Weird Little Guys

A deep dive into 1977 neo‑Nazi violence and the group of killers that summer. Investigates how newsletters and extremist literature shaped a murderer’s timeline. Questions the 'lone wolf' label and explores the movement networks that praised and inspired violence. Reconstructs missing years through research into newsletters and ideological influence.

Christopher Mathias, journalist and author who exposes the American far right. He tells stories of long-term infiltration, mass leaks like the RocketChat release, and how metadata and archives unmask extremist networks. The conversation also covers militant anti-fascism, tactics like doxing versus direct confrontation, and the real-world legal and safety consequences of unmasking Nazis.

A surreal chronicle of a small-time crook tangled in major historical headlines. The story follows botched robberies, international mercenary claims, and a bizarre trail of forgeries and mail scams. It traces prison alliances, deceitful tip-offs in espionage cases, courtroom drama, and a long campaign of harassment that finally drew federal investigators.

The podcast delves into the chilling life of Joseph Paul Franklin, a serial killer motivated by extreme racism. It explores his early entanglements with the Nazi party and how his ideology shaped his vicious acts against interracial couples. The discussion highlights a significant 1969 antiwar march where Nazis infiltrated, setting the stage for Franklin's rise. The complexities of his lone wolf label versus group influence are examined, while his connections with notorious figures like Don Black and David Duke reveal the dark culture of radicalization during that era.

The podcast dives into the tragic story of Viola Liuzzo, a civil rights activist murdered by Klansmen in 1965. It explores the FBI's smear campaign against her, revealing how law enforcement historically colluded with white supremacists. Personal reflections connect her sacrifice to contemporary struggles against racial violence, showcasing the haunting echoes of past injustices. The episode resonates with urgency, highlighting the need for action in the face of systemic racism and the courage embodied by martyrs for justice.

Dive into the controversial legacy of a notorious book that some believe inspired real-world violence. Explore the chilling connections between the fictional bombings in its pages and the Oklahoma City attack. Discover how the author William Pierce crafted narratives that resonated with extremist groups, transforming his words into a deadly blueprint. Hear about the criminal activities of a paramilitary organization inspired by these tales and the ongoing debate about literature's potential to incite. A thought-provoking discussion on a troubling topic!

Dive into the complex history of Blood River, exploring its evolution into Afrikaner mythology and the implications for apartheid identity. Discover the chilling prophecies that spurred violence, including attempts on Mandela and Zuma. Hear about the Boeremag's bombings and trials, along with their connections to modern extremist networks across the globe. The discussion intertwines past terror with contemporary U.S. policies affecting South African Afrikaners, revealing a haunting legacy of race and nationalism.

Explore the strange political landscape of late apartheid South Africa, where desperate white extremists plotted violent reactions to negotiations. Discover the notorious assassination of Chris Hani and Mandela's efforts to maintain calm amidst chaos. Delve into the bizarre Jamboree in Jamba, where anti-communist leaders mingled poorly, revealing the tangled connections to the Iran-Contra scandal. Uncover the intertwining of right-wing extremism, mercenaries, and attempts to manipulate political discourse that resonate eerily with modern times.

Journey deep into the shadows of 1989 South Africa as a group of Afrikaner nationalists and a German mercenary commit a shocking crime. Discover the mysterious 'White Wolves', a phantom group linked to a series of bombings. Explore allegations of government complicity in terror plots, and delve into the chilling legacy of Baron Strydom's horrific acts. The rise of splinter extremist factions and their desperate bids for arms adds to the chaos, while tales of mercenary recruitment in Europe maintain a sense of urgency. Intrigue and danger abound!

For the end of the year reruns, Weird Little Guys is revisiting the longest, strangest story of 2025 - the South Africa arc. Those eight episodes tell the strange story of how one little skinhead rally in California in 2012 connects to a vast international conspiracy to stop the election of Nelson Mandela in 1994. ---- The White House Weighs in on White Genocide Original Air Date: 2.27.25In February of 2012, racist skinheads in California rallied at the capitol building in Sacramento. They were trying to raise awareness for an imaginary problem - an ongoing genocide against white South African farmers. In February of 2025, the President of the United States signed an executive order stripping foreign aid from South Africa as punishment for that same imaginary problem. Sources:Falkof, Nicky. (2022). Worrier state: Risk, anxiety and moral panic in South Africa. Manchester University Press.Whiteness, Afrikaans, Afrikaners: Addressing Post-Apartheid Legacies, Privileges and Burdens. The Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA), 2018. Holmes, Carolyn. Victimhood for an Audience: Portrayals of Extra-Lethal Violence and their Utility for Self-Identified Victimshttps://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b6672f43c3a5320c2bec900/t/5c98fd14a4222fc0ef950ccd/1553530134194/Victimhood+for+an+Audience+-+March+2019.pdf https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/23/white-farmers-trump-south-africa-tucker-carlson-far-right-influence https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/aug/23/trump-orders-close-study-of-south-africa-farmer-killings https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ted-cruz-staff-usaid-met-group-called-apartheid-so-called-injustice_n_5af5dcb6e4b00d7e4c1a6571 https://www.splcenter.org/resources/hate-watch/anti-genocide-protests-around-nation-were-organized-neo-nazis/ https://www.splcenter.org/resources/hate-watch/campus-group-weighs-south-african-violence-targeting-whites/ https://www.splcenter.org/resources/hate-watch/dangerous-myth-white-genocide-south-africa/ https://africasacountry.com/2018/02/searching-for-white-genocide-in-south-africa/ https://unicornriot.ninja/2018/far-right-racists-push-fake-south-africa-white-genocide-narrative/ https://goodauthority.org/news/misinformation-south-africa-new-land-act-trump-musk/ https://www.jurist.org/features/2025/02/11/explainer-understanding-the-south-africa-land-reform-law-that-provoked-trumps-ire/ https://www.mediamatters.org/tucker-carlson/tucker-carlson-fearmongers-about-land-reform-south-africa https://www.mediamatters.org/tucker-carlson/trumps-south-africa-tweet-tucker-carlson-has-turned-white-nationalist-narrative https://africacheck.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Committee-of-Inquiry-Farm-Attacks-July-2003.pdf  https://africasacountry.com/2018/05/flight-of-the-boers https://www.news24.com/News24/afriforums-own-farm-murder-stats-dont-support-their-claims-20180507 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-15/dutton-wants-australia-to-help-white-south-african-farmers/9550050 https://www.news24.com/news24/opinions/analysis/donald-trumps-sa-tweet-how-he-got-the-message-20180823  https://theconversation.com/peter-duttons-fast-track-for-white-south-african-farmers-is-a-throwback-to-a-long-racist-history-93476 https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/22/south-africa-risks-food-shortages-if-white-farmers-go-to-australia-nationals-mp-says https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/27/dutton-should-prioritise-refugees-on-nauru-not-white-south-africans-unhcr-says https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/ramaphosa-hits-back-at-donald-trump-on-land-tweet/ https://www.parliament.gov.za/storage/app/media/Acts/2024/Act_13_of_2024_Expropriation_Act_2024.pdf https://www.enca.com/videos/exclusive-interview-frontrunner-become-us-ambassador-sa-----Apartheid International Original Air Date: 3.13.25In the last episode, we looked at a strange series of rallies held in cities across the United States in 2012 - American neo-nazis were rallying in support of white South African Farmers. But how did they get that idea in their heads? The rallies were put on by a group called The South Africa Project, run by a woman I'd never heard of. Digging into this mysterious South African, I found a lot more than I bargained for - bombings and mercenaries and an international network of fascist terror.Sources:https://www.24sata.hr/news/hsp-as-prisegnuli-na-vjernost-domovini-i-donaldu-trumpu-513281#google_vignette https://balkaninsight.com/2017/02/27/us-condemns-zagreb-neo-nazi-march-for-trump-02-27-2017/ https://www.icty.org/x/cases/naletilic_martinovic/cis/en/cis_naletilic_martinovic_en.pdf https://archive.idavox.com/index.php/2012/09/24/the-aryan-nations-show-of-farce-in-dc/ https://time.com/3927339/dylann-roof-charleston-shooting-flags/ https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,863800,00.html https://www.csmonitor.com/layout/set/amphtml/1981/0219/021960.html https://www.splcenter.org/resources/hate-watch/anti-genocide-protests-around-nation-were-organized-neo-nazis/ Visser, Myda. 1999. University of Pretoria. DIE IDEOLOGIESE GRONDSLAE EN ONlWIKKELING VAN DIE BLANKE FASCISTIESE BEWEGINGS IN SUID-AFRIKA, 1945-1995 Hill, Ray, and Andrew Bell. The Other Face of Terror: Inside Europe’s Neo-Nazi Network. Grafton, 1988. https://www.justice.gov.za/trc/report/finalreport/volume%202.pdf https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/june-16-soweto-youth-uprising https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/apartheid-early-1980sSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.