The Racist ‘Replacement’ Theory That Inspired Recent Mass Shootings

memorial to a victim of christ church shooting
Briona Lamback
May 18, 2022

The racist “Replacement” theory is spreading beyond dark online spaces to mainstream media among white supremacists, and it’s inspired multiple recent mass shootings. Another danger? Politicians are pushing it, too!

White supremacists peddling this conspiracy believe that “genocide” is happening to white people, from Europe to the U.S. They think they’re being replaced by people of color. 

U.S. Census data DOES show the American white population is decreasing – and they’re using this as a reason to kill.

These extremists believe immigrants are “invading” the U.S. to replace and disempower whites. They often campaign against abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, and feminism, thinking these things lead to a decrease in white birth rates. 

Like the Buffalo shooter, some even believe that Black Americans – descending from enslaved people and who’ve been in the U.S. for centuries – are trying to “ethnically replace” whites.

Politicians and media figures are in on it too. Fox’s Tucker Carlson has borrowed from and remixed the theory, and Republicans frequently use it to attract votes and audiences. Their public platforms help drive curiosity of the idea, further spreading these extreme lies – and it’s deadly for our people.

White supremacists are all around us. We need to keep an eye on how they move so we can defend ourselves however we see fit. We can’t afford to ignore these growing racist movements!

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