When violence erupted during the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, the world witnessed the resurgence of a movement rife with hatred and intolerance. For Jacob Goodwin, the sport is a way of life. “I support white people’s civil rights,” said the young man from the prison’s visiting booth. He was one of six white supremacists whose video showed him taking part in the caning of a black counter-protester during the rally. “Road to Radicalization” tells the story of Jacob on the eve of his trial.
The documentary attempts to define the roots of Jacob’s racism and charts the emotional plight of his parents, who range from extreme grief to embarrassment in defending their son’s beliefs and actions. Her story is a microcosm of the racial tensions that continue to fester in America.
The Goodwins declared that their only goal was to preserve their white heritage, which they believed had been threatened by freedom crusaders who wanted to deny or rewrite history. In their view, white people were facing genocide.
They insist they are not racist, as their critics say. But the footage shows the family working with a particularly nefarious group that marched through the streets in riot gear and swastikas. Members could be heard shouting angry remarks and threatening violence against African-Americans, Asians and Jews. A vaunted recruit speaks of his longing for the return of the Third Reich.
White supremacist groups are recruiting a new generation of recruits to their cause at an alarming rate. These recruits are often disenfranchised and impressionable young men. Billy Roper, one of the most famous neo-Nazi recruiters, provided free legal representation to the Goodwins sons after they were imprisoned. Both parents are desperate to help their boy, but are quickly drawn into more radical situations under Roper’s influence.
The road to radicalization is not easy to see. It’s full of strong, racist language and inflammatory positions. But understanding the crisis of modern racism and the methods these separatist groups use to sustain their existence is crucial.
Directed by: David Scott Holloway, Ed Ou
