There is a difference between nationalism and white supremacy. Though there is an overlap and often harmony between the two, the difference, definition and involvement of the two are what can separate that harmony from chaos. A supremacist by definition is someone who believes that a particular group is superior to another and therefor should dominate society. This is typically established by using race ultimately giving people the term “white supremacist.” Similarly, race is a construct created by humans to put people in boxes and define them to something unnecessary.
A nationalist however, is someone who identifies with their own nation and its interests especially for the detriment of other nations. Its important to note that in an academic manor of speaking, a nation is not defined by a country and its borders, but rather it is a large body of people who are united by common history, language, culture, geography or territory. That means that a nation can be defined to a country and its borders, but it can go beyond that. Here is what distinguishes a supremacist and a nationalist. A nationalist is proud of their nation and supports it interest though usually for exclusion of another group. A supremacist is proud of their race being superior to others. The factor that comes into play most here is race.
Let’s show an example of a group that is both. The Proud Boys have gotten a lot of notoriety in the media. According to their trustworthy Wikipedia page, the group is a far-right white-nationalist group. The group was originally not focused on race but then shifted gears. White nationalism itself is a form of both white supremacy and nationalism. Because of the nature of the group, they believe that they are against racism but openly are antisemitic, Islamophobic and antifeminist. These proud white boys are ultimately just that, proud of being white men. They themselves promote the national interests of the American nation that is likeminded to them. Additionally, they are openly supportive of violence.
Here is an example of a US nationalist only group. The American Nazi party is a neo-Nazi political group in the US that follows the ideologies of Hitler and the Nazi regime. What differentiates this group from being a supremacy group versus a nationalist group is that they are a group of people that are believing their nation, in this case the Aaryan’s or whites, are a better nation than the Jewish nation. Though race is involved here, but the ultimate ideology is a nation’s interest being promoted more than another.
Lastly, this is an example of a white supremacist group. The most infamous group is the Klu Klux Klan (KKK). This group is notorious for lynching’s, mobs and support of whites only. This group has a deeply rooted history and are notorious for it. To be quite honest, I don’t need to explain this one.
Frankly, I believe that both white supremacists and nationalists can be considered domestic terrorists. When the Capitol building was breached, this is when a lot of people finally began to speak out about white nationalist and supremacist groups. Here’s the thing, I don’t think that Trump supporters are automatically bad people at all. I think the bad people are white nationalists who do things like storm the Capitol and for what? Democracy, republicanism and fair elections or government processes are obstructed when these events happen. Though historically, this is not a new concept, in today’s age with our advanced technology and communication systems, things like this are the steppingstones to insurrections, terrorism and domestic violence. Groups like these are what divide America. The far-right and far-left are more destructive than an everyday mom and pop who are Republican and Democrats. When people think of extremist groups, the US doesn’t normally pop in mind. It’s typically the Middle East or ISIS. The fact of the matter is that the US’s extremist groups are what is destroying our country on both sides of the political spectrum.
You have every right to disagree with my statements or anyone else’s. Thankfully, I am now at the stage in my life where I can hear someone’s opposite viewpoints and respectfully disagree with them and carry on with my life. I’m learning not only through my college classes, but learning through the things that are happening in the world arround me. From local politics to national headlines, it is important to stay informed. I urge you to start considering the political climate and have open conversations with the people who aren’t similarly aligned with you.
HCXO, Cecilia