David Cunningham, January 6th and Asymmetrical Policing (JP, EF)

Recall This Book first heard from the sociologist of American racism David Cunningham in Episode 36 Policing and White Power. Less than a week after the horrors of January 6th, 2021, he came back for this conversation about “asymmetrical policing” of the political right and left–and of White and Black Americans. His very first book (There’s Something Happening Here, 2004) studied the contrast between the FBI’s work in the 1960’s to wipe out left-wing and Black protests and its efforts to control and tame right-wing and white supremacist movements. That gives him a valuable perspective on the run-up to January 6th–and what may happen next.

Mentioned in the Episode

• David Cunningham collaborated on this article about the “common pattern of underestimating the threat from right-wing extremists.”
• Ulster Defence Association
• Kathleen Belew, Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America
• Ulster Defence Association
• Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City Bombing: FBI perspective and reported book
• Two of the “after-action” reports on Charlottesville that David discusses are:
• “Independent Review of the 2017 Protest Events in Charlottesville, Virginia” (Hunton and Williams 2017)
• “Virginia’s Response to the Unite the Right Rally: After-Action Review” (International Association of Chiefs of Police, December 2017)
• Lessons Charlottesville (should have) taught us: “Prohibiting Private Armies at Public Rallies” (Georgetown Law School, Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and protection, September 2020).

Listen and Read

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