Before Reagan
Before Reagan and the formation of the Heritage Foundation… where did these views come from?
Eugenics and racism significantly shaped American policy throughout the 20th century, informing everything from immigration laws to sterilization practices. These ideologies have not disappeared; they remain potent elements within the alt-right's framework, particularly in online spaces where conspiratorial and exclusionary ideas thrive. The Heritage Foundation, a prominent conservative think tank, was initially funded by Joseph Coors, of Coors Beer fame, and Paul Weyrich, who famously coined the term "Moral Majority." This foundation has played a pivotal role in promoting policies that resonate with eugenics and racial hierarchy, highlighting how deeply these themes are woven into the fabric of certain conservative movements.
Today, the echoes of these past ideologies can still be seen in various strands of right-wing thought, demonstrating the ongoing influence of history on contemporary political discourse.
The Original Moms for Liberty - The Mother's Movement and America First
Who was Elizabeth Dilling, and how have mothers protesting against war become aligned with Nazi ideology? Where have we heard "America First" before?
Book Banning (Burning?) - Which Books did the Nazis Burn, and Why?
The Nazis burned works of prominent Jewish, liberal, and leftist writers, citing them as "un-German."
What does the Eugenics Movement Look Like Today, and what does that have to do with Immigration?
Madison Grant, How are IQ Tests racist? Sterilization in the United States.
The Moral Majority, Segregation Academies, and Coors Beer
Wealthy Christians want to be able to discriminate in education. How did Jerry Falwell's reaction to Civil Rights court cases shape issues today like abortion?
The Racist History of School Choice
Southern white students started transferring to private schools to evade integration as challenges to the constitutionality of the "separate but equal" doctrine, established by the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court ruling, gained momentum.
1930's European Christian Nationalism
What was the National Christian Party of Romania? Was Hitler a Christian?