Why white supremacists flaunt Crusades symbols

It's because they are stupid at history

Oh look, peaceful Christian symbols tattooed onto white supremacists. Why? Because they’re also white supremacy symbols.

For thousands of years, the swastika symbolized well-being. It also symbolizes Naziism. How can one symbol mean two different things? Simple: context. When you find the swastika in an ancient sanskrit text, it means one thing; when you see it emblazoned in the center of a red flag, it means something very different.

Today we see white supremacists, Christian nationalists, and neo-Nazis festooned with tattoos of Crusades symbols: the Teutonic Cross, the Jerusalem Cross, Deus Vult (God wills it), the Templar Cross. Perhaps in the context of a stained glass window or an illuminated manuscript, these would be religious symbols, representing monastic orders chartered by Pope Urban II in the 11th century. But when we see them tattooed all over guys carrying torches and waving assault rifles, you might think these fine lads are studying to become priests, or are on their way to seminary. You would be in error.

White supremacists aren’t very good at history.

The reason white supremacists have appropriated Crusader imagery is that they believe the Crusades were a racial conflict between white Europeans and Middle Eastern Muslims. Extremists romanticize the Crusades as a pure and noble struggle, drawing parallels to their own perceived battle against multiculturalism, immigration, and globalization. They selectively — and wrongly — interpret the Crusades as a heroic defense of Christendom against Islam, omitting the complex political, economic, and religious factors that drove these conflicts. Symbols of the Crusades carry a militant and masculine aesthetic, which appeals to groups that prioritize aggressive nationalism and racial identity. The medieval knight, clad in armor and bearing a cross, is seen as an idealized figure of European strength and purity.

OK then. Now let’s look at actual history.

In 1054, Christianity split in half. The half in the West, which eventually became today's Roman Catholic Church, recognized the authority of the Pope; while the half in the East, which eventually became today's Eastern Orthodox Church, did not recognize the authority of the Pope. Some of the combatants in the East were European Christians, most were Christian Turks, some were Sunni Muslims.

• The First Crusade is the one white supremacists are proudest of. In 1096, Pope Urban II joined forces with the Byzantine emperor Alexios to drive the brown Muslims out of their lands and establish the Crusader States in their place. No wonder it’s a wet dream for bigots.

• The Second Crusade was intended to elevate the political and religious stature of its leaders by attacking Damascus. It was a miserable failure.

• The Third Crusade was about asserting European power and enhancing the political influence of three leading European monarchs by attempting to retake Jerusalem. It ended in a truce with no real victory.

• The Fourth Crusade also started as a plan to retake Jerusalem from Muslims — but on the way, they said “Hey, there’s more loot to sack in Christian-held Constantinople,” and so the white Christians sacked and plundered their way through more white Christians. Hey white supremacists, you better take a second look at what you think your tattoos represent.

• The Fifth Crusade was about taking control of Egyptian trade routes. It was a massive military failure.

• The Sixth Crusade was purely a showboat for Frederick II. It involved diplomacy only; no fighting.

• The Seventh Crusade attempted to retake Egypt once again for purposes of trade. All the Crusaders were killed or captured.

• The Eighth Crusade was intended to assert French authority over Mediterranean trade. They abandoned it when Louis IX died.

• The Ninth Crusade was an attempt by Edward I to say “Hey, I’m somebody too,” but he wasn’t; so this Crusade basically dwindled out and represented the end of Crusader influence.

So, remind me, white supremacists: In exactly what universe is your tattoo a symbol of superiority, virility, Alpha-hood, and the defeat of Brown Muslims at the hands of the racially superior White Europeans — or, if you prefer, the defeat of brown immigrants at the hands of white nationalism extremists?

Because that sure as hell is not what the Crusades accomplished.

Oh! I forget. It’s about context. In the context of a tattoo on a white supremacist’s arm, a Crusades symbol means he doesn’t understand history and has no thought deeper than “Me strong.”

• Thanks to historian Mike Dash who correctly prompted to refine a couple of my attempted one-sentence summaries of each of the nine Crusades.