Web of Hate – Warren Kinsella (Nerdy Book Review)
Web of Hate : Inside Canada’s Far Right Network by Warren Kinsella
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was recommended to me by a coworker after a discussion re: current neo-nazi skinhead activity in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He’d been an undergraduate student at University of Alberta during the height of the mid-80s skin movement (both racist and punk) and had a lot of experience observing the movement as a punker.
Kinsella has cast light on a seemingly wide-spread and well-developed network of hate and violence in Canada that holds strong ties with American leadership of the KKK and other racist hate groups. The fact that these groups exist and thrive in Canada despite the general population’s apparent disagreement with their beliefs implies that Canadians have a much larger issue with racism then is obvious. In recent history Heritage Front candidates have run for office and garnered 13% of the overall vote despite public distaste.
This network of hate has had more than 100 years to develop from straight-forward white supremacy into a complex series of groups inclusive of Nazism, “national socialism”, white supremacy, hate towards Christian groups (Catholicism & the United Church of Canada, notably), women, abortionists, atheists, and more. The network is now essentially a catch-all for socio-cultural, religious, and political right-wing extremism that has no basis in fact. However, the movement must hold a compelling argument for certain segments of people, including members of the Canadian military and members of major political parties including the Former Progressive Conservatives, Reform Party & Canadian Alliance.
While I was fascinated with Kinsella’s work, I wish he’d had the opportunity to propose potential solutions to the ongoing solicitation of new membership for hate groups. Perhaps suggestions for legislation that would bar members of these groups from gathering, legislation that conclusively bars active members of hate groups from the armed forces, legislation that avoids protecting hate groups, hate speech and hate publication under the guise of protecting free speech.
