Latest news with #RTTL
Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
'Return to the land': Group sets up all-white town in Arkansas; civil rights activists raise alarm
(Image credit: RTTL X handle) An extremist ethnonationalist organisation has established an exclusively white settlement in a secluded area of northeastern Arkansas's Ozarks and is reportedly considering expansion into Missouri. Return to the Land (RTTL), a self-described private membership association for people with "traditional views and European ancestry," launched its initial community in Arkansas in October 2023 and is now planning to enter Missouri, likely near Springfield, according to NBC affiliate KSNT. The organisation rejects mass immigration, multiculturalism and "forced integration" and excludes non-white, non-Christian and LGBT+ individuals, stating its members aim to distance themselves from contemporary society in favour of rural living. "You want a white nation? Build a white town?" RTTL's co-founder Eric Orwoll asks in an X video promoting the initiative. "It can be done. We're doing it." The organisation's primary settlement spans roughly 150 acres, houses 40 residents, and includes cabins, roads, wells, a community centre, and a schoolhouse. A second location opened nearby in January 2024, with plans for another Ozarks site and potential expansion into the Appalachian mountains listed on their website. In conversation with Sky News journalist Tom Cheshire, who visited RTTL's first settlement and observed activities including goat milk production, flute performances, family sports and swimming, Orwoll expressed longing for 17th-century colonial America. "I would probably feel more comfortable there because I'm white and that's the way this country was when my ancestors came there," he remarked, disregarding the indigenous population displaced by colonisation," he said. "Even if an individual has all the same values that I have, if they have an ethnic identity that other people share and care about, their children will also have that identity, and their children might not necessarily have all the same beliefs that they have," Cheshire further added. Regarding RTTL's growth plans, he said, "I would like to have more communities so that people in all parts of the U.S. have this as an option if they want. I would also like us to network and branch out internationally." Their expansion efforts include online fundraising, including a campaign offering financial incentives to parents of newborns to encourage population growth, which had reached half of its $10,000 target. Despite promoting rural living, RTTL maintains an active social media presence, sharing construction updates, nature photography, and children's book illustrations to promote their pastoral vision. Orwoll, who presents his project as a matter of First Amendment rights and private property freedom, has invested significantly in legal research. "The attorneys we've consulted believe what we're doing is legal," he told KSNT. "Americans have the right to freely associate and form intentional communities on whatever basis they choose." He believes RTTL's private membership association status exempts it from anti-discrimination laws like the Civil Rights Act and Fair Housing Act, though legal experts dispute this interpretation. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin responded, "Racial discrimination has no place in Arkansas or anywhere in a free society. These allegations raise all sorts of legal issues, including constitutional concerns. My office is reviewing the matter." Barry Jefferson, Arkansas NAACP chapter president, said: "I just truly believe that we don't need to get back to the Jim Crow era. We've been through that before. I think no one should be discriminated against because of their skin colour. "If you really look deep into the Civil Rights Act, it doesn't state that. I think they're misunderstanding what it states because there have been many organisations that tried to carve that out. That's not right," he added. The Anti-Defamation League has directly criticised RTTL, stating it attempts to resurrect "discredited and reprehensible forms of segregation." When questioned about racist elements within his organisation, including white supremacist content in its Telegram channel and his views on Adolf Hitler's "second coming," Orwoll maintained that conventional perspectives on the Nazi leader are "one-sided" and influenced by wartime propaganda. "I think all historical figures are complex, multi-dimensional," he said. "But when I say, 'you're gonna have to wait for that new Hitler to arise', I'm not saying you're going to have to wait for a new person to start a new Holocaust," Orwoll further said, adding to his statement that, "I am saying you are going to wait for a charismatic leader who is going to advocate for your interests because that's how a lot of people see Hitler."
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Return to the Land: This ‘whites only' community doesn't allow non-European religions, gays
A 'whites only' community has come up in the Ozarks in Arkansas. A group of like minded people have been working hard over the last one and a half years to level the land, lay roads, build cabins. Now, there are wells, a community center, and even a school house for kids to take lessons. Return to the Land group chats reportedly have plenty of Nazi references(X/@RTTL_Official) Return to the Land (RTTL) is a settlement spawning 160 acres, and its founders call it 'intentional community based around shared ancestry,' Sky News reported. On X, they reportedly wrote 'We started a Whites only community,' though the official description reads 'We seek to create safe communities for the next generation of Americans.' Forty people are currently part of the settlement, and hundreds more, from all over the world have reportedly applied to be members. What is RTTL and its beliefs? Eric Orwoll is the leader of RTTL, and believes if 'You want a white nation? Build a white town'. Speaking to the Sky News reporter, he admitted to be building a 'fortress for the white race'. Reportedly, the group has plenty of Nazi references on its Telegram chat. Peter Csere, the de facto number two, posted the phrase 1488. As per the publication, 14 refers to "14 words", a white supremacist slogan, while H is the eighth letter of the alphabet, so 88 would be 'HH' or 'Heil Hitler'. Csere said it was 'a funny comment, a throwback'. Orwoll, meanwhile, maintains that there won't be the coming of a second Hitler, unless people do the work beforehand. Explaining to Sky News, he said, "Well, there I am, honestly, I'm addressing the sentiments of my audience," Orwoll says. 'Hitler is a very controversial historical figure. I think the mainstream view is one-sided. It's informed by World War II propaganda, but also the contrary position that Hitler did nothing wrong, that many people online say: that's also a one-sided view. I think all historical figures are complex, multi-dimensional, but when I say, 'you're gonna have to wait for that new Hitler to arise', I'm not saying you're going to have to wait for a new person to start a new Holocaust. I am saying you are going to wait for a charismatic leader who is going to advocate for your interests because that's how a lot of people see Hitler.' Three other settlements are now reportedly under way, all of what Orwoll sees as a 'path to power'. Supposedly, many of the wider group include law enforcement officials or federal agents, who did not wish to be with journalists, Sky News reported. RTTL chose Arkansas mainly due to low land prices, and less demanding building regulations. While living out there is tough, some people definitely felt it was worth giving up their previous lives for. Sky News spoke to one of the earliest members, who said 'I figure there's nothing else like this in the country, it should at least exist. Do people really think we should never be able to choose our neighbors?' How to join RTTL? To join RTTL one must sign up for Private Members Association, or PMA. Those from 'non-European religions' like Islam, are banned. As are gay people. Whatever the RTTL does not view as conforming to 'traditional views' or 'European ancestry' has no space in this settlement. Upon application, people are vetted, which includes a video interview to confirm ethnicity. Then, they can buy shares in the Limited Liability Company or LLC. These shares translate to acres of land that members can build on. Is RTTL legal? While RTTL believes they can circumvent civil rights legislation, like the Fair Housing Act, which prevents discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability, experts beg to differ. 'I just truly believe that we don't need to get back to the Jim Crow era [of segregation]. We've been through that before. I think no one should be discriminated against because of the skin color. If you really look deep into Civil Rights Act, it doesn't state that. I think they're misunderstanding what it states because there have been many organizations that tried to carve that out. That's not right,' said Barry Jefferson, president of the Arkansas branch of the NAACP, America's oldest civil rights group. Meanwhile, Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said, 'Racial discrimination has no place in Arkansas or anywhere in a free society. These allegations raise all sorts of legal issues, including constitutional concerns. My office is reviewing the matter.'
The Hill
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
‘Whites-only' community seeks Missouri expansion
A 'whites-only' group called Return to the Land (RTTL), derided by critics as racist and antisemitic, is looking to expand its reach from its base in northern Arkansas to an area near Springfield, Mo., a co-founder of the group said recently. The prospect of a growing 'whites-only' community — where members are evaluated based on European ancestry and where Jews are denied membership — is raising concerns among state and local officials and activist groups. RTTL, which describes itself as a private member association, began development in 2023 on its base in northern Arkansas, which sits on 160 acres of land. A co-founder of the group, Eric Orwoll, told Nexstar's KOLR that he hopes to expand soon to an area of land outside Springfield, and, eventually, expand to all 50 states. 'We want to ensure that White Americans who value their ancestry will have the ability to live among like-minded people in the future if they choose to do so, regardless of demographic changes,' Orwoll told the news outlet. He said RTTL plans to coordinate homeschool groups, health care networks, legal advocacy groups and more — all of which would be barred to people of color. 'Whites should have the ability to live among their own people if that's what they want to do, and mass immigration is quickly making that nearly impossible in many Western nations,' Orwoll said. 'If individuals decide to live in multi-racial communities, then they should be allowed to do so, but we don't want racial forced on us in every aspect of life,' he added. Missouri Democrats are pushing back on the effort. Chelsea Rodriguez, communications director for the state Democratic Party, called RTTL a 'hate group' and said they won't be welcome. 'Missouri families are fed up with the fringe extremism Missouri Republicans keep inviting into their communities. If this hate group tries to relocate to Springfield, they shouldn't expect to be embraced,' Rodriguez said in a statement. 'Missouri Democrats have a clear message for any hate group eyeing our state: This is our home. We were raised here, and we share the same respect for the Constitution and Second Amendment as our neighbors. Your hate has no place in our home,' she continued. State Rep. Jeremy Dean, a Democrat who represents part of Springfield in the Missouri House of Representatives, said he has 'no doubt' that groups like RTTL are 'emboldened by federal and state politicians who attack marginalized communities and fuel a climate where hate can grow.' 'Southwest Missouri has a racist past, but we've made progress and we're not going back. White nationalist groups have no place in our country, especially not here,' Dean added in a statement. Another Missouri Democrat who represents part of Springfield in Jefferson City, state Rep. Betsy Fogle, said the 'blatant racism embraced by Mr. Orwoll's group' is not welcome in there. 'Southwest Missouri is too beautiful to be ruined by a worldview so ugly. History has been very clear about the outcomes of groups like Mr. Orwoll's who seek to leave behind others based on the color of their skin,' Fogle said in a statement. 'I refuse to let history repeat itself in my hometown and would ask my colleagues to do the same,' she added. The group has faced pushback in Arkansas as well. Lindsay Beach Friedmann, Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) regional director of the south central region, said the move 'revives discredited and reprehensible forms of segregation' and should be illegal under federal and state civil rights laws, as well as under the Arkansas Fair Housing Act and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. 'We urge the Arkansas Fair Housing Commission, local elected officials, and law enforcement to act swiftly to ensure that Northeast Arkansas remains a welcoming and inclusive community, not a refuge for intolerance and exclusion,' the ADL said in a statement earlier this month. Orwoll pushed back on the ADL's remarks, saying his group embraces a 'shared ancestral values' and not violence or hatred, according to KOLR. He also brushed off concerns that the organization is breaking the law, noting RTTL is a private association and doesn't sell real estate. 'The attorneys we've consulted believe what we're doing is legal,' Orwoll said. 'Americans have the right to freely associate and form intentional communities on whatever basis they choose.' Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin (R) does not share that view. 'Racial discrimination has no place in Arkansas or anywhere in a free society. These allegations raise all sorts of legal issues, including constitutional concerns,' Griffin said in a statement. 'My office is reviewing the matter.'
The Independent
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Far-right group establishes ‘whites-only' community with 40 residents
Joe Sommerlad Thursday 24 July 2025 17:12 BST Return to the Land's first settlement site in rural Arkansas (Aarvoll/YouTube) Return to the Land (RTTL), a far-right ethnonationalist group, has established a "whites-only" community in remote Arkansas and is reportedly planning expansion into Missouri. Describing itself as a private membership association, RTTL welcomes only individuals of "European ancestry" with "traditional views," aiming to separate from modern society. RTTL's flagship community spans approximately 150 acres of land, is home to 40 inhabitants, and features its own cabins, roads, wells, a community center, and a schoolhouse. A second community was established near the first in January this year and the group lists aspirations to move into the Appalachian mountains on its website. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, the NAACP, and the Anti-Defamation League have raised significant concerns, accusing RTTL of racial discrimination and attempting to revive segregation. In full
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Whites-only community plotting expansion to another state as its efforts to build a ‘white nation' continue
A far-right ethnonationalist group that has set up a 'whites-only' community in a remote part of the Ozarks in northeastern Arkansas is reportedly exploring the possibility of expanding north into Missouri. Return to the Land (RTTL), which describes itself as a private membership association (PMA) for individuals with 'traditional views and European ancestry,' opened its first community in Arkansas in October 2023 and is now considering entering a second state, likely near Springfield, according to NBC's regional affiliate KSNT. The group is opposed to mass immigration, multiculturalism and 'forced integration' and reportedly does not welcome non-white, non-Christian or LGBT+ people, explaining that its members are seeking to 'separate ourselves from a failing modern society' and return to pastoral living. 'You want a white nation? Build a white town?' RTTL's co-founder Eric Orwoll asks in an X video promoting the initiative. 'It can be done. We're doing it.' RTTL's flagship community spans approximately 150 acres of land, is home to 40 inhabitants, and features its own cabins, roads, wells, a community center, and a schoolhouse. It was followed by a second site nearby that opened in January this year, with the group listing a further Ozarks site as upcoming and aspirations to move into the Appalachian mountains on its website. Speaking to Sky News journalist Tom Cheshire – who visited RTTL's first 'fortress for the white race' and found a world of fresh goat's milk, flute recitals, family kickball games and creek swimming – Orwoll expressed a nostalgia for the America of the 17th century encountered by the Virginia settlers. 'I would probably feel more comfortable there because I'm white and that's the way this country was when my ancestors came there,' he said, overlooking the Native Americans soon to be displaced by the colonists. 'Even if an individual has all the same values that I have, if they have an ethnic identity that other people share and care about, their children will also have that identity, and their children might not necessarily have all the same beliefs that they have.' On his ambitions for RTTL's expansion, he said: 'I would like to have more communities so that people in all parts of the U.S. have this as an option if they want. I would also like us to network and branch out internationally.' Part of that branching out includes online fundraising campaigns, one of which seeks donations to enable the group to pay 'cash rewards to parents of newborns as a means to incentivize population growth,' which was halfway towards its modest $10,000 goal at the time of writing. For a back-to-nature movement, RTTL is surprisingly active on social media, posting updates on the progress of its construction projects, wildlife photography, and even illustrations from children's books to promote its vision of rural idyll. Orwoll – who frames the debate surrounding his project as a 'First Amendment issue' and a 'freedom issue' about 'doing what we want on our own private land' – has invested tens of thousands of dollars into research on its legality. 'The attorneys we've consulted believe what we're doing is legal,' he told KSNT. 'Americans have the right to freely associate and form intentional communities on whatever basis they choose.' Orwoll believes its PMA status exempts it from legislation like the Civil Rights Act or the Fair Housing Act, which mandate equality and outlaw discrimination, although that is by no means an opinion shared by all experts. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, for one, said in a statement responding to RTTL's practices: 'Racial discrimination has no place in Arkansas or anywhere in a free society. These allegations raise all sorts of legal issues, including constitutional concerns. My office is reviewing the matter.' Barry Jefferson, president of the Arkansas chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), said: 'I just truly believe that we don't need to get back to the Jim Crow era. We've been through that before. I think no one should be discriminated against because of their skin colour. 'If you really look deep into the Civil Rights Act, it doesn't state that. I think they're misunderstanding what it states because there have been many organisations that tried to carve that out. That's not right.' The Anti-Defamation League has been even more blunt about RTTL, accusing it of trying to revive 'discredited and reprehensible forms of segregation.' Asked by Sky about the more overtly racist aspects of his organization, including the sharing of white supremacist slogans in its Telegram channel and his own thoughts on a 'second coming' of Adolf Hitler, Orwoll did not shy away, saying conventional opinion on the Nazi leader is 'one-sided' and informed by Second World War propaganda. 'I think all historical figures are complex, multi-dimensional,' he said. 'But when I say, 'you're gonna have to wait for that new Hitler to arise', I'm not saying you're going to have to wait for a new person to start a new Holocaust. 'I am saying you are going to wait for a charismatic leader who is going to advocate for your interests because that's how a lot of people see Hitler.' Solve the daily Crossword
