Like many extremist political movements in the United States, the American Nazi movement has several splinters and factions within itself. Among these groups are the American Nazi Party, the National Socialist Movement, and the National Socialist American Labor Party.
It should be no surprise that these parties are extremely racist, anti-Semitic, and quite delusional. You can fully expect to be offended by some of their positions and histories. But do expect to learn a lot of things you would not otherwise imagine.
The American Nazi Party
Technically, the American Nazi Party is a political-education organization based on the ideals of National Socialism. It was formed by George Lincoln Rockwell in the late 1950s and led the group until his assassination by a disgruntled member in 1967.
Throughout the 1960s and 70s the American Nazi Party earned notoriety for rallies and demonstrations against the civil rights movement and what they perceived as Jewish control of the government and media. Such demonstrations accumulated until 1979 when five black protesters were shot by a crowd of Nazis and Klansmen in Greensboro, NC.
In recent years the American Nazi Party - like many White Supremacist organizations - have distanced themselves from overt racism, instead supporting segregation as a means of racial tranquility. While they now support the idea of racial equality, they remain very anti-Semitic and Eurocentric - believing that White America needs to be defended.
The party's chairman, Rocky Suhayda endorsed Barack Obama's candidacy for President arguing "any time that a prominent person embraces their racial heritage in a positive manner, it's good for all racially minded folks."
National Socialist Movement
The National Socialist Movement was founded by Robert Brannen - a supporter of the American Nazi Party under Rockwell - in 1974. They claim to be "America's Nazi Party", "the largest Nazi Party operating in the United States", and "the political party for every patriotic American."
Their platform is summed up in the "25 Points of American National Socialism." Among their proposals:
- All non-White immigration must be prevented
- Nationalizing all corporations
- A flat income tax
- Prohibiting abortion and euthanasia, except in cases of rape, incest, race-mixing, or mental retardation
- That no non-American newspapers should appear without the express permission of the State, and no non-Whites should participate or influence American newspapers
They also throw in some normal positions:
- Ensure the environmental integrity of the nation is preserved by setting aside land for national wildlife reserves, cleaning our water, and regulating pollution
- Creation of a livable wage
- Supporting physical education
The National Socialist American Labor Party
The NSALP is probably the closest of these three organizations to being a political party. They have a platform, state affiliates, hold conventions (or a "Party Congress") and supposedly run candidates.
They claim not to be a hate group, "White Power militia type entity", or neo-Nazis, but rather a political party based on the theories of National Socialism.
Among their recent advocacy campaigns, they have attempted to call Barack Obama's nationality into question, as well as a letter-writing campaign to Defense Secretary Bob Gates to not ban racially-minded individuals from the military, arguing that Zionists have done far more damage to the United States than they have.
Among their platform positions, they call for:
- Ending U.S. reliance on foreign credit
- Massive public works programs
- Protecting family farms
- Environmental protection through alternative energy
- Protecting social security
- Making college more affordable
- Compulsory military service
- Ending abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, or risking the mother's health
- Ending relations with Israel
Final Thoughts
These Nazi organizations are more of a liability in terms of public safety (particularly to minorities) than they are towards American politics. The simple reason is that National Socialism is probably by far the most unpopular political movement in the United States.
We do not expect any American Nazi party to gain any significant influence or have any meaningful impact on American governance. But National Socialism is a real movement in the United States nonetheless, and it only seems right to include them in our discussion of America's third parties.
Coming Saturday - the Reform Party
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