Neo-Nazi groups of the United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
There have been several neo-Nazi groups in the United States.
In the U.S., the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, which allows political organizations great latitude in expressing Nazi, racist or anti-semitic ideology. Several white supremacist or white separatist groups share large parts of their ideology with Nazism. Due to First Amendment restrictions, the federal government generally cracks down on such organizations only after members engage in hate crimes and violence. Certain organizations describe themselves as being neo-fascist or neo-Nazi, or do not object to the label. Some groups are explicitly Nazi in their orientation, whereas others have a perspective which agrees with the beliefs and actions of Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich, but do not put it at the center of their doctrine.
The terms America's Nazi Party, and American Nazi Party are sometimes used by Nazi groups other than the actual American Nazi Party. NSM88 uses the term America's Nazi Party on its website. The old American Nazi Party had a name change, but there are newer groups which use the name. There are differences between Nazi groups, and other hate groups or political groups. Some groups are anti-semitic or racist without actually being pro-Nazi. Some fascist groups are only advocates of the fascist political system and do not have a racial focus. Organizations that object to the neo-fascist or neo-Nazi label include Jew Watch and Stormfront.org.
In a nation of nearly 300 million, the number of neo-Nazis or right wing extremists can be placed as low as 20,000 or as high as half a million.[citation needed] Due to the U.S. constitution's quite lenient freedom of speech and expression, it is difficult under the law to distinguish neo-Nazis and extremists from the general public. Even in European countries, where the percentage of Nazis may be higher and better rooted in society, the basic numbers stand nowhere near as high as the United States. Germany has 5,000 to 20,000 neo-Nazis, with a population of 80 million; Austria has 2,000 to 10,000 with a population of 8 million; and Russia, has no more than 300,000 by most accounts, with a population of over 140 million.[citation needed] In terms of percentages, Austria and Russia would hold the higher rate, but the United States would still hold the largest number of members.[citation needed]
It is important to distinguish between genuine neo-Nazis and the less extreme white nationalists. Groups affiliated with Christian Identity and the Creativity Movement are more extreme than groups such as the KKK or American Renaissance.
[edit] List of groups
- American Nazi Party
- American National Socialist Workers Party
- Aryan Nations
- Aryan Brotherhood
- Creativity Movement (formerly World Church of the Creator)
- Libertarian National Socialist Green Party
- National Alliance
- National Socialist Party of America
- NSM88
- NSDAP-AO
- White Aryan Resistance
