by Crimethinc. Workers' Collective
Available in 284 free installments
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As if by magic, the phone was picked up on the other end, and a not-so-Southern voice addressed me: "Oh, sorry about that, we screen our calls. You know, there's a lot of wackos out there." I had used a key phrase that the mysterious racist on the other end of the line had recognized, one that many born-and-bred liberals would never know to attach much significance to: "states' rights." This is the idea that states and other local authorities should have more control than the federal government, which according to standard racist mythology is infested with Jews, homosexuals, liberals, and even black people. According to neo-Confederates, "states' rights"?not slavery?is the reason the South seceded from the Union, and as this is barely mentioned in history classes or leftist periodicals, only a true Southerner would use that phrase in everyday conversation. Also, freedom of speech, in particular the freedom to be a racist, sexist, and generally vile spewer of right-wing madness, is of great concern to this crowd. My use of these key words led to almost immediate acceptance.
"I know, I know, they don't respect a man's God-given right to speak his mind."
"So, what did you want?"
Now, here was a critical moment. I could have asked directly for the location of the
conference. That would have been far too obvious. It was wdser to put off demanding the
Infiltration ^ctual information I wanted and just ask for a local contact, who might be less security-
316 conscious. "Can I get a local phone number of someone to call to talk about how to take
a more active role? I've been reading too long, and after what those terrorists did to us on September ii*^, it's time for Americans like me to take a stand."
Within a few seconds I had the local phone numbers of Council of Conservative Citizens members in my area, and the name of the high-ranking Council member who had talked to me on the phone. After a polite goodbye, I made another phone call to my local contact. He wasn't home. So I called another, and another. 1 kept getting answering machines; racists love to screen their calls. The next time an answering machine engaged, I finally spoke: "Well, I just talked to Mr. [name of high-ranking racist previously mentioned], and he gave me your number. I've been reading y'all's webpages, and I really enjoy the Alamance Independent ..."
Bang. The receiver on the other end picked up. The name-dropping, combined with a reference to an obscure right-wing paper available online, had got me the next contact on my hit list. Now I was part of the right-wing scene!
"How ya doing.^ Sorry about that, I just sometimes am slow picking up the phone ..."
Sure. Jeez, I wish anarchists had this measure of security culture on picking up phones. Given that, the ball was now in my playing field.
"Ah, I'm just wondering about how to get involved. I mean, I've never been much on getting involved in politics, since I'm not a fancy type of man and always feel a bit confused about things myself."
"That's how it is in these confusing times."
"But, I dunno ... I just don't feel right about the way this country is going. Why, people are even insulting President Bush, and after what happened in New York, why, we're under attack and these damn liberals keep trying to stop our good President from doing his job. And it seems like even our leaders are forgetting about states' rights."
"Have you read the latest article on the web about how the liberals with their left-wing inmrathn agenda are demonizing us?" 317
"Sure ... I always read your website. That's why I'm calling you. I've never . .. well, I was in the Sons of the Confederaq^, and I did do some reenacting for a few years back in [name of state even more southern than the one I live in], you know at Gettysburg, Bentonville, Spotsylvania ... yeah, those were good old times, but it was just kids' stuff. I want to get serious about defending this country."
"You know, one of the biggest problems we face is immigration . . ." My host began an impassioned tirade on how immigrants were ruining our nation.
"Well, I'm not racist, I've never considered myself a racist man." It's always good when infiltrating a group to come off as an honest, multifaceted, and even moderate human being, instead of some caricature of a white-hooded Klansman. "But I do know that if these people are here illegally, that's wrong, and I'm not in their country taking their jobs or nothing. I mean, compared to blacks, these immigrants are growing even faster ... there's no reason they shouldn't have to go through the same procedures as the rest of us citizens."
