Chud the Builder and America's Tradition of White Racial Terror

"The latest trend among white livestreamers for generating “content”? Approaching Black strangers minding their own business, repeatedly calling them “niggers,” labeling whatever way they respond as “chimping out” and-of course-collecting a pile of money from fans who literally pay to be entertained by racial humiliation."

"Eatherly's sizable fanbase is built on livestreams in which he sidles up to random Black people, provokes them with racist abuse and dares them to react while threatening to shoot them with the gun and bear mace he carries. This little routine realized its Chekhovian inevitability this past Wednesday, May 13, when Chud shot a Black man-reportedly a disabled veteran-outside the courthouse where he was appearing in one of two criminal cases for which he was already out on bond."

"On Friday, the judge overseeing the shooting case announced charges of attempted murder, employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon, as well as a $1.25 million bond. Along with a Black stranger, according to reports, Chud also shot himself in the arm. As writer Dixon D. White notes, there may be no more perfect metaphor for the self-inflicted wound of white supremacy."

"Those cases include an early May incident when Chud refused to pay a $371 restaurant bill; the livestreamed footage of the incident, which you can still watch here, features him berating restaurant employees, including a South Asian server he calls a “ jeet” and instructs to go “shit in the street.”"

White livestreamers have used racist provocation of Black strangers to generate monetized “content,” including repeated slurs, taunting responses, and collecting fan money for racial humiliation. A prominent figure, Dalton Eatherly (“Chud the Builder”), approaches random Black people, abuses them with racism, threatens to shoot them with a gun and bear mace, and dares them to react. On May 13, he shot a Black man, reported as a disabled veteran, outside a courthouse while the man faced criminal proceedings and was out on bond. Earlier, Eatherly refused to pay a restaurant bill and livestreamed racist harassment toward employees. A judge announced attempted murder and related charges, set a $1.25 million bond, and reports indicate he also shot himself in the arm. Copycats are reportedly emerging to replace him.

Read at The Nation