In May of 2016, the blog for the podcast Heathen Talk published an entry in which TAC’s somewhat shady financial history was taken to task. Of particular interest in the piece was TAC’s supposed “veteran’s outreach,” a program which by that time had proven to be all but vapor. In their investigation Heathen Talk managed to reach one of TAC’s partner groups, Nordic Circle KCAZ, to discuss financial and material aid provided to them during a rally for local vets.

This association caught the attention of Hugin’s Heathen Hof, who themselves reached out to Heathen United Against Racism to pursue claims that NCAZ had ties to white supremacy. In their article, HHH states that “organizations like H.U.A.R had been publicly pointing out the issues with this affiliation for months.” HHH contacted the leadership of TAC to clarify their position in regard to NCKCAZ, and was informed that the matter had been reviewed, and Nordic Circle had been exonerated of any claims of racism.

No harm, no foul then, right? NCKCAZ had been thoroughly investigated by TAC, and no association with 14/88 or Neo-Nazi ideology had been uncovered. Boy, we sure are glad that’s settled.

Days later, the leader of Nordic Circle KCAZ, “Tripp”, released another of his frequent videos, this time wearing a leather jacket with some imagery that seems to indicate that TAC’s vetting process, at least at the time, had some weak-spots. On either side of his collar, NCKAZ’s President bears the insignia “14/88” and “Schutzstaffel.”

In their haste to clear their own name of any wrongdoing, it appears that TAC failed to discover what everyone on Youtube can plainly see: Nordic Circle KCAZ adheres not only to the hateful 14/88 ideology, but to a particularly violent and virulent brand of it driven by adulation for the SS, the wing of the Nazi Army tasked with enacting Hitler’s Final Solution.

It didn’t take long. After HHH’s article, the TAC leadership was backed pretty well into a corner. In a sorely tardy attempt to distance themselves from the impending scandal, TAC finally cut ties with NCKAZ. They even went so far as to publish a letter reaffirming their commitment to inclusivity.

To be sure, it was a necessary step. Moreover, there is an urge to grant the young, inexperienced Board of a burgeoning non-profit some leeway, even in a SNAFU of this magnitude. The optics are disastrous, certainly, but it appears passingly unlikely that the Board of Directors at The Asatru Community are, themselves, explicit racists.

Instead, this episode raises a litany of questions about the leadership’s overall competence, ethics, and final goals.

It seems that, from the outset, TAC simply did not have a vetting process installed. For a company who’s own mission statement speaks of inclusivity and safety, this is an absolutely egregious misstep. Without the ability to investigate a potential partner thoroughly, an organization like TAC leaves itself vulnerable to invasion by the white power elements that have become all too common in modern Heathenry.

What is even more baffling, then, is TAC’s hell-bent refusal to accept the aid other organizations offered to cover the gap. Perhaps it can be excused that a neonatal organization, run by people with little experience in legal matters, would overlook the inclusion of a vetting process. That they would subsequently shrug off freely offered assistance from at least two other older groups with obvious ability in the field is perplexing. This isn’t a freshman mistake. This is a dangerous combination of bungling ineptitude and pride.

It is a fantasy beyond reasonable belief that TAC rigorously researched NCKAZ and was able to clear them of racist ideology. This is especially true when, even at the time, their proclivities were so well known that they had already drawn the ire of HUAR and HHH. It didn’t require meticulous investigative prowess, either. Nordic Circle had already published several videos, each with overt white power symbology and language.

Instead, it is clear that TAC outright lied to HHH when questioned; there had been no serious attempt to clear NCKAZ of the charges. At best, there had been a brief conversation between the entities, the leadership of TAC had foolishly accepted an indefensible denial, and both parties had called it a day. There was no method to it. It was half-hearted and soft-headed, and The Asatru Community seems to have purposely avoided what they’d rather not see.

The are only a handful of conclusions that can be drawn from this incident, and none are flattering.

It is possible that TAC is insidiously aligned with racists. This is, however, unlikely in the extreme. It would be a mistake to credit complex conspiratorial malevolence where simple incompetence would do.

It is possible that TAC is so jaw-droppingly inept that this was an actual series of mistakes, made in good faith. Even if this is true, it raises very pressing questions about the safety of trusting them with member funds. It further speaks of a bizarre pride that would press its leaders to refuse to acknowledge any misstep unless forced to.

It is possible that TAC doesn’t actually care, one way or another, if their partners are supremacists. In this case, it would seem that the entire organization is some complex “numbers game,” designed to drive either personal validation or revenue into the hands of its leaders. In this case, it is only when an error may cost more “likes” than it can gain that it is rectified.

We will further delve into these possibilities in future articles, as we uncover an ever-spiraling pattern of behavior. Sadly, this pattern includes repeated courtship of racists, and even their inclusion as Board members.

 

BUT FIRST! We have a breaking situation that requires attention!

Up Next: Sexism, Lies, and Deleted Posts: TAC takes on Open Halls

Opening image taken from The Asatru Community’s Mission Statement.