The Rhetoric of the Political Right and White Nationalism

This two-part essay explores and develops the tenuous relationship between modern political artifacts and White Nationalism. By analyzing two rhetorical texts: Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign ballcaps and posters circulated by neo-Confederate groups, I argue that far-right rhetoric invites audiences to engage in White Nationalism. The first section of this essay argues that Donald Trump’s campaign ballcaps rhetorically appeal to White Nationalism through nostalgia, aesthetics, and innocuous textual nods. These appeals invite audiences to imagine an age in which White America dominated discourse, both socially and politically. This research explores the various White Nationalist invitations contained in the MAGA ballcap and suggests that rhetoricians have valuable contributions to make towards the understanding of White Nationalist rhetoric. The second essay in this selection examines how posters circulated by three prominent neo-Confederate groups rhetorically appeal to both states-rights sentiments and White Nationalism through the rhetorical dimensions of mythmaking and material aesthetics. This essay argues that through these rhetorical properties, racist ideologies are covertly introduced to the public with the end goal of creating sympathy for the Confederate cause. This research builds upon the first essay by examining how nondiscursive forms of communication such as posters appeal to various impulses of White Nationalism.