All these new Nick Fuentes fans are mad that I called him a Neo-Nazi, but he is literally King of the Online Nazis. New fans are offended, but Fuentes would respond, “yeah. And?”
This is how extremists cement themselves within mainstream conversations, though. They rely on misinformation and allow people to believe whatever they want so long as it leads them to recruitment events or their online spaces.
Casual interaction (watching a video clip or listening to an interview) allows people to be groomed and leads them to believe they understand a political figure’s motivations more than any “outsider.” They might have rejected the Neo-Nazi label early on, but by this point they now identify as such or dismiss criticism as oppositional lies.
Fuentes has never hidden his Neo-Nazism. Ever. He came out swinging in 2012 when he first popped up on 4-chan, 8-chan, 9-gag, and tumblr, immediately allying himself with the likes of Milo Yiannopolous, Ben Shapiro, Bill Montgomery, and Charlie Kirk. He started the Groyper Wars because Charlie wasn’t being open enough with his Nazism.
But before that, he tried to organize the Day of Rape in response to college campuses holding Take Back the Night rallies. He called for all followers to assault as many girls and women as possible during the event. Most institutions did not take our warnings seriously and we were dismissed as feminist extremists who just didn’t want the men to speak on campuses. The only reason Fuentes failed is because there was enough of an online anti-fascist presence to attend their rallies and counter-protest, protect students walking home, etc.
Now, mainstream news wants you to believe Nick Fuentes is an up-and-coming young neoconservative with extreme views. No mentions of his online history or who he actually is. Tucker Carlson, another Neo-Nazi, legitimized Fuentes by giving him an interview, but this has been planned for over a decade.