Abstract
For those who believe or suspect that a culture of hate has infiltrated American discourse—or for those who simply want to research that possibility—Hate on the Right is for them. In this book, Michael Waltman, an award-winning author and an associate professor in the University of North Carolina’s Department of Communication Studies, provides several examples of just how that has happened. Moreover, he includes an in-depth analysis of each. Collectively, these examples—from books like White Apocalypse and Atlas Shrugged to groups such as the National Rifle Association (NRA) and various paramilitary organizations—are likely to lead readers to conclude that, indeed, hate-filled rhetoric is extensive.
In an introductory first chapter, Waltman explicitly states his book’s purpose: “to examine the discourse and language produced by a variety of right-wing groups and to determine the homology that exists among their discourses.” By “homology,” he means a similarity often attributable to a common origin; that is, he seeks to identify the roots shared by these groups so as to recognize how their methods and goals are alike. The conclusion: exclusion. According to Waltman, the thread running through these right-wing efforts is scapegoating and “otherizing” enemies. The approach is not only to marginalize those who have been stigmatized, but also includes a belief that the absence of “out groups” is a desirable, positive outcome.
Who are these excluded “others?” They are those who oppose or stand in the way of the right’s desired agendas. Generally, this means government officials, particularly those perceived to be liberal. Not surprisingly, President Obama typically tops these lists. Other “liberal” politicians and government agencies (e.g., Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) are also included. Perhaps less expected are some members of the current U.S. Supreme Court: Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, and Sonia Sotomayor.
Between his introduction and conclusion, Waltman methodically analyzes his chosen examples of right-wing discourse. His method, including coding, is transparent. Various themes are revealed and described within each analysis. With Atlas Shrugged, for example, themes include “Great Men” and the Gordon Gekko-esque “Greed Is Good.” The analysis of the NRA includes not only themes, many of which target President Obama, but also a detailed description of the NRA’s history. Again, the book would be valuable to anyone seeking not just a primer on right-wing rhetorical practices, but also thorough descriptions of them. To a large extent, Waltman lays out the facts, allowing the reader to judge and conclude. But it becomes clear through his narrative—for example, claiming the author of White Apocalypse “camouflaged” his racist discourse by dovetailing it with the mainstream’s discourse—where the author is leading the reader. A certain degree of deceitful intent by the right is suggested.
Especially given the scope of Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, it seems necessary to describe not only what this book is, but also what it is not. While the first three chapters after the introduction focus on books, Hate on the Right is only tangentially concerned with media. Nowhere, for example, is the Fox News Channel mentioned, and right-wing talk radio is referred to only in passing. These observations are only that—observations, not criticisms. Simply put, caveat emptor.
Although the book largely accomplishes its goals, there are some issues. As noted, each chapter focuses on a single example—or a single set of examples—of right-wing discourse. At times, these read as reports on stand-alone studies, simply brought together by their placement between the book’s front and back covers. There is little, if any, connective tissue between the chapters. A chapter titled “Guns and the Paramilitary Right,” for example, mentions “producerism,” but makes no reference to a previous chapter on Atlas Shrugged in which producerism is described as a major theme. Readers are left to make the connections by themselves, a task with which the author should arguably assist. This is partly addressed in the conclusion, but belatedly so and even then, in a limited manner. Even the penultimate chapter that includes some synthesis and summary could stand by itself. This problem is highlighted by a lengthy quote in this chapter being a verbatim repetition of one in the previous chapter.
In addition, as the count rises of what otherwise would be relatively minor errors, collectively they conspire to interrupt the flow of reading and thus understanding of the book. These include a repeated agreement problem between possessive pronouns and their antecedents and identifying a former U.S. senator with the incorrect political party affiliation. The latter is especially problematic in that the senator’s alliance with a conservative group was noteworthy given his actual membership in the Democratic Party.
Waltman raises the question in Chapter 1 whether the discourse described in the book amounts to hate speech. Aside from laying out evidence, the issue is not dealt with again until three pages before the book ends. Although the conclusion is an important payoff for the reader, the delay of any discussion of the topic is unfortunate. The book’s title would seem to imply that a major component of Hate on the Right: Right-Wing Political Groups and Hate Speech will be, in fact, hate speech. It is not. Moreover, though not articulated as a purpose of the book, an arguably glaring omission is some kind of prescribed remedy for what is clearly described as problematic. Doing so could enhance the value of this already quality volume.