Jon Lewis: The Buffalo shooting suspect exposes the dangers of accelerationist, neo-fascist lone-actor violence. - NBCNewsTHINK
from the Associated Press and NORC found that 58 percent of respondents were extremely, very, or somewhat concerned that “native-born Americans are losing economic, political, and cultural influence in this country because of the growing population of immigrants,” while 32 percent strongly agreed or somewhat agreed with the statement that “there is a group of people in this country who are trying to replace native-born Americans with immigrants who agree with their political views.
Online, as the suspect’s purported radicalization pathway indicates, incubators like 4chan can provide actors with a shared sense of belonging and community, which in turn fosters further ideological alignment.
In numerous instances of mass violence to date, online incubators have been referenced as significant factors in the decision by terrorists to take action against their perceived enemy. For example, before committing his attack, Tarrant posted a call to action on the /pol/ board of 8chan, before sharing links to his manifesto and a link to the video of his attack.
As the mass shooting in Buffalo indicates, the mainstreaming of white supremacist narratives and grievances has become a significant factor in the radicalization and mobilization of domestic terrorists who adhere to neo-fascist accelerationism. The threat of domestic terrorism today is no longer confined to one group, one country, or the dark underbelly of the internet — it has seeped into political speeches, prime time cable news, and both mainstream and niche social media platforms.