, when it suits him.

A history of deception.

When it comes right down to it, fascists have always pretended to be something they're not. Look at the full name of the Nazi's. They were the National Socialist Workers Party. Of course, none of those words mean what they traditionally mean. LaRouche, for a time ran the US Labor Party. Um, right. The Populist Party (Carto affiliated) sounds like it's for the people, against the plutocrats. And, well, it is... except it's just for the white people.

The Nazi's and the Italian fascists also encouraged alliances with the left, against the "corrupt center". And when the center falls, then the left is purged. In Nazi Germany, this purge was known as the "Night of the Long Knives".

A Warning on Both Pragmatic and Ethical Grounds

There are common concerns on the left and the right, such as opposition to military interventionism, CIA skullduggery, government abuse of power, anti-corporatism, and the like. But the solutions offered by these opposing sides are completely and irreconcilably at odds.

Berlet makes the point at various places in Right Woos Left that there should not ever be alliances with the extreme right. There are pragmatic reasons for this:

• The left will be discredited by the association with such people,
• The goals of the left and right are fundamentally irreconcilable,
• Anything that builds up the right is bad for everyone, and
• If the right is successful, they will turn their attention to destroying the left.

There are also ethical reasons for studiously avoiding the far right. I think these are perhaps a little too obvious to need ticking off. Working with brutal, racist authoritarians who want power for themselves just can't be reconciled with working for peace, tolerance and democracy. It's too self-evidently loathsome to even think about.

Stay Tuned

That's my thumbnail sketch of the material in Right Woos Left. Of course, all the good, informative details require reading the full document, or at least major sections of interest. I'll be back with the next article in the series when I get the material and the discussions with sources complete. In addition to Chip Berlet, I've also asked a couple of other people to contribute and I'm hoping they will.