Bailey, who lost to JB Pritzker in 2022, re-enters the governor’s race with new campaign strategy.
SPRINGFIELD - Darren Bailey plans to run for governor for a second time in 2026, Capitol News Illinois confirmed with sources close to the campaign.
The former state senator and farmer from Clay County would become the highest-profile Republican to enter the race, having lost the 2022 campaign against Gov. JB Pritzker and a close primary race in 2024 against U.S. Rep. Mike Bost for a downstate congressional seat.
Photo: Capitol News Illinois/Jerry Norwicki
State Sen. Darren Bailey appears at a news conference alongside law enforcement officers during his 2022 campaign for governor. Bailey plans a second run for Illinois governor in 2026 with Aaron Del Mar as his running mate.
A formal announcement is expected next week. News of the planned announcement was first reported by NBC Chicago on Monday afternoon.
Bailey rose to statewide notoriety in 2020 as a state lawmaker who opposed mask mandates and other COVID-19 emergency actions early in the pandemic. He capitalized on his opposition to Pritzker-imposed restrictions and ran for governor in 2022.
Bailey plans to enlist Cook County Republican Party Chair Aaron Del Mar as his running mate
Bailey easily won the Republican primary that year with 57 percent of the vote. His campaign was indirectly helped by Pritzker, who ran TV ads during the primary calling Bailey “too conservative” for Illinois, which helped boost his credentials with Republican voters.
But Pritzker handily won a second term with 55 percent of the vote, defeating Bailey by 13 points in a race the Associated Press called just moments after polls closed. Pritzker spent millions on his campaign as Bailey struggled to compete despite receiving financial help from Lake Forest billionaire Dick Uihlein.
Bailey then tried to unseat Bost in 2024 in the 12th Congressional District but came up about 2,700 votes short. While he received President Donald Trump’s endorsement in the governor’s race, Trump endorsed Bost over Bailey in 2024.
New running mate
Bailey plans to enlist Cook County Republican Party Chair Aaron Del Mar as his running mate, a source said.
Del Mar ran for lieutenant governor in 2022 alongside Gary Rabine, receiving 6.5 percent of the vote.
He was elected to lead the Cook County Republican Party earlier this year, marking the second time he has held that role after previously leading the party in the early 2010s. He is also a member of the Illinois GOP’s State Central Committee and serves as Palatine Township’s highway commissioner.
Outside of politics, Del Mar has led a career in business and as an entrepreneur.
Bailey ran in 2022 with Stephanie Trussell, a conservative radio host from the suburbs.
Bailey’s message
It is unclear how Bailey plans to overcome his 2022 loss and what message he will take to voters in 2026.
He focused much of his 2022 campaign on crime and public safety, criticizing the SAFE-T Act and bashing Chicago as a “hellhole.”
The message failed to gain traction with voters, however, as Democrats focused heavily on abortion rights in the months after Roe v. Wade was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Facebook has been Bailey’s primary communication platform to voters, and in recent weeks, he has focused many of his posts on Pritzker and ways he believes the governor has failed Illinois. Like other Republicans, Bailey has criticized Pritzker’s growing national profile.
“In 2026, we have the chance to stop him,” Bailey wrote in a post Monday. “But it will take ALL of us. Every Illinoisan who knows we deserve better. Together, we can end JB’s presidential ambitions before they even begin and finally turn Illinois around.”
Photo: Capitol News Illinois/Jerry Norwicki
Former state senator and unsuccessful candidate for governor and later Congress Darren Bailey is pictured at the 2023 Illinois State Fair during his unsuccessful congressional campaign.
Bailey would become at least the fourth candidate to enter the Republican primary for governor, which has been slowly taking shape this fall.
DuPage County Sheriff Jim Mendrick, Lake Forest resident Joe Severino, and conservative media writer Ted Dabrowski have also formed committees to run for governor.
Antioch Mayor Scott Gartner released a statement Sunday saying he was also considering running.
Pritzker is running for a rare third term as governor amid speculation he will also run for president in 2028.
Candidates must turn their petitions in to the State Board of Elections by the end of October.
AI is everywhere. Data centers produce massive noise pollution and use huge amounts of water. Renewable energy is cheaper than fossil fuels. So why are AI giants choosing coal and gas over wind and solar?
AI is everywhere. But its powerful computing comes with a big cost to our planet, our neighborhoods, and our wallets.
AI servers are so power hungry that utilities are keeping coal-fired power plants that were slated for closure running to meet the needs of massive servers. And in the South alone, there are plans for 20 gigawatts of new natural-gas power plants over the next 15 years — enough to power millions of homes — just to feed AI’s energy needs.
Photo: Markus Spiske/Unsplash
AI server farms are massive energy users and the driving source of residential utility price increases. How far are we away from humans becoming the power source for data centers like in the movie The Matrix?
Multi-billion dollar companies like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Meta that previously committed to 100 percent renewable energy are going back to the Jurassic Age, using fossil fuels like coal and natural gas to meet their insatiable energy needs. Even nuclear power plants are being reactivated to meet the needs of power-hungry servers.
At a time when we need all corporations to reduce their climate footprint, carbon emissions from major tech companies in 2023 have skyrocketed to 150 percent of average 2020 values.
AI data centers also produce massive noise pollution and use huge amounts of water. Residents near data centers report that the sound keeps them awake at night and their taps are running dry.
AI’s demand for power is also raising electric rates for customers nationwide.
Many of us live in communities that either have or will have a data center, and we’re already feeling the effects. This is certainly true in Illinois, which has one of the highest numbers of data centers in the country. Many of these plants further burden communities already struggling with a lack of economic investment, access to basic resources, and exposure to high levels of pollution.
To add insult to injury, amid stagnant wages and increasing costs for food, housing, utilities, and consumer goods, AI’s demand for power is also raising electric rates for customers nationwide. To meet the soaring demand for energy that AI data servers demand, utilities need to build new infrastructure, the cost of which is being passed onto all customers.
Photo: Geoffrey Moffett/Unsplash
Prescient Data Centres in Coleraine, Northern Ireland. Ireland has 134 data centers, operated by 28 providers, with the largest, a 326,803 sqft facility, run by Google.
A recent Carnegie Mellon study found that AI data centers could increase electric rates by 25 percent in Northern Virginia by 2030. And NPR recently reported that AI data centers were a key driver in electric rates increasing twice as fast as the cost of living nationwide — at a time when one in six households are struggling to pay their energy bills.
All of these impacts are only projected to grow. AI already consumes enough electricity to power 7 million American homes. By 2028, that could jump to the amount of power needed for 22 percent of all US households.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
AI could be powered by renewable energy that is non-polluting and works to reduce energy costs for us all. The leading AI companies, who have made significant climate pledges, must lead the way.
They must ensure that communities have a real voice in how and where AI data centers are built ...
Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Meta have all made promises to the communities they serve to tackle climate and pollution. They all have climate pledges. And they have made significant investments in renewable energy in the past.
Those investments make sense, since renewables are the most affordable form of electricity. These companies have the know-how and the wealth to power AI with wind, solar, and batteries — which makes it all the more puzzling that they’re relying on fossil fuels to power the future.
If these corporate giants are to be good neighbors, they first need to be open and honest about the scope and scale of the problem and the solutions needed.
As these companies invest billions in technology for AI, they must re-up investments in renewables to power our future and protect our communities. They must ensure that communities have a real voice in how and where AI data centers are built — and that our communities aren’t sacrificed in the name of profits.
Dan Howells is the Climate Campaigns Director at Green America. Todd Larsen is Green America’s Executive Co-Director. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org.
TAGGED: AI energy consumption impact, Big Tech climate pledges, data centers water and noise pollution, renewable energy for AI servers, AI and rising electricity bills
Witch hunts in India kill thousands of women yearly. Superstition, greed and patriarchy fuel violence despite laws and activism.
Witch Hunt: A Ruthless Venture
Brutality grounded in superstition, social customs and community myths. Witch hunts, an atrocious phenomenon, still prevail across the globe as well as in India. A defamed reality showcasing misogyny cripples women’s individuality. The Human Rights Committee reports the deaths of around 2,500 women every year in the name of witch killings.
Instances of witch hunts have reached alarming levels in several Indian states, including Jharkhand, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal. Among certain communities, the concept of Dayan-pratha (one who practices black magic/witchcraft) traces back to primitive and medieval ages. Following misfortune or disease, some women are tortured, blamed and beaten to death. Usually, the ohja (community doctor) identifies the dayan, also called chudail, either by writing women’s names on the branch of a sal tree—wherever the branch withers marks the accused—or by wrapping slips with names into a bag placed inside an ant nest. The bag consumed by ants is believed to reveal the witch’s name.
These women are labeled a threat. They are assumed to have the “evil eye,” possess supernatural powers, and be destructive to society.
Women as Targets
Witchcraft accusations strike at the heart of women’s status, with the practice largely considered a “feminine affair.” The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) documented 2,468 murders related to witchcraft between 2001 and 2016. While often cloaked in superstition, most cases stem from economic and psychosocial motives:
Disputes over land and property, often instigated by family members out of greed.
Targeting widows, single women and the elderly.
Manipulation by bhopas (community healers) for selfish gain.
Retaliation after refusal of sexual advances.
Jharkhand, with its large tribal population, records the highest number of witch killings, followed closely by Madhya Pradesh. Average annual murder rates stand at 28.25% in Odisha, 31% in Jharkhand, 16.25% in Madhya Pradesh and 11% in Chhattisgarh.
Notably, even prominent women have been targeted. Debjani Borah, an athlete from Assam, was assaulted and accused of witchcraft. Wiccan priest Ipsita Roy Chakraverti was publicly criticized and branded a witch. Victims are often raped, beaten, stripped, paraded naked, banished from their villages and forced into financial compensation.
Primitive and Modern Dimensions
Witchcraft practices, with roots centuries deep, are found in tribal communities in western Bengal districts and parts of Jharkhand. A village in northeast India, Mayang, is popularly known as the “land of black magic.” Witchcraft is even referenced in the Rig Veda and is studied in some global universities.
Since the beginning of human societies, witchcraft beliefs have deeply impacted indigenous populations.
Paradoxically, witch hunts were also common in Europe during ancient and medieval times. By the mid-1950s, nearly 500 people had been executed as alleged witches. Informal “kangaroo courts” often carried out punishments through mob lynching.
Elsewhere, witch-related violence persists in Tanzania, rural China, parts of Africa and South America. Despite modern science and development, superstition continues to justify violence, transmitted from generation to generation. Victims suffer profound injustice, sorrow and hopelessness.
Sociological and Anthropological Views
Since the beginning of human societies, witchcraft beliefs have deeply impacted indigenous populations. Anthropologists see witch killings as attempts to explain random illness, misfortune and economic hardship. Income shocks and losses often fuel accusations, supporting the “commercial theory.” Competition can lead to labeling and persecution.
Sociologists connect witchcraft beliefs with anti-social behavior, punishing those who resist community norms. Denunciations frequently arise when patriarchal systems attempt to suppress matriarchal traditions.
Legal Measures
Though India lacks a central law specifically addressing witch hunts, several states have enacted legislation:
Odisha Prevention of Witch Hunting Act, 2013
Assam Witch Hunting (Prevention, Prohibition and Protection) Bill, mandating jail terms or life imprisonment
Chhattisgarh Tonahi Pratadna Nivaran Act, 2005
Prevention of Witch Practices (DAAIN) Act, 2001
Bihar Prevention of Witch Hunting Act, 1999
Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil Practices) Act, 2024
Relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code also apply: Section 302 (murder), Section 307 (attempt to murder), Section 376 (rape), and Section 354 (outraging a woman’s modesty).
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights condemns witch hunts as a cruel practice rooted in gender inequality.
Judicial interventions, however, remain inconsistent. In Moyna Murmu v. State of West Bengal, the petitioner was forced from her village. In Tula Devi v. State of Jharkhand, lack of evidence freed the accused. In Gaurav Jain v. State of Bihar, the court directed three assemblies to pass anti-witch-hunting laws.
A senior Guwahati High Court lawyer remarked: “People are illiterate and blinded in thought. Unless we make efforts to enlighten them about the laws and consequences of witch hunts, the practice will continue.”
Global Response
Globally, witch accusations represent severe human rights violations. The United Nations recognized the issue as a humanitarian crisis at its first conference on witch hunts. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that thousands of women are branded as witches and persecuted annually.
Women unaware of their rights remain vulnerable.
The Australian National University recently hosted a three-day conference addressing witchcraft killings. Amnesty International, the Red Cross and other organizations have campaigned for justice. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights condemns witch hunts as a cruel practice rooted in gender inequality.
Role of Civil Society
Informal organizations have been crucial:
The Witchcraft and Human Rights Network educates communities about laws.
Free Legal Aid in Jharkhand supports enforcement in villages and tribal areas.
ANANDI, a Gujarat-based group, campaigns for outlawing witch hunting.
Pudumi Rabha of Assam has rescued numerous women accused of witchcraft.
Human rights advocates and gender activists continue to fight against this violence.
Education as Change Agent
Education is essential to reform public opinion. Illiteracy fuels mob violence, regressive thought and superstition, especially among tribal populations. Branding women as witches has often been used to justify abuse by religious leaders exploiting the uneducated.
Empowerment and Awareness
Women unaware of their rights remain vulnerable. Legal awareness, uplifting marginalized groups, improving health services and using mass media campaigns can help dismantle witchcraft-related violence.
Witch hunts are not just crimes—they are regressive acts to control women’s autonomy, undermining democracy itself. Specialized anti-witchcraft laws, though important, cannot fully solve problems rooted in irrationality and patriarchy. Grassroots measures—such as empathy, community regulation, police protection and financial support—are essential.
As activist Pudumi Rabha urges: “Don’t be scared. Challenge the offenders and report to the police. The battle is not going to end anytime soon.”
In her spare time, Alphones Deka enjoys travelling to new places, maintaining a personal journal, and watching different series. The thing that brings her the most joy is spending time with my pets and staying in touch with friends.
TAGGED: witch hunts in India today, superstition and gender violence, women's rights and witch killings, tribal witchcraft practices India, legal measures against witch hunts
Moving soon? Follow these packing, storage, and transport tips to protect your electronic devices and keep them working perfectly when you reach your new home.
Photo: Artem Podrez/PEXELS
SNS - Moving electronics requires careful attention. As a matter of fact, your devices are probably the most valuable items you own. If you plan to store electronics during a relocation, the right approach can save time and money.
Most devices are sensitive to bumps, moisture, and sudden temperature changes. This makes preparation even more important. A small mistake can lead to permanent damage. With this in mind, this guide covers packing, transport, storage, and recovery tips. Each step helps protect your devices so they work perfectly in your new space.
Preparing Electronics Before Packing: Steps That Save Time and Stress
Before you box up electronics, prepare them properly. Back up your data on an external drive or cloud storage. In contrast, skipping this step can mean losing files forever.
Remove batteries from remotes, cameras, and other devices. Batteries can leak acid that damages circuits. Cables should be detached and bagged separately to prevent tangles. With this in mind, label each bag so reassembly is faster.
Careful preparation ensures your electronics arrive in perfect working order.
Dust can build up in fans and vents. Clean devices before storage to prevent overheating later. Another key point is to take photos of connections before disconnecting. This ensures you can plug everything back correctly. Keep in mind that this process can be stressful, so remember to be calm and manage your worries.
Pack Your Electronics Properly
Packing electronics requires precision and patience. Rushing often leads to mistakes that cause damage. With this in mind, mastering the art of packing is essential if you want to do it like a pro. Always pack devices in their original boxes if available, as these are built to fit and protect.
If you don’t have them, create similar protection using sturdy boxes, foam inserts, and anti-static wraps. Another key point is to keep each device separate. Mixing items in one box increases the chance of scratches and pressure damage.
For example, place heavier items at the bottom of the box and lighter ones on top. Similarly, fill any gaps with packing peanuts or foam sheets to prevent movement during transport.
Finally, label every box clearly. Write “Fragile Electronics” and list the main device inside. Also, mark arrows for upright positioning so movers know how to handle the box properly. Careful preparation ensures your electronics arrive in perfect working order.
How to Protect Screens, Cords, and Sensitive Parts
Screens are often the most vulnerable part of electronics. Wrap TVs and monitors with microfiber cloths, then add cardboard covers. This prevents scratches and cracks during handling.
Cords should be coiled gently and secured with Velcro straps. Tape can leave sticky residue and damage insulation. Besides, cord organization makes setup easier later.
Use protective caps for HDMI, USB, and power connectors. These prevent dust and debris from entering ports. As a matter of fact, even a small particle can cause poor connections. Remotes, headphones, and smaller parts should be wrapped in padded pouches.
Ideal Conditions to Store Electronics During a Relocation
When you need to store electronics during a relocation, conditions matter more than you think. Standard storage units expose devices to moisture and heat. Climate-controlled storage is safer for computers, cameras, and sound systems.
Photo: Brett Jordan/Unsplash
Store boxes right. Use sturdy boxes to protect valuable electronic equipment. Keep items in a temperature and humidity-controlled environment to prevent corrosion.
Humidity is the main enemy. Moisture can corrode internal parts and destroy screens. In contrast, a controlled environment maintains stable temperature and humidity. Boxes should also be kept off the floor with pallets or shelving. This avoids water damage from leaks.
Airflow is another key point—stack boxes with space around them for circulation. Check if your storage provider offers insurance for electronics. Always ask about coverage before signing a contract.
Transportation Tips: Keeping Devices Safe on the Move
Transport is risky for electronics. Devices should be loaded last and unloaded first. This reduces the time they spend under pressure. Never stack heavy boxes on top of electronics. Weight can crush screens or bend casings.
Moving blankets are useful for large TVs and computer monitors. Similarly, padding prevents vibration damage to stereo equipment. Upright transport is essential for desktop computers and refrigerators with electronics.
If you are driving your own car, keep small devices in the back seat. They are safer there compared to the trunk. Another key point is to secure them with seat belts or padding.
Common Mistakes People Make When Moving Electronics
Many people damage devices by skipping simple steps. Forgetting to back up data can lead to permanent loss. Using newspapers or towels instead of protective wraps causes scratches and poor shock absorption.
Another common mistake is storing devices in basements or garages. These spaces expose electronics to moisture and heat. Besides, many skip static protection. As an illustration, packing a computer without an anti-static bag can kill the motherboard. Also, remember that maintenance is really important for your systems, especially the bigger ones like HVAC.
Finally, failing to label boxes makes movers unaware of fragile contents. In short, these errors are easy to avoid with planning.
Quick Recovery Steps if Electronics Suffer Damage
Even with care, accidents happen. Inspect your devices as soon as you unpack. Do not power them on immediately. Give them time to adjust to the room temperature.
If moisture is present, use silica packs or rice to absorb it. Another key point is to dry them in a cool, dry space. Document any visible damage right away for insurance claims.
Photo: by RDNE Stock/PEXELS
Planning your logistics before you move can take the stress out of all the heavy lifting.
Small cracks or dents may not stop the function, but need repair. Nevertheless, never try complex fixes yourself without experience. Professional technicians can assess damage and prevent further issues. Recovering damaged electronics after renovation can be a lot of work, and staying productive during the whole process is hard, as you will get tired from all of the workload. That’s why professionals can be of help.
Safe Storage Equals Long-Lasting Electronics
Electronics are both valuable and fragile. By preparing properly, packing securely, and using the right storage, you reduce risk. Besides, following these steps makes the setup smoother in your new home.
Remember, when you store electronics during a relocation, you protect your investment and peace of mind. With this in mind, careful handling ensures your devices last longer and perform well. In short, planning now prevents stress later.
TAGGED: how to move electronics safely, packing electronics for moving, safe storage for electronics during relocation, protecting electronics from damage, climate controlled storage for electronics
Active Clubs stalk martial arts clubs and workout facilities to recruit new members into their white nationalist organization. Domestic terrorism has a new face - one that wears workout clothes instead of a uniform.
by Judith Ruiz-Branch Public News ServiceCHICAGO - Experts said they are seeing a rise in white nationalist movements in Wisconsin and across the country that are disguising themselves as fitness groups.
They are called "Active Clubs" and present themselves as sporting clubs or fighting clubs focused on brotherhood.
Art Jipson, associate professor of sociology and criminology at the University of Dayton, said they recruit both online and in-person, targeting young, white men using shared interests as tools to gradually introduce and normalize racist ideologies.
"You add to that the willingness to engage in violence against people of color, LGBTQ people… there's a clear potential for violence here," Jipson cautioned.
Members said they are dedicated to "self-improvement and brotherhood" seeing themselves as "a noble resistance"...
Jipson pointed out Active Clubs often meet in Christian churches and gyms with recent activity showing multistate coordination, like a Wisconsin Active Club regularly meeting with an Illinois Active Club for "family days." They use distinctive symbols like the Celtic cross -- a well-known neo-Nazi symbol -- and share content across social media platforms to maintain connections between chapters and other white supremacist groups.
Active Clubs are growing internationally as well, with the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism reporting a 25% increase since 2023. Jipson noted the groups are a huge shift in organizing for white supremacists and white nationalists, following what he calls a decentralized, leaderless resistance.
"Their decentralized structure makes them difficult to track but it also allows them to spread pretty quickly," Jipson observed. "They're embedding white supremacist and white nationalist ideology in everyday spaces rather than only the political rally."
Jipson emphasized new chapters of Active Clubs are frequently being created and linking with one another. Members said they are dedicated to "self-improvement and brotherhood" seeing themselves as "a noble resistance" in the cause of preserving the white race.
"They are mobilizing around really powerful images and ideology that at the end of the day, gives people something to believe in," Jipson added. "That's really difficult to combat."
More stories ~
TAGGED: Wisconsin Active Clubs extremism, fitness cover white nationalist groups, Art Jipson extremism research, Midwest hate group activity, decentralized white supremacist networks
Active Clubs frame themselves as innocuous workout groups merging a new and harder-to-detect form of white supremacist ideology with fitness and combat sports culture.
Small local organizations called Active Clubs have spread widely across the U.S. and internationally, using fitness as a cover for a much more alarming mission. These groups are a new and harder-to-detect form of white supremacist organizing that merges extremist ideology with fitness and combat sports culture.
Active Clubs frame themselves as innocuous workout groups on digital platforms and decentralized networks to recruit, radicalize and prepare members for racist violence. The clubs commonly use encrypted messaging apps such as Telegram, Wire and Matrix to coordinate internally.
The clubs reportedly operate in at least 25 U.S. states, and potentially as many as 34.
Following their arrests, Active Club Canada’s public network went dark, Telegram pages were deleted or rebranded, and the club went virtually silent. Nippak was granted bail under strict conditions, while Althorpe remains in custody.
Rundo previously founded the
Rise Above Movement, which was a violent, far-right extremist group in the U.S. known for
promoting white nationalist ideology, organizing street fights and
coordinating through social media. The organization carried out
attacks at protests and rallies
from 2016 through 2018.
Active Club messaging glorifies discipline, masculinity and strength – a “warrior identity” designed to attract young men.
These cells are deliberately small – often under a dozen members – and self-contained, which gives them greater operational security and flexibility.
“The active club is not so much a structural organization as it is a
lifestyle for those willing to work, risk and sweat to embody our ideals for
themselves and to promote them to others,” Rundo
explained via his Telegram channel.
“They never were like, ‘You need to learn how to fight so you can beat up
people of color.’ It was like, ‘You need to learn how to fight because
people want to kill you in the future,’” a former Active Club member
told Vice News in 2023.
These cells are deliberately small – often under a dozen members – and
self-contained, which gives them greater operational security and
flexibility. Each club
operates semi-autonomously
while remaining connected to the broader ideology and digital network.
Figures connected to
accelerationist groups
– organizations that seek to create social chaos and societal collapse that
they believe will lead to a race war and the destruction of liberal
democracy – played a role in founding the Active Club network. Along with
the Rise Above Movement, they include
Atomwaffen Division
and another neo-Nazi group,
The Base – organizations that
repackage violent fascism to appeal to disaffected young white men in the
U.S.
Brotherhood as a cover
By downplaying explicit hate symbols and emphasizing strength and
preparedness, Active Clubs appeal to a new generation of recruits who may
not initially identify with overt racism but are drawn to a
culture of hypermasculinity and self-improvement.
Club members engage in activities such as combat sports training, propaganda dissemination and ideological conditioning.
Anyone can start a local Active Club chapter
with minimal oversight. This autonomy makes it hard for law enforcement agencies to monitor the
groups and helps the network grow rapidly.
Potential members first see propaganda on encrypted apps such as Telegram or
on social media. The clubs recruit in person at gyms, protests and local
events, vetting new members to ensure they share the group’s beliefs and can
be trusted to maintain secrecy.
However, precise membership numbers remain difficult to ascertain. Some
groups call themselves “youth clubs” but share similar ideas and aesthetics and engage in similar activities.
Active Club members view themselves as defenders of Western civilization and
masculine virtue. From their perspective, their activities represent
noble resistance rather than hate. Members are encouraged to stay secretive, prepare for societal collapse
and build a network of committed, fit men ready to act through
infiltration, activism or violence.
Hiding in plain sight
Law enforcement agencies, researchers and civil society now face
a new kind of domestic threat
that wears workout clothes instead of uniforms.
Active Clubs work across international borders, bound by shared ideas and
tactics and a common purpose. This is the new white nationalism:
decentralized, modernized,
more agile
and disguised as self-improvement. What appears to be a harmless workout
group may be a gateway to violent extremism, one pushup at a time.
Ohio Capital Journal is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Ohio Capital Journal maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor David Dewitt for questions: info@ohiocapitaljournal.com.
Active Clubs extremism explained, fitness cover for white supremacy, Robert Rundo White Nationalism 3.0, how extremist groups recruit online, Patriot Front and Active Clubs connection
ST. JOSEPH - St. Joseph-Ogden's Tyler Hess is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal in the first half. The junior led the team to a 5-3 win over University High on Wednesday at Dick Duval Field. Hess, who is the top finisher in the area with a hat trick in the team's first three matches this season, will try to make it four in a row in the undefeated Spartans' road game against the Vermilion Valley Conference's Hoopeston Area Cornjerkers on Friday. More photos and a game recap coming soon.
by Ben Szalinski
