National Socialist Movement (United States)
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- This article refers to the American National Socialist Movement; for other organizations see National Socialist Movement.
The National Socialist Movement (also called NSM or NSM88) is the largest neo-Nazi Party operating in the United States. They co-operate with other "white nationalists", such as the Ku Klux Klan and Nazi-Skinheads. The "88" in its name is a code word for "Heil Hitler", H being the 8th letter in the alphabet. The name America's Nazi Party is sometimes used, but this should not be confused with the revived American Nazi Party, a different group.
The NSM is led by Jeff Schoep and Chairman Clifford Herrington. They claim to have members in most states and overseas. Membership is open "to all 'Aryans'". The group is inspired by Adolf Hitler, and its symbol is the Swastika. It has roots back to the American Nazi Party under George Lincoln Rockwell.
The use of the term "Socialism" in the group's name is derived purely from the English translation of the German Nazi party. It has nothing to do with the left-wing economic theory of the same name.
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[edit] History
The National Socialist Movement was founded by Robert Brannen in 1974. Cliff Herrington was his deputy and was appointed to lead in 1983 after Brannen suffered a series of strokes.
Both Robert Brannen and Cliff Herrington had been longtime supporters and Storm Troopers of George Lincoln Rockwell's American Nazi Party. In 1994, Herrington appointed Jeff Schoep, a long time dedicated member, to leadership of the NSM. Schoep, the NSM's current commander, was arrested in 1998 for aiding and abetting a burglary, to which he pleaded guilty [1].
The NSM are best known for carrying on the role of "Hollywood Nazis", a phrase coined by white nationalists to describe those who dress in vintage World War II uniforms for public demonstrations, protests, and rallies.
In July 2006 the NSM witnessed a number of senior personnel leave the organization over allegations that some NSM members were involved in a Satanist movement [2]. NSM spokesman Bill White and "Minister of Radio" Michael Blevins (known as Vonbluvens)[3] left, along with the entire Washington chapter. White formed his own party, the American National Socialist Workers Party. Herrington has since stepped down as NSM chairman. Ongoing fighting as a result of the NSM split continue on such forums as VNN and the Vonbluvens Show blog.
Their rally in Madison, Wisconsin, on August 26th, 2006, was attended by 20-25 members of the National Socialist Movement and about 40-45 supporters from other organizations (64 people in all). During their two hour rally, the NSM where kept behind three barriers and over 300 law enforcement officers, including mounted police and two ranks of riot police, in order to separate them from the 1,200 protestors surrounding the capital. There were no major incidents, and the NSM speeches were not audible over the chants of the protestors. There were five arrests: four for disorderly conduct, one for resisting arrest. Three of the arrested were released without charge. (Source: National Lawyers Guild observers).
On Dec 8 2006 Bill Hoff, a senior member of the NSM, was killed in a car accident.
[edit] Political ideology of the NSM
The NSM's web site's FAQ states (among other things)
"Liberals in America have taken and warped the laws around that govern child abuse and made the laws very open and broad. [...] The laws have to be re-written so that our courts are not wasting their time on cases that over zealous case workers have brought before the courts in some sick attempt to destroy as many families as they can."
"We can see the evil effects of social liberals' acceptance of homosexuality by the increased number of pedophiles, child pornography cases...", etc.
(Note: The NSM supports an "instant death penalty" for homosexuals).
"The 'Brown shirt' tradition was brought to America by the great Commander George L. Rockwell, founder of the original American Nazi Party."
Echoing the original "25 points" of the NSDAP, the National Socialist Movement proposes a 25-point program which includes policies that most would immediately associate with a Nazi party such as racial separatism, isolationism and colonial expansion as well as economic policies such as a living wage, profit sharing by large corporations, and affordable housing. These points have been fine tuned to target the problems they perceive to be unique to America (see their 25 Points of National Socialism).
[edit] NSM radio
NSM radio got its start under Vonbluvens (real name Michael Blevins) as the "Minister of Radio" for the NSM. He got his start in radio by buying airtime on the Hal Turner show in 2003, but went off air shortly afterwards. He then went on to found the "Vonbluvens Show", and has been broadcasting under that name ever since.
While living in Roanoke, Virginia, Vonbluvens and George Hutchins of N.I.M. hosted a Hitler birthday party in 2000. A few years later he moved to Sarasota, Florida. There he made local news when it was reported that he was listed as the backup caregiver at his wife's daycare center which was run in their home, where a neighbor had seen a swastika flag hanging on an inside wall. The daycare was given the nickname Nazi daycare by some. However, after the daycare had been inspected by local county officials the daycare center was allowed to continue in operation due to the fact it was in compliance with regulations and has been in operation for ten years with no problems or citations.
"White Viewpoint", also produced by Vonbluvens, was hosted by Dr. Jacques Pluss who was a university professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University until he was "removed from the classroom" in March 2005, only one month after he began broadcasting the show on a weekly basis over the Internet. In early October 2005, Pluss officially rejected his Nazi "affiliation", explaining that he had infiltrated the NSM as part of research for a forthcoming book on White Power Movements in the U.S., and clarifying that he never actually held Nazi thinking. Vonbluvens and the remaining hosts at the NSM dropped Pluss' show in October 2005 and denounced him as a traitor and a Jew who was simply upset because he wasn't given more authority within the NSM.
In July 2006 Vonbluvens resigned from the NSM due to the involvement of Chairman Cliff Herrington in a Satanic group. VonBluvens claims to be a Christian and that having a senior member of the NSM practicing satanism was incompatible with his Christian beliefs. Matthew Ramsey (AKA Jim Ramm) has taken over Vonvluvens' position and has renamed it the Minister of Media.
Current shows produced include:
- Forbidden Thoughts with Jim Ramm
- Iron Sights
- Australia Calling
[edit] North Toledo riot
See 2005 Toledo Riot
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- National Socialist Movement Headquarters Official Website (without intro)
- Neo-Nazi leader's past resurfaces on day of triumph, Southern Poverty Law Center report on Commander Jeff Schoep.
- Registered sex offender heads the Indiana NSM Chapter, Southern Poverty Law Center report on NSM Indiana State Leader John Snyder.
- The National Socialist Movement at the ADL's "Law Enforcement Agency Resource Network"
- "Day-care operator's husband is neo-Nazi leader" Herald-Tribune March 6, 2005
- "Neo-Nazis outnumbered at historic site", 25 June 2005 CNN article.
- "Planned neo-Nazi march sparks violence", 15 October 2005 CNN article.
- "Nazis Rising" SPLC article
