Exposing the Propagandists: How Disinformation Fuels White Supremacy and Targets Black Communities

Numerous megaphones over a yellow cautionary background. Original image. It’s not uncommon for Black and minority communities to talk about the “System” and “The Man.” These names for white supremacy and racial capitalism are common pseudonyms. We’ve named the larger bodies, but it’s time to address the agents who sustain this system. When discussing disinformation, we focus on three sub-parts that comprise it: the pillars, the sanitizers, and the discriminators. In America’s landscape of white supremacy, these three actors play pivotal roles. The pillars provide support, ensuring the narrative foundation of white supremacy remains strong. Sanitizers manipulate history, erasing or altering facts to fit a narrative that excludes the achievements and systems put in place to actively oppress Black individuals. Discriminators are the most visible, aggressively working to degrade and deny the rights and experiences of Black people. Pillars The concept of “pillars” in the context of disinformation and white supremacy refers to those individuals and institutions that uphold and reinforce harmful social norms and racial hierarchies. These are not just passive supporters but active participants in maintaining a status quo that inflicts violence upon Black people. Pillars of white supremacy operate by promoting and sustaining beliefs, laws, and practices...