Everyone says that this new crop of American Nazis is really mean, but I, a white journalist, went out to talk to them for this profile, and they were actually really nice. I mean, sure, when I first met George Nathan Bedford Forrest Wallace on his compound, I was a little thrown off by his swastika hat, Confederate-flag T-shirt, and his pants, which had a crossed-out trans flag on each leg. All those hateful clothes made him seem a little mean.
But when he opened the front door of his bunker for me, and I thought, See, this is a guy with manners. He knows how to treat a lady.
His wife, Davida “Duke” Wallace, was also very nice. She introduced me to her knitting circle, which was six pleasant middle-aged ladies who were just sitting down for sweet tea and cake before they went back to their latest group knitting project. I was a little nervous when I saw that they were knitting a very large blanket that read GO BACK TO AFRICA, but they also served me a scrumptious lemon cake with raspberry filling. They even gave me the recipe.
And their kids couldn’t have been sweeter. Eleven-year-old George Wallace Junior and eight-year-old Strom Thurmond Wallace taught me how to play a game in the woods with their bow and arrows. I admit I was a little freaked out when they told me the game was called “The Great Re-Replacement Theory,” but I don’t know anything about the woods, and they kept me from crashing into poison ivy. Yeah, their game was a little edgy, but would truly terrible people help a stranger out like that?
Overall, I have to say that I really enjoyed my visit with the Wallaces. I obviously don’t share their worldview, but I think they’re friendly, kind folks who everyone in the country would be proud to call “neighbor.” Okay, maybe not everybody, but you know, most Americans.
– – –
Kashana Cauley’s latest novel is The Payback.
