Atlanta American Renaissance Conference is a Great Success

More than 160 people, many of them subscribers to American Renaissance, met in Atlanta over Memorial Day weekend for a conference on the theme, “Race and American Civilization.” This was probably the first time in decades that academics, clergymen, authors, and journalists have met before a public audience to discuss the legitimate concerns of the white majority. Participants came from as far away as France, Canada, California, and Alaska.

Bold Speakers

Ten speakers, including some of America’s boldest and most outspoken thinkers on racial questions, treated conference participants to a variety of inspiring and illuminating talks. Some were analyses of the problems we face. Others were accounts of how current trends were set in motion. Yet others were ringing statements of the essential rights of European-Americans. The final session was a panel discussion with all the speakers, in which the audience proposed ways to forestall dispossession. The entire three-day conference took place in the comfortable elegance of the four-star Atlanta Airport Hilton hotel.

The program began on the evening of May 28th with remarks by Jared Taylor, editor of American Renaissance. After welcoming the participants, he described the dire consequences of permitting current trends to continue. Most whites know very well that it would be a catastrophe if non-white immigration and differential birth-rates reduce whites to a minority. However, their resistance is private rather than public, and takes the form of flight to the suburbs and private education for children. Mr. Taylor pointed out that these measures only buy time, and he ended his remarks with a call for public and political recognition of the racial realities by which most whites lead their private lives.

After Mr. Taylor’s remarks were met with a standing ovation — an honor the audience accorded to nearly every speaker — conference participants gathered for a reception. The convivial atmosphere continued afterwards in a hospitality suite reserved by a delegation of Atlanta participants. Discussion lasted late into the evening, beneath the national and battle flags of the Confederate States of America.

The first speaker on May 29th was Prof. Michael Levin of City College of New York. He concisely outlined the evidence for racial differences in such traits as average intelligence, aggressiveness, and the willingness to sacrifice today for benefits tomorrow. He pointed out that recognition of these differences — which have implications for nearly every aspect of our daily lives — is crucial to any attempt to solve America’s most pressing problems. He concluded with a bold survey of the ways in which employment, education, and law enforcement policies should recognize the biology that underlies the divergent ways in the which the races behave.

Samuel Francis, syndicated columnist and editorial writer for the Washington Times, followed Professor Levin. Marshaling his arguments with the force and tenacity that have earned him the sobriquet, “the Clausewitz of the right,” he left no doubt about the fate that awaits the Anglo-European majority if it fails to act in its own interests. Drawing on his perspective from within the Washington Beltway, Mr. Francis made it clear what little effect the struggle between Democrats and Republicans has on the real issues facing the country. He concluded with a strong appeal for a popular movement that will force politicians to meet the demands of the majority.

Lawrence Auster, author of The Path to National Suicide, spoke eloquently on how massive, non-white immigration has led to an across-the-board assault on the legitimacy of the white, majority culture. Third world immigrants, who leave behind unsatisfactory societies of their own, soon begin to blame white America for the fact that they repeat in their new country the same failures they left behind. Mr. Auster analyzed the liberal psychology that accepts this preposterous misplacement of blame, and set forth a series of principles that would have to be accepted by all races in order to live side by side peacefully. Otherwise, he concluded, different peoples might be obliged to go separate ways.

After lunch, Joseph Sobran gave a witty and erudite exposition of how pervasive government intrusion into our daily lives was one of the very things the Founders deliberately designed the Constitution to prevent. Pointing out that “the Constitution is no threat to our present form of government,” Mr. Sobran argued that federal “civil rights” laws are no more legally justifiable than federal mandates on where citizens may smoke. He explained that race relations, like virtually everything else that touches our lives, are likely to sort themselves out in accordance with popular desire and national good health only if decisions are left to the people.

Fr. Ronald Tacelli of Boston College followed Mr. Sobran with a moving appeal to the ancient values that have governed European societies and that we cast aside at our peril. As he explained, the affinity for people like oneself is part of natural law. Fr. Tacelli gently chided American Renaissance for sometimes dwelling on the shortcomings of other groups rather than emphasizing the beauty of the traditions to which we are heirs. He proved to be not merely a learned and articulate speaker but a very amusing one. His good humor was a delightful leaven to the seriousness of his message.

The day’s official program concluded with a talk by Wayne Lutton, one of the leading critics of American immigration policy. He explained the development of immigration law over the past 50 years, noting successes as well as failures. The present era is one of spectacular failure, but Dr. Lutton held out hope that such obvious disasters as amnesty for illegal aliens and the tremendous strain that third world populations put on local social services are mobilizing strong resistance. He ended with an encouraging account of the grass roots anti-immigration movements that have recently sprung up, especially in California.

Following Dr. Lutton’s remarks, Gordon Baum made a brief appeal to the audience to consider joining his organization, the Council of Conservative Citizens. C of CC, with chapters throughout the country, does practical political work for the benefit of the white majority. Conference participants then visited literature tables, where a variety of materials were offered by activist organizations.

The next event was the banquet, where the mystery guest was to speak. There had been considerable speculation about his identity, all of it wrong. It would have taken nothing short of clairvoyance to know that he was Mayer Schiller, an orthodox rabbi who teaches Talmudic studies at Yeshiva University High School.

Rabbi Schiller opened his remarks with a moving description of some of the characteristics that in his view make Western Civilization uniquely beautiful: a firm sense of duty, honor, heroism, and fair play; a distinctive conception of romance; and a compassionate sense of the plight of others. This civilization was sure to survive, he maintained, come what may. Even if his preferred solution — racial partition of the United States — did not come about, there would be an in-gathering of the white diaspora to its European home. But even then, even in a white-minority North America, Rabbi Schiller confidently predicted the survival of Western Civilization, a quiet burning of the flame that would emerge again to light the world.

The program for May 30th began with philosophy professor Eugene Valberg’s fascinating account of the observations he has made about race during his many years in Africa. He argued that unless black Africans are taught liberal nonsense by whites, they are completely at ease with the notion of racial differences in intelligence. Furthermore, years of contact with black South Africans have led him to believe that the majority fully understand that white rule is far preferable to black rule. Dr. Valberg also described the pressures brought to bear on ordinary Africans that led them to vote for a black government that will benefit only the elite that is in power, and that will slowly destroy the only modern economy south of the Sahara.

The concluding speaker was Sam Dickson, an Atlanta lawyer and long-time activist in conservative causes. He gave an inspired and entertaining account of the liberal mind, explaining why liberals persist in manic activism despite the failure of every one of their programs. Integration of schools, of which we are celebrating the 40th anniversary, has been a breath-taking failure, as has been that crowning liberal stupidity — the belief that the laws of genetics do not apply to man. Mr. Dickson concluded with a stirring call for optimism, noting that a life of majority activism is not only rewarding but great fun.

The final session of the conference was a panel discussion, with much audience participation, about how European-American interests can be promoted. In addition to lively exchanges about the merits of different strategies, the audience raised the subject of the prominence of Jews in liberal, anti-white causes. The Jewish panelists responded in turn, acknowledging the traditional role of Jews and explaining why they expected this role to change. The conference concluded on a note of uplift and enthusiastic expectations for future American Renaissance conferences.

It is difficult to imagine how this gathering could have been a greater success. The speakers — all first-rate to begin with — were in top form, and had the benefit of a thoughtful, well-informed audience that agreed and disagreed with equal good humor. We have taken the first of many steps to present our vital interests to a wider audience and to secure the broad support that leads to success.