Hate Group Hate Group Impressions of Impressions of Barack ObamaBarack Obama

Pre and Post the 2008 ElectionPre and Post the 2008 ElectionKristina L. WeslerKristina L. Wesler

IntroductionIntroduction

Barack Obama’s Presidency brings Barack Obama’s Presidency brings hopehope

But racism still exists But racism still exists Bradley effectBradley effectLife outcomes (Willis-Esqueda 2008)Life outcomes (Willis-Esqueda 2008)

Racist NumbersRacist Numbers

Research QuestionResearch Question

How do Representations and Responses How do Representations and Responses to to

Obama change after the election for Obama change after the election for hate hate

group members?group members?

U.S. HistoryU.S. History

►Previous Presidents have all been Previous Presidents have all been white.white.

►Obama as outgroup member and in Obama as outgroup member and in chargecharge

►Perceived loss of power could lead to Perceived loss of power could lead to decreased self-esteem.decreased self-esteem.

PrejudicePrejudice

Fein and Spencer (1997) found that Fein and Spencer (1997) found that loss of self-esteem can leads to loss of self-esteem can leads to greater prejudicegreater prejudice

Hate crimes can lift self-esteem (Hunt, Hate crimes can lift self-esteem (Hunt, 2007)2007)Make own group seem more powerfulMake own group seem more powerful

ExpectationsExpectations

►More prevalent Violent and Isolation More prevalent Violent and Isolation Responses will be made online after Responses will be made online after the election than beforethe election than before

►Could lift self-esteem and shield from Could lift self-esteem and shield from outgroupoutgroup

MethodsMethods

►Websites from Southern Poverty Law Websites from Southern Poverty Law Center Center

►Coded by Category Coded by Category

►3 websites from each category of Hate3 websites from each category of Hate Beliefs and behaviors differ Beliefs and behaviors differ (Adams, Roscigno (Adams, Roscigno

2005). 2005).

Hate GroupsHate Groups

►Neo-NaziNeo-Nazi

►K.K.K.K.K.K.

►White NationalistWhite Nationalist

►Black NationalistBlack Nationalist

►Racist SkinheadRacist Skinhead

►Christian IdentityChristian Identity

►Neo-ConfederateNeo-Confederate

►Generalized HateGeneralized Hate

Hate Group FocusHate Group Focus

►Neo-NaziNeo-Nazi Hitler/JewsHitler/Jews

►K.K.K.K.K.K. Pro-AmericaPro-America

►White NationalistWhite Nationalist GeneticsGenetics

►Racist SkinheadRacist Skinhead Nationalist, W prideNationalist, W pride Working class dress-Working class dress-

codecode

►Christian IdentityChristian Identity 2 seed theory2 seed theory TribulationTribulation

10 Posts

10 Posts

10 Forums *

10 Posts

10 Forums *3 Websites *

10 Posts

10 Forums *3 Websites *

5 Categories *

1500 Total Posts

Representation Of ObamaRepresentation Of Obama

►Categories of Obama RepresentationsCategories of Obama Representations Animal, Less Human, Personality Flaws, Animal, Less Human, Personality Flaws,

Un-American, Religious.Un-American, Religious.

►Tallies taken for individual postsTallies taken for individual posts Repeated references not countedRepeated references not counted Agreement alone not countedAgreement alone not counted Separate views countedSeparate views counted

RepresentationsRepresentations

► Animal: Rodent, Animal: Rodent, chimp, snake.chimp, snake.

► Less Human: Troll, Less Human: Troll, savage.savage.

► Personality flaws: Personality flaws: corrupt, addict.corrupt, addict.

► Un-American: Un-American: Illegal, communist, Illegal, communist, socialist, end of socialist, end of America.America.

► Religious: Jew, Religious: Jew, Muslim, Devil, Son Muslim, Devil, Son of Cain.of Cain.

Response to PresidencyResponse to Presidency

► Arm: “Buy guns, archery equipment” Arm: “Buy guns, archery equipment”

► Social Action: “March, vote, donate”Social Action: “March, vote, donate”

► Isolation: “Flee, send blacks back”Isolation: “Flee, send blacks back”

► Violence: “Pull an MLK, start a race war!”Violence: “Pull an MLK, start a race war!”

► Passive subversion: “Refuse him as President”Passive subversion: “Refuse him as President”

Time Order/ ReliabilityTime Order/ Reliability

►October and December 2008October and December 2008

►Avoids new Presidency effectsAvoids new Presidency effects

►2 raters used, Reliable2 raters used, Reliable

Representations, All Groups

Responses, All GroupsResponses, All Groups

One Group Results

►Combined websites into hate group

►Should be similar

►Ease of Presentation

KKK Pre

KKK Post

Neo Nazi Pre

Neo Nazi Post

Christ ID Pre

Christ ID Post

Skinhead Pre

Skin head Post

White N. Pre

White N. Post

Animal 82 132 66 58 28 30 25 42 62 49

Chi, P 5.71 .02 1.63 .2 .002 .89 8.75 .001 1 .32

Less Human

34 50 49 54 10 91 23 13 37 52

Chi, P .84 .36 5.84 .02 66.1 .001 1.54 .21 4.02 .04

Personality Flaw

11 138 106 41 117 119 105 88 105 101

Chi, P .01 .91 15.4 .001 .64 .42 .02 .87 .03 .86

Un-Amer 77 65 100 64 151 54 89 62 132 101

Chi, P 5.85 .016 .69 .41 78.3 .001 2.22 .137 3.71 .05

Religious 23 17 25 31 44 94 9 9 25 37

Chi, P 2.6 .11 4.71 .03 16.4 .001 .12 .73 3.4 .06

KKK Pre

KKK Post

Neo Nazi Pre

Neo Nazi Post

Christ ID Pre

Christ ID Post

Skin-head Pre

Skin-head Post

White N. Pre

White N. Post

Arm 21 19 28 94 4 39 45 48 11 13

Chi, P .01 .922 17.28 .001 23.6 .001 .13 .72 .18 .67

Social Act.

88 36 97 147 130 68 116 107 78 57

Chi, P 25.42 .001 .03 .87 49.6 .001 .56 .45 6.58 .01

Viol. 29 59 62 81 55 57 49 35 18 17

Chi, P 20.1 .001 1.25 .264 .95 .33 2.7 .10 .03 .856

Pass. Subv.

22 25 25 11 63 75 32 37 11 31

Chi, P .92 .34 14.51 .001 .04 .85 .44 .51 11.29 .001

Isol 11 11 25 32 37 115 31 45 16 16

Chi, P .1 .75 .53 .466 34.15 .001 3.06 .08 0 1

Conclusions

►Hypothesis was poorly supported

►Hate groups are distinct►But increasingly connected (Burris, Smith,

Strahm 2000; Gerstenfeld et al. 2003)

Future ResearchFuture Research

►Should keep track of exact Should keep track of exact Representations and Responses. Representations and Responses.

►Could follow individual posts for Could follow individual posts for trends.trends.

►May be served by comparisonsMay be served by comparisons

Questions?Questions?