Summary: Once a prominent figure only in the wilderness of right-wing internet culture, Richard Spencer has become the smug public face of the so-called Alt-Right. He can lay at least a partial claim to originating the phrase "alternative right" itself, and he has been the subject of numerous profiles since Trump's election, some of which have been criticized for glamorizing him as "dapper," even dashing. How did this seemingly generic frat-kid type from the Texas suburbs become the public face of American fascism? Graeme Wood's de-mystifying account is especially helpful in providing some answers, given Wood's minor but nonetheless significant personal history with Spencer. In this episode, Joe & Josh delve into that backstory, along with the inevitable question of whether or not we should punch Nazis. <br>“His Kampf” by Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2017<br><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/06/his-kampf/524505/" rel="noopener">https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/06/his-kampf/524505/</a><br>Optional:<br>“The Alt-Right’s Jewish Godfather” by Jacob Siegel, Tablet, 2016<br><a href="http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/218712/spencer-gottfried-alt-right" rel="noopener">http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/218712/spencer-gottfried-alt-right</a><br>“The Flight 93 Election” by Michael Anton, The Claremont Review, 2016<br><a href="http://www.claremont.org/crb/basicpage/the-flight-93-election/" rel="noopener">http://www.claremont.org/crb/basicpage/the-flight-93-election/</a><br><br>Let us know what you think: <a href="mailto:essayquestionspodcast@gmail.com">essayquestionspodcast@gmail.com</a>
