What’s fuelling homegrown American extremism?

Whether in San Bernardino, Colorado Springs or Charleston, communities across the US last year saw incidents where Americans inspired by extremist views resorted to violence.

This has been accompanied by some inflammatory and hateful rhetoric from mainstream political leaders.

Demonisation of minority groups – people with Latin American heritage, Muslims, immigrants and others – became commonplace. All this was amplified by voices in the right-wing media.

On this Inside Story, we ask: What is fuelling the rise of extremism in the US?

And how is the public debate framing the government’s response?

Presenter: Sami Zeidan

Guests:

Pete Simi – Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Nebraska

Faiza Patel – Brennan Center for Justice, New York University

Antony McAleer – Executive Director of Life After Hate