UPDATE: Cole White, the first person I exposed, no longer has a job 💁♂️ #GoodNightColeWhite #ExposeTheAltRight #Charlottesville pic.twitter.com/sqxSXboKw6
— Yes, You’re Racist (@YesYoureRacist) August 13, 2017
In the aftermath of the harrowing events in Charlottesville over the weekend, one enterprising social media user is on a mission for justice.
The account @YesYoureRacist typically slogs through the hate-filled corners of Twitter dot com, searching for bigots and exposing them. They also take submissions. But over the past few days, @YesYoureRacist has been posting images of participants at the violent Unite the Right rallies with the intent of having those participants fired–and they’ve already got one scalp in the bag.
Cole White, a California man who was photographed at the torch-bearing night rally, has been fired by his employer, the Top Dog restaurant chain. His firing was a direct result of attending the demonstrations and the campaign to expose him. The company released a statement clarifying the issue, which read:
“Effective Saturday August 12th, Cole White no longer works at Top Dog. The actions of those in Charlottesville are not supported by Top Dog. We believe in individual freedom, and voluntary association for everyone.”
Another self-avowed white nationalist exposed by @YesYoureRacist is Peter Cvjetanovic. Cvjetanovic is a 20-year-old history and political science major at the University of Nevada who was photographed holding a torch and shouting angrily wearing an otherwise unassuming white polo shirt. His image became instantly associated with the racial hatred on display in Virginia this past weekend.
After being exposed by @YesYoureRacist, Cvjetanovic appeared on his local television news station in Reno, Nevada to say that he now fears for his safety–but didn’t back down from his views. He said:
“I’m not the angry racist they see in that photo. As a white nationalist, I care for all people. We all deserve a future for our children and for our culture. White nationalists aren’t all hateful; we just want to preserve what we have.”
In response, @YesYoureRacist compared Cvjetanovic to Hazel Bryan Massery, the white, southern woman whose sour-faced snarl encapsulated the feelings of most white Americans when public schools were de-segregated during the 1960s.
Peter Cvjetanovic tells KTVN “I’m not the angry racist they see in that photo.” Kid, you’re the Hazel Bryan of 2017. https://t.co/v2QYtMcwpt pic.twitter.com/0g2Wic4a7u
— Yes, You’re Racist (@YesYoureRacist) August 13, 2017
Other apparent rally-goers mentioned by @YesYoureRacist so far include: Philadelphia-based neo-Nazi Mark Daniel Reardon–who has apparently been evicted from his apartment as a result–and whose Nazi affiliations were bolstered by commenters on the messageboard for white nationalist and neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer; Ryan Martin and Jacob Dix of Ohio who were photographed holding torches, as reported by ABC News 5 Cleveland and The Jerusalem Post; and James Allsup, president of the Washington State University College Republicans.
Allsup, for his part, claimed he only attended the rally “in a media capacity” and said the organizer Jason Kessler “unexpectedly” asked him to address the crowd of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and other alt-rightists. He told KREM:
“They are slandering me and that I’m racist without evidence because I talk about history and I talk about American politics.”
However, a video apparently shows Allsup marching with white nationalists and a screenshot of what appears to be his Facebook page shows him advertising a speaking position at the Unite the Right rally–dated August 5.
LawNewz reached out to @YesYoureRacist for comment but the account did not respond before time of publication. This story will be updated to reflect their response–if and when that occurs–and in the event any additional white nationalists are sanctioned due to their attendance at the rallies.
[image via screengrab]
Follow Colin Kalmbacher on Twitter: @colinkalmbacher
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