Lauren Southern

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Lauren takes aim at the straw men.
Frogs, clowns, and swastikas
Alt-right
Icon altright.svg
Chuds
Rebuilding the Reich, one meme at a time
Buzzwords and dogwhistles
As far as I’m concerned, Hitler was just a SJW who happened to get freaky amounts of power and actually implement his #KillAllJews (the predecessor to #KillAllMen) worldview.
—Lauren Southern, history understander[1]

Lauren Southern (1995–) is a Canadian (possibly former) white nationalist and far-right[2] activist[3][4] from British Columbia who, in March 2018, was banned from entering the UK for distributing leaflets saying "Allah is a gay god", which under British law may be considered incitement to religious hatred against Muslims.[5][6] The political views she espoused were in staunch opposition to Islam, liberalism, multiculturalism, and feminism, while being in favor of paleoconservatism, cultural nationalism, and the right to keep and bear arms. She has immigrated to Australia, despite being a fervent anti-immigrant advocate during her career. Since her return to public life, Southern has returned to film-making, while being an anti-masker on SkyNews.[citation needed] Despite claiming in her famed "Why I Left, Why I'm Back" video that she has "changed", Southern has unsurprisingly shown to be the exact same person she was when she left the internet. This became evident in November of 2020 when she threw a tantrum on her Wikipedia page that refers to her as a white nationalist — despite the fact that this labeling is just one of the many consequences of her actions. So much for personal responsibility.

Southern was described as alt-right by the Southern Poverty Law Center.[7]

Southern contributed to The Rebel Media, a hard-right wing Canadian online political and social commentary media platform owned by conservative political activist Ezra Levant, where she hosted the talk show Stand Off with Lauren Southern.[8][9]

Southern, a former member of the Libertarian Party of Canada,[10] considers herself a cultural libertarian.[11][12][13] However she holds many reactionary and nationalist views that seemingly oppose libertarianism. She has expressed support for Donald Trump[14] and for Nigel Farage.

Early life and education[edit]

Southern studied political science at the University of Fraser Valley for two years before dropping out, calling the program "a waste of money to pay for knowledge she could get on her own." During her time there, she was heavily political to the point that most of her peers either saw her views as absurd or simply believed it better not to discuss politics with her due to how unpleasant she could get, and described herself as being into the kind of "Ayn Rand bitch style of libertarianism." She applied to be a military intelligence officer after leaving the university, but would become a poster child of the alt-right after attending a Toronto conference headed by Ezra Levant.[15]

Views[edit]

Southern and Faith Goldy wearing Deus Vult hoodies[16]

Immigration[edit]

If only you read a history book you'd know opening your gates to the barbarians leads to the downfall of great civilizations 👌🏻
—Lauren Southern, history book reader[17]

On 15 July 2017, Southern published the video "The Streets of Paris", which featured footage of Paris that included nonwhites (gasp!) and this hilarious description:[18]

For those who are confused by the point of this video, the point is that France is changing forever due to mass immigration. The people in this video were not speaking French, the women were not wearing their hair in French Braids, they had their head scarves on. [....] France will not be France for long[.]

Southern later expressed linguistic horror on behalf of the French:[19]

If there were tons of ppl coming here waving the French flag, denouncing Islamic extremism & assimilating totally no one would have issues. That's not what's happening. There are enclaves. They're not speaking English. They're voting for more mass immigration and welfare.

On 3 July 2017, Southern published the video "The Great Replacement", which featured Southern narrating statistics over chaotic footage of migrants.[20] Southern describes the Great Replacement as "a very simple concept: you have one people and in the space of a single generation you have a different people" and claims that "the future of Europe looks pretty halal". Southern lists several reasons why the Great Replacement is occurring:

The Christchurch terrorist referenced this conspiracy theory during the shooting.

Southern pretends that she's not racist, but on a Sky News interview, she considered that it would be easy for a white non-migrant to come to Europe if he wanted to as long as he puts some "bronzer" and gets on a "dinghy boat".[21][22]

White genocide[edit]

On 25 June 2018, Southern published a video "FARMLANDS (2018) | Official Documentary" which claims that South African farm attacks constitute an ongoing or impending genocide against whites.[23] This is a (false) common talking point for white nationalists.[24] Southern previously interviewed the Suidlanders,Wikipedia a group of "race war preppers" headed by Simon Roche. Roche frequently appears as a talking head without Southern mentioning his extremist views or links to Identity Evropa and the League of the South.[25]

Nationalism[edit]

Southern believes that people should consider their nation as their extended family — which is literally fascist rhetoric — and also supports "pan-Western nationalism", which is a fancy way of saying "white nationalism":

So get that stupid little mustache out of your head. I’m not the Nazi you’re looking for, and nationalism is more than just not-that-bad. It’s awesome. Particularly the kind of pan-Western nationalism I’m talking about here, which actually doesn’t have a precedent of either a positive or negative kind in history. It’s simply too ambitious. But unlike the utopian fever dream that is globalism, I think this kind of nationalism has a chance at defining world politics for centuries. Why? Because it conforms to human nature. Indeed, once you strip away the examples of people abusing nationalism for the sake of their own mental illness, you eventually realize that its superiority to globalism is actually based on one of the most healthy parts of human nature: the preference for a group that supports each other, like a family.

Islam[edit]

Southern thinks, pointing to Ben Shapiro's video "The Myth of the Tiny Radical Muslim Minority",[26] that a majority of Muslims in the world hold views that "do not align with Western values", and she states that she does not want such Muslims in the West, "changing the base culture of the West".[27]

Southern believes that Hitler was simply too friendly to the Muslims:[1]

Oh, and another problem I have with Hitler? He fawned over Muslims more sycophantically than Justin Trudeau. Bibi Netanyahu was right to point out that Hitler decided on the Holocaust partly because Middle Eastern Muslims told him they didn’t want Jews expelled into the region. That’s some commitment to showing how much you’re not an Islamophobe. And to give little Adolf his due, he wasn’t: he was actually more of an Islamophile, truth be told. He even wished he was Muslim himself. Yes, that’s right: on top of being a whiny art student who scapegoated an allegedly “privileged” race for all his problems, and talked a bunch of violent, angry people into siding with him (like any good SJW), Hitler also wished he was Muslim. He might’ve been a nationalist by technicality, but he was more in the New Black Panthers style of “nationalist” than the Trump style. Frankly, I think today, he’d be one of those low-T Tumblr crazies who join ISIS and end up on the news.

However, even if Hitler was allegedly an "Islamophile", over 5 million Muslim soldiers volunteered to fight against him and the Nazis in World War II (over 1.5 million died in action and an unknown number were wounded).[28]

Alt-right[edit]

#AltRightMeans I don't have to be ashamed of my heritage.
—Lauren Southern[29]

Southern rejects the alt-right label despite agreeing with many of its goals.[7] She stated, "It's hard not to sympathize with a lot of the alt-right causes and I do align with a lot of them. I keep a healthy skepticism of any movement that I join or sympathize with, or just talk about. […] and the alt-right certainly deserves a healthy skepticism."[30] When described as an alt-right journalist by Thunderf00t, Southern stated that "[w]hile I certainly have crossover with alt-right on a decent amount of subjects, I don't focus on white identity as one of my main topics. […] And because of this most of the alt-right do not refer to me as alt-right. […] Many people on [the] alt-right would find the description of me [as alt-right to be] inaccurate and laughable".[31]

Traditionalism[edit]

Despite claiming to dislike feminism and advocating a return to traditionalism, Southern (and other women in the Alt-right) has complained about harassment from male members of the Alt-right for not being married with children at age 22 years old. Gee, the racist and hateful audience that she has amassed are also sexist? Who could have guessed?! In a YouTube video, she argues that it would be more "degenerate" for her to have children now without finding the right man.[32] Regardless of whether she supports feminism or not, we're sure many feminists would respect Southern's right to marry and have children whenever she wants to, as do we.

Religion[edit]

When she was asked about her religion, specifically to the question whether she is Christian, she answered she is "searching".[33] She has since converted to Catholicism as a result of marrying a Catholic man.[34]

Political activities[edit]

Southern has run as a candidate for the Libertarian Party of Canada.[35] She is the force behind "The Triggering", an event to "defend freedom of speech by posting 'offensive content' on social media". "The Triggering" occurred on 9 March 2016, the day after International Women's Day, which may have been intentional.[36] Needless to say, her fans rejoiced and took part in the event.

She appears to be buddies with British right-wing activist Milo Yiannopoulos, a former senior editor for far-right news and opinion website Breitbart News, as they appeared together in October of 2015 during a Slutwalk to share their "opinions" on rape culture.[37] She did the same thing in a Vancouver Slutwalk in June of that year.[38] Classy. She also attended an Antifa rally with The Rebel Media in London following Brexit and received a hostile reception from protesters.[39]

Southern has accused the left of promoting a culture of decadence and laziness, and wants the youth to resort to a culture of "traditional values".[40]

Far-right connections[edit]

Southern has since claimed allegiance to two radical Identitarian, alt-right groups, Defend Europe and Generation Identity (specifically its French branch). Their activities have included interfering with humanitarian vessels trying to rescue migrants by shooting flares at them and yelling hate slogans.[41][42] In a Twitter video, she called for 4chan's infamous /pol/ board to join the fight.[43]

The groups have been labeled as anti-Islam, anti-immigration factions that wish to protect Europeans from the threat of an invasion. Besides the obvious reactionary claims, they have also justified their xenophobia on the pretense of wishing to stop the alleged human trafficking of refugees drowning in the sea caused by corrupt humanitarian aid workers who supposedly cooperate with smugglers by... trying to sink boats of refugees themselves instead.[44]

As expected, international human rights activists have widely condemned the groups and their actions.[45] Perhaps then it's not surprising that Patreon later deleted Southern's account on the grounds that she was "raising funds in order to take part in activities that are likely to cause loss of life."[46]

When Southern and alt-right dark wizard Stefan Molyneux embarked on a speaking tour of Australia in 2018, they met with the Lads Society, a far right men's only society led by convicted criminal and Neo-Nazi Blair Cottrell.[47] They were also photographed with the group performing white nationalist salutes.

Calling it quits[edit]

On June 2, 2019, Southern announced that she was quitting political activism.[48]

Right-wing blogger, podcaster, and Fox News favorite, Allie Beth Stuckey expressed regret about Southern quitting activism. In a reply tweet, she wrote: "This made me sad, but I’m happy for you! I’ve been meaning to message you to say that Borderless was a masterpiece. So much courage and empathy. God bless! ❤️"[49]

On June 19, 2020, Southern uploaded a video, explaining why she returned and touched slightly on how her views had changed.[50] She immediately got in a (now-deleted) Twitter spat with Paul Joseph Watson.[51] She then made a verified account on Wikipedia[52] and unsuccessfully tried to remove from her article the line, "She has been described as alt-right and a white nationalist," and that she had supported "The Great Replacement Theory."[53]

Personal life and hypocrisy[edit]

Lauren Southern, in spite of her fervent white nationalist and "traditional values" views, became pregnant by a part Asian man before being married, with their relationship quite at odds toward her racist ideas. Despite this (being in an interracial marriage, with a mixed race baby), she expressed no real regrets over her advocacy, even after pushing vile ideas for years which are inspiration to racist mass murders (one has got to wonder what her husband thinks of all this...).[54] He later left her, according to her since he lost his job over being married to her.[55]

See also[edit]

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Barbarians: How Baby Boomers, Immigrants, and Islam Screwed My Generation, Lauren Southern
  2. Lauren Southern: Far-right Canadian activist detained in Calais and banned from entering UK. The Independent. 13 March 2018.
  3. Canadian far-right activist Lauren Southern barred from Britain for anti-Muslim views. National Post. 12 March 2018.
  4. Vicky Mochama, Many More Apologies are Owed to Canada's Muslim Community, Toronto Metro, 3 Feb 2017, Accessed 13 Feb 2017
  5. Why 3 anti-Islam activists were refused entry to the UK. BBC, 14 March 2018.

    Nick Lowles, chief executive of the anti-racism campaign group Hope Not Hate, says..."These are people who have huge reach on social media, they are peddlers of online hate, and as our recent State of Hate report highlighted, the online reach of right-wing hate preachers can have disastrous consequences."

  6. Far-Right Activist Denied Entry to the UK After Distributing Racist Material in Luton. Luton Today. 12 March 2018.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Lauren Southern: The alt-right’s Canadian dog whistler. Southern Poverty Law Center, 7 November 2017.

    Southern, the featured attraction for both attendees and protesters, regularly objects to the “Nazi” label the protest organizers’ flyers featured. Her anti-feminist, xenophobic, Islamophobic diatribes tiptoe at the precipice of outright white nationalism, while she coyly smiles at her viewers in a video on her YouTube channel alongside a graphic reading “I AM NOT A NAZI!”

  8. Lauren Southern, The Rebel Media, Accessed 13 Feb 2017
  9. Responding to Thunderf00t, Lauren Southern [YouTube channel], 27 Jan 2017, Accessed 13 Feb 2017
  10. Lauren Southern, Libertarian Party of Canada, Accessed 13 Feb 2017
  11. Allum Bokhari, Rise of the Cultural Libertarians, Breitbart, 24 Aug 2015, Accessed 13 Feb 2017
  12. Lauren Southern - You might be a "cultural libertarian" if..., Rebel Media, 27 Aug 2015, accessed 13 Feb 2017
  13. https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Donald/comments/4zlf89/lauren_southern_ama/d6wtoex/ "I'm a libertarian like how Christina Hoff Sommers is a feminist. I want small government but I think the majority of libertarians are going about it in the dumbest way humanly possible. Will open borders achieve smaller government? No. We live in a democracy and a welfare state — it would be small government suicide to open the borders up."
  14. Trump supporter BLOCKED by Facebook for complaining about site's censorship of right-wing activists, Daily Mail, 22 May 2016, Updated 23 May 2016, Accessed 13 Feb 2017
  15. https://news.vice.com/story/lauren-southern-is-the-alt-rights-not-so-secret-weapon
  16. BRITTANY PETTIBONE AND LAUREN SOUTHERN ARE NOT “CONSERVATIVE” ACTIVISTS OR “JOURNALISTS”, Hope Not Hate
  17. "If only you read a history book you'd know opening your gates to the barbarians leads to the downfall of great civilizations 👌🏻"[a w], Lauren Southern, Twitter
  18. "The Streets of Paris"[a w], Lauren Southern, YouTube
  19. Tweets:
  20. "The Great Replacement"[a w], Lauren Southern, YouTube
  21. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r4_OJF-ARA
  22. https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/706308/sky-news-lauren-southern-kay-burley
  23. "FARMLANDS (2018) Official Documentary"[a w], Lauren Southern, YouTube
  24. Trump’s tweet echoing white nationalist propaganda about South African farmers, explained, Vox
  25. How a cult of South African Völkish race war preppers instigated the Fox News obsession with ‘White Genocide’
  26. Ben Shapiro: The Myth of the Tiny Radical Muslim Minority, TruthRevoltOriginals [YouTube channel], 15 Oct 2014, Accessed 13 Feb 2017
  27. Lauren Southern Fights Back Against Establishment Media, Rebel Media, 20 Jan 2017, Accessed 13 Feb 2017
  28. Muslim Soldiers During World War II. Materia Islamica. Retrieved May 14th, 2020.
  29. "#AltRightMeans I don't have to be ashamed of my heritage."[a w], Lauren Southern, Twitter
  30. https://soundcloud.com/spikedonline/the-alt-right-a-losing-battle#t=7:46
  31. https://youtu.be/Dh8H6tOQh10?t=6m1s
  32. https://www.avclub.com/alt-right-women-discover-that-bitter-racists-are-also-1821030509
  33. Lauren Southern Fights Back Against Establishment Media, Rebel Media, 20 Jan 2017, Accessed 13 Feb 2017
  34. The Alt-Right's Star Racist Propagandist Has No Regrets, The Atlantic, 16 October 2020, Accessed 22 February 2022
  35. https://www.libertarian.ca/candidate/lauren-southern
  36. http://www.wehuntedthemammoth.com/2016/03/08/internet-jerks-pledge-to-be-extra-jerky-tomorrow-during-thetriggering/
  37. http://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2015/10/03/breitbart-editor-ejected-from-amber-rose-slut-walk-by-police/
  38. http://metro.co.uk/2015/06/11/reporter-trolls-slutwalk-saying-theres-no-rape-culture-in-the-west-5240499/
  39. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAMS2BjBQeg
  40. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-L5K_XMww4
  41. Barbie Latza Nadeau, Alt-Right Group Plans to Hunt Migrants at Sea. The Daily Beast, 5 June 2017.
  42. Mark Townsend, Far right raises £50,000 to target boats on refugee rescue missions in Med. The Guardian, 3 June 2017.
  43. Lauren Southern, Stay tuned for the landing page - we need you to track down the boats for us! Twitter, 12 May 2017.
  44. Sophia Tesfaye, Europe’s alt-right launches campaign to “chase down” refugee boats at sea, quickly raises $100,000. Salon, 5 June 2017.
  45. Tim Hume, Europe’s alt right is chartering a boat to stop migration to Italy. Salon, 19 July 2017.
  46. Graeme Gordon, Why Lauren Southern Got Banned From Patreon. canadalandshow.com, 27 July 2017.
  47. Ben Graham, Secret location of Aussie underground fight club leaks. news.com.au, 30 November 2018.
  48. A new chapter. laurnesouthern.net, c. 2019.
  49. "This made me sad, but I’m happy for you! I’ve been meaning to message you to say that Borderless was a masterpiece. So much courage and empathy. God bless! ❤️"[a w], Allie Beth Stuckey, Twitter
  50. Why I left, and why I’m back.
  51. [1]
  52. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Lauren_Southern/Archive_7#I_see_that_User:Lauren_Cherie_Southern_has_been_unblocked
  53. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Lauren_Southern#The_Great_Replacement_Conspiracy
  54. The Alt-Right's Star Racist Propagandist Has No Regrets, The Atlantic, 16 October 2020, Accessed 22 February 2022
  55. "Lauren Southern opens up about her husband and mental health battle in a detailed post". 9 June 2023.