No Handler Required

Violent extremists motivated by accelerationism don't need funding or shadowy masterminds to commit their violent attacks.

My experience investigating fringe extremist groups that congregate in the internet's darkest corners has led me to some unexpected realizations. 

Sensational conspiracy theories, such as those which speculate on the involvement of the FBI or CIA, are more palatable than the truth. The reality is far more unsettling: There is no secretive organization funding and orchestrating these groups, in fact, the government agencies that we task with keeping our communities safe are often oblivious to the most serious risks to our country until it's too late.

The uncomfortable truth is that these agencies aren't in control of the problem at all, and the safety of the public hangs in the balance. 

Light purifies these evil online spaces. When you shine a light on groups like 764 you quickly find that these demonic predators are little more than disenfranchised youth, often completely incapable of real-world harm.

But it's the exception that most often makes mainstream news headlines. The one troubled teen in a Discord server full of troubled teens that decided to take it to the next level and make society pay. 

There are no shadowy “handlers” controlling their every move. Most modern mass shooters have been self-radicalized within their violent and sadistic echo chambers; egged on by their peers who swear to disseminate their manifestos and sing their praises after their death. They made the decision, made the plans, gathered the equipment, and then committed the crime on their own volition. 

Unfortunately for seekers of the truth, provocative speculation and sensational headlines are far more appealing than the bleak reality. It didn't surprise me to run across a recent headline that read, “School killer was likely egged on by online extremist 'handlers,' investigators say” with a picture of Nashville school shooter Solomon Henderson underneath. 

The word “handler” invokes mental images of corrupt federal agents or sophisticated foreign provocateurs. In the case of Henderson, this couldn't be farther from the truth.