Description
The recent global surge in violence inspired by white supremacist ideologies is an urgent, transnational threat. In 2019 alone, 50 individuals were killed at the Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Center in Christchurch, New Zealand, and 22 individuals were gunned down in El Paso. More recently, violent hate crimes against Asians have surged in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. In these cases and many others, white supremacist ideology, rooted in viewing minority groups as a threat to the white race, motivated the violent actors.
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While there is consensus among policy experts, lawmakers, and affected communities that swift action must be taken, no organization has taken the lead to develop and promote an actionable policy blueprint to counter white violent supremacy in the U.S. and abroad.
The Center for American Progress (CAP) and the McCain Institute for International Leadership propose to develop such a blueprint, and to publish complementary papers, to advance these goals: to include the voices of impacted communities in policy debates; to unite progressives and moderates around a bipartisan policy agenda; to create disincentives for political leaders to use rhetoric known to inspire violence; and to decrease the number of violent incidents by supporting prevention programs that address risk factors before individuals resort to violence.
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The initiative will address these questions: (1) What factors contribute to the spread of violent white supremacy and what set of policies should the U.S. enact to counter the drivers of extremist violence? (2) How deep are the transnational dimensions of violent white supremacist movements and what are the implications for the U.S.? (3) What can past and present counterterrorism policies, including their successes and failures, teach us about strategies that could be useful in the fight against violent white supremacy?
CAP and McCain will host a series of convenings bringing together representatives from communities of color; religious communities; law enforcement officials; former white supremacists; and public health and policy issue experts in national security, civil liberties and civil rights, gun violence prevention, and criminal justice. The initiative will identify concrete policy actions that public figures, presidential candidates, and Congress can take to make immediate progress in countering this threat.
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CAP and McCain have the capacity to host convenings either online or in person, consistent with public health guidance. Travel restrictions permitting, the initiative will also host an international convening in Europe to include the transnational dimensions of the violent white supremacy movement and gather information about how other countries are attempting to counter these threats.
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The initiative, led by Katrina Mulligan, Managing Director of CAP’s National Security and International Policy, will leverage expertise and experience from across the organization’s issue areas, including criminal justice reform, gun violence prevention, and racial justice. At McCain, where hate-based violence is a central issue of concern to the Institute, the collaboration will be led by Brette Steele, Director of Prevention and National Security.
The Center for American Progress is an independent nonpartisan policy institute founded in 2003. The McCain Institute at Arizona State University, in spired by the legacy of Senator John McCain, implements programs in leadership development, human rights, rule of law, international security and combatting human trafficking =.
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The Luce Foundation would cover partial salaries, travel and meeting expenses, and consultant fees. The proposal was developed in collaboration with the Catena Foundation, and is recommended as a Public Policy/Collaboration and Incubation grant. Conversations with the Omidyar Networks as a potential third funder are ongoing.
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Recommendation: That the Directors of the Henry Luce Foundation approve a one-year grant of $125,000 to the Center for American Progress for the project, A Policy Blueprint for Countering the Threat from Violent White Supremacy.Â