Rome GA – Atlanta Antifascists

Georgia Neo-Nazi Broadcast Cancelled

“NSM Hoff” – a white supremacist internet radio show that was part of the National Socialist Movement’s “Radio Network” – has been cancelled by its host Floyd Eric Meadows of Rome, Georgia. The weekly show began in August 2016 and discussed “Anglo-Saxon and National Socialist Spirituality” from a racist heathen/neo-pagan perspective. A brief “eulogy” for the show was posted on the National Socialist Movement Media Radio Network page on December 27, 2016, confirming that the show had been cancelled by its host “due to a variety of personal situations.”

nsm-hoff-eulogy-late-dec-2016

Floyd Eric Meadows is a longstanding white supremacist in Georgia. A couple of months after the April 23, 2016 National Socialist Movement (NSM) rally held in Rome, GA, Meadows hosted a smaller “meet and greet” home gathering attended by NSM and International Keystone Knights of the KKK members. In July, “Eric” was announced as the NSM leader for Georgia; Meadows’ internet radio broadcast began the month after that.

As well as pontificating about a racist variant of neo-paganism, the NSM Hoff show discussed less airy matters, such as Eric Meadows’ preparations for an Aryan Nationalist Alliance (now renamed Nationalist Front) gathering in Draketown, GA in mid-September. (The Draketown event featured not just a swastika-burning in the field behind the Georgia Peach Oyster Bar, but also a pagan wedding ceremony for Meadows attended by his neo-Nazi pals.) The NSM Hoff show also discussed Meadows’ longer-term ambition to build a racist heathen enclave in Eastern Tennessee.

eric-meadows-angie-johnson-nazi-rally5119 Eric Meadows and Angela Kay Johnson, both of Rome, GA, at Nationalist Front rally in Harrisburg, PA, November 5, 2016. Photo courtesy of Restoring the Honor.

Meadows’ “personal situations” seem to have started around the time he and his partner travelled to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for a November 5 pre-election rally organized by the NSM and its Nationalist Front alliance. While Meadows was away, over 150 of his closest neighbors received an anti-fascist mailing setting out Meadows’ history and affiliations. The next Monday, in place of the scheduled “NSM Hoff” broadcast from Meadows, an earlier archived episode was reposted. Reruns continued until the show was officially cancelled at the end of December.

While Eric Meadows seems to have temporarily gone quiet, there is no evidence that he has cut ties with the white supremacist movement or that he will remain inactive forever. We also do not believe that the end of Meadows’ broadcast spells the end of National Socialist Movement activity in our state – this organization has resurfaced time and again in Georgia, often with a new leader at its helm. If you have information about NSM or other white supremacist activity in our state, please get in contact.

Aryan Nationalist Alliance Gathering at Georgia Peach Oyster Bar in Draketown, Sept. 17 2016

Update 9/13/2016: According to the NSM, Matthew Heimbach has cancelled his appearance at the Aryan Nationalist Alliance event “due to a conflict on time.”

The Aryan Nationalist Alliance (ANA) – the pact of white supremacist groups established just before the National Socialist Movement (NSM) / Loyal White Knights of the KKK rally in Rome GA on April 23 – has now announced a gathering at the Georgia Peach Oyster Bar in Draketown (near Temple) GA on September 17^th.

The ANA meeting will take place exactly two weeks before Hammerfest, which is the national gathering for another white supremacist organization, the Hammerskin Nation. Hammerfest is also expected to take place at the Georgia Peach Oyster Bar. (The Georgia Peach is less than an hour’s drive west of Atlanta; since publishing our initial story on Hammerfest, we have received further corroboration that Patrick Lanzo’s Georgia Peach will be the venue on Oct. 1^st.)

Aryan National Alliance Sept 17 2016 GA Peach EDITED Aryan Nationalist Alliance event announced on front page of National Socialist Movement website

The September 17 Aryan Nationalist Alliance event is announced on the front page of the National Socialist Movement’s website. The gathering was initially planned as a regional meeting for the National Socialist Movement, but was subsequently broadened to be an Aryan Nationalist Alliance event involving several organizations. Matthew Heimbach of the Traditionalist Worker Party – also scheduled to appear at Hammerfest on Oct 1^st – will speak, as will the head of the NSM, Jeff Schoep. The announcement promises a “Swastika & Cross Lighting” for the evening.

The National Socialist Movement in Georgia has been formally reorganized over recent months with new leadership. The NSM head organizer in GA is now Floyd Eric Meadows, who has a past with the League of the South and the Southern Cross Militant Knights of the KKK. Prior to his new role as state leader for the NSM, Meadows had been listed as an NSM member in 2011.

Regionally, the NSM has used its April 23^rd events in Georgia plus its central role within the Aryan Nationalist Alliance to draw white power activists into its ranks. Shaun Winkler of Mississippi (previously involved with the Aryan Nations and the International Keystone Knights of the KKK) as well as Rebecca Barnette of Tennessee (one of the main organizers of White Lives Matter) are two Southern white supremacist leaders who have joined with the NSM in recent months.

As always, if you have information on white power organizing in Georgia and especially near Atlanta, please get in contact.

National Socialist Movement and “Rock Stone Mountain” Combine Post-Rally Evening Events, Georgia April 23rd

White Supremacist Gatherings on April 23^rd Combine Evening Events

Two white supremacist gatherings scheduled for April 23 in Georgia–the “Rock Stone Mountain” event at Stone Mountain Park outside Atlanta, plus the National Socialist Movement-hosted rally in Rome, Georgia–have now combined their evening events. This new arrangement has been confirmed by National Socialist Movement (NSM) statements to the press and also by Rock Stone Mountain main organizer John Michael Estes when he appeared on an NSM internet radio broadcast.

The daytime white power events in Georgia are still separate, although the Rome GA rally by the NSM, Loyal White Knights of the KKK, plus allies will begin marching slightly later to facilitate participation by white supremacists making the two-hour drive from the “Rock Stone Mountain” event which is scheduled to begin at 11AM. (The NSM rally in Rome is still billed to start at 3PM, although organizers now say that marching may begin anywhere from 3:30 to 4PM to facilitate arrivals from the Stone Mountain event.) After the NSM rally in Rome, the combined racist forces then plan to drive 45 minutes south to the Georgia Peach Oyster Bar in Draketown (near Temple) GA for an evening event of racist music plus a cross- and swastika-lighting.

Revised flyer for April 23 evening event

Earlier on the 23^rd, the white supremacists of “Rock Stone Mountain” still plan to march to the top of Stone Mountain outside of Atlanta, although they will be confronted with a large showing of anti-racists determined to shut them down. Initially, Rock Stone Mountain had planned a separate evening event, but the Rock Stone Mountain organizers lost their first evening venue in early March.

The merger of the of the two evening events took place following negotiations between NSM and Rock Stone Mountain organizers. The result is that some musical acts planned for the Rock Stone Mountain evening event will now be performing at the Georgia Peach in Draketown/Temple GA, which the NSM had initially booked for their post-Rome after-party. (The NSM provides a location of “Temple, Georgia” for their National Meeting on Friday, April 22^nd, suggesting that they will be using the Georgia Peach then as well.)

The combined evening events indicate that “Rock Stone Mountain” is no longer making even slight efforts to disguise its white supremacist agenda or its connections to neo-Nazism. Despite “Rock Stone Mountain” having referenced the white supremacist terror group The Order in earlier outreach materials, rally organizers had also asked that “participants not bring flags or banners representing any foreign nation or power, historical or current, to the rally.” In other words, while they encouraged Confederate flags they didn’t want Nazi Germany ones. It now seems that “Rock Stone Mountain” organizers have lost their last few scruples about how they are perceived, since they are openly cooperating with one of the nation’s largest neo-Nazi groups.

When Rock Stone Mountain activist John Michael Estes appeared on a recent NSM-hosted internet radio show to discuss the merged evening events, he revealed details about Rock Stone Mountain internal organizing, the band line-up for evening of the 23^rd, and his own political background. The NSM broadcast began by celebrating the emerging white power coalition for the 23^rd, with organizers boasting that they had “unite[d] many, many […] organizations.”

John Estes discussed support for the Rock Stone Mountain racist rally, claiming that: “We’ve even gotten support from the Sons of Confederate Veterans, which would have been unheard of just a few years ago.” An NSM show host claimed that leaders from the racist/secessionist League of the South were also expected at the Rock Stone Mountain rally.

Not all of Rock Stone Mountain’s efforts appear to have gone smoothly, however. John Michael Estes announced:

“[Long-time white supremacist leader] Billy Roper will not be a part of Rock Stone Mountain. He dropped out months ago and he’s not one of the planners. He’s not contributing anymore.”

Estes downplays Roper’s significant involvement in early Rock Stone Mountain planning. Whatever conflict may have occurred between Roper and other organizers, Rock Stone Mountain is still promoted on the website for Divine Truth Ministries, the white supremacist “Christian Identity” outfit which Roper co-founded towards the end of last year.

During his interview, Estes also discussed the current band line-up for the evening of the 23^rd:

“One of these bands is ‘Southern Secession.’ They’re playing under that name for this event, but they are basically going to be a Johnny Rebel tribute band […] Also Tracy Cantley will be coming to play his outlaw country. There’s another band that is supposed to be coming, but we’re having some guitarist problems right now, trying to get those sorted out.”

In the current interview, Estes does not mention the notorious racist rock group Definite Hate, who had earlier been advertised as participating in Rock Stone Mountain.

John Michael Estes: Background and Worldview

john michael estes from FB dl 4 15 2016 Rock Stone Mountain primary organizer John Michael Estes

Estes’ interview on the NSM broadcast also disclosed his own background and worldview. Estes talked about his radicalization as a white supremacist, stating that he ordered books from the Aryan Nations while he was in prison. Since that time, Estes claims:

“I’ve been involved with National Socialism, I’ve been involved with Odinism, I went through the Christian Identity phase at one time. I’m about my race–race first and the 14 Words.”

Christian Identity is a racist religion which claims that whites are God’s true chosen people, that Jews are imposters of Satanic descent, and that people of color are less than fully human. The website of Covenant People’s Ministry–a Christian Identity operation in Brooks, GA—states that it “began […] 1996 and was founded by two Christian identity believers — John Michael Estes and Jeromy John Visser.”

The “14 Words” referenced by Estes is a white power slogan authored by David Lane, a now-deceased member of The Order/Brüder Schweigen terror group. (The 14-word slogan is: “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children.”) The Order raised funds for the white power movement via counterfeiting and a series of armed robberies; it bombed an adult theatre and a synagogue; and the group murdered Jewish talk-show host Alan Berg. David Lane was convicted for violating Berg’s civil rights for his participation in the assassination.

“Rock Stone Mountain” promotional image featuring Robert Jay Mathews (pointing finger)

As revealed in the NSM internet radio interview, John Michael Estes showed his devotion to The Order’s legacy earlier this year, when Estes made a “pilgrimage” (his own words) to Whidbey Island in Washington State. Whidbey Island was where Order leader Robert Jay Mathews died in a firefight with federal authorities in December 1984.

Estes doubtless sees himself as leading his forces into battle on April 23^rd for the same white power cause as Matthews believed in.

It is time to confront the white power alliance Estes and other white supremacists have pulled together, before this alliance grows any further. For information on anti-racist opposition at Stone Mountain on April 23rd, visit All Out ATL.

Augustus Invictus and the National Socialist Movement

Last month, Florida lawyer and candidate for US Senate Augustus Sol Invictus announced that he would speak at the National Socialist Movement (NSM) national meeting and rally in Georgia, April 22^nd to 23^rd. Invictus accepted the offer to speak at the NSM’s neo-Nazi gathering at a time when Invictus was receiving increasing scrutiny and opposition for his fascist politics plus his assistance to far-Right groups such as the American Front.

Now, every mention of Invictus and scheduled appearance at the upcoming NSM rally has been scrubbed from the NSM website. At the time of writing, it is unknown whether Invictus still plans to speak at this gathering. The NSM’s announcement about Invictus’ appearance remains archived here. The American Third Party Report website still contains Invictus’ own statement about his decision to participate in the neo-Nazi event (much earlier, this statement vanished from the “Invictus for Senate” Facebook page where it first appeared.)

Invictus’ writing about why he wished to speak to the assorted neo-Nazis and Klansmen scheduled to rally in Rome GA on April 23^rd insisted that “I am not endorsing the National Socialist Movement.” Rather, Invictus claimed that he wished to fight alongside the NSM in a coalition “of Libertarians, patriots, and nationalists against a common enemy.” Invictus added that “I have Hispanic children […] I date bisexual women exclusively […] any one of which would bar me from membership in the NSM.”

A new discovery suggests that Invictus’ framing of the issues in his statement may have been misleading.

In 2012, leaked membership lists of the National Socialist Movement were published online by the One People’s Project website. The name “Augustus Invictus” is listed as a member of the NSM in a September 2009 entry, with an address in Chicago IL accompanying the entry.

augustus invictus 2009 NSM membership list Augustus Invictus in leaked NSM membership list

In 2009, Invictus was indeed living in Chicago, where he was studying at DePaul University College of Law. Someone who knew Invictus as a law student described him as having a “fascination with Nazism” during this period. Such fascination would be consistent with NSM membership. The Chicago address is for an apartment complex, where mail would likely be addressed to recipients’ legal names. The DePaul College of Law is approximately half an hour by public transport from this apartment building (with the main DePaul campus being just half an hour away by foot.) Mistaken identity is highly unlikely, simply because Augustus Invictus is such an uncommon name.

So: it appears that Invictus’ invitation to the Georgia NSM event may have had precedent in his earlier membership of the neo-Nazi party. If so, Invictus has been less than fully honest about this past. Invictus’ overall fascistic politics, however, were clear well before this latest discovery.

If you have further information about Invictus’ time in the NSM, or about current white supremacist activity in Georgia, do not hesitate to get in contact.

Fascist Lawyer Augustus Invictus Dropped from International Left Hand Path Consortium Event in Atlanta

Fascist lawyer and candidate for US Senate Augustus Invictus has been dropped as a presenter at the International Left Hand Path Consortium occultist event in Atlanta, April 8-10. The story of Invictus being removed from the Consortium lineup appeared on Watcher of the Dawn, a website serving as a “watchdog for the occult scene.” Invictus’ removal has also been independently verified by other sources.

invictus rac Augustus Invictus speaks in front of banner for Rock Against Communism, a racist and far-Right movement, December 2015

The decision to remove Augustus Invictus as a presenter appears to be partially due to some Consortium presenters dropping out from the event because of Invictus’ fascist politics and political organizing with neo-Nazis. A more proximate cause of Invictus’ cancellation, however, seems to have been Augustus Invictus having an online meltdown, in which Invictus goaded his critics to “kill me”. This appears to have unsettled event organizers and caused them to pull the plug on Invictus.

In recent weeks, main Consortium organizer Laurie Pneumatikos had staunchly defended Invictus’ appearance at the Consortium, removing any anti-racist criticism from the event Facebook page. With the cancellation of Invictus from the Consortium in Atlanta, Pneumatikos’ written defense of Invictus (in response to concerns raised on this site) has also vanished from the Consortium website.

At least one additional Consortium presenter has now dropped out of the event in solidarity with Invictus, a development which suggests that parts of the occult milieu remain deeply divided over fascism and how to respond to it (or not to respond.) Now seems like a good time to give kudos to those who made the potentially-uncomfortable decision to speak out against fascism and racism in their community.

Meanwhile, Augustus Invictus remains scheduled to speak at the flagrantly neo-Nazi gathering/rally of the National Socialist Movement on April 23 in Rome, Georgia.

Update: The International Left Hand Path Consortium has now issued a statement. For whatever it’s worth, you can read it here.

Fascist Lawyer Augustus Invictus to Speak at National Socialist Movement Meeting/Rally in Rome GA, April 23

Update 3/14/2016: Invictus has been dropped from the International Left Hand Path Consortium event mentioned in this article, see story here. Invictus remains scheduled to speak at the NSM gathering on April 23.

Florida lawyer, candidate for US Senate and fascist Augustus Invictus has announced that he will give another speech in Georgia this April. As discussed earlier, Invictus is being hosted as a speaker on April 10^th by the International Left Hand Path Consortium occultist gathering in Atlanta. Now, Invictus has also agreed to talk at the National Socialist Movement (NSM) national meeting plus white power rally planned for Rome, Georgia on April 23^rd. The NSM is a blatant neo-Nazi organization. Its April 23^rd rally in Rome GA is co-sponsored by groups such as the Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan as well as remnants of the Aryan Nations.

augustus invictus speaking at NSM Rome rally dl 3 9 2016 National Socialist Movement announces Augustus Invictus as speaker at April 23^rd gathering in Rome GA

Invictus announced that he will speak at the National Socialist Movement gathering in a March 8^th Facebook post at the “Augustus Invictus for US Senate” page. This post is no longer available on Facebook at the time of writing. However, its complete text has been archived at the American Third Party Report website. In his announcement, Invictus claims that “I am not endorsing the National Socialist Movement” while he sets out his reasoning for participating in the neo-Nazi event in Rome. (As usual, Invictus cites his “Hispanic children” as evidence for his lack of racism.) The overarching theme of Invictus’ piece is the need for “unity of Libertarians, patriots, and nationalists against a common enemy.” Invictus claims this enemy is the “Federal Government” controlled by “globalist”/ “internationalist” forces; it is on this political basis that Invictus argues for an alliance with neo-Nazis.

Invictus’ fascist politics were already apparent when Atlanta Antifascist Notes first raised the issue of Invictus’ participation in the April 10^th Left Hand Path Consortium event. However, since that time Invictus’ far-Right worldview plus his role in regrouping and organizing white supremacists have all become even more apparent. For example, while visiting the Pacific Northwest late February Invictus spoke before a gathering of neo-Nazis affiliated with the American Front, the organization whose Florida leader Marcus Faella Invictus represented in court. Following his time in the Northwest US (including a minor fracas with antifascists while visiting Portland, Oregon) Invictus attempted to enter Canada to speak in Vancouver, BC. Invictus was turned away at the border due to his links to neo-Nazis; white supremacists including a former leader of a “Blood & Honour” neo-Nazi faction had planned to attend Invictus’ Vancouver event.

Despite Invictus’ role in far-Right organizing–including his increasing efforts alongside neo-Nazis–the International Left Hand Path Consortium organizers insist on hosting Augustus Invictus as a speaker at their upcoming Atlanta event. At times, these organizers have taken ludicrous positions while defending their decision to host Invictus–for example arguing that Invictus’ use of the symbol of the fasces does not imply any sympathy towards fascist ideology, a point which is easily debunked.

invictus american fascist Augustus Invictus describes himself as “American Fascist”

If you wish to express concern about Invictus’ speaking engagement at the International Left Hand Path Consortium, contact the Sheraton Atlanta Airport Hotel venue here.

Background on the NSM event in Rome is here. If you have further information about Invictus’ appearance or the Rome rally, please get in contact.

Will Band Linked to Racist Massacre Perform for “Rock Stone Mountain” White Power Gathering, April 23 in Georgia?

Summary: On April 23rd, racist organizers are promising an evening concert following the “Rock Stone Mountain” rally in Georgia during the day. One of the musical acts advertised as playing this evening show is Definite Hate, a longstanding racist rock group. In 2012, one of Definite Hate’s guitarists, Wade Michael Page, murdered six people (and then killed himself) in an attack on the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek. Definite Hate remains affiliated with the violent Hammerskin Nation organization, and the band continues to call for bloodshed in its lyrics. The fact that “Rock Stone Mountain” planners are using this notorious act to draw a crowd to their event reveals the organizers’ violently racist political vision. It also makes clear why we must come together against such race war politics.

The Story So Far…

On April 23, 2016, two nationally-organized white supremacist gatherings are scheduled to take place in Georgia. The National Socialist Movement (NSM)–a blatantly neo-Nazi organization–has announced that it will hold a rally in Rome, GA on April 23. Also that day, another group of Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazi militants will hold “Rock Stone Mountain,” an event which organizers have billed as a “White Power March up Stone Mountain.” (Stone Mountain Park is a short distance outside Atlanta; an earlier article discusses this site’s significance for neo-Confederates and ideological racists.) The NSM event in Rome was announced at the very beginning of this year, whereas “Rock Stone Mountain” has been promoted since November 2015–in fact, “Rock Stone Mountain” follows on from another Klan-organized rally at Stone Mountain Park that occurred mid-November.

The two separate white supremacist rallies slated for April 23–and the differing styles of the two groups of organizers–have been discussed elsewhere on this site. Both the NSM and the “Rock Stone Mountain” organizers claim to have evening entertainment lined up following their respective daytime rallies. The NSM has advertised an evening event taking place at the white power-friendly Georgia Peach Oyster Bar in Draketown (near Temple) GA. The “Rock Stone Mountain” organizers are currently being more guarded about their evening plans, stating that their “after-event party/concert venue will not be released until the day of the event.” (If you have additional information about this event, please get in contact.)

At the time of writing, the anti-racist All Out ATL mobilization is preparing to confront and shut down the white supremacist march at Stone Mountain Park on April 23. Atlanta Antifascist Notes wholeheartedly endorses this mobilization and urges you to get involved. The importance of effective, large-scale opposition to white power organizing becomes even clearer when one examines the history of one of the rock bands announced as playing the “Rock Stone Mountain” after-event.

Definite Hate

On August 5, 2012 white supremacist Wade Michael Page entered the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek, fatally shooting six people and wounding others before turning his gun on himself. At the time of this massacre, Page was a full member of the Hammerskin Nation, a long-running and violent bonehead (racist “skinhead”) organization which presently exists on several continents. It also was revealed that Page had a long history in the white power music scene, having played with such racist rock bands as Intimidation One, 13 Knots, Page’s own project named End Apathy, and finally Definite Hate.

Wade Michael Page

Page was not a founding member of Definite Hate, a Hammerskin-affiliated act that is based in North Carolina. Page was not mentioned, for example, when Definite Hate’s early days were discussed in a 2001 article for GQ. However Page is credited (as “Wade”) on the second full album by Definite Hate, 2011’s “Madder Than Hell – Meaner Than Shit.” Prior to moving to Wisconsin, Page lived for half a year in North Carolina with Edward Brent Rackley, a Hammerskin and long-serving member of Definite Hate. (Rackley also played music with Page in the groups 13 Knots and End Apathy.)

As a group, Definite Hate has never attempted to put real distance between itself and the massacre by its former guitarist. Contacted in the immediate aftermath of Page’s murder rampage, the most Rackley could come up with was: “I’m not interested. This is him. I don’t care to be bothered anymore.” This attitude is hardly surprising from a member of an act whose lyrics include such endorsements of racist murder as: “riding through the city projects / creeping real slow in the dead of the night / a group of monkeys on the corner / with no idea that death’s in sight” (the song “Lock and Load” from the 2005 full-length “Welcome to the South.”)

Definite Hate member and Hammerskin Edward Brent Rackley of North Carolina

The Hammerskin Nation as a whole was defiant following Page’s killing. For example, the Hammerskin-linked record label Antipathy Records offered a celebratory “WADEPAGE” sale soon after the Wisconsin murders.

The latest line-up for Definite Hate has in no way toned down its message or loyalties. In 2015, for example, Definite Hate played a show in California paying tribute to David Lane. Lane (1938-2007) was a participant in The Order/Brüder Schweigen white supremacist terror group during the 1980s. It has been alleged that Lane was the getaway driver when The Order assassinated Jewish talk radio host Alan Berg in 1984. While imprisoned for violating Berg’s civil rights and other charges, David Lane became something of a cult figure within the white supremacist movement, coining the “14 words” slogan–“We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children”–now ubiquitous in white racist circles. (“Rock Stone Mountain” promotional materials also reference David Lane’s “14 words.”)

Definite Hate playing David Lane memorial show, California 2015. Rackley playing guitar in background.

Is Definite Hate on the Evening Bill for “Rock Stone Mountain”?

It is no secret that the organizers for Rock Stone Mountain love the music of Definite Hate. An Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigative report has already highlighted Rock Stone Mountain organizers circulated a Definite Hate song as part of their event outreach on Facebook.

There have also been other hints that Definite Hate will play the April 23rd event. A now-deleted fan page for Definite Hate on Facebook listed “Rock Stone Mountain” as one of the group’s “Upcoming events.”

google cache of definite hate FB deleted rock stone mountain upcoming dl 2 15 2016 “Rock Stone Mountain” as an “Upcoming Event” on (now-deleted) Definite Hate fan page.

On their own, the above two facts would simply lead to conjecture. However, one of the “Rock Stone Mountain” organizers is himself spreading the word that Definite Hate will provide evening entertainment on April 23rd. In December, “Liam O’Aghairle” (a pseudonym) announced on Facebook that Definite Hate would be “starting the rock lineup” for the Rock Stone Mountain evening concert. The same post identifies Tracy Cantley, a neo-Nazi who plays “rebel country music” as another act on the Rock Stone Mountain evening bill.

Liam O'Aghairle FB image Dec 19 2015 dl 2 11 2016 “Liam O‘Aghairle” discusses the Rock Stone Mountain show line-up.

“Liam O’Aghairle” is the same person as “Johnny Rebel” or “John E. Rebel” (also fake names) who was the Imperial Cleric of the Rebel Outlaw Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in Arizona. (The Rebel Outlaw Knights of the KKK seem to have disbanded, although their website may still be found online–that site’s main image is the same as the profile picture for “Liam O’Aghairle” on Facebook.) The Rebel Outlaw Knights were involved in promoting the November 14, 2015 rally at Stone Mountain that set the stage for Rock Stone Mountain. “O’Aghairle” is in contact with other key organizers for Rock Stone Mountain and would presumably not circulate information about the evening show without their consent. (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution also quoted a “John E. Rebel” in its coverage of the upcoming Stone Mountain rally, although that may be someone else using the same pseudonym.)

“Rock Stone Mountain”: Image and Reality

While the Definite Hate performance could potentially get canceled, it is clear that the Rock Stone Mountain organizers are trying to build attendance with the promise that this group will play. (“O’Aghairle” shared his note about the event line-up to the white nationalist American Freedom Party group on Facebook, a place where other Rock Stone Mountain promotional materials are posted almost daily.) The use of Definite Hate’s name and the promise that they will play the evening event points to a tension in the “Rock Stone Mountain” organizing. While Rock Stone Mountain is partly being organizing by Billy Roper, who has a long history as a neo-Nazi, the organizers are also encouraging Nazi flags not to be brought to Stone Mountain. Similarly, the event is being pulled together by Klansmen, many of whom will leave their Klan robes at home on the day of the 23rd. Finally, Rock Stone Mountain planners consistently claim that their cause is opposition to “white genocide” which they believe is underway as the demographics of the US change (this theory has some support on racist far-Right.) However the event organizers are also trying to draw a crowd with a musical act that sings about racist killings, and whose old guitarist enacted those same murderous politics just a few years ago.

The politics of the Rock Stone Mountain organizers must be seen clearly: they are the politics of race war and mass murder. Anyone who takes this as an exaggeration should pay attention when Greg Calhoun, a Georgia Klansman assisting with Rock Stone Mountain (and a key organizer for the November 14 rally of last year), writes about what white people should do.

Greg Calhoun on Liam O'Aghairle FB posted Jan 3 2016 dl 2 11 2016 Discussion by Greg Calhoun on the Facebook page of “Liam O’Aghairle.”

Conclusion
The announcement that Definite Hate will play Rock Stone Mountain makes it clear that rally organizers are building bridges between those who celebrate racist violence, and those building capacity to enact it. It is crucial that those who call for violence against people of color, Jewish people, sexual minorities, and leftists be prevented from having their way. They must not be allowed to plot and recruit without any opposition. This is why a mass show of strength against the Klan and Nazis on April 23rd is so important. Read about the All Out ATL anti-racist mobilization on its website, tell your friends, and consider getting involved.

UPDATES: Anti-Racists Mobilize Against “Rock Stone Mountain” White Power Event, April 23rd /// Neo-Nazi Rally in Rome, GA Same Day

Everyone Out Against the “Rock Stone Mountain” White Power Rally in Georgia, April 23rd!

An anti-racist mass mobilization against “Rock Stone Mountain”–the explicitly “white power” event planned for April 23rd at Stone Mountain, Georgia–is taking shape. As discussed elsewhere on this site, the Rock Stone Mountain rally is being organized by Klansmen, former members of the Aryan Nations, plus Billy Roper, the Arkansas white nationalist who used to chair White Revolution. Rock Stone Mountain is being promoted on major white supremacist websites such as Stormfront, as well as on blogs and Facebook. The racists plan “an openly White Power March up Stone Mountain that climaxes in a rally at the top. It is to be followed by a Pro White concert at a seperate [sic] location that evening.”

The white supremacist gathering will be resisted. Anti-racists are organizing a mass presence at Stone Mountain to shut down the white power rally and disrupt the racists’ plans. Following a series of discussions between anti-racists, a website has now been established for the anti-Klan mobilization. Check out All Out Atlanta’s website here for more information and to see the principles guiding our organizing. The site will be regularly updated with news and outreach materials. If you’re on Twitter, be sure to also follow us here.

The website for All Out Atlanta is now online, see here.

It is time to commit to making the anti-racist mobilization a success. All Out Atlanta is not organized as a handful of leaders telling a mass of followers what to do. We want a strong and multifaceted response to the Klan and neo-Nazis. This cannot be done unless large numbers make this effort their own. Get in contact and get involved!

Some initial things you can do:

Spread the word! Outreach is essential at this time. Please share information about the anti-racist organizing that is underway with your friends, co-workers, community group, and so on.
If you are a member of an organization, consider endorsing this mobilization by contacting All Out Atlanta.
Host an educational event or a fundraiser in your community.
If you’re out-of-state, now is the time to make travel plans! If you are too far away to travel to Stone Mountain/the greater Atlanta area, consider an event in your own community to challenge white supremacy and racist organizing.

(Note: All Out Atlanta is distinct from the neo-Confederate protest against “Rock Stone Mountain” that has been covered by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The broader neo-Confederate movement played a key role in setting the stage for the April 23rd white power event at Stone Mountain. Atlanta Antifascist Notes believes that it is disingenuous for the neo-Confederates to now oppose the blatantly white power event, claiming that it makes their cause look bad.)

National Socialist Movement to Rally in Rome, Georgia April 23rd

Another white power event is also now on our radar.

The National Socialist Movement (NSM), one of the nation’s largest neo-Nazi organizations, has announced that it will hold a rally in Rome, Georgia on April 23rd–the same day as “Rock Stone Mountain.” The NSM rally is being endorsed by the Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nations activists, Aryan Strikeforce, and a handful other organizations. Rome, GA is approximately two hours away from Stone Mountain (slightly less from Atlanta).

The NSM’s initial release for the rally in Rome stated that the event would coincide with the organization’s “annual National Meeting in Georgia this year.” NSM members from across the country are expected to congregate in Rome. NSM leader Jeff Schoep initially gave the dates of “April 22nd and 23rd” for the NSM event on Twitter, which suggests that some NSM members may be arriving in the city before the 23rd.

schoep on Rome rally

Some readers may be confused why Klan members and Aryan Nations militants are involved in two different white power events in the same state on the same day. A full explanation cannot be provided here, since we do not yet have all the facts. However it is important to note that different Klan groups seem to be endorsing different white power events–the Loyal White Knights are attending the NSM rally in Rome, while members of the International Keystone Knights are involved with planning “Rock Stone Mountain.” Further, while past affiliates of the Aryan Nations are involved with both events, this illustrates the highly fragmented nature of the Aryan Nations right now, in particular after Morris Gullet–one of the more prominent Aryan Nations leaders of recent years–completely shut down his operation last year. Aryan Nations holdouts had a “World Congress” on December 13, 2015 at the Georgia Peach Oyster Bar in Draketown (near Temple) GA that was attended by both NSM and Loyal White Knights representatives. The Aryan Nations/NSM coordination in December seems to have fed into the broader NSM plans for Rome.

It is also worth noting the differences in style between the two events. “Rock Stone Mountain” invites neo-Nazi rock bands to play in the evening; it uses an image of white supremacist terrorist Robert J. Matthews in promotional materials; and it involves notorious neo-Nazi Billy Roper in its organizing. However, the Rock Stone Mountain organizers for some reason do not want their attendees to bring Nazi flags on April 23rd, writing on the Rock Stone Mountain community page on Facebook: “Those who wish to bring ANY version of the Confederate battle flag or any of the Confederate national flags to this event are encouraged to do so. However, we respectfully ask that participants not bring flags or banners representing any foreign nation or power, historical or current, to the rally.”

By contrast, the National Socialist Movement fetishizes Third Reich imagery and the swastika. It is not a coincidence that their rally in Rome will take place on the weekend after Hitler’s birthday (April 20). It is likely that the different events on the same day do not reflect some sort of neo-Nazi grand strategy as much as they are the consequence of tensions between white power organizations and individuals, who have different ideas about how to organize and what’s important.

The National Socialist Movement has already released a flier for their post-rally evening event–they will be travelling to Draketown (near Temple) GA for an “after party” featuring a cross lighting and a live band. The NSM are giving the location for this event as the Georgia Peach Oyster Bar, a business which openly advertises itself as a “Klan bar” and frequently hosts neo-Nazi events (such as the Aryan Nations “congress” of December 13, 2015, and major gatherings of the neo-Nazi “Hammerskin Nation” in the past).

NSM rome flier

NSM event: rally in Rome, GA and evening event in Draketown/Temple, GA

It is presently unknown whether the “Rock Stone Mountain” organizers will attempt to combine their evening event with the NSM one, or whether there will be a separate white power concert for “Rock Stone Mountain” attendees.

Information Wanted

With all this going on, it is more important than ever for anti-racists and anti-fascists to be watchful about local far-Right organizing. If you have information on white supremacist organizing in Georgia (especially but certainly not limited to Metro Atlanta) please contact Atlanta Antifascist Notes. Leads about the April 23rd white power events can also be sent to All Out Atlanta. Information will be double-checked and then put to good use.