On this edition of Your Call, we're discussing what the Biden administration needs to do to defeat extremism and white supremacy in the United States. Yesterday, Joe Biden became the first President to repudiate extremism during an inaugural address.Federal authorities say at least eight alleged members of extremist groups have been charged in the past week and at least two National Guard members have now been identified with ties to fringe rightwing militias. TheBrennan Center has long reported that law enforcement has been infiltrated by white supremacists. Experts warn that the Capitol attack could fuel extremist recruitment for years.
Guests:
Eric K. Ward, executive director of Western States Center and senior fellow with the Southern Poverty Law Center, where he focuses on authoritarian movements, hate violence and preserving inclusive democracy
Michael German, fellow with the Brennan Center for Justice’s Liberty & National Security Program, former FBI agent, and author ofDisrupt, Discredit, and Divide: How the New FBI Damages Democracy
Web Resources:
Brennan Center, Michael German: Hidden in Plain Sight: Racism, White Supremacy, and Far-Right Militancy in Law Enforcement
The New York Times: Capitol Attack Could Fuel Extremist Recruitment For Years
The Appeal, Jonathan Ben-Menachem: The Cops at the Capitol
NPR, Eric Westervelt: Off-Duty Police Officers Investigated, Charged With Participating In Capitol Riot
Slate, Puneet Cheema: Biden Must Purge Military and Law Enforcement of White Nationalists