There Goes the Neighborhood is a weekly series from Imagine 2050 staff highlighting upcoming nativist events.
This week, several chapters of the country’s largest anti-Muslim grassroots group hold meetings, an anti-Muslim conference in California, and a European anti-Muslim activist returns to Texas.
The Whitehall, Montana, chapter of anti-Muslim grassroots group ACT for America will hold its first meeting today, August 19. The chapter’s formation comes on the heels of increased activity by the Flathead County ACT chapter in recent months. Onlookers in Whitehall, which is approximately 250 miles away from Flathead County, appear motivated to replicate that activity.
On Sunday, August 21, the American Freedom Alliance (AFA) will host a conference titled, “Islam and Western Civilization: Can They Coexist?” in Los Angeles, California. Based on the speakers slated to speak, the answer is sure to be “no.” Speakers include anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist Frank Gaffney, Robert Spencer, James Simpson, Nonie Darwish, Daniel Greenfield, among others.
Also speaking at the conference is Austrian anti-Muslim activist Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff. Following the event, Wolff will head to Houston and San Angelo, Texas, for events on Monday, August 22 and Tuesday, August 23, respectively. The Houston event is organized by the local ACT for America chapter. Wolff was originally scheduled to speak to the Houston ACT chapter group in April, but her appearance was cancelled due to inclement weather. However, Wolff did speak to other ACT chapters that month including ones in Montana and Washington.
Also on August 22, another ACT for America chapter will hold a meeting in Des Plaines, Illinois. According to a Facebook page created for the event, the primary topic of discussion will be refugees. Among the presentation topics: “13 reasons why America should not accept refugees.” That bears a resemblance to an October 2015 article published by far-right website American Thinker. Among other things, the article claims “The teachings of Islam are incompatible with Western civilization” and describes refugee resettlement as “importing people who are genetically compromised and who will continue to perpetuate inbreeding and genetic decline.”
On August 24 and 25, anti-Muslim activist and analyst for The Clarion Project Ryan Mauro will give a presentation at law enforcement conference in San Diego, California. As Imagine 2050 reported Thursday, Mauro’s presentation is part of a symposium on “Islamic terror” organized by The California Association of Tactical Officers. Mauro gave a similar presentation during a law enforcement expo in New York in April.
Finally, on Thursday, August 25, the Benton Country Republican Party will hold an event in Monroe, Oregon, featuring State Representative Mike Nearman. In addition to being a state lawmaker, Nearman is also a member of anti-immigrant group Oregonians for Immigration Reform’s board of directors. He was a chief petitioner on several of nativist ballot measures the group unsuccessfully sought to place on this November’s ballot.
Additional information on these events and others can be found in the map below. The events scheduled for next week are marked with a red star.
Know of any nativist events not located on this map? Please contact us or fill out this form: