AVC Statement on the Buffalo Shooting

The gunman who killed 10 people Saturday in Buffalo was inspired by the same belief system promoted by many right-wing voices today. These voices are not the fringe. They have become central to today's new Right.

That belief system, known as "Replacement Theory," "White Replacement Theory," or "The Great Replacement," claims that liberals and Democrats are intentionally trying to increase the electorate's proportion of non-white voters in order to win political power, which will be used to punish conservatives, and the only chance conservatives and Republicans have of winning future elections is to keep the proportion of white voters high. The Buffalo shooter sought to aid that effort by killing black people. The 2019 El Paso shooter, motivated by the same belief, targeted Mexican-Americans.

This racist identity politics used to only be found in white supremacists circles, but has recently been injected into the veins of mainstream thought on the Right. It's in radio shows, cable TV programs, podcasts, social networks, newsletters, Republican messaging, and churches. Examples can be found with Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, and Fox News personality Tucker Carlson, host of the most popular cable news program in the country.

Given where this belief is being promoted, the American Values Coalition calls on every conscientious conservative and Republican with a platform or leadership position to 1) firmly denounce Replacement Theory and white supremacy in all its forms, 2) disengage from any person or group who promotes or even toys with these beliefs, and 3) remove all of these influences from the groups and platforms where you have influence.