The Digitally Entangled Lives of Two Christopher Cantwells
A professor who shares a name with an alt-right leader became witness to his radicalization, and to the evolution of a movement.
Last week, Vice News’s documentary on the violent rallies in Charlottesville introduced the world to Christopher Cantwell, the heavily armed white nationalist who served as the video’s star. His shaved head, foul mouth, abhorrent views, and extensive arsenal distilled for many the most frightening elements of a resurgent white-supremacist movement.
While much of the world met Cantwell for the first time last weekend, this self-proclaimed fascist has tormented my digital existence for years. I share a name with the young man, and our lives have collided online for half a decade. The rush to register usernames on social media first led our paths to cross, while the
