Consider The Source
In Light of NEARA's Use of His Work, More About Neo Nazi Frank Joseph Collin
As we contemplate the Ancient Stone Mysteries of New England, some wonder if scattered European explorers and adventurers have made their way over to what's now North America before Christopher Columbus? Seems plausible - even likely...
So...
Why is it when theories about pre-Columbian European Explorers in North America are brought up that some people shout NAZIS and RACISM and condemn those who bring up such theories?
It's because, unknowingly (usually), and fairly or unfairly, talking about these theories puts you in the company of Neo-Nazis and White Supremacists. They have embraced and amplified many, often debunked, hypotheses on white, European explorers ranging across what's now North America.
A search for pre-Columbian stonework information on the internet can now lead down some dark and racist corridors.
But the larger problem is that the true force for this stuff, the power behind the scenes, the man who in a major way promoted diffusionist and hyper-diffusionist hypotheses for years and published books, magazines, and advanced the careers of folks like Patrick Choinard, Wayne May, Gunnar Thompson and other pre-Columbian theorists, IS an actual Neo-Nazi, Frank Joseph.
This is not to say any of the theorists involved are actually white supremacists. I don't know if any of them are. They're into this stuff for their own reasons. But they were willingly used by one. Those who have worked with a magazine editor know the editor generally controls the message and tone of the work in the magazine. An editor with a white supremacist, Neo-Nazi agenda will use a writer’s work when it advances their cause.
Frank Joseph's actual name is Frank Collin. Before starting his career publishing work on pre-Columbian exploration, he was a prominent Neo-Nazi. He founded the National Socialist Party of America (later the American Nazi Party) and thanks to the ACLU he successfully sued for the right for his Nazis to march in Skokie, Illinois.
On a lighter note, he was personally parodied for this in The Blues Brothers movie, where he was portrayed by the late actor and comedian Henry Gibson.
On top of his Nazi activities, the man was convicted and went to prison for child sexual abuse. After serving time, and having been kicked out of the Nazi Party for his molestation convictions, he changed his professional name to Frank Joseph (his middle name is Joseph) and went into publishing, promoting the idea of pre-Columbian European Explorers, diffusion and hyperdiffusion, advancing portrayals of brave early European explorers before the time of Columbus, and portrayals of Indigenous peoples as late-arriving savages on the land.
What you believe and what hypotheses you espouse is up to you. But it's important to know why these diffusionist and hyper-diffusionist hypotheses are so much in the public eye and being promoted as plausible and authentic. Frank Joseph has done a lot of work. Could you unknowingly be doing any work for him?
The unfortunate side-effect to his extensive promotion is that actual inquiry along these lines is now tainted and entangled by this mess Frank Joseph Collin made. Many people who want to investigate the possibility of pre-Columbian European exploration grow frustrated with those of us who don’t believe the work he edited should be used. Blame Frank Joseph. I am sorry he’s ruined your fun.
This man has been a driving force behind so many of these theories. And now, you know something about his background and likely motivations. Look on your bookshelves - if you've been into this stuff at all, you likely have a book he edited. I know I did. It was in looking up information on Goodreads on the editor of a book I’d bought that I made these discoveries.
It was a great disappointment to find out he was such a deplorable person, a Neo Nazi and convicted child molester. Need more? His own father came out and said their last name was actually Cohen and that he, the father, had been held in the Nazi’s Dachau Concentration Camp!
Frank Joseph Collin said his father lied.
Is this someone who’s editorial guiding hand stands up to scrutiny? Who’s agenda-free? Seems unlikely. It's certainly important to weigh carefully the veracity of the story if he is your source, or the editor of your source. I would also argue for a need to weigh carefully the use of his work at all. Can you find a similar story to the one you want to cite in another, different source? Use that.
But don’t just take my word for all this. Here is his About the Author at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/25720.Frank_Joseph. And good old Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Collin.
In terms of current events, a NEARA Board member shared an article from an old Frank Joseph magazine in a mailing to NEARA Members. As a member of the NEARA Board of Directors, I asked if the Board could please not distribute the work of a Neo Nazi. This seemed to be received by the Board as a potentially unreasonable ask, its reception lukewarm, deemed certainly not worthy of any immediate action, perhaps something to be discussed at a potential upcoming retreat.
And then a non-Board NEARA member on the email thread, while insisting they did not support Neo Nazis, of course not, who does, took offense at my characterizations of Frank Joseph, who was such a nice man, how dare I say such horrible things? He was offended by my Subject Line asking that NEARA not share Neo Nazi work. Offended at my vitriol towards Frank Joseph and his magazine. Offended! But, of course, they said, they would never support a Neo Nazi if they were actually saying Neo Nazi things…
No. That’s not how it works. You don’t work with a Neo Nazi. Full stop.
This led to my resignation. It was too much. Done with NEARA.
There is a certain willful obliviousness in some people who aren’t immediately threatened by the evil agenda of Nazis and Neo Nazis, who believe they can cherry pick what they take away from the work of those people. But as a friend said earlier: "If you sit down at a table with ten Nazis, then there will then be eleven Nazis sitting down at a table," sharing a saying from Resistance groups passed down to my friend through oral tradition that rings true.
You don’t sit down with Nazis, even “nice” ones who tell you stories you like.
There are many people in the world of Ancient Stone Mysteries who aren’t very happy with me right now, especially not with how public I’ve been. I’ve been accused of being on a high horse and been publicly insulted. But I was very public in promoting NEARA, and having discovered they have no problem using the supposedly “non-Nazi” Neo Nazi’s stuff, I want to be equally as public that that’s NOT something I can be associated with. Frank Joseph Collin is not someone I ever want to be associated with. Now that you know something about him, you can judge my reactions and decisions for yourself.
But, once again... I state unapologetically that I have no tolerance for Nazis or Neo Nazis. Full stop. Period.
End of story.
Mike, I’m sorry you had to leave NEARA. But I fully
understand your reasons. I remember you and I discussing this very issue when you visited our property. I knew something was off with this group of researchers when I first joined but I couldn’t place why. Since then I’ve noticed the true nature of a lot of its members. Especially with their comments on some of my posts in your FB “Ancient Stone Mysteries” profile and others that are similar. I first started to snooze them, but now I just block them. I’ve also started to diligently check out negative comments or emojis by members who have joined your page as well as others that I belong too. Believe me when I say I’ve found a hell of a lot of TROLLs. Trolls whose profiles are new and have no history of posts. And trolls who’ve locked their profiles. These people have nothing nice to say. So I don’t want to deal with their hatefulness and negative comments.
This was NEARA's statement. See https://neara.org/
False Accusations
A recent Facebook post by Mike Luoma implied that NEARA “tolerates Neo-Nazis”. This assertion was made in reaction to a field trip announcement that referenced a magazine article for the purpose of debunking the claims made in that article. Because the magazine cited was edited by someone known to be a Neo-Nazi, Mike Luoma accused NEARA of tolerating Neo-Nazis.
NEARA does not condone or tolerate behavior that is supportive of Neo-Nazi, white supremacist, or racist views. At no time did any member of the NEARA Board of Directors endorse the views of Francis Joseph Collin.
In fact the private email to NEARA members that referenced a decades-old article in Collin’s magazine was there for the explicit purpose of debunking the claim made there that a site was a 5th Century church. NEARA believes that it is important to examine the evidence behind claims made about old stone structures. In this case, the field trip will actually show the evidence contradicting those claims. We believe that the best way to counter false claims is to hold them up to the light.