The Daily

The Racist Theory Behind So Many Mass Shootings

May 16, 2022

Nicholas Confessore, a political and investigative reporter for The New York Times, dives deep into the chilling rise of replacement theory—a racist ideology behind recent mass shootings. He explores its unsettling origins and how it gained traction among white nationalists, connecting it to horrific events like the Buffalo massacre. The discussion highlights the troubling role of social media in radicalizing individuals and the mainstream embrace of extremist views within conservative politics, raising urgent questions about the societal impact of such dangerous beliefs.

24:09

Creator website

Episode guests

Nicholas Confessore

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

5min

The Rise of Replacement Theory

6min

Exploring the Rise of Replacement Theory in Politics

2min

The Evolution of Replacement Theory in Media

10min

Reflections on Violence and Response

4min

Over the weekend, an 18-year-old man livestreamed himself shooting 13 people and killing 10. Within hours it became clear that the shooter’s intent was to kill as many Black people as possible. The suspect wrote online that he was motivated by replacement theory — a racist idea that white people are deliberately being replaced by people of color in places like America and Europe.

What are the origins of this theory, and how has it become simultaneously more extreme and more mainstream?

Guest: Nicholas Confessore, a political and investigative reporter for The New York Times.

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Background reading:

Replacement theory, a fringe conspiracy fostered online and espoused by the suspect in the Buffalo massacre, has been embraced by some right-wing politicians and commentators.
Here are our updates on the Buffalo shooting and the aftermath.

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