Why Have a Counter Conference?
A counter conference is a nonviolent way to intervene and challenge AmRen's racist ideology, while raising awareness for the need for continued work to achieve racial justice. Not In Our State is meant to serve as a counter balance to the increase in racist dialogue in Tennessee. A counter conference is a form of anti racist bystander intervention.
AmRen obscures the traditional racist hate message with pseudo-science and intellectual elitism. They model their gatherings on academic conferences and require their male participants to wear coats and ties. They attempt to separate their group from traditional white supremacists by co-opting an academic veneer, but scratch the surface of this group and the message is the same: the racial superiority of whites and hatred of non whites.
The counter conference will present alternative understandings of race related issues with a wide variety of presentations. A counter conference can disrupt AmRen’s process of sowing seeds of hate and racism in rural Tennessee. It can also promote the development of stronger, more connected, and more vibrant anti-racist networks in Tennessee.
In 2012, in addition to AmRen's racist conference, the online white supremacist community Stormfront held their national gathering in east Tennessee precisely because the location put them within distance of 30 plus white supremacist groups. This year, in addition to the presence of AmRen, the KKK is hosting a rally in Memphis on March 30th. It's time for anti-racist Tennesseans to stand, speak, and act, to counter AmRen's racist dialogue with speech that promotes and appreciates the full humanity of all people!
AmRen obscures the traditional racist hate message with pseudo-science and intellectual elitism. They model their gatherings on academic conferences and require their male participants to wear coats and ties. They attempt to separate their group from traditional white supremacists by co-opting an academic veneer, but scratch the surface of this group and the message is the same: the racial superiority of whites and hatred of non whites.
The counter conference will present alternative understandings of race related issues with a wide variety of presentations. A counter conference can disrupt AmRen’s process of sowing seeds of hate and racism in rural Tennessee. It can also promote the development of stronger, more connected, and more vibrant anti-racist networks in Tennessee.
In 2012, in addition to AmRen's racist conference, the online white supremacist community Stormfront held their national gathering in east Tennessee precisely because the location put them within distance of 30 plus white supremacist groups. This year, in addition to the presence of AmRen, the KKK is hosting a rally in Memphis on March 30th. It's time for anti-racist Tennesseans to stand, speak, and act, to counter AmRen's racist dialogue with speech that promotes and appreciates the full humanity of all people!
