The Rise of Right-Wing Hate Groups Reminds Us What Mark Twain Said About History’s Tendency to Rhyme

Photo by Jonah Pettrich on Unsplash

Mark Twain supposedly said, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.”

Those of us old enough and paying enough attention to appreciate the interesting times in which we live have been hearing a lot of rhymes the past few years.

But one rhyme we wish we would never hear again pertains to the rise of hate groups that have become more emboldened and conspicuous since the twice-impeached, twice indicted, former slumlord host of Celebrity Apprentice, aka “the former guy,” was elevated to the nation’s highest office.

“The former guy” may be gone, but the repulsive, rapacious rot he exposed is very much present.

Unfortunately, it’s spreading.

Last month, the University of Maryland’s National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) reported that 70% of individuals committing terrorist acts in America act alone or within “isolated cliques” of three to four people.

Senior researcher Michael Jensen explained:

These individuals might be lone actors, but they’re not lonely actors. They are embedded in these online ecosystems where they are exchanging ideas with each other all day every day.